Apparatus and method for remote convenience message transmission and control with a tunable filter receiver

A receiver/controller apparatus for a remote convenience system, said apparatus being responsive to a function request transmitted by a portable transmitter for controlling performance of an associated function, said apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a signal, transmitted from the transmitter, which has a RF frequency, at an unknown value within a range of values, and which conveys a message that contains the function request, and for providing a RF signal having the RF frequency and conveying the message;
• means for providing a reference frequency signal;
• means for mixing the RF signal with the reference frequency signal to provide an intermediate frequency signal conveying the message, the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal being at an unknown value within a known range of values;
• means for bandpass filtering the intermediate frequency signal to pass a range of frequency values smaller than the known range of intermediate frequency values, the bandpass range having a center frequency;
• means for automatically adjusting the center frequency of the bandpass range of said means for bandpass filtering to vary the bandpass range over the intermediate frequency range;
• means for sensing the intermediate frequency signal passing through said means for bandpass filtering and for automatically ceasing adjustment of the center frequency of the bandpass range in response thereto;
• means for discerning the message from the filtered intermediate frequency signal;
• and
• means for controlling performance of the requested function of the message;
• said means for automatically adjusting including means for generating an oscillating signal and means for providing said oscillating signal to said means for bandpass filtering to adjust the bandpass range, and said means for providing said oscillating signal to said means for bandpass filtering including switch means for selectively gating said oscillating signal toward said means for bandpass filtering.

A receiver/controller apparatus for a remote convenience system, said apparatus being responsive to a function request transmitted by a portable transmitter for controlling performance of an associated function, said apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a signal, transmitted from the transmitter, which has a RF frequency, at an unknown value within a range of values, and which conveys a message that contains the function request, and for providing a RF signal having the RF frequency and conveying the message;
• means for providing a reference frequency signal;
• means for mixing the RF signal with the reference frequency signal to provide an intermediate frequency signal conveying the message, the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal being at an unknown value within a known range of values;
• means for bandpass filtering the intermediate frequency signal to pass a range of frequency values smaller than the known range of intermediate frequency values, the bandpass range having a center frequency;
• means for automatically adjusting the center frequency of the bandpass range of said means for bandpass filtering to vary the bandpass range over the intermediate frequency range;
• means for sensing the intermediate frequency signal passing through said means for bandpass filtering and for automatically ceasing adjustment of the center frequency of the bandpass range in response thereto;
• means for discerning the message from the filtered intermediate frequency signal;
• and
• means for controlling performance of the requested function of the message;
• said means for automatically adjusting including means for adjusting the bandpass to one bandpass range among a plurality of discrete bandpass ranges, at least two of the plurality of bandpass ranges having overlapping portions, and said apparatus further including means for determining a bandpass range for said means for bandpass filtering when the intermediate frequency is located in overlapping portions of a plurality of bandpass ranges.

A remote convenience system for remote controlling performance of a function, said system comprising:

• portable transmitter means for remote control requests, including means for transmitting a RF signal conveying a message which contains a function request, the frequency of the RF signal being at an unknown value within a range of values;
• and
• receiver/controller means for receiving remote control requests and for controlling performance of the requested function, including means for receiving the signal transmitted from said transmitter means and for providing a RF signal having the RF frequency and conveying the message, means for providing a reference frequency signal, means for mixing the RF signal with the reference frequency signal to provide an intermediate frequency signal conveying the message, the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal being at an unknown value within a known range of values, means for bandpass filtering the intermediate frequency signal to pass a range of frequency values smaller than the known range of intermediate frequency values, the bandpass range having a center frequency, means for automatically adjusting the center frequency of the bandpass range of said means for bandpass filtering to vary the bandpass range over the intermediate frequency range, means for sensing the intermediate frequency signal passing through said means for bandpass filtering and for automatically ceasing adjustment of the center frequency of the bandpass range in response thereto.

A remote convenience system for remote controlling performance of a function, said system comprising:

• portable transmitter means for remote control requests, including means for transmitting a RF signal conveying a message which contains a function request, the frequency of the RF signal being at an unknown value within a range of values;
• and
• receiver/controller means for receiving remote control requests and for controlling performance of the requested function, including means for receiving the signal transmitted from said transmitter means and for providing a RF signal having the RF frequency and conveying the message;
• means for providing a reference frequency signal;
• means for mixing the RF signal with the reference frequency signal to provide an intermediate frequency signal conveying the message, the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal being at an unknown value within a known range of values;
• means for bandpass filtering the intermediate frequency signal to pass a range of frequency values smaller than the known range of intermediate frequency values, the bandpass range having a center frequency;
• means for automatically adjusting the center frequency of the bandpass range of said means for bandpass filtering to vary the bandpass range over the intermediate frequency range;
• means for sensing the intermediate frequency signal passing through said means for bandpass filtering and for automatically ceasing adjustment of the center frequency of the bandpass range in response thereto;
• said means for automatically adjusting including means for generating an oscillating signal and means for providing said oscillating signal to said means for bandpass filtering to adjust the bandpass range, and said means for providing said oscillating signal to said means for bandpass filtering includes switch means for selectively gating said oscillating signal toward said means for bandpass filtering.

A remote convenience system for remote controlling performance of a function, said system comprising:

• portable transmitter means for remote control requests, including means for transmitting a RF signal conveying a message which contains a function request, the frequency of the RF signal being at an unknown value within a range of values;
• and
• receiver/controller means for receiving remote control requests and for controlling performance of the requested function, including means for receiving the signal transmitted from said transmitter means and for providing a RF signal having the RF frequency and conveying the message;
• means for providing a reference frequency signal;
• means for mixing the RF signal with the reference frequency signal to provide an intermediate frequency signal conveying the message, the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal being at an unknown value within a known range of values;
• means for bandpass filtering the intermediate frequency signal to pass a range of frequency values smaller than the known range of intermediate frequency values, the bandpass range having a center frequency;
• means for automatically adjusting the center frequency of the bandpass range of said means for bandpass filtering to vary the bandpass range over the intermediate frequency range;
• means for sensing the intermediate frequency signal passing through said means for bandpass filtering and for automatically ceasing adjustment of the center frequency of the bandpass range in response thereto;
• said means for automatically adjusting including means for adjusting the bandpass to one bandpass range among a plurality of discrete bandpass ranges, at least two of the plurality of bandpass ranges having overlapping portions, said apparatus further including means for determining a bandpass range for said means for bandpass filtering when the intermediate frequency is located in overlapping portions of a plurality of bandpass ranges.

A method of receiving a function request transmitted by a portable transmitter for control of performance of a function, said method comprising:

• receiving a transmitted signal from the transmitter, the transmitted signal having a RF frequency at an unknown value within a range of values and conveying a message which contains a function request, and providing a RF signal having the RF frequency and conveying the message;
• providing a reference frequency signal;
• mixing the RF signal with the reference frequency signal to provide an intermediate frequency signal conveying the message, the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal being at an unknown value within a known range of values;
• bandpass filtering the intermediate frequency signal to pass a range of frequency values smaller than the known range of intermediate frequency values, the bandpass range having a center frequency;
• automatically adjusting the center frequency of the bandpass range for the bandpass filtering to vary the bandpass range over the intermediate frequency range;
• sensing the intermediate frequency signal being bandpassed and automatically ceasing adjustment of the center frequency of the bandpass range in response thereto;
• discerning the message from the filtered intermediate frequency signal;
• and
• controlling performance of the requested function of the message.

A method of remote control performance of a function, said method comprising:

• transmitting a RF signal conveying a message which contains a function request, the frequency of the RF signal being at an unknown value within a range of values;
• receiving the transmitted RF signal, and providing a RF signal having the RF frequency and conveying the message;
• providing a reference frequency signal;
• mixing the RF signal with the reference frequency signal to provide an intermediate frequency signal conveying the message, the frequency of the intermediate frequency signal being at an unknown value within a known range of values;
• bandpass filtering the intermediate frequency signal to pass a range of frequency values smaller than the known range of intermediate frequency values, the bandpass range having a center frequency;
• automatically adjusting the center frequency of the bandpass range for the bandpass filtering to vary the bandpass range over the intermediate frequency range;
• sensing the intermediate frequency signal being bandpassed and automatically ceasing adjustment of the center frequency of the bandpass range in response thereto;
• discerning the message from the filtered intermediate frequency signal;
• and
• controlling performance of the requested function of the message.