ANTITHEFT SYSTEM

• US 20100007459A1
• Filed: 07/09/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Manita, Masashi, Yamashita, Kosei, Takeda, Masato, Kuroiwa, Kenji, Shinogi, Yoshihisa, Maekawa, Yoshinori, Yamamura, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 8,299,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.600
• CPC Class Codes: A01D 34/82 Other details
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/308 Industrial vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user

Abstract

In a system for preventing an equipment such as lawnmower from theft, there are equipped with an internal combustion engine that is mounted on the equipment and is equipped with a generator that generates electric operating power when the engine is operated, a recoil starter to be manipulatable by an operator to operate the engine, an electronic key that is adapted to be carried by the operator and stores authenticating data for identifying the operator who carries the electronic key; and an authenticator that is installed at the equipment and performs authentication check as to whether the electronic key is an authorized key using stored key-checking data, when the authenticating data is outputted from the electronic key. In the system, the authenticator performs the authentication check when the electric operating power is supplied from the generator, thereby enabling to be installed in battery-less equipment and ensure to prevent the equipment from theft.

Claims

1. A system for preventing an equipment from theft, comprising:

an internal combustion engine that is mounted on the equipment and is equipped with a generator that generates electric operating power when the engine is operated;

a recoil starter that is installed on the engine to be manipulatable by an operator to operate the engine;

an electronic key that is adapted to be carried by the operator of the equipment and stores authenticating data for identifying the operator who carries the electronic key; and

an authenticator that is installed at the equipment and performs authentication check as to whether the electronic key is an authorized key using stored key-checking data, when the authenticating data is outputted from the electronic key;

wherein the authenticator performs the authentication check when the electric operating power is supplied from the generator.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the authenticator terminates operation of the engine, when the electronic key is not authenticated to be an authorized key.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the generator generates the electric operating power for the authenticator to perform the authentication check and for the engine to be started.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the authenticator comprises a first electronic control unit having a first microcomputer, and the first electronic control unit conducts an operation check of the first microcomputer and then performs the authentication check, when the electric operating power is supplied from the generator.

5. The system according to claim 1, further including:

an engine controller that controls operation of the engine and comprises a second electronic control unit having a second microcomputer;

and the second electronic control unit conducts an operation check of the second microcomputer, when the electric operating power is supplied from the generator after the authenticator performs the authentication check.

6. The system according to claim 1, further including:

an informer that informs the operator, when the electronic key is not authenticated to be an authorized key.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the equipment comprises an operating machine or a moving object.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the equipment comprises a lawnmower.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electronic key comprises an IC card.