Vehicle accessory trainable transmitter

A trainable transceiver for remotely actuating a device having an RF receiver, comprising:

• a detector inputting an RF signal from an existing remote control transmitter for the device the RF signal having a carrier frequency and a data format;
• a signal generator having a frequency control input and an output, said signal generator generating a signal at said output having a frequency controlled by a frequency control signal applied to said frequency control input;
• an output circuit coupled to said output of said generator, said output circuit including a data controller having a data input for receiving a data control signal and selectively outputting signals according to the data control signal for remotely actuating a device, said output circuit including an amplitude control circuit having a control input for controlling the magnitude of said signal output by said output circuit;
• and
• a control circuit having an input coupled to said detector and including output terminals coupled to said frequency control input, said data input, and to an input of said amplitude control circuit, said control circuit controlling said amplitude such that the magnitude of said signal output by said output circuit is inversely related to duty cycle of said data control signal.

A frequency and code trainable radio frequency transceiver for receiving training signals from an existing radio frequency remote control and for learning the frequency and code of information transmitted by the existing radio frequency remote control for subsequent transmission for actuating a remotely controlled device, said transceiver comprising:

• receiving means for receiving coded radio frequency signals from an existing remote control transmitter for a device;
• circuit means including a microcontroller having input means coupled to said receiving means for detecting the radio frequency and coding of received coded radio frequency signals transmitted by the existing remote control transmitter, said circuit means having output means, said circuit means responsive to detected radio frequency signals for providing a modulating output signal representative of the radio frequency and code of said coded radio frequency signals to said output means;
• and
• an output circuit having input means coupled to said output means of said circuit means for receiving said modulating output signal, said output circuit responsive to said modulating output signal for transmitting a control signal which duplicates the frequency and code of signals transmitted by the existing remote control transmitter, said output circuit further includes a variable attenuator coupled to said input means for selectively attenuating said control signal.

A trainable transceiver for learning and transmitting an activation signal that includes an RF carrier frequency modulated with a code for remotely actuating a device, said trainable transmitter comprising:

• a controller operable in a learning and an operating mode, said controller receiving an activation signal in said learning mode and responsive thereto for storing data corresponding to the radio frequency and code of the activation signal, said controller in said operating mode providing output data which identifies the radio frequency and code of the received activation signal and an amplitude control signal;
• a signal generator coupled to said controller, for receiving said output data for outputting a modulated radio frequency carrier signal representing the received activation signal;
• and
• an amplitude controller coupled to said signal generator and to said controller, for receiving said amplitude control signal from said controller for selectively controlling the amplitude of the modulated radio frequency carrier signal received from said signal generator at an amplitude level indicated by the amplitude control signal, and for transmitting an amplitude-controlled output signal to the device.

A method using a trainable transceiver for learning and transmitting an activation signal that remotely actuates a device, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving an activation signal in a learning mode;
• generating radio frequency control data, which indicates a detected radio frequency carrier of the received activation signal, and amplitude control data, which indicates an amplitude level;
• generating an output signal having a radio frequency carrier corresponding to that of the received activation signal;
• selectively controlling the amplitude of the output signal at the amplitude level indicated by the amplitude control data;
• and
• transmitting the amplitude-controlled output signal to the device.

A frequency and code trainable radio frequency transceiver for receiving training signals from an existing radio frequency remote control and for learning the frequency and code of information transmitted by the existing radio frequency remote control for subsequent transmission for actuating a remotely controlled device, said transceiver comprising:

• receiving means for receiving coded radio frequency signals from an existing remote control transmitter for a device;
• circuit means having input means coupled to said receiving means for detecting the radio frequency and coding of received coded radio frequency signals transmitted by the existing remote control transmitter, said circuit means having output means, said circuit means responsive to detected radio frequency signals for providing a modulating output signal representative of the radio frequency and code of said coded radio frequency signals to said output means;
• and
• an output circuit having input means coupled to said output means of said circuit means for receiving said modulating output signal, said output circuit responsive to said modulating output signal for transmitting a control signal which duplicates the frequency and code of signals transmitted by the existing remote control transmitter, said output circuit further including an amplitude controller coupled to said input means for selectively varying the amplitude of said control signal.