| US 7,532,959 B2 | ||
| Manual transmission engine remote start system and method | ||
| Franklin Ochs, Vista, Calif. (US); and Kevin Goodwin, Vista, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Dei Headquarters, Inc., Vista, Calif. (US) | ||
| Filed on Sep. 08, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/937,139. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0052911 A1, Mar. 09, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. G05D 1/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 701—2 [340/425; 340/426; 701/51; 180/167; 123/179.2] | 15 Claims |
| 13. An apparatus for remotely starting an engine coupled to a manual transmission, the apparatus comprising:
means for wirelessly receiving a remote start request;
means for determining whether the manual transmission gears are disengaged;
means for determining whether an alarm system coupled to an engine ignition system of the engine is armed; and
means for starting the engine when the manual transmission gears are determined to be disengaged and the alarm system is determined
to be armed;
wherein the means for determining whether the manual transmission gears are disengaged includes:
a sensor located near the gear shifter of the manual transmission where the sensor level varies based on the gear shifter
position;
means for detecting the sensor level when the gear shifter position is engaging a gear;
means for storing the detected sensor level corresponding to the engaged gear shifter position;
means for detecting the sensor level when the gear shifter position is not engaging a gear;
means for storing the detected sensor level corresponding to the non-engaged gear shifter position;
means for detecting the present sensor level; and
means for determining whether the manual transmission gears are disengaged based on the present detected sensor level and
stored detected sensor levels.
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