Communications: electrical – Continuously variable indicating – With meter reading
Patent
1987-02-27
1991-05-28
Yusko, Donald J.
Communications: electrical
Continuously variable indicating
With meter reading
361172, 2353825, 340542, B60R 2504
Patent
active
050198122
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention concerns an electronic locking system which is intended to serve as a theft-protection device.
In order to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to premises e.g. through a locked door, increasingly ingenious mechanical locks have been devised which are considerably more difficult to force or pick than locks of earlier types.
In order to avoid the problem of having to create mechanical locks fitted with more and more sophisticated lock combinations, electronic locking devices have been developed in recent years. Such systems are intended for and are used particularly in motor cars and other vehicles. Motor cars present the problem of allowing unauthorized persons to gain access thereto comparatively easily, even when the car is fitted with very advanced door locks. In addition, in most types of cars, the ignition lock, for which one and the same key is usually used to start the motor and to open the door lock, can as a rule be forced very easily and by passed by an unauthorized person, irrespective of the construction of the lock by simply shunt connecting the electric cables. In such cases, the problem therefore is not solved even when the lock is of a non-force type.
From DE Offenlegungsschrift 30 05 890 is known an electronic locking device which is intended to be used in motor cars. The key pertaining to the motor car ignition lock is provided with a transmitter which transmits a coded signal. In addition, the motor car is fitted with an electronic unit comprising a detector designed to receive the coded signal, a decoder means and an electronic coupling means which allows the motor to be started upon registration of an authorized or valid signal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention concerns a further development of an electronic locking system of this general type. The system comprises an electronic control unit as described above and a mechanical lock which may be used in the conventional manner until such a time when the user choses to tie the electronic control unit to a predetermined coded signal which may be transmitted from a transmitter means lodged in the key pertaining to the mechanical lock. This is achieved in accordance with the teachings of the subject invention in that the electronic control unit is provided with a memory element which initially lacks information on any coded signal and which is devised in such a manner that under predetermined conditions after transmission of the coded signal of the key belonging to the lock, said memory element stores the coded signal permanently and thereafter it accepts only this coded signal in order to activate the electronic control unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in closer detail in the following with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration depicting an electronic locking system and a mechanical lock with a key.
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration depicting a second embodiment of an electronic locking system and a mechanical lock with a key.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The embodiment which is chosen to describe the invention is the ignition lock of a motor vehicle. FIG. 1 illustrates a key 1 fitting the locking cylinder 2 of the ignition lock. The key is provided with a built-in coded signal transmitter 3 with an infrared-light emitting diode 4. On or adjacent the locking cylinder 2 are provided a receiver, a photo-detector 5 connected to a pre-amplifier 6. A wire 7 connects the pre-amplifier 6 with an electronic unit 8 which is intended to control the engine, e.g. ignition, starting or fuel system, and which has a decoder 9 integrated therewith. The key 1 is provided with two electrodes 10a for connection to two slip ring contacts 10b on the ignition lock 2.
When the key 1 is inserted into the ignition lock 2 and is turned to igniting position battery voltage is supplied to the electronic control unit 8 via a wire 11. This energizes the contact
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patent: 4144523 (1979-03-01), Kaplit
patent: 4250533 (1981-02-01), Nelson
patent: 4274080 (1981-06-01), Brunken
patent: 4342024 (1982-07-01), Rossi
patent: 4347545 (1982-08-01), Weishaupt et al.
patent: 4366466 (1982-12-01), Lutz
patent: 4392133 (1983-07-01), Lundgren
patent: 4438426 (1984-03-01), Adkins
Gostahagberg Anders P.
Knutsson Evan A.
Nystrom Mats O. G.
AB Volvo
Horabik Michael
Yusko Donald J.
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