DOOR LOCK, POWER AND ALARM CONTROL CIRCUIT FOR AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES AND THE LIKE

• US 3,866,168 A
• Filed: 01/15/1973
• Issued: 02/11/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cooper Industries, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Francis A. Mcguirk Jr
• Inventors: McGuirk, Francis A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yusko, Donald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowicki, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US05/323,827
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 340/63,64,276 307/1AT 317/134 180/114
• US Class Current: 307/10.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1001 Alarm systems associated with another car fitting or mechanism, e.g. door lock or knob, pedals features related to the general power supply B60R25/1018
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features

Abstract

Circuitry operative in response to the generation and termination of a control signal to disable an alarm so that a vehicle engine may be started without actuating the alarm within a predetermined period of time after the termination of the control signal. This control signal also causes unlocking of one or more vehicle doors. If entry to the vehicle is achieved without generating the control signal, any subsequent attempt to start the engine will actuate the alarm, which may be the vehicle horn. In addition, the circuitry is operative to cause locking of all vehicle doors when any door is opened and reclosed, and unlocking of all vehicle doors when the ignition switch is turned off. After engine turn-off, restarting may be accomplished by actuation of the starter switch within the aforementioned predetermined period of time without again generating the control signal.

Claims

1. In a vehicle including door lock control means operative when keyed to generate a control signal, an engine, engine-driven electrical spark distributor means, a starting switch for said engine, and warning means, the improvement comprising:

circuit means coupled to said door lock control means, to said distributor means, to said starting switch, and to said warning means, and normally operative in the absence of said control signal to actuate said warning means upon actuation of said starting switch, and operative in response to said control signal to disable said warning means for a predetermined period of time from the termination of said control signal and to enable engine start-up by actuation of said starting switch within said predetermined period of time, and further operative to receive a pulse train generated by said distributor means during periods of vehicle engine operation, and operative in response to cessation of said pulse train to disable said warning means for a predetermined period of time After cessation of said pulse train and to enable engine restarting by actuation of said starting switch within said predetermined period of time.

2. starting/warning means coupled to said disabling signal generating means, to said starting switch, and to said warning means, and normally operative in the absence of said disabling signal to prevent engine start-up and to actuate said warning means upon actuation of said starting switch, and operative to receive said disabling signal and, in response thereto, to enable engine start-up by actuation of said starting switch during said predetermined period of time, and simultaneously operative in response to said disabling signal to prevent actuation of said warning means during actuation of said starting switch within said predetermined period of time;

and

3. The improvement according to claim 1 wherein said circuit means comprises:

4. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein said circuit means further comprises unlocking signal generating means coupled to said surrogate signal generating means and to said door lock control means, and operative to receive said surrogate signal and, upon termination thereof, to generate an unlocking signal which is applied to said door lock control means to cause unlocking of at least one vehicle door.

5. third transistor switching means having an output terminal coupled to the input terminal of said second transistor switching means and having its input terminal coupled to said disabling signal generating means, and operative to receive said disabling signal and, in response thereto, to render said second transistor switching means conductive.

6. The improvement according to claim 5 wherein said charging circuit means comprises first and second resistances connected in series with said timing capacitance between the terminals of a power source, the junction of said second resistance and said timing capacitance being coupled to said semiconductor means, and a switch connected so as to enable selective shunting of said first resistance.

7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein said feedback circuit means is connected across both said first and second resistances in said charging circuit means so as to enable momentary shunting of said first and second resistances in response to a decrease in the magnitude of the disabling signal applied to said starting/warning means.

8. The improvement according to claim 3 further comprising warning circuit means coupled to said disabling signal generating means and operative in response to said disabling signal to proVide a warning signal for the duration of said disabling signal.

9. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein said starting/warning means comprises:

10. The improvement according to claim 9 wherein said first transistor switching means comprises:

11. The improvement according to claim 9 wherein said third transistor switching means comprises:

12. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein said surrogate signal generating means comprises:

13. The improvement according to claim 12 wherein said surrogate signal generating means further comprises a fourth transistor having its input terminal coupled to said starting switch and its output terminals connected to shunt the output pulses from said limiting circuit means when said fourth transistor iS rendered conductive by actuation of said starting switch.

14. The improvement according to claim 12 wherein the input terminal of said third transistor is coupled to an output terminal of said second transistor.

15. The improvement according to claim 4 wherein said unlocking signal generating means comprises: