Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-09
2001-07-10
Paladini, Albert W. (Department: 2841)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C307S010300, C123S1980DB, C340S870030, C340S870030
Reexamination Certificate
active
06259168
ABSTRACT:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. HEI 10-196205 filed on Jul. 10, 1998, including the specification, drawings and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a vehicle security control apparatus and, more particularly, to a vehicle security control apparatus that performs code comparison through communication with a portable device and, based on the result of comparison, permits or prohibits of use of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are several related-art vehicle security control apparatuses that perform code comparison through communication with a portable device and, based on the result of comparison, either permits or prohibits of use of a vehicle.
JP3-21575, as for example, describes a technology in which when a person operates a manual switch provided in the vehicle, communication between a secret code transmitter carried by the person and a receiver provided in a vehicle is performed. The code signal from the transmitter is compared with a pre-stored code by a code comparator provided in the vehicle. If the comparison signified that the operating person is an authorized user, the running power circuit of the vehicle is turned on and it is possible to unlock the vehicle via the manual switch provided in the vehicle.
However, two potential drawbacks of the related technology is its dependency to signal power source and susceptibility to radio interference. For example, if the normal operation of the code comparison by the code comparator is hindered due to depletion of the power source cell of the secret code transmitter carried by a user, radio interference noises or the like, it becomes impossible to activate the vehicle's power circuit and unlocked the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle security control apparatus wherein at least a portion of a portable device is connected directly to a receptacle or connecting portion provided within a vehicle in order to perform code comparison and determine whether to permit or prohibit use of the vehicle, so that access to the vehicle can be permitted even if the battery cell of the portable device is exhausted or radio interference occurs.
In accordance with the invention, a vehicle security control apparatus includes a portable device capable of being carried and transmitting a signal, a vehicle-installed device, located within the vehicle, that receives the signal from the portable device, a determiner that determines whether to permit or prohibit use of the vehicle based on a result of a code comparison through communication between the vehicle-installed device and the portable device, a connecting portion within the vehicle, a switch device that can connect to the connecting portion, and a determination backup device that determines whether to permit or prohibit the use of the vehicle by performing the code comparison with the switch device connected to the connecting portion if it is impossible for the determiner to determine whether to permit or prohibit use of the vehicle.
Since the vehicle security control apparatus performs the code comparison through cooperation of the switch device connected to the connecting portion of the vehicle and the determination backup device, the apparatus can permit use of the vehicle even if the battery of the portable device is exhausted or radio interference occurs.
The vehicle security control apparatus may further include a connection detector that (1) detects a connection between switch device and the connecting portion and (2) operates the determination backup device. The vehicle security control apparatus may also include an operation prohibiter that prohibits the determiner from operating if the determination backup device is operating.
Because the connection detector operates the determination backup device only when the switch device is connected to the connecting portion, useless electric power consumption is prevented and the danger of radio interference is eliminated even if the determination backup device and the determiner use the same signal frequency.
The switch device may be at least a portion of the portable device, i.e. may be formed by a portion of the portable device or the entire portable device.
The vehicle security control apparatus may further include a door open-close permitting device that permits a door to be opened or closed if the determination backup device determines to permit the use of the vehicle.
Therefore, if use of the vehicle is permitted by the determination backup device, the door may be opened or closed.
The vehicle security control apparatus may further include an engine start permitting device that permits an engine of the vehicle to be started if the determination backup device permits use of the vehicle.
Therefore, if permission of the use of the vehicle is permitted by the determination backup device, the engine of the vehicle may be started and the vehicle can be driven.
Furthermore, in the vehicle security control apparatus, the vehicle may have a detachable start switch for starting the engine, and the connecting portion may be provided at a position from which the start switch is detachable.
If the connecting portion is provided at a position from which the start switch is detachable, at least a portion of the portable device can be connected to the connecting portion and operated to start the engine when the battery of the portable device is depleted or occurrence of radio interference in substantially the same manner as a conventional key is used.
The vehicle security control apparatus may further include a steering unlock permitting device that permits a steering of the vehicle to be unlocked if the determination backup device determines that the use of the vehicle is authorized.
Therefore, if use of the vehicle is authorized, the steering of the vehicle may be unlocked and the vehicle can be driven.
In the vehicle security control apparatus, at least a portion of the switch device that can connect to the connecting portion may have a transponder circuit that transmits a specific code. The determination backup device may receive the specific code from the transponder and compare the specific code with a pre-stored code specific to the vehicle.
Therefore, the transponder circuit of the portable device transmits a specific code. The determination backup device receives the specific code from the transponder circuit and compares the code with the pre-stored code specific to the vehicle. Hence, it becomes possible to determine whether the portable device is an authorized portable device corresponding to the vehicle.
Further, in the vehicle security control apparatus, a range of a permitted uses of the vehicle determined by the determination backup device may be restricted relative to a range of permitted uses of the vehicle determined by the determiner.
Therefore, if the use of the vehicle is permitted by the determination backup device, further permitted uses of the vehicle are restricted, so that in the case of a theft for example, the damage can be minimized.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5561332 (1996-10-01), Udo et al.
patent: 5684454 (1997-11-01), Nishioka et al.
patent: 5736935 (1998-04-01), Lambropoulos
patent: 6025653 (2000-02-01), Hayashi et al.
patent: 3-21575 (1991-01-01), None
patent: 2539697 (1996-07-01), None
Paladini Albert W.
Pillsbury & Winthrop LLP
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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