Immobilizer device and motorcycle including same

• US 20090091185A1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Konno, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,855,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor

Abstract

An immobilizer device for a vehicle includes a key which has a transponder, an engine ECU, and an immobilizer ECU which receives a first identification information transmitted from the key and inputs the identification information to the engine ECU via a first identification information transmitting device. The immobilizer ECU includes a second identification information transmitting device which inputs second, different identification information to the engine ECU. The engine ECU includes a first and second identification information authentication devices which respectively authenticate the first identification information and the second identification information based on first and second comparison data set in the engine ECU. The engine ECU allows an engine to start when the first and second identification information are appropriately authenticated. The first identification information is based on random numbers generated by the engine ECU.

Claims

1. An immobilizer device comprising:

a transponder

a key which incorporates the transponder;

an engine ECU; and

an immobilizer ECU which receives a first identification information transmitted from the key and inputs the first identification information to the engine ECU;

wherein

the immobilizer ECU includes a second identification information transmitting device which inputs a second identification information to the engine ECU,

the engine ECU includes a first identification information authentication device which authenticates the first identification information based on a first comparison data set in the engine ECU corresponding to the first identification information, and a second identification information authentication device which authenticates the second identification information based on a second comparison data set in the engine ECU corresponding to the second identification information, and

the engine ECU is configured to allow an engine to start when the first identification information is authenticated as agreeing with the first comparison data and the second identification information authenticated by the second identification information is authenticated as agreeing with the second comparison data.

2. An immobilizer device according to claim 1, wherein the engine ECU further includes a request signal transmitting device which inputs a request signal containing random numbers to the immobilizer ECU,

the immobilizer ECU further includes a transmitting device which transmits the request signal,

the key further includes a password generation device which receives the request signal containing the random numbers and generates the first identification information as a function of the random numbers, and

the first identification information authentication device of the engine ECU is configured to authenticate the first identification information generated as the function of the random numbers.

3. An immobilizer device according to claim 2, wherein the first identification information authentication device includes a first collation part which authenticates the first identification information containing a password consisting of random numbers and the second identification information authentication device includes a second collation part which authenticates the second identification information containing an ID password which is a fixed value.

4. An immobilizer device according to claim 2, wherein the immobilizer device is configured such that the request signal, the first identification information and the second identification information are transmitted between the engine ECU and the immobilizer ECU via a single serial communication line.

5. An immobilizer device according to claim 3, wherein the immobilizer device is configured such that the request signal, the first identification information and the second identification information are transmitted between the engine ECU and the immobilizer ECU via a single serial communication line.

6. An immobilizer device according to claim 1, wherein the key also includes a power source.

7. An immobilizer device according to claim 6, wherein the power source is a battery.

8. An immobilizer device according to claim 6, wherein the power source includes a coil which receives electric waves from the immobilizer ECU and a capacitor which rectifies an electric current generated by the coil and stores the electric current as DC power therein.

9. An immobilizer device according to claim 1, wherein the immobilizer ECU is adapted to be disposed with an ignition switch unit near a top bridge of a motorcycle, and the engine ECU is adapted to be disposed inwardly of the vehicle nearer to an engine of the vehicle than the immobilizer ECU.

10. A vehicle including an engine and an immobilizer device, the immobilizer device comprising:

a transponder

a key which incorporates the transponder;

an engine ECU; and

an immobilizer ECU which receives a first identification information transmitted from the key and inputs the first identification information to the engine ECU;

wherein

the immobilizer ECU includes a second identification information transmitting device which inputs a second identification information to the engine ECU,

the engine ECU includes a first identification information authentication device which authenticates the first identification information based on a first comparison data set in the engine ECU corresponding to the first identification information, and a second identification information authentication device which authenticates the second identification information based on a second comparison data set in the engine ECU corresponding to the second identification information, and

the engine ECU is configured to allow the engine to start when the first identification information is authenticated as agreeing with the first comparison data and the second identification information authenticated by the second identification information is authenticated as agreeing with the second comparison data.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the engine ECU further includes a request signal transmitting device which inputs a request signal containing random numbers to the immobilizer ECU,

the immobilizer ECU further includes a transmitting device which transmits the request signal,

the key further includes a password generation device which receives the request signal containing the random numbers and generates the first identification information as a function of the random numbers, and

the first identification information authentication device of the engine ECU is configured to authenticate the first identification information generated as the function of the random numbers.

12. The vehicle device according to claim 11, wherein the first identification information authentication device includes a first collation part which authenticates the first identification information containing a password consisting of random numbers and the second identification information authentication device includes a second collation part which authenticates the second identification information containing an ID password which is a fixed value.

13. The vehicle device according to claim 11, wherein the immobilizer device is configured such that the request signal, the first identification information and the second identification information are transmitted between the engine ECU and the immobilizer ECU via a single serial communication line.

14. The vehicle device according to claim 10, wherein the key also includes a power source.

15. The vehicle device according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle is a motorcycle, the immobilizer ECU is disposed with an ignition switch unit near a top bridge of the motorcycle, and the engine ECU is disposed inwardly of the motorcycle nearer to the engine than is the immobilizer ECU.

16. An immobilizer device, comprising:

a key, which includes a power source, a password generating device, and a transponder;

an immobilizer ECU which is connected to a power source and includes an antenna, a reception circuit, a first transmission circuit, and a second transmission circuit; and

an engine ECU which includes an interface circuit, a random number generator, a first collation device, a second collation device, and a controller;

wherein

the immobilizer ECU receives a first identification information transmitted from the key and inputs the first identification information to the engine ECU;

the second transmission circuit of the immobilizer ECU inputs a second identification information to the engine ECU,

the first collation device of the engine ECU authenticates the first identification information and the second collation device which authenticates the second identification information, and

the engine ECU is configured to allow an engine to start when the first identification information authenticated by the collation device agrees with a first comparison data corresponding to the first identification information and the second identification information authenticated by the second collation device agrees with a second comparison data corresponding to the second identification information.

17. An immobilizer device according to claim 16, wherein the engine ECU further includes a request signal transmitting device which inputs a request signal containing random numbers generated by the random number generator to the immobilizer ECU,

the immobilizer ECU further includes a transmitting device which transmits the request signal,

the password generating device of the key receives the request signal containing the random numbers and generates the first identification information as a function of the random numbers, and

the first collation device of the engine ECU is configured to authenticate the first identification information which is generated as the function of the random numbers.

18. An immobilizer device according to claim 17, wherein the immobilizer device is configured such that the request signal, the first identification information and the second identification information are transmitted between the engine ECU and the immobilizer ECU via a single serial communication line.

19. An immobilizer device according to claim 16, wherein the immobilizer ECU is adapted to be disposed with an ignition switch unit near a top bridge of a motorcycle, and the engine ECU is adapted to be disposed inwardly of the vehicle nearer to an engine of the vehicle than the immobilizer ECU.

20. An immobilizer device according to claim 16, wherein the power source includes at least one of a battery, a coil which receives electric waves from the immobilizer ECU, and a capacitor which rectifies an electric current generated by the coil and stores the electric current as DC power therein.