ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM INCLUDING A PUSHBUTTON ELECTRONIC COMBINATION IGNITION LOCK AND TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL

• US 3,788,422 A
• Filed: 10/27/1972
• Issued: 01/29/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lauren L. Bowler
• Original Assignee: Lauren L. Bowler
• Inventors: Bowler, Lauren L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schacher, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US05/301,620
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 180/114 307/1AT 340/63
• US Class Current: 180/287
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor

Abstract

A pushbutton transmission selector mechanism and electronic lock and control logic for preventing unauthorized use of a motor vehicle by locking the ignition circuit and selector mechanism until a predetermined code number is entered by the operator through the selector mechanism. The PARK pushbutton selector controls locking of the vehicle steering column and automatic application of the vehicle parking brake assembly.

Claims

1. Motor vehicle anti-theft apparatus comprising:

selector means for the automatic transmission of said vehicle including a slide member coupled with said transmission for placing the transmission in a PARK position upon predetermined sliding movement thereof from a deactuated position to an actuated position, travel switch means actuable by said slide member upon said predetermined movement, STOP pushbutton momentary switch means and START pushbutton momentary switch means mounted on the operator actuable eNd of said slide member and selectively actuable in either the actuated or deactuated position of said slide member, said STOP and START switch means being selectively but automatically actuated upon operator actuation of said slide member, electrically operated latch means for preventing movement of said slide member to or from said actuated position;

vehicle speed switch means for developing an output which switches between a first logic level when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined speed and a second logic level when the vehicle speed is above said predetermined speed;

electronic combination lock means including a plurality of operator actuable switch means, for developing an output which switches from a LOCKED logic level to an UNLOCKED logic level in response to actuation of said operator actuable switch means in a predetermined sequence;

first gate means for energizing the ignition circuit of said vehicle in response to actuation of said START switch means while the output of said lock means is at said UNLOCKED level and for deenergizing said ignition circuit in response to switching of the output of said lock means from said UNLOCKED level to said LOCKED level;

second gate means for energizing the starter circuit of said vehicle in response to actuation of said START switch means while the output of said lock means is at said UNLOCKED level and said travel switch is in an actuated position;

third gate means for energizing said latch means in response to actuation of said START switch means while the output of said speed switch means is at said first level to permit movement of said slide member, said third gate means deenergizing said latch means to prevent movement of said slide member whenever the output of said gate means is at said LOCKED logic level;

fourth gate means for switching the output of said lock means to said LOCKED level in response to actuation of said STOP switch means and said travel switch means.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including means responsive to a vehicle engine running condition for developing a first logic level output when said engine is running and a second logic level output when said engine is not running;

lamp means energizable to illuminate the pushbutton of said START pushbutton switch means;

oscillator means for periodically energizing said lamp means to periodically illuminate said START pushbutton;

fifth gate means for energizing said oscillator means in response to the switching of the output of said lock means to said UNLOCKED level while said travel switch means is actuated, said fifth gate means deenergizing said oscillator means in response to said first logic level output of said engine condition responsive means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including:

additional lamp means energizable to illuminate the pushbutton of said STOP pushbutton switch means;

additional oscillator means for periodically energizing said additional lamp means to periodically illuminate said STOP pushbutton;

sixth gate means for energizing said additional oscillator means in response to actuation of said travel switch in the absence of actuation of said STOP switch means, said sixth gate means deenergizing said oscillator means in response to actuation of said STOP switch means.

4. Motor vehicle anti-theft apparatus comprising:

selector means for the automatic transmission of the vehicle including first and second slide members coupled with said transmission for respectively placing the transmission in a NEUTRAL position and a DRIVE position upon predetermined sliding movement thereof from a deactuated position to an actuated position, first and second travel switch means respectively actuable by said first and second slide members upon said predetermined movement, STOP pushbutton momentary switch means and START pushbutton momentary switch means mounted on the operator actuable end of said First slide member, DRIVE pushbutton momentary switch means mounted on the operator actuable end of said second slide member, said pushbutton switch means being selectively actuable in either the actuated or deactuated positions of said slide members, automatically releasable latch means responsive to movement of a slide member to said actuated position for latching the slide member in the actuated position and for releasing a previously latched slide member, means normally biasing the slide members to a deactuated position;

electrically actuated latch means having a deactuated state preventing movement of said first slide member to or from said actuated position to prevent movement of said second slide member to said actuated position while said first slide member is in said actuated position;

vehicle speed switch means for developing an output which switches between a first logic level when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined speed and a second logic level when the vehicle speed is above said predetermined speed;

means responsive to a vehicle engine running condition for developing a first logic level output when said engine is running and a second logic level output when said engine is not running;

electronic combination lock means, including a plurality of pushbutton switch means for developing an output which switches from a LOCKED logic level to an UNLOCKED logic level in response to actuation of said plurality of pushbutton switch means in a predetermined sequence;

first gate means for energizing the ignition circuit of said vehicle in response to actuation of said START switch means while the output of said logic means is at said UNLOCKED level and for deenergizing said ignition circuit in response to switching of the output of said lock means from said UNLOCKED level to said LOCKED level;

second gate means for energizing the starter circuit of said vehicle in response to actuation of said START switch means while the output of said lock means is at said UNLOCKED logic level and said first travel switch is in an actuated position;

third gate means for energizing said latch means in response to actuation of said DRIVE switch means while the output of said lock means is at said UNLOCKED level to permit movement of said second slide member to said actuated position, said third gate means deenergizing said latch means to prevent movement of said first slide member from said actuated position whenever the output of said lock means is at said LOCKED logic level;

fourth gate means for switching the output of said lock means to said LOCKED logic level in response to actuation of said STOP switch means and said first travel switch means.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 further including lamp means energizable to illuminate the pushbutton of said STOP pushbutton switch means;

oscillator means for periodically energizing said lamp means;

fifth gate means for energizing said oscillator means in response to actuation of said first travel switch means subsequent to actuation of said second travel switch means in the absence of actuation of said STOP switch means, said fifth gate means deenergizing said oscillator means in response to actuation of said STOP switch means.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 further including:

lamp means energizable to illuminate the pushbutton of said STOP pushbutton switch means;

oscillator means for periodically energizing said lamp means;

fifth gate means for energizing said oscillator means in response to actuation of said STOP switch means while said first travel switch is in a deactuated position and the output of said speed switch is at said first logic level, said fifth gate means deenergizing said oscillator means in response to actuation of said first travel switch means.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said selector includes a third slide member coupled with said transmission for placing the transmissiOn in a reverse position upon predetermined sliding movement thereof from a deactuated position to an actuated position;

said electrically actuated latch means when in said deactuated state preventing movement of said third slide member from said deactuated position to said actuated position.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein said selector means includes a third slide member coupled with said transmission for placing the transmission in a neutral position upon predetermined sliding movement thereof from a deactuated position to an actuated position, a third travel switch means actuable by said third slide member upon said predetermined movement;

additional start pushbutton momentary switch means mounted on the operator actuable end of said third slide member and selectively actuable in either the actuated or deactuated position of said third slide member, lamp means energizable to illuminate the pushbutton of said additional start pushbutton switch means;

oscillator means for periodically energizing said lamp means;

fifth gate means for energizing said oscillator means when the output of said engine running condition means switches from said first logic level to said second logic level while the output of said lock means at said UNLOCK level and said second travel switch means is in an actuated position.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 further including means responsive to actuation of said first travel switch means for actuating the parking brake assembly of said vehicle and means responsive to movement of said first slide member from said deactuated position to said actuated position to release said emergency brake assembly.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 4 further including steering wheel lock means for preventing rotation of the steering wheel of the vehicle and means for actuating said steering wheel lock means in response to movement of said first slide member to an actuated position.