Vehicle security system and method of controlling the same

• US 20040145447A1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Published: 07/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yuhara, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,161,464 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor

Abstract

Herein disclosed is a vehicle security system for protecting a vehicle against use by an unauthorized person, comprising: a base station, located away from the vehicle, for transmitting a control signal; and a vehicle unlocking apparatus, provided in the vehicle. The vehicle unlocking apparatus includes: vehicle communication means for receiving the control signal from the base station; and a vehicle component whose operation is necessary to drive the vehicle. The vehicle component is operable to selectively assume two operation states including a vehicle drive state in which the vehicle component allows the vehicle to be used and a vehicle protection state in which the vehicle component protect the vehicle from being used in response to the control signal received by the vehicle communication means.

Claims

1. A vehicle security system for protecting a vehicle against use by an unauthorized person, comprising:

a base station, located away from the vehicle, for transmitting a control signal; and

a vehicle unlocking apparatus, provided in the vehicle, including;

vehicle communication means for receiving said control signal from said base station; and

a vehicle component whose operation is necessary to drive said vehicle, said vehicle component being operable to selectively assume two operation states including a vehicle drive state in which said vehicle component allows said vehicle to be used and a vehicle protection state in which said vehicle component protect said vehicle from being used in response to said control signal received by said vehicle communication means.

2. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said vehicle component is constituted by a lock, and

said vehicle unlocking apparatus further includes lock control means for controlling said lock to selectively assume said vehicle drive state in which said lock control means unlocks said lock, and said vehicle protection state in which said lock control means locks said lock in response to said control signal received by said vehicle communication means.

3. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 2, in which

said base station is operative to transmit as said control signal an authorization signal and an unlock signal,

said vehicle unlocking apparatus further includes:

a driving authorization unit for generating a certificate signal authorizing the validity of said base station on the basis of said authorization signal received by said vehicle communication means, and

said lock control means is operative to assume said vehicle drive state in which said lock control means unlocks said lock in response to said unlock signal only when said certificate signal is generated by said driving authorization unit.

4. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said base station has therein stored information about a plurality of vehicles and a plurality of vehicle users.

5. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 2, in which

said base station is operative to transmit said control signal in response to an unlock request transmitted from said vehicle unlocking apparatus, and

said base station includes storage means for accumulatively storing therein information collected upon receiving said unlock request from said vehicle unlocking apparatus and information about said control signal upon transmitting said control signal to said vehicle unlocking apparatus.

6. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 2, in which

said vehicle communication means is operative to communicate with said base station by means of a public telephone line.

7. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 1, in which

said vehicle component is constituted by an engine, and

said vehicle unlocking apparatus is constituted by an engine operation control apparatus for selectively assuming said vehicle drive state in which said engine operation control apparatus enables the operation of said engine, and said vehicle protection state in which said engine operation control apparatus disables the operation of said engine in response to said control signal received by said vehicle communication means.

8. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 7, in which

said vehicle unlocking apparatus is further constituted by:

an electronic driver license having stored therein an identification information element, said electronic driver license capable of being carried; and

a vehicle security control apparatus provided in said vehicle, said vehicle security control apparatus including driver license reading out means for reading out said identification information element stored in said electronic driver license;

said vehicle communication means is constituted by an identification information transmitting unit for transmitting said identification information element read out by said driver license reading out means to said base station,

said base station is constituted by a driver license management apparatus having stored therein a plurality of driver information elements respectively corresponding to a plurality of identification information elements, said driver license management apparatus operative to select a driver information element corresponding to said identification information element received from said vehicle security control apparatus from among said driver information elements stored in said driver license management apparatus, and judge whether or not said electronic driver license is valid on the basis of said driver information element corresponding to said identification information element thus selected, and transmit said control signal indicating the result of said judgment,

said vehicle security control apparatus further includes;

engine operation judging means for judging whether or not the operation of said engine is to be enabled in response to the result of said judgment indicated by said control signal received from said driver license management apparatus,

said engine operation judging means is operative to selectively transmit an enable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be enabled and a disable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be disabled to an engine operation control apparatus on the basis of a result of said judgment, and

said engine operation control apparatus is operative to assume said vehicle drive state in which said engine operation control apparatus enables the operation of said engine in response to said enable signal and said vehicle protection state in which said engine operation control apparatus disables the operation of said engine in response to said disable signal.

9. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 8, in which

said driver license management apparatus includes:

driver information storage means for storing therein a plurality of driver information elements respectively corresponding to a plurality of identification information elements;

driver information selecting means for selecting a driver information element corresponding to said identification information element received from said vehicle security control apparatus from among said driver information elements stored in said driver information storage means,

validity judging means for judging whether or not said electronic driver license is valid on the basis of said driver information element corresponding to said identification information element thus selected, and

control signal transmitting means for transmitting said control signal indicating the result of said judgment made by said validity judging means to said vehicle security control apparatus.

10. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 8, in which

each of said driver information elements includes information about the holder of an electronic driver license, whether or not said electronic driver license has expired, and at least one of a record on a traffic accident, a record on a traffic violation, and a record of payment of a fine.

11. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 8, in which

said driver license management apparatus further includes:

message generating means for generating a message to be provided with the holder of said electronic driver license on the basis of said driver information element selected by said driver information selecting means,

said control signal transmitting means is operative to transmit said message generated by said message generating means to said vehicle security control apparatus, and

said vehicle security control apparatus further includes message providing means for providing said message transmitted by said control signal transmitting means.

12. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 11, in which

said vehicle security control apparatus further includes acknowledgment generating means for generating an acknowledgment signal in response to user'"'"'s acknowledgment instruction after said message has been provided, and

said engine operation judging means is not operative to transmit an enable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be enabled until said acknowledgment signal is received.

13. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 12, in which

said vehicle security control apparatus further includes acknowledgment transmitting means for transmitting said acknowledgment signal generated by said acknowledgment generating means to said driver license management apparatus,

said driver license management apparatus further includes expiration date calculating means for calculating an expiration date on the basis of the date when said acknowledgment signal is received, and

said expiration date calculating means is operative to write said expiration date thus calculated into said driver information element stored in said driver information storage means.

14. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 9, in which

said control signal transmitting means is operative to transmit said driver information element selected by said driver information selecting means to said vehicle security control apparatus,

said vehicle security control apparatus includes driver information writing means for writing said driver information element transmitted by said control signal transmitting means into said electronic driver license to have said electronic driver license store therein said driver information element,

said driver license reading out means is operative to further read out said driver information element stored in said electronic driver license, and

said engine operation judging means is operative to judge whether or not the operation of said engine is to be enabled in response to said driver information element read-out by said driver license reading out means in the event that said vehicle communication means fails to receive said control signal.

15. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 9, in which

said identification information transmitting unit is operative to transmit said identification information element read out by said driver license reading out means to said driver license management apparatus at predetermined time intervals, and

said engine operation judging means is operative to judge whether or not the operation of said engine is to be enabled whenever said identification information transmitting unit transmits said identification information element read out by said driver license reading out means to said driver license management apparatus.

16. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 9, in which

said engine operation judging means is not operative to transmit a disable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be disabled until said engine is stopped in the event that said engine operation judging means judges that the operation of said engine is not to be enabled while said engine is operating, and

said engine operation control apparatus is operative to assume said vehicle protection state in which said engine operation control apparatus disables the operation of said engine in response to said disable signal.

17. A vehicle security system as set forth in claim 9, in which

said vehicle security control apparatus further includes:

identification information storage means for storing therein identification information elements whose electronic driver licenses have been judged to be valid, and

authorizing means for generating a certificate signal authorizing the validity of said identification information element read out by said driver license reading out means on the basis of said identification information elements stored in said identification information storage means, and

said engine operation judging means is operative to judge whether or not the operation of said engine is to be enabled in response to said certificate signal generated by said authorizing means and the result of said judgment indicated by said control signal received from said driver license management apparatus.

18. A vehicle security control apparatus comprising:

driver license reading out means for reading out said identification information element stored in said electronic driver license;

identification information transmitting unit for transmitting said identification information element read out by said driver license reading out means to a driver license management apparatus; and

engine operation judging means for judging whether or not the operation of said engine is to be enabled in response to a control signal received from said driver license management apparatus; and

said engine operation judging means operative to selectively transmit an enable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be enabled and a disable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be disabled to an engine operation control apparatus on the basis of a result of said judgment.

19. A vehicle security control apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising:

message providing means for providing said message transmitted by said driver license management apparatus.

20. A vehicle security control apparatus as set forth in claim 19, further comprising acknowledgment generating means for generating an acknowledgment signal in response to user'"'"'s acknowledgment instruction after said message has been provided, and in which

said engine operation judging means is not operative to transmit an enable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be enabled until said acknowledgment signal is received.

21. A vehicle security control apparatus as set forth in claim 20, further comprising acknowledgment transmitting means for transmitting said acknowledgment signal generated by said acknowledgment generating means to said driver license management apparatus.

22. A vehicle security control apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising driver information writing means for writing a driver information element transmitted by said driver license management apparatus into said electronic driver license to have said electronic driver license store therein said driver information element,

said driver license reading out means is operative to further read out said driver information element stored in said electronic driver license, and

said engine operation judging means is operative to judge whether or not the operation of said engine is to be enabled in response to said driver information element read-out by said driver license reading out means in the event that said vehicle communication means fails to receive said control signal.

23. A vehicle security control apparatus as set forth in claim 18, in which

said identification information transmitting unit is operative to transmit said identification information element read out by said driver license reading out means to said driver license management apparatus at predetermined time intervals, and

said engine operation judging means is operative to judge whether or not the operation of said engine is to be enabled whenever said identification information transmitting unit transmits said identification information element read out by said driver license reading out means to said driver license management apparatus.

24. A vehicle security control apparatus as set forth in claim 23, in which

said engine operation judging means is not operative to transmit a disable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be disabled until said engine is stopped in the event that said engine operation judging means judges that the operation of said engine is not to be enabled while said engine is operating.

25. A vehicle security control apparatus as set forth in claim 18, further comprising:

identification information storage means for storing therein identification information elements whose electronic driver licenses have been judged to be valid, and

authorizing means for generating a certificate signal authorizing the validity of said identification information element read out by said driver license reading out means on the basis of said identification information elements stored in said identification information storage means, and

said engine operation judging means is operative to judge whether or not the operation of said engine is to be enabled in response to said certificate signal generated by said authorizing means and the result of said judgment indicated by said control signal received from said driver license management apparatus.

26. A vehicle unlocking apparatus comprising a vehicle communication means for receiving an unlock signal from a base station and lock control means for unlocking lock in response to said unlock signal received by said vehicle communication means.

27. A method of controlling a vehicle security system for protecting a vehicle against use by an unauthorized person, comprising:

a preparing step of a base station, located away from the vehicle, for transmitting a control signal; and

a vehicle unlocking apparatus, provided in the vehicle, including;

vehicle communication means for receiving said control signal from said base station; and

a vehicle component whose operation is necessary to drive said vehicle, said vehicle component being operable to selectively assume two operation states including a vehicle drive state in which said vehicle component allows said vehicle to be used and a vehicle protection state in which said vehicle component protect said vehicle from being used in response to said control signal received by said vehicle communication means; and

a control step of having said vehicle component selectively assume two operation states including a vehicle drive state in which said vehicle component allows said vehicle to be used and a vehicle protection state in which said vehicle component protect said vehicle from being used in response to said control signal received by said vehicle communication means.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27, in which

said vehicle component is constituted by a lock, and

said vehicle unlocking apparatus further includes lock control means for controlling said lock to selectively assume said vehicle drive state in which said lock control means unlocks said lock, and said vehicle protection state in which said lock control means locks said lock in response to said control signal received by said vehicle communication means.

29. A method as set forth in claim 27, in which

said vehicle component is constituted by an engine, and

said vehicle unlocking apparatus is constituted by an engine operation control apparatus for selectively assuming said vehicle drive state in which said engine operation control apparatus enables the operation of said engine, and said vehicle protection state in which said engine operation control apparatus disables the operation of said engine in response to said control signal received by said vehicle communication means.

30. A method as set forth in claim 29, in which

said vehicle unlocking apparatus is further constituted by:

an electronic driver license having stored therein an identification information element, said electronic driver license capable of being carried; and

vehicle security control apparatus provided in said vehicle, said vehicle security control apparatus including driver license reading out means for reading out said identification information element stored in said electronic driver license;

said vehicle communication means is constituted by an identification information transmitting unit for transmitting said identification information element read out by said driver license reading out means to said base station,

said base station is constituted by a driver license management apparatus having stored therein a plurality of driver information elements respectively corresponding to a plurality of identification information elements, said driver license management apparatus operative to select a driver information element corresponding to said identification information element received from said vehicle security control apparatus from among said driver information elements stored in said driver license management apparatus, and judge whether or not said electronic driver license is valid on the basis of said driver information element corresponding to said identification information element thus selected, and transmit said control signal indicating the result of said judgment,

said vehicle security control apparatus further includes;

engine operation judging means for judging whether or not the operation of said engine is to be enabled in response to the result of said judgment indicated by said control signal received from said driver license management apparatus,

said engine operation judging means is operative to selectively transmit an enable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be enabled and a disable signal indicating that the operation of said engine is to be disabled to an engine operation control apparatus on the basis of a result of said judgment, and

said engine operation control apparatus is operative to assume said vehicle drive state in which said engine operation control apparatus enables the operation of said engine in response to said enable signal and said vehicle protection state in which said engine operation control apparatus disables the operation of said engine in response to said disable signal.