| JPS61119446A | 1986-06-06 |
"Accessories for the Car", RADIO ELEKTRON, Vol. 28, No. 7, 09 April 1980, pp. 43, 45, 47, 49.
| 1. | A vehide control apparatus comprising: a vehide control module having an input and an output, the input for receiving a lock door command and the output, responsive to receiving the lock door command, providing a lights onoff control signal to be used to turn off a light. |
| 2. | An apparatus in accordance with dai 1 further comprising: a light coupled to and driven by said lights onoff control signal. |
| 3. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 1 wherein said vehide control module has a door jamb switch input for receiving a door jamb opendosed signal activated by a door jamb switch, said door jamb opendosed signal has a door jamb open state when a door jamb switch indicates a vehide door is open, and a door jamb dosed state when the door jamb switch indicates the vehide door is dosed, and wherein said vehide control module provides a lights onoff control Signal, in response to receiving the door jamb opendosed signal open state, to be used to turn on the light. |
| 4. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 1 wherein said vehide control module has a keylock switch input for receiving a keylock switch lockunlock signal activated by a keyswitch, said keylock switch lockunlock signal has an unlock state when the keyswitch is unlocked, and wherein the keylock switch lockunlock signal has a lock state when the keyswitch is locked, and wherein said vehide control module provides a lights onoff control signal, in response to receiving a keylock switch lockunlock signal lock state, to be used to turn off the light. |
| 5. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 1 wherein said vehide control module has a power door lock switch lock input for receiving a power door lock switch lock signal activated by a power door lock switch, said power door lock switch lock signal has a lock state when the power door lock switch is locked and an unlock state when the power door lock switch is unlocked, and wherein said vehide control module provides a lights onoff control signal, in response to the power door lock switch lock signal lock state, to be used to turn off the light. |
| 6. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 3 wherein said vehide control module further comprises a timer having a predetermined timeout, and wherein said timer is coupled to said door jamb switch input for receiving the door jamb opendosed signal and is activated in response to a transition from the door jamb open state to the door jamb dosed state. |
| 7. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 6 wherein said timer after the predetermined timeout provides a lights on off control signal to be used to turn off the light. |
| 8. | A vehide lights control apparatus comprising: a vehide control module having a keylock switch input for receiving a keylock switch lockunlock signal activated by a keyswitch and for generating a lockunlock door command in response thereto, said control module having an output, wherein the output, in response to receiving the lockunlock door command, provides a lights onoff control signal to be used to control a light. |
| 9. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 8 wherein said vehide control module has an RKE receiver input for receiving an RKE door lockunlock signal having a lock state and an unlock state and for providing a door lockunlock command in response to receipt of the RKE door lockunlock signal for providing the lights onoff control signal to be used to used to control the light. |
| 10. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 8 wherein said vehide control module has an RKE receiver input for receiving an RKE door lockunlock signal having a lock state and an unlock state and for providing a door lockunlock command in response to receipt of the RKE door lockunlock signal for providing the lights onoff control signal to be used to used to control the light, and wherein in response to receiving a lock state of the RKE door lockunlock signal at said RKE receiver input said vehide control module further provides a lights onoff control signal to turn off the light. |
| 11. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 9 further comprising: an RKE transmitter having a door lock switch and a door unlock switch, and for providing the door lock state of the RKE door lockunlock signal in response to activation of the door lock switch, and for providing the door unlock state of the door lock unlock signal in response to activation of the door unlock switch. |
| 12. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 8 wherein said vehide control module further comprises: a door jamb switch input for receiving a door jamb open dosed signal activated by a door jamb switch; and a timer having a predetermined timeout, and wherein said timer is coupled to said door jamb switch input for receiving the door jamb opendosed signal and is activated in response to a transition from the door jamb open state to the door jamb dosed state. |
| 13. | An apparatus in accordance with daim 11 wherein said timer after the predetermined timeout provides a lights on off control signal to be used to turn off said light. |
| 14. | A vehide courtesy lights control system comprising: a vehide courtesy lights control module having a door jamb switch input for receiving a door jamb opendosed signal, a keylock switch input for receiving a keylock switch lockunlock signal, a power door lock switch lod input for receiving a power door lock switch lock signal, an RKE receiver input for receiving a door lock signal, and a courtesy lights onoff output, wherein the door jamb opendosed signal, the keylock switch lockunlock signal, the power door lock switch lock signal and the RKE door lock signal are used to generate a lock door command providing a lights onoff control signal to be used to turn off a light. |
| 15. | A system in accordance with daim 14 further comprising a timer having a predetermined timeout for determining a turnoff time for the courtesy lights onoff signal. |
| 16. | A system in accordance with daim 14 wherein the door jamb door jamb switch input, the keylock switch input, the power door lock switch lock input and the door unlock switch of the RKE transmitter, are for determining a tumon state for the courtesy lights onoff signal and the keylock switch input, the door lock switch of said RKE transmitter, and the power door lock switch lock input are for determining a turnoff state for the courtesy lights onoff signal. |
| 17. | An RKE based vehide control system comprising: a keylock switch; a door jamb switch; an ignition key switch; an RKE transmitter having a door lock switch, a door unlock switch, and a output; a power door lock switch having a lock output and an unlock output; a door lock relay; a door unlock relay; vehide courtesy lights; a courtesy lights onoff relay coupled to and driving said vehide courtesy lights; and a vehide courtesy lights control module having a keylock switch input, a door jamb switch input an ignition key switch input, an RKE input, a power door lock switch lock input, a power door switch unlock input, a door lock output, a door unlock output, and a courtesy lights onoff output, wherein said keylock switch is coupled to and driving the keylock switch input, said door jamb switch is coupled to and driving the door jamb switch input, said ignition key switch is coupled to and driving the ignition key switch input, said RKE output is coupled to and driving the RKE input, the lock output of said power door lock switch is coupled to and driving the power door lock switch lock input, titie unlock output of said power door lock switch is coupled to and driving the power door lock switch unlock input, the door lock output is coupled to and driving said door lock relay, the door unlock output is coupled to and driving said door unlock relay, wherein said keylock switch, said door jamb switch, said ignition key switch, said RKE output, the lock output of said power door lock switch, and the unlock output of said power door lock switch determine a courtesy lights onoff signal that drives said vehide courtesy lights via said courtesy lights onoff relay. |
| 18. | A system in accordance with claim 17 further comprising a timer having a predetermined timeout for determining a turnoff time for the courtesy lights onoff signal. |
| 19. | A system in accordance with daim 17 wherein said keylock switch, said door jamb switch, said ignition key switch, the door unlock switch of said RKE transmitter, and the unlock output of said power door lock switch are for determining a turnon state for the courtesy lights onoff signal and saidkeylodc switch, the door lock switch of said RKE transmitter, the lock output of said power door lock switch are for determining a turnoff state for the courtesy lights onoff signal. |
| 20. | A vehide control method induding the steps of: generating a door lock output signal to be used to control the operation of vehide door locks; and generating a vehide courtesy lights onoff signal to be used to control the operation of vehide courtesy lights in response to said door lock output signal. |
| 21. | A vehide courtesy lights control method induding the steps of: determining if a door jamb switdi has been opened; determining if an RKE unlock command has been received; determining if a keylock has transitioned to unlock; determining if a power door lock switch has transitioned to unlock; turning on the vehide courtesy lights the door jamb switch indicates a door has been opened; turning on the vehide courtesy lights if the RKE unlock command has been received; turning on the vehide courtesy lights if the keylock has transitioned to unlock; turning on the vehide courtesy lights if a power door lock switch has transitioned to unlock; determining if an RKE lock command has been received; determining if a power door lock switch has transitioned into lock; determining if a keylock switch has transitioned into lock; determining if the door jamb switches indicates doors dϋsed; determining if a predetermined time has expired from when the door jamb switches indicates doors dosed; turning off the vehide courtesy lights if the RKE lock command has been received; turning off the vehide courtesy lights if the power door lock switch has transitioned into lock; turning off the vehide courtesy lights if the keylock switch has transitioned into lock; and turning off the vehide courtesy lights if a predetermined time has expired from when the door jamb switches indicates doors dosed. |
| 22. | A method according to daim 21 that indudes the additional steps of: determining the onoff state of an ignition keyswitch, and controlling the vehide courtesy lights in accordance with the determined state of the ignition keyswitch. |
Field of the Invention
This invention is generally directed to the field of vehide control and may be used to control the illumination of vehide lights during entry and exit from a vehide.
Background of the Invention
Presently, vehides typically have interior or courtesy lights that turn on when a door is opened. These may indude floor mounted lights and an overhead dome light. Particularly useful in dark conditions this feature is meant as a convenience for the person opening the door and entering the vehide. When the door is dosed the vehide courtesy lights will stay on to allow the person to orient themselves in the automobile. Then, a predetermined time later, or if the ignition keyswitch is activated, the vehide courtesy lights will turn off. Similarly, when the person opens the door and exits the vehide the vehide courtesy lights will turn on. After the door is dosed the vehide courtesy lights will stay illuminated for a predetermined time before shutting off. This presents several undesirable consequences. For instance, if a person exits their automobile in a dark or isolated area they don't want to have the vehide courtesy lights stay on after they leave the vehide because the lights will draw attention to the person and their vehide. This is undesirable because personal property and safety could be at risk. Additionally, when the vehide courtesy lights stay on after exiting the vehide, the person may wonder if the door is still open raising concern that the battery will be drained when they return to the vehide.
What is needed is an improved vehide control system for controlling the vehide lights.
Summary of the Invention
A vehide control apparatus is disdosed induding a vehide control module having an input and an output The input receives a lock door command and the output, responsive to receiving the lock door command provides a lights on-off control signal to be used to turn off a light. Additionally, a method for providing a lights on-off control signal to be used to control a light is disdosed.
Brief Description of the Drawings
-FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram detailing a vehide control apparatus, in accordance with the invention. -FIG. 2 is a method flow chart describing a strategy of software steps programmed into a microcontroller present in the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment
In. a preferred embodiment an improved vehide control apparatus and method are disdosed. In this embodiment a vehide courtesy lights control module is described. The system indudes provision for a remote keyless entry system, further referred to herein as an RKE system.
In FIG. I there is a schematic block diagram of a vehide interior control module 101, in accordance with the invention. The control module 101 is illustrated having various inputs and an output surrounded by system components. Starting on the left of the schematic we find an ignition key switch 103 for providing an indication of the state of the ignition switch to an input 105 labeled ignition key input. Next, we find an RKE transmitter 111 having at least two switches; door lock 110 and door unlock 112. The RKE transmitter 111 in this case operates as an infrared device. An element 104 of the RKE transmitter 111 is an optical output port. This RKE transmitter 111 is used to transmit various commands induding door lock and door unlock via a light wave 114 to an RKE receiver lens 107 that drives the control module 101 at an input 109. Of course, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute a radio frequency transceiver or other equivalent technology for this function.
Next, we find power door lock switches induding a driver side switch 113 and a passenger side switch 115. These switches 113 and 115 have two operating positions. Both are shown in an unlock state in FIG. 1. They also have an opposing lock state. These switches 113 and 115 provide outputs to the control module 101 connected correspondingly to a power door locks switch input 117 and a power door lock switch unlock input 119. Additionally, these switches 113 and 115 are connected correspondingly to a door unlock relay 129 and a door lock relay 131. The door unlock relay 129 is additionally driven by a door unlock relay drive output 121 from the control module 101. Additionally, the door lock relay 131
is driven by a door lock relay drive output 127 from the module 101. Then, the door unlock relay 129 and the door lock relay 121 drive a door lock-unlock motor 133. This door lock-unlock motor 133 provides an electrical assist to the mechanical door locks shown for a rear door as element 126 with a driver door as element 128 and for a passenger door as element 130.
Next, a group of keylock switches are provided induding; a rear door keylock switch 137, a driver keylock switch 139, and a passenger keylock switch 141. These keylock switches 137, 139, and 141 provide a keylock switch lock-unlock signal 136 to the control module's 101 keylock switch input 135.
Next, a group of door jamb switches are provided. These indude; a driver side front 145, driver side rear 147, passenger side front 149, and a passenger side rear 151 door jamb switch. These switches 145, 147, 149, and 151 provide a door jamb open-dosed signal 144 to the control module's 101 door jamb switch input 143. The door input switches in FIG. 1 are shown in positions which indicate that all the vehide doors are dosed.
Next, a group of courtesy lights illustrated by element 159 are provided. These courtesy 159 are driven by a courtesy lights on-off relay 157 that is provided a lights on-off signal 155 from a courtesy lights on-off output 153 from the control module 101.
Finally, a timer 161 is provided integral to the control module 101. The control module 101 indudes a microcontroller. In the preferred embodiment a Motorola MC6805C8 is used. Of course, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute another microcontroller or hardwired logic to perform the same function.
This completes the description of the control module 101 and its attendant system level components.
We next turn our attention to figure 2 that illustrates a flow chart describing a strategy of software steps embedded in the microcontroller located in the control module 101. The first step 201 is to determine if the ignition key switch is off. To do this, the
control module 101 interrogates the ignition key switch input 105. If the ignition key switch isn't off the strategy is exited. If the ignition key switch is off, then a next step 203 is executed. The step 203, determines if a door jamb switch indicates that a door is open. To do this, the control module 101 interrogates the door jamb switdi input 143 and looks for a door jamb open-dosed signal 144 open state provided by one or more of the door jamb switches 144, 145, 149, 151. If the door jamb open-dosed signal indicates that a door is open the courtesy lights 159 are turned on in step 205. The control module 101 does this by generating .an on state of the lights on-off control signal 155. This lights on-off control signal 155 then drives the courtesy lights on-off relay 157 that then drives the courtesy lights 159 on. If the test in step'203 results in indication that no door jamb switch 144, 145, 149, or 151 indicates a door is open then a further test in step 207 is applied.
In step 207, the control module 101 determines if an RKE unlock command has been received. The control module 101 interrogates the RKE receiver input 109 to look for this command. If the RKE unlock command has been received then the courtesy lights 159 are turned on in step 205 as detailed earlier. If the control module 101 determines that RKE unlock command has not been received then a further test in step 209 is applied. In the step 209 the control module 101 determines if a power door lock, unlock command has been received. To do this the control module 101 interrogates the power door lock switch unlock input 119. K tiie control module 101 determines that the power door lock, unlock command has been received, the courtesy lights 159 are turned on in step 205 as detailed earlier. If no power door lock, unlock command has been received as determined in step 209 a further test step 211 is applied. In step 211 the control module 101 determines if a keylock, unlock command has been received. The module interrogates the keylock switdi input 135 looking for the keylock switch lock-unlock signal 136 provided by the keylock switches 137, 139, 141. If a keylock, unlock command has been
received then the courtesy lights are turned on in step 205 as detailed earlier. If a keylock, unlock command has not been received as determined by step 211 the strategy is exited. Once the courtesy lights 159 are on the driver, and or the passenger, will presumably exit the vehide. The control module 101 then tests for a condition to turn the courtesy lights off. In a first test 213 the control module 101 determines if an RKE lock command has been received. To determine if an RKE lock command has been received the module 101 interrogates the RKE receiver input 109 looking for the RKE lock command. If an RKE lock command has been received, the courtesy lights are turned off in step 215. The control module 101 does this by generating an off state of the lights on-off control signal 155. This lights on-off control signal 155 then drives the courtesy lights on-off relay 157 that then drives the courtesy lights 159 off. If the module 101 does not determine that the RKE lock command has been received, a next test step 217 is executed.
In the next step 217, the control module 101 determines if a power door lock, lock command has been received. To determine if a power door lock has been received the module 101 interrogates the power door lock switch lock input 117. If the control module 101 determines that a power door lock, lock command has been received then it executes step 215 turning off the courtesy lights in step 215 as detailed earlier. If the control module 101 has not determined that a power door lock, lock command has been received in step 217, a test step 219 is applied.
In step 219 the control module 101 determines if a keylock, lock command has been received. To determine if a keylock, lock command has been received the module interrogates the keylock switch input 135 and looks for a keylock switch lock-unlock signal 136 activated by one of the keylock switches 137, 139, 141. If the control module 101 determines that a keylock, lock command has been received in step 219, the courtesy lights are turned off in step 215 as detailed earlier. If the control module 101 does not
determine that a keylock, lock command has been received in step 219 a further test step 220 is applied.
In step 220 the control module 101 determines if the ignition keyswitch has been turned on. If the control module 101 determines that the ignition keyswitch has been turned on, then the courtesy lights are turned off in step 215 as detailed earlier. If the control module 101 does not determine that the keyswitch has been turned on in step 220 a further test step 221 is applied.
In step 221 the control module 101 determines if the door jamb switches indicate that the doors are dosed. To do this, the control module 101 interrogates the door jamb switch input 143 and looks for a door jamb open-dosed signal 144 dosed state provided by the door jamb switches 144, 145, 149, 151. I 'the door jamb open-dosed signal indicates that all doors are dosed a next step 223 is executed. If the door jamb open-dosed signal indicates that a door is open the step 213 is repeated.
In step 223 the control module 101 determines if a predetermined time, in this case 30 seconds, has expired since the door jamb open-dosed signal 144 indicated that all door jamb switches were dosed in step 221. If 30 seconds have not expired since the door jamb open-dosed signal 144 indicated that all door jamb switches were dosed in step 221 then step 213 is repeated. If 30 seconds has expired since the door jamb open-dosed signal 144 indicated that all door jamb switches were dosed in step 221 then the courtesy lights 159 are turned off as detailed in step 215 earlier. The turning off of the courtesy lights 159 by steps 213, 217, or 219 affords the driver or passenger with the benefit of the system by turning off the courtesy lights in response to a door lock command.
What is daimed is: