On-board unit and method for operating the same, corresponding transportation and method for operating transportation anti-thief system

• US 10,293,784 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Jia-Sheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US15/912,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20180354457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 340 561, 340 524, 340 572, 340 5, 340 26, 340 528, 340426
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/00 Control of position, course, altitude or attitude of land, water, air or space vehicles, e.g. using automatic pilots drive control systems specially adapted for autonomous road vehicles B60W60/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/00 Details of selecting apparatus or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

An on-board unit (OBU) coupled to an integrated starter generator (ISG) is disclosed. The ISG controls an engine. The OBU includes a communication unit and a processing unit. The communication unit receives a control signal from a mobile device. The processing unit is coupled to the communication unit for setting a setting state of the ISG according to the control signal, wherein the setting state is a start unallowable state or a start allowable state, and the ISG forbids the engine to be started or allows the engine to be started according to whether the setting state is the start unallowable state or the start allowable state. The control signal generates the setting state according to a start counter value, wherein the setting state is set to the start allowable state or the start unallowable state according to whether the start counter value is larger than a predetermined value.

Claims

1. An on-board unit (OBU) coupled to an integrated starter generator (ISG), the ISG used for controlling an engine, and the OBU comprises:

a communication unit used for receiving a control signal from a mobile device; and

a processing unit coupled to the communication unit for setting a setting state of the ISG according to the control signal, wherein the setting state is a start unallowable state or a start allowable state;

wherein, when the setting state is the start unallowable state, the ISG forbids the engine to be started;

wherein, when the setting state is the start allowable state, the ISG allows the engine to be started with a physical key;

wherein, the control signal generates the setting state according to a start counter value;

when the start counter value is larger than a predetermined value, the setting state is set to the start allowable state;

when the engine is started, the start counter value is decreased by a difference value by a management server which is connected in communication with the mobile device;

when the start counter value is not larger than the predetermined value, the setting state is set to the start unallowable state.

2. The OBU according to claim 1, wherein, when the mobile device and the management server are connected through communication, the start counter value will be re-set to a maximum value, and the maximum value is larger than the predetermined value.

3. The OBU according to claim 1, wherein after the mobile device passed a verification procedure of the management server, the control signal is generated by the management server and transmitted to the communication unit through the mobile device.

4. The OBU according to claim 3, wherein verification procedure is performed by using at least one of an OBU number of the OBU and an engine number of the engine corresponding to the OBU, and at least one of a mobile phone number of the mobile device and an identification code.

5. The OBU according to claim 1, wherein the control signal is generated by the mobile device having performed a user identification program on itself.

6. A method for operating on-board unit (OBU), comprising:

receiving a control signal from a mobile device; and

setting a setting state of an integrated starter generator (ISG) according to the control signal, wherein the setting state is a start unallowable state or a start allowable state, and the ISG controls an engine;

wherein, when the setting state is the start unallowable state, the ISG forbids the engine to be started;

wherein, when the setting state is the start allowable state, the ISG allows the engine to be started with a physical key;

wherein, the control signal generates the setting state according to a start counter value;

when the start counter value is larger than a predetermined value, the setting state is set to the start allowable state;

when the engine is started, the start counter value is decreased by a difference value by a management server which is connected in communication with the mobile device;

when the start counter value is not larger than the predetermined value, the setting state is set to the start unallowable state.

7. The method for operating OBU according to claim 6, wherein, when the mobile device and the management server are connected through communication, the start counter value will be re-set to a maximum value, and the maximum value is larger than the predetermined value.

8. The method for operating OBU according to claim 6, wherein, after the mobile device passed a verification procedure of the management server, the control signal is generated by the management server and transmitted to the communication unit through the mobile device.

9. The method for operating OBU according to claim 8, wherein, the verification procedure is performed by using at least one of an OBU number of the OBU and an engine number of the engine corresponding to the OBU, and at least one of a mobile phone number of the mobile device and an identification code.

10. The method for operating OBU according to claim 6, wherein the control signal is generated by the mobile device having performed a user identification program on itself.

11. A transportation, comprising:

an engine;

an integrated starter generator (ISG) coupled to the engine; and

an OBU coupled to the ISG for receiving a control signal from a mobile device and setting a setting state of the ISG according to the control signal, wherein the setting state is a start unallowable state or a start allowable state,

wherein, when the setting state is the start unallowable state, the ISG forbids the engine to be started;

wherein, when the setting state is the start allowable state, the ISG allows the engine to be started with a physical key;

wherein, the control signal generates the setting state according to a start counter value;

when the start counter value is larger than a predetermined value, the setting state is set to the start allowable state;

when the engine is started, the start counter value is decreased by a difference value by a management server which is connected in communication with the mobile device;

when the start counter value is not larger than the predetermined value, the setting state is set to the start unallowable state.

12. The transportation according to claim 11, wherein, when the mobile device and the management server are connected through communication, the start counter value will be re-set to a maximum value, and the maximum value is larger than the predetermined value.

13. The transportation according to claim 11, wherein after the mobile device passed a verification procedure of the management server, the control signal is generated by the management server and transmitted to the OBU through the mobile device.

14. The transportation according to claim 13, wherein the verification procedure is performed by using at least one of an OBU number of the OBU and an engine number of the engine corresponding to the OBU, and at least one of a mobile phone number of the mobile device and an identification code.

15. The transportation according to claim 11, wherein the control signal is generated by the mobile device having performed a user identification program on itself.

16. A method for operating a transportation anti-thief system, comprising:

receiving a control signal from a mobile device by an OBU; and

setting a setting state of an integrated starter generator (ISG) by the OBU according to the control signal, wherein the setting state is a start unallowable state or a start allowable state, the ISG controls an engine;

wherein, when the setting state is the start unallowable state, the ISG forbids the engine to be started;

wherein, when the setting state is the start allowable state, the ISG allows the engine to be started with a physical key;

wherein, the control signal generates the setting state according to a start counter value;

when the start counter value is larger than a predetermined value, the setting state is set to the start allowable state;

when the engine is started, the start counter value is decreased by a difference value by a management server which is connected in communication with the mobile device;

when the start counter value is not larger than the predetermined value, the setting state is set to the start unallowable state.

17. The method for operating a transportation anti-thief system according to claim 16, wherein, when the mobile device and the management server are connected through communication, the start counter value will be re-set to a maximum value, and the maximum value is larger than the predetermined value.

18. The method for operating a transportation anti-thief system according to claim 16, wherein, prior to the step of receiving the control signal from the mobile device by the OBU, the method further comprises:

connecting the management server through communication by the mobile device; and

determining, by the management server, whether the mobile device passes a verification procedure;

wherein, when the management server determines that the mobile device passes the verification procedure, the control signal is generated by the management server generates and is transmitted to the OBU through the mobile device.

19. The method for operating a transportation anti-thief system according to claim 18, wherein, the verification procedure is performed by using at least one of an OBU number of the OBU and an engine number of the engine corresponding to the OBU, and at least one of a mobile phone number of the mobile device and an identification code.

20. The method for operating a transportation anti-thief system according to claim 18, wherein, prior to the step of receiving the control signal from the mobile device by the OBU, the method further comprises:

performing a user identification program on the mobile device by the mobile device itself;

wherein, the mobile device transmits the control signal only after the user identification program has been successfully passed.