Vehicle security apparatus and system

• US 20070247281A1
• Filed: 04/05/2007
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Shimomura, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 8,884,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.720
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/403 Power supply in the vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle security apparatus includes an immobilizer ECU, a remote security ECU, a display, an operation unit, and a power supply control unit. The immobilizer ECU controls a drive prohibition and drive permission for an engine based on an identification signal transmitted from a key and/or a remote setting signal and a remote unsetting signal output from the remote security ECU. When a remote setting signal has been transmitted to set an immobilizer, the power supply control unit causes a power supply transition to an accessory-on state or an ignition-on state when an authorized identification signal from the key is transmitted. Thus, the remote immobilizer is enabled to be unset by the display and the operation unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle security apparatus capable of communicating with an electronic key transmitting a unique identification signal and with a communication apparatus in a remote location transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request for a vehicle driving device of a vehicle, the vehicle security apparatus comprising:

a key communication unit for communicating with the electronic key;

a remote communication unit for communicating with the communication apparatus in the remote location;

a control unit for controlling the vehicle driving device based on at least one of the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and the drive request signals transmitted to the remote communication unit; and

a releasing unit for releasing control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request according to an instruction from a user,

wherein the control unit prohibits driving of the vehicle driving device upon receipt of the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request at the remote communication unit and allows a transition of power from a power supply mounted on the vehicle such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user only when the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit is an authorized identification signal.

2. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit prohibits the drive permission for the vehicle driving device until the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.

3. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit also controls locking and unlocking of a steering wheel of the vehicle based on the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and prohibits unlocking of the steering wheel until at least the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.

4. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the releasing unit includes a display unit for displaying an image for releasing the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request, and an operation unit operable by the user and allowing an operation associated with the image; and

the releasing unit releases the control over the vehicle driving device, when an operation based on the image displayed on the display unit is performed on the operation unit.

5. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing unit includes an operation unit, which is operable by the user and releases the control over the vehicle driving device according to an operation by the user.

6. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing unit includes a voice recognition device for checking whether the voice of the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the voice recognition device determines that the voice satisfies the predetermined condition.

7. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing unit includes a biological information determination device for checking whether biological information on the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the biological information determination device determines that the biological information satisfies the predetermined condition.

8. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit controls the power from the power supply mounted on the vehicle for a transition to an off state, an accessory-on state or an ignition-on state; and

the control unit makes the power supply transition of the power supply to the accessory-on state or the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.

9. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the control unit controls the transition of the power from the power supply; and

the control unit supplies power to the releasing unit without making the accessory-on state and the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.

10. A vehicle security system comprising:

an electronic key which is portable and which transmits a unique identification signal;

a communication apparatus for remote-controlling a vehicle driving device of a vehicle by transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request; and

a vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1.

11. A vehicle security apparatus capable of communicating with an electronic key transmitting a unique identification signal and with a communication apparatus in a remote location transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request for a vehicle driving device of a vehicle, the vehicle security apparatus comprising:

a key communication unit for communicating with the electronic key;

a remote communication unit for communicating with the communication apparatus in the remote location;

a control unit for controlling the vehicle driving device based on at least one of the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and the drive request signals transmitted to the remote communication unit;

a releasing unit for releasing control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request according to an instruction from a user; and

a door lock switch detection unit which is normally supplied with power from a power supply mounted on the vehicle and which detects an operation on a door lock switch of the vehicle,

wherein the control unit prohibits driving of the vehicle driving device upon receipt of the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request by the remote communication unit and allows a transition of power from the power supply such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user only when the door lock switch detection units detects an operation on the door lock switch of the vehicle.

12. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit prohibits the drive permission for the vehicle driving device until the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.

13. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit also controls locking and unlocking of a steering wheel of the vehicle based on the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and prohibits unlocking of the steering wheel until at least the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.

14. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the releasing unit includes a display unit for displaying an image for releasing the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request, and an operation unit operable by the user and allowing an operation associated with the image; and

the releasing unit releases the control over the vehicle driving device, when an operation based on the image displayed on the display unit is performed on the operation unit.

15. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the releasing unit includes an operation unit, which is operable by the user and releases the control over the vehicle driving device according to an operation by the user.

16. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the releasing unit includes a voice recognition device for checking whether the voice of the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the voice recognition device determines that the voice satisfies the predetermined condition.

17. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the releasing unit includes a biological information determination device for checking whether biological information on the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the biological information determination device determines that the biological information satisfies the predetermined condition.

18. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the control unit controls the power from the power supply mounted on the vehicle for a transition to an off state, an accessory-on state or an ignition-on state; and

the control unit makes the power supply transition of the power supply to the accessory-on state or the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.

19. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the control unit controls the transition of the power from the power supply; and

the control unit supplies power to the releasing unit without making the accessory-on state and the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.

20. A vehicle security system comprising:

an electronic key which is portable and which transmits a unique identification signal;

a communication apparatus for remote-controlling a vehicle driving device of a vehicle by transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request; and

a vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11.