Communications: electrical – Vehicle position indication
Patent
1996-09-24
1998-08-25
Swarthout, Brent A.
Communications: electrical
Vehicle position indication
340539, 340928, 701300, G08G 1123
Patent
active
057987149
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an arrangement for preventing a motor vehicle from passing beyond a specific place unauthorized.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A problem which is becoming ever more serious in present day communities resides in the theft of vehicles and their exportation to foreign countries.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The prime object of the present invention is to alleviate this problem by making it difficult for a stolen vehicle to pass through customs unnoticed.
This object is achieved with an arrangement which functions to prevent a motor vehicle from passing beyond a specific location unauthorized and which is characterized in that the specific location has placed therein a transmitter which transmits a specific radio signal of limited range; in that the vehicle includes a receiver which is responsive to the specific radio signal and which upon receipt of the specific signal activates a check means provided in the vehicle, the means checking whether the vehicle is authorized to pass the specific location and which is constructed to activate one or more electronic circuits in the vehicle in a manner which will render the vehicle inoperable, in the event that the vehicle is not authorized to pass beyond the specific location. This will then draw the attention of the customs personnel to the fact that the vehicle is not authorized to leave the country, for one reason or another.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the transmitter mounted in the specific location is a transponder which delivers a modulated reflected signal in response to a signal transmitted by a vehicle mounted transmitter when the transponder is located within the range of the vehicle transmitter.
The check device is preferably constructed to activate a vehicle alarm circuit when the vehicle is unauthorized to pass beyond the specific location.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a customs station equipped with one embodiment of an inventive arrangement; and
FIG. 2 is a schematic functional diagram of the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates a motor vehicle 1 on its way through a customs station. The vehicle 1 is equipped with a device 2 in accordance with the invention. This device includes a transceiver 3 which when the vehicle ignition is switched-on continuously transmits a radio signal of limited range, preferably a range of 10-50 m. Mounted in the custom station is a transponder 4 which is receptive to the signal transmitted by the unit 3 in the vicinity of the border crossing. The transponder 4 is adapted to reflect a modulated signal in a known manner, in response to the signal from the device 2. When the unit 3 receives the response signal, the unit sends a signal to a check means 5 included in the device 2, the means checking whether the vehicle is authorized to leave the country. IF this check indicates that the vehicle is not authorized to leave the country, the check means delivers a signal which, via a device 6 activates one or more electronic circuits in the vehicle such as to render unserviceable one or more of the vehicle functions. For instance, the device 6 may be constructed to break the current supply to the vehicle ignition system.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the device 6 consists in a code unit having an electronic lock of the type described in SE-B-469 704 and marketed by Scarinus AB under designation SC 202. A plurality of conductors pass through the code unit 6 from an engine control unit 7, which controls engine functions, and the code unit makes it impossible to bypass the electronic lock. Reference is made to the aforesaid patent specification for closer details of the construction of the code unit. The code unit 6 includes a microprocessor which upon receipt of a signal from the check means commands the code unit to break the
REFERENCES:
patent: 4849735 (1989-07-01), Kirtley et al.
patent: 5345902 (1994-09-01), Kalail, Sr. et al.
patent: 5347274 (1994-09-01), Hassett
patent: 5422473 (1995-06-01), Kamata
patent: 5497149 (1996-03-01), Fast
Scarinus Development AB
Swarthout Brent A.
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