Vehicle control system with wirelessly-coupled underhood components

Abstract

A vehicle control system (VCS) in a passenger compartment interfaces with underhood components using a Bluetooth® link. The underhood components include a siren assembly with a sound generator and backup battery. The battery enables the siren assembly to function after the vehicle's battery is disabled. The siren assembly includes a Bluetooth® transceiver for establishing the link with the VCS. The siren assembly monitors the hood of the vehicle through a hood sensor, to detect unauthorized opening. In response to such opening, the siren assembly transmits an alarm to the VCS, which transmits an alarm to a user's mobile device and/or a security service. The sound generator may also be activated, by itself or under control of the VCS. The siren assembly connects to the engine computer/ignition module, to allow the VCS to monitor engine speed, and facilitate proper start of the engine when the VCS receives a remote start command.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a vehicle control system (VCS) configured for installation in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the VCS comprising a first wireless VCS radio frequency (RF) transceiver; and   a siren assembly configured for installation in an engine compartment of the vehicle, the siren assembly comprising:
 a wireless siren assembly RF transceiver that is configured to communicate with the first wireless VCS RF transceiver, and 
 a sound generator; 
   wherein the siren assembly and the VCS are configured to establish a wireless RF link between the siren assembly and the VCS through the wireless siren assembly RF transceiver and the first wireless VCS RF transceiver; and   the siren assembly is configured to
 be connected by a wired connection to a hood open-closed sensor of the vehicle and determine state of a hood of the vehicle through the wired connection, 
 transmit to the VCS through the wireless RF link a hood open signal in response to opening of the hood, 
 receive an alarm signal from the VCS through the wireless RF link, and 
 activate the sound generator in response to the alarm signal. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the siren assembly further comprises an interface to an engine control module (ECM) of the vehicle that allows the siren assembly to obtain speed readings of an engine of the vehicle; and   the siren assembly is further configured to
 obtain the speed readings through the interface, and 
 transmit the speed readings to the VCS through the wireless RF link. 
   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the VCS further comprises a second wireless VCS RF transceiver configured to establish a wireless connection with a user control and communication device (UCCD); and   the VCS is further configured to receive through the wireless connection with the UCCD a remote start command and, in response to the remote start command, to perform first starter activation of the vehicle, thereby attempting to start the engine of the vehicle.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the VCS is further configured to monitor the engine speed readings and repeat starter activation if the engine speed readings indicate that the engine has not started in response to the first starter activation. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the VCS is further configured to turn off the engine of the vehicle in response to the engine speed readings indicating that the engine speed is exceeding a predetermined RPM limit. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the wireless siren assembly RF transceiver, the first wireless VCS RF transceiver, and the second wireless VCS RF transceiver are Bluetooth® transceivers. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the VCS is further configured to send the alarm signal to the siren assembly through the wireless RF link in response to receipt of the hood open signal from the siren assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the UCCD comprises a smart key. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the UCCD comprises a smartphone. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the UCCD comprises a smartwatch. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the VCS further comprises a second wireless VCS RF transceiver; and   the VCS is further configured to transmit through the second wireless VCS RF transmitter an alarm to an alarm monitoring service in response to receipt of the hood open signal from the siren assembly through the wireless RF link.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the siren assembly further comprises a backup battery. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the siren assembly further comprises an enclosure that contains the wireless siren assembly RF transceiver, the sound generator, and the backup battery; and   the VCS is installed in the passenger compartment and the siren assembly is installed in the engine compartment.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising the hood open-closed sensor and the wired connection. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a vehicle control system (VCS) configured for installation in a passenger compartment of a vehicle; and   a siren assembly configured for installation in an engine compartment of the vehicle;   wherein:   the VCS comprises a first VCS radio frequency (RF) transceiver and a second VCS RF transceiver, the second VCS RF transceiver being configured to establish a communication link with an alarm monitoring service;   the siren assembly comprises an interface to an engine control module (ECM) of the vehicle that allows the siren assembly to obtain engine speed readings of the vehicle, a sound generator, and a siren assembly RF transceiver;   the siren assembly and the VCS are configured to establish a wireless VCS-siren RF link between the siren assembly RF transceiver and the first VCS RF transceiver;   the siren assembly is configured to
 be connected by a wired connection to a hood open-closed sensor of the vehicle and to sense opening of a hood of the vehicle through the wired connection, 
 receive an arming signal from the VCS through the wireless VCS-siren RF link and enter an armed state in response to the arming signal, 
 receive a disarming signal from the VCS through the wireless VCS-siren RF link and exit the armed state in response to the disarming signal, 
 transmit to the VCS through the wireless VCS-siren RF link a hood open signal indicating opening of the hood when the siren assembly is in the armed state, in response to sensing opening of the hood, 
 obtain the engine speed readings through the interface to the ECM, 
 transmit the engine speed readings to the VCS through the wireless VCS-siren RF link, 
 receive an alarm signal from the VCS through the wireless VCS-siren RF link, and 
 activate the sound generator in response to the alarm signal; and 
   the VCS is configured to transmit an alarm to the alarm monitoring service through the communication link with the alarm monitoring service in response to receipt by the VCS of the hood open signal.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising a backup battery and an enclosure containing the interface to the ECM, the sound generator, and the siren assembly RF transceiver. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the first VCS RF transceiver comprises a Bluetooth® transceiver. 
     
     
         18 . A siren assembly for a vehicle, the siren assembly comprising:
 a sound generator;   an interface to an electronic control module (ECM) of a vehicle; and   a radio frequency (RF) transceiver;   wherein the siren assembly is configured to:   be connected by a wired connection to a hood open-closed sensor of the vehicle and sense opening of a hood of the vehicle through the wired connection,   establish a wireless communication link with a vehicle control system (VCS) of a vehicle through the RF transceiver,   receive from the VCS through the wireless communication link an alarm signal and activate the sound generator in response to the alarm signal,   send to the VCS through the wireless communication link a hood open signal in response to opening of the hood, and   obtain speed readings of an engine of the vehicle through the interface to the ECM and send the speed readings to the VCS through the wireless communication link.   
     
     
         19 . The siren assembly of  claim 18 , further comprising a backup battery and an enclosure containing the sound generator, the interface to the ECM, the RF transceiver, and the backup battery. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus comprising the siren assembly of  claim 19  and the VCS, wherein the RF transceiver is a Bluetooth® transceiver.