Theft prevention system in an automotive keyless entry system with automatic door locking

• US 4,638,292 A
• Filed: 08/24/1982
• Issued: 01/20/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kokusan Kinzoku Kogyo Company Limited, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kokusan Kinzoku Kogyo, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Namazue, Hirotoshi, Mochida, Haruo
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Queen, Tyrone
• Application Number:
  US06/411,096
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 340/63, 340/64, 340/65, 340/825.56, 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/543, 307/10 AT, 70/278, 361/172
• US Class Current: 340/426.28
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence

Abstract

A theft preventive system, in an automotive keyless entry system with automatic door locking, is adapted to produce an alarm signal in response to door opening when the theft preventive system is in a door-locked position, and which is cooperative with a door-lock system but independently operable in order to switch its operating mode from a door-locked mode to a door-unlocked mode. The theft preventive system in an automotive keyless entry system, according to the present invention, includes a push-button-type function key for operating a door-lock mechanism to lock a vehicle door. A memory circuit is responsive to a door-lock signal fed from the door-lock function key to indicate the door-locked condition. The content of the memory cannot be cleared unless a plurality of door-unlock function keys are properly operated. An alarm circuit is responsive to a door-open signal from a door switch in the presence of a memory output indicative of the door-locked condition to produce an alarm signal.

Claims

1. A theft prevention system in an automotive keyless entry system comprising:

a vehicle door-lock mechanism;

an actuator associated with said door-lock mechanism to operate the door-lock mechanism to a first, door-locked, position and to a second, door-unlocked, position;

an input unit including a plurality of push buttons respectively representing preset values;

first means, comprising a preselected door locking push button in said input unit, for operating said actuator to operate said door lock-mechanism to said first position when said door locking push button is depressed;

second means for operating said actuator to operate said door-lock mechanism to said second position;

third means, associated with said first and second means, for continuously producing a first signal when said actuator is operated to maintain said door-lock mechanism at said first position in response to depression of said door locking push button, said third means being responsive to operation of said first means to produce said first signal and being responsive to operation of said second means to stop producing said first signal;

fourth means for producing a second signal in response to opening of the vehicle door; and

fifth means for producing a theft preventive alarm upon simultaneous occurrence of both of said first and second signals.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second means comprises an input unit for inputting a code and a comparator for comparing said input code with a preset code to cause said actuator to operate said door-lock mechanism to said second position.

5. The system as set forth in claims 1 or 3, wherein said input code and said preset code both consist of several encoded digits.

2. A theft prevention system in an automotive keyless entry system comprising:

a vehicle door-lock mechanism;

an actuator associated with said door lock mechanism to operate the door-lock mechanism to a first, door-locked, position and to a second, door-unlocked, position;

an input unit including a plurality of push buttons respectively representing preset values;

first means, comprising a preselected door locking push button in said input unit, for producing a door-lock signal to cause said actuator to operate said lock-mechanism to said first position when said door locking push button is depressed;

second means, comprising a plurality of said push buttons in said input unit for entry of an input code and a comparator comparing said input code with a preset code, for producing a door-unlock signal to cause said actuator to operate said door-lock mechanism to said second position;

third means, associated with said first and second means, for continuously producing a first signal in response to said door-lock signal, said third means being responsive to said door-unlock signal to stop producing said first signal when said input code matches said preset code;

fourth means for producing a second signal in response to opening of the vehicle door; and

fifth means for producing a theft preventive alarm upon simultaneous occurrence of both of said first and second signals.

4. The system as set forth in claim 2 or 3, wherein said third means comprises a memory which is adapted to produce said first signal while said actuator is operated to maintain said door-lock mechanism at said first position.

6. A theft prevention system in an automotive keyless entry system comprising:

a vehicle door-lock mechanism;

actuator means associated with said door-lock mechanism and operative between first and second positions to actuate said door-lock mechanism to door-locking and door-unlocking states, respectively;

controller means including a memory storing a preset code for comparison with an input code provided by a plurality of push buttons representing preset values, said push buttons forming an input unit for entry of the input code, a comparator means for comparing the imput code and the preset code to operate said actuator means to said second, door-unlocking, position only when the input code and the preset code match each other, said controller means including a door lock signal generator means responsive to a specific input from a preselected door locking push button of said input unit for operating said actuator means to said first position for actuating said doorlock mechanism to said door-locking state,

said controller means operable in response to said specific input for continuously outputting a first signal and for terminating said first signal only when said input code and said preset code match each other,

a door open detector means associated with a vehicle door and responsive to detection of an open position of the door for producing a second signal in response to opening of the vehicle door; and

alarm means for producing a theft preventive alarm in response to simultaneous occurrence of said second signal together with said first signal.

7. A theft prevention system in an automotive keyless entry system comprising:

a vehicle door-lock mechanism;

actuator means associated with said door-lock mechanism and operable between first and second positions to operate the door-lock mechanism to a first door-locking state and a second door-unlocking state;

controller means associated with said actuator means for operating the actuator means to said first and second positions, said controller means including a memory storing a preset code, a plurality of pushbuttons representing preset values, said push buttons forming a manually operable input unit for entry of input code, and a comparator means for comparing said preset code and said input code to operate said actuator means to said second position whenever said input code matches said preset code, said controller means being responsive to a specific code provided by a door locking push button to continuously operate said actuator means to said first position and for producing a first signal while said actuator means is maintained at said first position;

detector means for detecting an open condition of the door for producing a second signal in response to opening of the vehicle door; and

alarm means for producing a theft preventive alarm in response to simultaneous occurrence of said second signal together with said first signal.

8. A theft prevention system for an automotive vehicle, comprising;

a vehicle door with a door-lock mechanism;

an electromagnetically operative actuator associated with said door-lock mechanism, said actuator being operable to first and second positions, at said first position said actuator operating said door-lock mechanism to a first, door-locking state, and at said second position said actuator operating said door-lock mechanism to a second, door-unlocking state;

controller means associated with said actuator for controlling the position of the actuator, said controller including a memory storing a preset code, a plurality of push buttons representing preset values, said push buttons forming an input means for allowing manual input of an input code, and a comparator means responsive to the input code matching said preset code for feeding a control signal to said actuator to operate the actuator to said second position, said controller means including means responsive to a specific input provided through said input means to operate said actuator to said first position and to produce continuously a locking state indicative signal;

a door switch adapted to be turned on when the door is open; and

alarm generator means associated with said controller means and said door switch to produce an alarm in response to simultaneous turning on of said door switch and existence of said locking state indicative signal.

9. A theft prevention system for an automotive vehicle comprising:

a vehicle door with a door-lock mechanism;

an actuator associated with said door-lock mechanism and operative between a first position in which the actuator operates said door-lock mechanism to a first door-locking state and a second position in which the actuator operates said doorlock mechanism to a second, door-unlocking state;

controller means associated with said actuator for feeding a control signal thereto to operate said actuator to one of said first and second positions, said controller means including a memory storing a preset code, a plurality of push buttons representing preset values, said push buttons forming an input means receiving manual input of an input code, a control signal generator means responsive to a given specific input from a door-locking push button through said input means to place said actuator at said first position and to hold the actuator at said first position, and responsive to said input code matching said preset code to operate said actuator to said second position, said controller means outputting a door-locking state indicative signal whenever said actuator is held at said first position;

a door open detector associated with said vehicle door and adapted to produce a door open state indicative signal as long as the door is held at an open state;

an alarm means associated with said controller and said detector for producing a theft preventive alarm when an AND condition of the door-locking state indicative signal and the door-open state indicative signal is established; and

AND gate means for providing to said alarm means a signal indicative of existence of said AND condition of said door-locking state indicative signal and the door-open state indicative signal, thereby enabling production of said theft preventive alarm.