Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Patent
1997-12-03
2000-08-22
Elms, Richard T.
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
180287, B60R 2504
Patent
active
061076953
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a drive lock.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
A conventional drive lock is described in European Patent Application No. 0 642 959. The arrangement derived from such drive lock includes, among other things, an immobilizer which is connected by a data line to an engine control unit. The immobilizer releases the engine control unit for operation only when the immobilizer has received previously determined code signals, and the latter match a stored reference code. Thus, operation of such a vehicle requires a knowledge of the reference code to be entered into the immobilizer. This makes unauthorized operation of the vehicle much more difficult. With some effort it is nevertheless possible to start the vehicle, specifically by replacing the immobilizer by a corresponding unsecured device. To overcome this disadvantage, German Patent Application No. 44 16 644.2 describes corresponding a start of the engine to an exchange of release data between the immobilizer and the engine control unit. In this process, one of the participating devices sends the other a basic code, which it recodes and sends back. At the same time, the sending device generates a recoded code from the basic code in the same way as the receiving device. A release code is generated when the recoded code received back by the receiving device matches the code generated by the transmitting device. With this conventional arrangement, unauthorized starting is impossible even when one of the participating devices is replaced by an unsecured device. However, authorized handling of this arrangement is also made difficult, for example, when one of the devices involved is defective and is to be replaced. Then the used recoding rule must first be determined, but this may take some effort, depending on the system design.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a drive lock which cannot be bypassed by replacing one of the participating devices and which permits simple handling.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved with a drive lock according to the present invention. Since the engine control unit is ready for operation only when it has received from the security protective (control) device a reference signal that was previously established according to the present invention by the security protective (control) device, it is impossible to start the respective vehicle if either the engine control unit or the security control unit has been replaced. However, it is comparatively easy for an authorized person to replace one of the units involved if necessary because essentially any unit can be adapted to another. Additionally, the drive lock according to the present invention permits immediate testing of the individual components directly after manufacture. In a further embodiment of the drive lock according to the present invention, emergency unlocking of the engine control unit is possible by direct entries by the user into the engine control unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a structural diagram of an exemplary drive lock according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a first flow chart illustrating an operation of the drive lock.
FIG. 2 shows a second flow chart illustrating the operation of the drive lock.
FIG. 4 shows a third flow chart illustrating the operation of the drive lock.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows an engine control unit 10 which is connected by a signal line 20 to a security control unit 30. The engine control unit 10 includes a central control unit 15 which is connected via a data bus 11 to first, second and third memory devices 13, 14, 17 and via an interface 16 to signal line 20.
First memory device 13 holds a release V code, which is specific for the respective vehicle. Second memory device 14 holds a user-specific P code, which has been established by an authorized user. Third memory unit 17 holds an M code which is model-specific for the components of a drive lock and serves mainly as a call signal. Data b
REFERENCES:
patent: 5561332 (1996-10-01), Udo et al.
patent: 5708307 (1998-01-01), Iijima et al.
Burger Wilfried
Denz Helmut
Diebold Bernd
Kohler Frank
Walter Klaus
Elms Richard T.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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