Anti-theft system for a motor vehicle

• US 20050151629A1
• Filed: 03/07/2005
• Published: 07/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Manaris Corp.
• Original Assignee: Manaris Corp.
• Inventors: Simoneau, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/072,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20050151629A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.110
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/06 operating on the vehicle transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1018 Alarm systems characterised by features related to the general power supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data

Abstract

The system (10) comprises a control unit (20) used for selectively arming and disarming the system (10), and at least one actuator unit (30) which is remotely located within the vehicle with reference to the control unit (20). The actuator unit (30) comprises an actuator (32) capable of selectively enabling and disabling operation of a component of the vehicle required for normal operation thereof. Command signals are transmitted from the control unit (20) to the actuator unit (30) through air or in existing wires of the vehicle, thereby not requiring external wiring between them. The system (10) may further comprise a towing sensor unit (40) and an alarm unit (50). The system (10) reduces difficulties and disadvantages of the prior art by providing an anti-theft system where various units can be easily hidden throughout the vehicle.

Claims

1. An anti-theft system (10) for use in a motor vehicle, the system (10) comprising:

a control unit (20) to be mounted on the vehicle, the control unit (20) comprising means for selectively arming and disarming the system (10); and

at least one actuator unit (30) to be mounted on the vehicle, the actuator unit (30) comprising an actuator (32) capable of selectively enabling and disabling operation of a component of the vehicle required for normal operation thereof;

the system (10) being characterized in that;

the control unit (20) comprises means (28) for communicating command signals to the actuator unit (30) without external wiring, the command signals being indicative whether normal operation of the component of the vehicle is to be enabled or disabled; and

the actuator unit (30) is remotely located within the vehicle with reference to the control unit (20) and comprises means (34) for receiving the command signals and for instructing the actuator (32) to operate in response thereof.

2. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for selectively arming and disarming the system (10) comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader (22) capable of generating a RF interrogation field and receiving a response signal from a portable RFID transponder (24), the RFID reader (22) being coupled to a processor (26) associated with a memory to verify whether the response signal is a valid signal or not.

3. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the component of the vehicle is chosen from a group consisting of a transmission, a fuel pump, an ignition coil, an ignition switch, a starter, a battery, an on-board computer, a fuel line and a fresh air supply conduit of the motor.

4. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for communicating command signals to the actuator unit (30) comprise a RF transmitter (28).

5. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the RF transmitter (28) emits through air.

6. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the RF transmitter (28) emits through an existing wire of the vehicle.

7. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for receiving the command signals and for instructing the actuator (32) to operate in response thereof comprise a RF receiver (34).

8. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a towing sensor unit (40), the towing sensor unit (40) being provided with a motion sensor (42) generating a signal when sensing motion of the vehicle.

9. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the towing sensor unit (40) is remotely located with reference to the control unit (20), the towing sensor unit (40) further comprising a RF transmitter (44) capable of sending a signal to the control unit (20) indicative that motion was sensed.

10. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises an alarm unit (50) to report an alarm event.

11. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 10, characterized in that the alarm unit (50) comprises means for establishing communication with a remote monitoring central.

12. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 11, characterized in that it further comprises a locating beacon (58) to sense the position of the vehicle and means for transmitting the position of the vehicle to the remote monitoring central (100).

13. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that the locating beacon (58) comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

14. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 12, characterized in that the means for transmitting the position of the vehicle comprise a RF emitter.

15. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that the RF emitter comprises a cellular phone.

16. An anti-theft system (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises at least one decoy unit (60) to be mounted on the vehicle.

17. A method of using an anti-theft system (10) in a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

selectively arming and disarming the system (10) with a control unit (20) provided in the vehicle; and

selectively enabling and disabling operation of a component of the vehicle required for normal operation thereof with at least one actuator unit (30) provided in the vehicle, the actuator unit (30) comprising an actuator (32);

the method being characterized in that it comprises;

communicating command signals to the actuator unit (30) from the control unit (20) without external wiring, the command signals being indicative whether normal operation of the component of the vehicle is to be enabled or disabled and the actuator unit (30) being remotely located within the vehicle with reference to the control unit (20);

receiving the command signals at the actuator unit (30); and

instructing the actuator (32) to operate in response of the command signals.

18. A method according to claim 17, characterized in that selectively arming and disarming the system (10) comprises:

generating a RF interrogation field;

receiving a response signal from a portable RFID transponder (24); and

verifying whether the response signal is from a valid RFIF transponder (24) or not.

19. A method according to claim 17, characterized in that the component of the vehicle is chosen from a group consisting of a transmission, a fuel pump, an ignition coil, an ignition switch, a starter, a battery, an on-board computer, a fuel line and a fresh air supply conduit of the motor.

20. A method according to claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises:

generating a signal when sensing motion of the vehicle; and

sending the generated signal to the control unit (20).

21. A method according to claim 20, characterized in that sending the generated signal to the control unit (20) is made using a RF transmitter (44).

22. A method according to claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises reporting an alarm event.

23. A method according to claim 22, characterized in that reporting an alarm event comprises establishing communication with a remote monitoring central.

24. A method according to claim 23, characterized in that it further comprises sensing the position of the vehicle and transmitting it to the remote monitoring central (100).

25. A method according to claim 24, characterized in that sensing the position of the vehicle comprises reading data signal from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

26. A method according to claim 24, characterized in that transmitting the position of the vehicle is made using a RF emitter.

27. A method according to claim 26, characterized in that the RF emitter comprises a cellular phone.

28. A method according to claim 17, characterized in that it further comprises providing at least one decoy unit (60) in the vehicle.