WO2001008115A1

WO2001008115A1 - Keyless entry cellular phone

Info

Publication number: WO2001008115A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/019910
Authority: WO
Inventors: Charles H. Ide
Original assignee: Aeroflex Utmc Microelectronic Systems Inc.
Priority date: 1999-07-23
Filing date: 2000-07-21
Publication date: 2001-02-01

Abstract

A keyless entry cellular phone (10) includes a keyless entry function (22) which may be manually activated to lock (22) and unlock (26) car doors and doors of facilities, and may also be activated through the cellular phone. If the cellular phone is locked in the car (30) and the door cannot be opened, the owner can call the cellular phone from an external phone (65) and, with the proper security codes, command the cellular phone to unlock the car. The cellular phone may be supported in a crackle (36) within the car (30). The crackle (36) may include circuitry (84) for monitoring the power level of the battery of the car (38). If the power drops down below a predetermined threshold, the cellular phone (10) is programmed to call a predetermined number, such as the number of the Automobile Association of America (AAA), a car service center or garage, a cellular phone service center or the car owner's home or work phone number, for example.

Description

KEYLESS ENTRY CELLULARPHONE

The present application claims the benefit of U.S.S.N. 60/145325, filed on July 23, 1999, assigned to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated by reference, herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Systems and methods for controlling and monitoring a vehicle and, more particularly, a cellular phone incorporating a keyless entry transmitter for unlocking car doors and conveying status information such as low battery power.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Car keys are often inadvertently left locked within a car, leaving no convenient method for opening the car doors. Often, a locksmith is required.

Remote keyless entry systems for unlocking and locking car doors are a great convenience, particularly in inclement weather or when one's hands are encumbered, such as when carrying packages. Remote keyless entry systems include a radio frequency or infrared transmitter in a key fob and an appropriate receiver within the car for controlling the car doors, as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,850,188, for example. The receiver is connected to the locking system of the car doors. Activation of a manual switch causes transmission of a radio frequency or infrared signal to the receiver in the car to lock or unlock the car doors. The receiver causes the doors to lock or to unlock, dependent on the signal received. U.S. Patent No. 5,850,188 is incorporated by reference herein. A key fob of a remote keyless entry system may also be locked within a car, leaving no convenient method for opening the car doors.

A device for locking and unlocking car doors, which enables easy access to a locked car when the device is locked within the car, is needed.

It would also be advantageous for a car owner to receive notification of dangerous conditions of the car, such a low battery power, prior to returning to the car.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a cellular phone includes a keyless entry transmitter which may be manually activated to lock and unlock car doors and doors of facilities, and may also be activated through the cellular phone.

If the cellular phone is locked in the car and the doors cannot be opened, the owner can call the cellular phone from a external phone and, with the proper security codes, command the cellular phone to unlock the car.

In another aspect of the invention, the cellular phone may be supported in a cradle within the car. The cradle includes circuitry for monitoring the power level of the battery of the car. If the power drops below a predetermined threshold, the cellular phone 10 is programmed to call a predetermined number, such as the number of the Automobile Association of America (AAA), a car service center or garage, a cellular phone service center or the car owner's home or work phone number, for example.

In one embodiment of the invention, a cellular phone is disclosed comprising a base, a transmitting antenna for communicating with a cellular phone network, a speaker, a keypad, a microphone, and a keyless entry transmitter for transmitting signals to a receiver controlling an electric locking system of a door, to unlock the door. The cellular phone includes electronic control circuitry, such as a microprocessor or other electronic logic circuitry, programmed to activate the keyless entry transmitter in response to a call to the cellular phone. The programming can be implemented in software or in hardware. The cellular phone of the present invention may be used to open a car door or the doors of a facility.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a cellular phone is disclosed comprising a transmitting antenna for communicating with a cellular phone network, a keyless entry transmitter for transmitting signals to a receiver controlling an electric locking system of a door to unlock the door, and at least one button for manually activating the keyless entry transmitter.

In another embodiment of the invention, a keyless entry system for controlling a door is disclosed comprising a keyless entry receiver for being coupled to the locking system of a door and for receiving signals causing opening of the door and a cellular phone comprising a keyless entry transmitter for transmitting signals to the keyless entry receiver. The cellular phone is programmed to cause transmission of signals to the receiver to open the doors, in response to a phone call. A method of operating a cellular phone locked behind a closed door, wherein the cellular phone includes a keyless entry transmitter, is also disclosed comprising calling the cellular phone and causing the cellular phone to activate the keyless entry transmitter to emit a signal for unlocking the door in response to the phone call.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a keyless entry cellular phone, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a car including a keyless entry receiver and a cellular phone cradle for use with the keyless entry cellular phone of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a keyless entry cellular phone system incorporating the keyless entry cellular phone of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of an interconnection between the cellular phone subsystem and the keyless entry transmitting portion of the cellular phone;

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of a wake-up circuit for use with the keyless entry cellular phone of Fig. 1 ; and

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a preferred configuration of the cradle, including battery monitoring circuitry.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fig. 1 shows a keyless entry cellular phone 10 in accordance with the present invention. The keyless entry cellular phone 10 comprises a base 12, a transmitting antenna 14, a speaker 16, a keypad 18, a display 19 and a microphone 20, as in a conventional cellular phone. The keyless entry cellular phone 10 may be powered by rechargeable batteries (not shown), as is also known in the art. Communication to and from the keyless entry cellular phone 10, which may be a digital or analog phone, is accomplished through an appropriate digital or analog cellular phone network.

The keyless entry cellular phone 10 also includes a keyless entry transmitting portion 22. The keyless entry transmitting portion 22 includes a lock button 24 and an unlock button 26. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the keyless entry transmitter portion 20 is below the keypad 18 and microphone 20 of the phone. Alternatively, the keyless entry transmitter portion 22 may be in the back of the cellular phone 10 or in another convenient location. An optional adapter 28 is shown for recharging the batteries of the cellular phone 10 through the cigarette lighter of a car.

Fig. 2 shows a car 30 including schematic representation of a keyless entry receiver 32 electrically coupled to the car's electric locking system 34. Upon manual depression of the lock button 24 or unlock button 26, the keyless entry transmitting portion 22 of the cellular phone 10 transmits signals, preferably radio frequency signals, to the keyless entry receiver 32 in the car 30. The car doors are unlocked or locked in response to the signals by the locking system 34. U.S. Patent No. 5,850,188, which is incorporated by reference, herein, is an example of a remote keyless entry system. In addition, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the keyless entry cellular phone 10 is locked in the car 30, the keyless entry transmitting portion 22 may be activated to transmit a signal to the receiver 32 for opening a car door by a phone call to the cellular phone, as described further, below. The car 30 may also include a cradle 36 electrically coupled to the car battery 38. The cellular phone 10 has electrical contacts (not shown) for engaging electrical contacts in the cradle 34, to enable recharging of the batteries of the cellular phone 10, as is known in the art. Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a system 50 incorporating the present invention. The keyless entry cellular phone 10 is shown comprising a cellular phone subsystem 52, the keyless entry transmitting portion 22, optional wake-up circuitry 56 and a power source 58. The cellular phone subsystem 52 includes electronic control circuitry, such as a microprocessor 54 or other suitable electronic logic circuitry which can be programmed by software or in hardware to control the operation of the cellular phone 10. The keyless entry transmitting portion 22 includes a keyless entry transmitter 22a with inputs from the unlock button 24, the lock button 26 and the microprocessor 54 of the cellular phone subsystem 52. The wake-up circuitry 56, discussed further below, is preferably provided to conserve the power charge of the batteries of the cellular phone 10. The antenna 14 coupled to the cellular phone 10 subsystem 52 enables communication between the cellular phone 10 and a cellular phone network 60, in a conventional manner. The cellular phone 10 may be accessed via an external phone 65 through a digital or analog cellular phone network 60, as appropriate depending on the type of the cellular phone 10. In the car 30, the keyless entry receiver 32 is coupled to the electrical door lock system 34. The microprocessor 54 is programmed to activate the keyless entry transmitting portion 22 to transmit a signal to unlock the car doors, upon receipt by the cellular phone 10 of an appropriate phone call. Preferably, the microprocessor 54 is programmed to require the entry of command and security codes in the form of audio tones from the keypad of a touch tone phone via the phone call to cause activation of the keyless entry transmitting portion 22.

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the interconnection between the cellular phone subsystem 52 and the keyless entry transmitter portion 22. In this embodiment, the microprocessor 54 is connected to the keyless entry transmitter 22a through a field effect transistor 70. To cause transmission of a signal to unlock the doors, a sufficient voltage is applied by the microprocessor 54 to the gate 70a of the transistor 70. A switch 72, which is closed by manual depression of the unlock button 24, is preferably connected in parallel with the transistor 70, to manually cause transmission of the unlock signal. A switch 74 is also shown, which is activated by depression of the lock button 22.

In accordance with the present invention, if the keyless entry cellular phone 10 is left locked in the car 30 and the door cannot be opened, the owner of the cellular phone can call the keyless entry cellular phone 10 from the external phone 65, through the cellular phone network 60, and enter the proper command and security codes to unlock the car 30. Receipt of the proper command and security codes by the microprocessor 54 causes the microprocessor 54 to activate the keyless entry transmitter 22a, which sends a signal to the keyless entry receiver 32 in the car 30 to activate the electrical door lock system 34 of the car 30, unlocking the doors. When carried by the owner, the keyless transmitter portion 20 of the keyless entry cellular phone 10 may be used to directly lock or unlock the doors by manual activation of the lock and unlock buttons 22, 24, respectively, as is known in the art, as well.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of the wake-up circuitry 46. The wake up circuitry 46 may comprise a quartz clock 72 and count down circuitry 74. Preferably, the countdown circuitry includes multiple outputs, such as outputs 76, 78, 80, for the output of signals indicative of different time periods after a predefined event relating to the departure of the operator of the car from the car. The predetermined event may be the closing or locking of the car doors or the turning off of the car, for example. Such events may be sensed and an input provided to the countdown circuitry to initiate counting and the output of signals.

Most lock outs are realized by the owner within two hours of leaving the car. For example, people going shopping often unknowingly lock themselves out of their cars in a parking lot. The person realizes that they are locked out when they return to their car and attempt to unlock the car door. The keyless entry cellular phone 10 is therefore preferably programmed to remain on for a time period of two hours, for example, after the predefined event described above. The count down circuitry 74 is preferably set to output signal for those first two hours, along line 76. The microprocessor 54 is programmed to maintain the cellular phone 10 "on" as long as the signal is received. After two hours, or whatever other time period is set, the microprocessor 54 shuts off the power 58 to the phone 10 to conserve the power of the rechargeable batteries.

After the cellular phone 10 has been shut off, the car operator must wait until the wake-up circuitry 46 turns on the cellular phone subsystem 52 to call the cellular phone 10 to initiate the unlock procedure. The cellular phone 10 is therefore preferably programmed to periodically turn on to receive calls. The operator therefore needs to know when the phone will be turned on, in order to be able to call the cellular phone 10 at the proper time to initiate the opening procedure. For example, the cellular phone 10 may be programmed to turn on for the first 10 minutes of each subsequent hour, for three hours. The countdown circuitry 74 is preferably set to output a signal for 10 minutes every hour after the initial shut down period, along output line 78, for a second time period of 3-5 hours, for example, after the car has been shut off or the door is closed. At the start of that time period, the wake-up circuitry turns on the power 58 and provides a signal to the microprocessor 54. The microprocessor 54 then initiates procedures to enable the cellular phone 10 to receive a call. When the signal along line 78 ceases, the microprocessor 54 again shuts off the power 58 of the cellular phone 10.

If the operator of the car has not returned in 5 hours, it is likely that they may not return to the car until the next day or later. To further conserve battery power, after the second time period, the countdown circuitry 74 is preferably set to output a signal for the first five minutes of each hour, along the output line 80. The output of the signal along the output line 80 causes the power 58 to be turned on again and the microprocessor 54 to again initiate the procedures to enable the phone

10 to receive calls.

The quartz clock 72 enables the countdown circuitry 74 to synchronize to the actual time, as well as to output signals for the desired time increments.

The wake-up circuitry 50 conserves sufficient power for the keyless entry cellular phone 10 to be periodically activated for many weeks. If a car operator locks their keyless entry cellular phone 10 in the car 30 in a long term airport parking lot, for example, the keyless entry cellular phone 10 will have sufficient power so that when the owner returns after several days or several weeks, the keyless entry cellular phone 10 can be activated to unlock the car doors. The wake-up circuit 56 can also be in the cradle 34.

The keyless entry cellular phone 10 may also be used to unlock the doors of a building or other such facility. If the cellular phone 10 is locked in the facility, the doors may be unlocked by calling the keyless entry cellular phone 10 by an external phone, as described above. Otherwise, the doors of the facility may be locked or unlocked by manual activation of the unlock button 24 on the keyless entry transmitting portion 22 of the keyless entry cellular phone 10.

As mentioned above, the cellular phone 10 may be supported in a cradle 36 within the car 30, as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram of a preferred cradle 36, including conventional phone charging circuitry 82. Preferably, the cradle 36 also includes conventional battery monitoring circuitry 84 for monitoring the power of the car battery 38. When the keyless entry cellular phone 10 is in the cradle 36, electrical contacts (not shown) of the phone 10 are in contact with electrical contacts in the cradle 36, coupling the battery monitoring circuitry 84 and the phone charging circuitry to the phone 10. The batteries of the phone 10 are charged through the phone charging circuitry 82, as is known in the art. The battery monitoring circuitry 84 provides a signal to the microprocessor 54 of the cellular phone 10, indicative of the power level of the car battery 38. When the power level drops below a predetermined level, the microprocessor 54 is programmed to initiate a phone call. The microprocessor 54 of the keyless entry cellular phone 10 may be programmed to call a predetermined phone number, such as the Automobile Association of America (AAA), a cellular service center, a car service center, a garage, or the car operator's home or business number, if the battery power drops below a predetermined threshold. If the battery power drops while the operator of the car is locked out, assistance may thereby be provided. If the cellular phone includes a GPS location function, the location of the car could also be identified to a service center through the phone call. The battery monitoring circuitry 84 may also be part of the keyless entry cellular phone 10 instead of in the cradle 36.

Claims

I claim:

A cellular phone, comprising: a base; a transmitting antenna for communicating with a cellular phone network; a speaker; a keypad; a microphone; a keyless entry transmitter for transmitting signals to a receiver controlling an electric locking system of a door, to unlock the door; and electronic control circuitry programmed to activate the keyless entry transmitter in response to a call to the cellular phone.

2. The cellular phone of claim 1, wherein the call includes security and command codes.

3. The cellular phone of claim 1 , further comprising at least one button for manually activating the keyless entry transmitter.

4. The cellular phone of claim 3, comprising a first button for unlocking the door and a second button for locking the door.

5. The cellular phone of claim 1, wherein the electronic control circuitry is a microprocessor programmed to turn off the cellular phone after a first predetermined time period, the phone further comprising wake-up circuitry for turning the phone on after a second predetermined time period after the phone is turned off.

6. The cellular phone of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to periodically turn the phone off and the wake-up circuitry periodically turns the phone on, after the second predetermined time period.

7. The cellular phone of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is programmed to open a car door

8. The cellular phone of claim 1, wherein the electronic control circuitry is a microprocessor having an input for receiving a signal indicative of

5 battery power, the microprocessor being programmed to call a predetermined number if the battery power drops below a predetermined value.

9. A cellular phone, comprising:

, _ft a transmitting antenna for communicating with a cellular phone network; a keyless entry transmitter for transmitting signals to a receiver controlling an electric locking system of a door, to unlock the door; and at least one button for manually activating the keyless entry

15 transmitter.

10. The cellular phone of claim 9, further comprising electronic control circuitry programmed to activate the keyless entry transmitter in response to

20 a call to the cellular phone.

11. A keyless entry system for controlling a door, comprising; a keyless entry receiver for being coupled to an electric locking system of a door and for receiving signals causing opening of the door; and 5 a cellular phone comprising a keyless entry transmitter for transmitting signals to the keyless entry receiver.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the cellular phone is 30 programmed to activate the keyless entry transmitter to transmit a signal to open the door in response to a call to the cellular phone.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the call includes security and command codes. 5

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising at least one button for manually activating the keyless entry transmitter.

15. The system of claim 14, comprising a first button for unlocking the door and a second button for locking the door.

5

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the cellular phone is programmed to turn off the cellular phone after a first predetermined time period, the cellular phone further comprising wake-up circuitry for turning the phone on _f, after a second predetermined time period after the phone is turned off.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the cellular phone is programmed to periodically turn the phone off and the wake-up circuitry periodically turns the phone on, after the first and second predetermined time periods.

18. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a cradle for supporting the cellular phone in a car. 0

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the door is a car door.

20. The keyless entry system of claim 18, wherein the receiver is coupled to the locking system of the car door and the cellular phone is programmed 5 to call a predetermined location if battery power of the car drops below a predetermined level.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the cradle comprises battery monitoring circuitry for monitoring the power of a car battery, wherein the cellular 0 phone is programmed to call a predetermined location if the battery power drops below a predetermined threshold.

22. The keyless entry system of claim 19, wherein the cellular 5 phone further comprises battery monitoring circuitry for monitoring the power of a o car battery, wherein the cellular phone is programmed to call a predetermined location if the battery power drops below a predetermined threshold.

23. The system of claim 11 , wherein the door is part of a building. 5

24. A method of operating a cellular phone locked behind a closed door, wherein the cellular phone includes a keyless entry transmitter, the method comprising:

, ₀ calling the cellular phone; and causing the cellular phone to activate the keyless entry transmitter to emit a signal for unlocking the door in response to the phone call.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

15 receiving the signal by a receiver coupled to a locking system of the closed door; and unlocking the door in response to the signal.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the closed door is the door

20 of a car.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the closed door is the door of a room.

25

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the closed door is the door of a building.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the closed door is the door

30 of a car, the method further comprising: detecting the power level of a battery of the car; and causing the cellular phone to call a predetermined number if the power level of the battery drops below a predetermined threshold. 5

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising identifying the location of the car from the call.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising automatically shutting off the cellular phone after a first predetermined period of time and then turning the cellular phone on after a second predetermined time period.

32. The method of claim 31 , further comprising periodically turning the cellular phone on and off after the second predetermined time period.

33. The method of claim 31 , comprising calling the cellular phone when the phone is on.