Vehicle cotrol system with wirelessly-coupled underhood components

A siren assembly configured to be installed in an engine compartment of a vehicle, the siren assembly comprising:

• a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to establish a wireless communication link with a vehicle control system (VCS) installed in a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• a wired connection to a hood open-closed sensor of the vehicle that enables the siren assembly to determine state of the hood open-closed sensor when the wired connection is coupled to the hood open-closed sensor;
• an interface configured to connect the siren assembly to an engine control module (ECM) of the vehicle and thereby enable the siren assembly to receive engine speed readings of an engine of the vehicle;
• a sound generator;
• and
• a processing module;
• wherein the siren assembly is configured to
• receive an arming signal from the VCS through the RF transceiver and enter an armed state in response to the arming signal,
• determine states of the hood open-closed sensor through the wired connection to the hood open-closed sensor,
• cause an alarm to be sent to a user control and communication device from the VCS by transmitting to the VCS, through the RF transceiver, a hood open signal in response to determining that the state of the hood open-closed sensor corresponds to the hood being opened when the siren assembly is in the armed state;
• receive the engine speed readings from the ECM, through the interface;
• transmit the engine speed readings to the VCS, through the RF transceiver;
• receive an alarm signal from the VCS through the RF transceiver;
• and
• activate the sound generator in response to the alarm signal.

A method of operating a siren assembly installed in an engine compartment of a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

• establishing a wireless short-range radio frequency (RF) communication link between the siren assembly and a vehicle control system (VCS) installed in a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• receiving an alarm signal by the siren assembly from the VCS, via the link;
• activating a sound generator of the siren assembly in response to the step of receiving the alarm signal;
• monitoring state of a hood of the engine compartment by the siren assembly, through a wired connection between the siren assembly and a hood open-closed sensor;
• sending a signal indicating that the hood is opened, in response to the step of monitoring indicating the hood being opened when the siren assembly is in an armed state, from the siren assembly to the VCS, via the link, thereby causing an alarm to be sent to a user control and communication device;
• obtaining readings of engine speed by the siren assembly through an interface to engine control module (ECM) of the vehicle;
• and
• transmitting the readings of the engine speed from the siren assembly to the VCS, via the link.