Thread: Use bluetooth/RF dongle on keychain for car access

I would have a bluetooth or RF dongle on my keychain. When in range, this dongle would talk to the PIC box.

The PIC box has a microcontroller and some way to read the signal the dongle is sending out.

When the dongle is in range of the PIC box, the box picks up on the signal of the dongle. When the signal is picked up, the box unlocks the door(s), activates the relay for the engine button, and boots/unhybernates the carputer.


The dongle might also have a few buttons to perhapse control windows, trunk pop, and/or siren.

Here's my question: what if you are in a parking lot hanging out with your friends and you keep on constantly getting in range and out of range. Wouldn't that get annoying?
I think the better is to have the door be touch sensitive, and the touch would ask the BT box if the receiver is in range to unlock the door. Then when the thing is out of range it would lock the door.

yea, but then you have to wait for the computer to boot. This way, by the time you get to the car, the computer is already up and running.

I guess if you are within 10 feet or so of the car, and you see that it is turning on and off, you could fashion some sort of on/off switch on the dongle.

Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear.

I understand what the pic box and the transmitter will do, and what they ARE.

My question is, What are you gonna use. A link perhaps. A product.

hehe, thats what we are discussing.

What do you mean by link?

Originally Posted by superart

yea, but then you have to wait for the computer to boot. This way, by the time you get to the car, the computer is already up and running.

I guess if you are within 10 feet or so of the car, and you see that it is turning on and off, you could fashion some sort of on/off switch on the dongle.

I guess... but he on/off switch is the reason that we're doing the BT thing.

I like the LS430 BT system. You have to be within a few feet to get it to open. You touch the door handle and the doors open. You touch the trunk and the trunk opens.

OK, that sounds good, but what if you are hanging around your car, and you dont want the computer turning on and off all the time? how would you solve that.


I like the idea of touching the door to open it. What kind of sensor would be reuired for that?


<edit>
What about that sensor from those lamps that you touch to turn on?

It would be cool to use something like that in place of an ignition button too. Those things generaly have multiple settings to, so you can have it have ACC, or just power with no engine.

It'd be cool to have the ignition control completely hidden, with no sign of ignition button or anything.

Originally Posted by superart

OK, that sounds good, but what if you are hanging around your car, and you dont want the computer turning on and off all the time? how would you solve that.


I like the idea of touching the door to open it. What kind of sensor would be reuired for that?


<edit>
What about that sensor from those lamps that you touch to turn on?

It would be cool to use something like that in place of an ignition button too. Those things generaly have multiple settings to, so you can have it have ACC, or just power with no engine.

It'd be cool to have the ignition control completely hidden, with no sign of ignition button or anything.

Well, the same technology as the lamps to be used for the doors. It would be an awful idea for the ignition. Imagine trying to scratch your leg on the freeway and accidently touching that ignition switch A button is optimal for the start/stop.

Again... how would we set the car to AC and ACC setting without turning the engine on?

What do you mean by the LS430 BT. BT is a protocol (I thought). It operates in the high GHZ frequency range.( I am almost positive)

Can't see how creating something will be any easier or cheaper then the link I provided.

A bluetooth wireless modem, and a pic, and a power source (all those are needed to send signals to and from the pic box) will be larger then a regular remote for an alarm. The pic will have to be programed, and the programmer is an added expense. And of course, someone will have to write the code in PBasic. Not that hard to do, but another step that needs to be done.

The pic box receiver is a much easier thing to do, but again, the programmer.

As for touching things. That is interesting. I assume it is the same technology as some of the touch lamps that you can by for your home.

Maybe some research is needed.

Michael