Vehicle anti-theft entry system

• US 20050242920A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MACK Trucks Incorporated (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: MACK Trucks Incorporated (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Houser, Nathan, Bernosky, John David
• Granted Patent: US 7,009,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.200
• 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 25/2009 Antitheft state indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/23 using manual input of alphanumerical codes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers

Abstract

A vehicle anti-theft entry system includes a keypad, a first and second indicator lights, and a theft deterrent module disposed in the vehicle. The theft deterrent module asserts the first indicator light and receives a PIN from the keypad. An access control module comparing the PIN to a list of codes. If the PIN matches a restricted code the access control module sends a restricted access code to the theft deterrent module, if the PIN matches an unrestricted code of the list of codes the access control module sends an unrestricted access code to the theft deterrent module, and if the PIN matches none of the list of codes the access control module sends a deny access code to the theft deterrent module. The theft deterrent module receives the access code and asserts the first indicator light and outputs deny data to control substantially a function of the vehicle if the access code is the deny access code. Otherwise the theft deterrent module asserts the second indicator light and outputs either restricted data to control substantially the function of the vehicle if the access code is the restricted access code, or unrestricted data to allow substantially the function of the vehicle if the access code is the unrestricted access code.

Claims

1. A vehicle anti-theft entry system comprising:

a keypad;

a first and second indicator lights;

a theft deterrent module disposed in said vehicle, said theft deterrent module asserting said first indicator light and receiving a PIN from said keypad;

an access control module having a list of codes, said access control module receiving said PIN from said theft deterrent module and comparing said PIN to said list of codes, said access control module sending a restricted access code to said theft deterrent module if said PIN matches a restricted code of said list of codes, said access control module sending an unrestricted access code to said theft deterrent module if said PIN matches an unrestricted code of said list of codes, and said access control module sending a deny access code to said theft deterrent module if said PIN matches none of said list of codes;

said theft deterrent module receiving said access code, said theft deterrent module asserting said first indicator light and outputting deny data to control substantially a function of said vehicle if said access code is said deny access code;

said theft deterrent module asserting said second indicator light and outputting restricted data to control substantially said function of said vehicle if said access code is said restricted access code; and

said theft deterrent module asserting said second indicator light and outputting unrestricted data to allow substantially said function of said vehicle if said access code is said unrestricted access code.

2. The vehicle anti-theft entry system of claim 1, wherein said vehicle function is selected from the group consisting of:

a speed,

a range,

a fuel consumption,

an acceleration,

a location,

a horn,

an engine output, and

a brake application.

3. The vehicle anti-theft entry system of claim 1, comprising further:

recording second data substantially analogous to an operating parameter of said vehicle;

comparing said second data to said function of said vehicle; and

said theft deterrent module asserting said second indicator light and outputting said restricted data to control substantially said function of said vehicle if said access code is said restricted access code said second data exceeds a limit associated with said function of said vehicle.

4. The vehicle anti-theft entry system of claim 3, wherein said vehicle operating parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

a duration of engine operation,

a distance traveled,

an engine speed,

a vehicle speed,

a wheel speed, and

a vehicle location.

5. The vehicle anti-theft entry system of claim 1, comprising further a GPS receiver.

6. The vehicle anti-theft entry system of claim 1, comprising further:

a first transceiver disposed in said vehicle and connected communicably to said theft deterrent module;

a second transceiver connected communicably to said access control module;

said first transceiver receiving said PIN from said theft deterrent module and sending said PIN to said second transceiver;

said second transceiver receiving said restricted access code from said access control module if said PIN matches a restricted code and sending said restricted access code to said first transceiver, said second transceiver receiving said unrestricted access code from said access control module if said PIN matches said unrestricted code and sending said unrestricted access code to said first transceiver, and said second transceiver receiving said deny access code from said access control module if said PIN matches none of said list of codes and sending said deny access code to said first transceiver if said PIN matches none of said list of codes.

7. The vehicle anti-theft entry system of claim 1, wherein said second transceiver is connected communicably to said first transceiver over a channel selected from the group consisting of:

a wireless channel,

a cellular phone channel,

a satellite link,

a SAE J1708/J1587 channel,

a radio channel,

a microwave channel, and

an IEEE 802.11b channel.

8. A method of communication for a vehicle anti-theft entry system comprising:

asserting a first indicator light of a theft deterrent module;

receiving a PIN from a keypad of said theft deterrent module;

comparing said PIN to said list of access codes;

sending a restricted access code to said theft deterrent module if said PIN matches a restricted code of said list of access codes;

sending an unrestricted access code to said theft deterrent module if said PIN matches an unrestricted code of said list of codes; and

sending a deny access code to said theft deterrent module if said PIN matches none of said list of codes;

said theft deterrent module receiving said access code, said theft deterrent module asserting said first indicator light and outputting deny data to control substantially a function of said vehicle if said access code is said deny access code;

said theft deterrent module asserting said second indicator light and outputting restricted data to control substantially said function of said vehicle if said access code is said restricted access code; and

said theft deterrent module asserting said second indicator light and outputting unrestricted data to allow substantially said function of said vehicle if said access code is said unrestricted access code.

9. A system for communication for a vehicle anti-theft entry system comprising:

means for asserting a first indicator light of a theft deterrent module;

means for receiving a PIN from a keypad of said theft deterrent module;

means for comparing said PIN to said list of access codes;

means for sending a restricted access code to said theft deterrent module if said PIN matches a restricted code of said list of access codes;

means for sending an unrestricted access code to said theft deterrent module if said PIN matches an unrestricted code of said list of codes; and

means for sending a deny access code to said theft deterrent module if said PIN matches none of said list of codes;

means for receiving said access code,

means for asserting said first indicator light and outputting deny data to control substantially a function of said vehicle if said access code is said deny access code;

means for asserting said second indicator light and outputting restricted data to control substantially said function of said vehicle if said access code is said restricted access code; and

means for asserting said second indicator light and outputting unrestricted data to allow substantially said function of said vehicle if said access code is said unrestricted access code.