Remote Control Systems for Vehicles

Abstract

A system for a vehicle includes a communications device, a base station mounted in the vehicle, and a fob. The base station is configured to control a vehicle function of the vehicle upon receiving a command via a cellular link directly between the base station and the communications device. The fob is configured to transmit a request via a non-cellular, wireless link different than the cellular link. The communications device is configured to transmit the command directly to the base station via the cellular link directly between the base station and the communications device in response to receiving the request from the fob via the wireless link.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for a vehicle, comprising:
 a communications device;   a base station mounted in a vehicle and configured to control a vehicle function of the vehicle upon receiving a command via a cellular link directly between the base station and the communications device;   a fob configured to transmit a request via a non-cellular, wireless link different than the cellular link; and   the communications device configured to transmit the command directly to the base station via the cellular link directly between the base station and the communications device in response to receiving the request from the fob via the wireless link.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the wireless link is one of a Bluetooth℠ wireless link, a wifi wireless link, and a wimax wireless link. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the communications device is one of a portable phone and a portable tablet. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the fob is configured to transmit the request via the wireless link upon being actuated by a user. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the fob is configured to transmit the request via the wireless link passively without user actuation. 
 
     
     
         6 . A method for a vehicle, comprising:
 transmitting a request from a fob to a communications device via a non-cellular, wireless link;   transmitting a command from the communications device directly to a base station mounted in a vehicle via a cellular link directly between the communications device and the base station in response to the communications device receiving the request from the fob via the wireless link; and   controlling by the base station a vehicle function of the vehicle in response to the base station receiving the command from the communications device via the wireless link.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein:
 the wireless link is one of a Bluetooth℠ wireless link, a wife wireless link, and a wimax wireless link. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein:
 the communications device is one of a portable phone and a portable tablet. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  wherein:
 transmitting the request from the fob to the communications device occurs upon the fob being actuated by a user. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  wherein:
 transmitting the request from the fob to the communications device occurs passively without user actuation.