Vehicle operation inhibitor control apparatus

• US 5,396,215 A
• Filed: 10/28/1992
• Issued: 03/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Driver ID Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Hinkle-Washington Joint Venture
• Inventors: Hinkle, Terry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/967,990
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/576, 340/539, 340/573, 340/542, 340/425.5, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.6
• US Class Current: 340/426.17
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor

Abstract

A band housing a transmitter is non-removably mounted about a portion of the body of a person who is not authorized to operate a motor vehicle. A receiver is mounted in the vehicle in close proximity to the vehicle steering wheel to detect signals from the transmitter when the person wearing the band is situated in proximity with the steering wheel. Upon receiving a signal from the transmitter, the receiver generates an output signal to electric circuit control elements which inhibit the operation of the vehicle. The circuit elements include a relay whose switchable contact is connected between the vehicle battery and the ignition coil. Alternately, the contact of the relay is connected to a solenoid which activates a steering or ignition lock mechanism. A detector may be provided in combination with the transmitter and the receiver to detect movement of the vehicle steering wheel or contact of the wearer of the band with the steering wheel. A clock is mounted in the receiver to track total time of use of the band, which time is viewable on a display mounted within the band. An electrical conductor extends between a battery mounted within the band, the clock and electrical contacts mounted on overlapping ends of the band to detect tampering and/or removal of the band by disconnecting the timer from the battery.

Claims

1. An apparatus for preventing operation of a motor vehicle by an unauthorized person comprising:

a band mountable around a portion of the body of an unauthorized person;

transmitter means, mounted in the band, for transmitting a signal over a predetermined distance;

receiver means, mountable in proximity with a steering wheel of a vehicle for receiving the signal from the transmitter means when the transmitting means is within the predetermined distance from the receiver means, the receiver means generating an output signal indicative of the proximity of the band and the transmitter means within the predetermined distance of the receiver means; and

control means, mounted in the vehicle and responsive to the output signal from the receiver means, for inhibiting operation of the vehicle upon the generation of an output signal from the receiver means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control means comprises:

means for locking the steering wheel from rotation.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control means comprises:

switch means, responsive to the output signal from the receiver means and connected in a vehicle ignition circuit, for disconnecting the vehicle ignition circuit from a vehicle battery, when the switch means is activated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means, mounted on a steering wheel of a vehicle, for detecting contact of an unauthorized person with the steering wheel, the contact detecting means generating an output signal upon detecting such contact; and

the control means also being responsive to the means for detecting contact with a steering wheel of a vehicle for inhibiting operation of the vehicle only upon generation of both of the output signal from receiver means and the output signal from the means for detecting contact.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the detecting means comprises:

a motion detector, mounted on a steering wheel of a vehicle, for detecting rotation of a steering wheel.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the detecting means comprises:

electrical contact means, mounted on a steering wheel of a vehicle, for detecting contact of an unauthorized person with the steering wheel;

the contact means being connected to means for operating the vehicle to render, when activated, the means for operating the vehicle inoperative.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

means, mounted in the band, for indicating tampering with the band, the tampering indicating means comprising;

a battery mounted in the band;

clock means, mounted in the band and connected to the battery, for generating clock signals indicative of the continuous time of use of the band; and

electric circuit elements, mounted in the housing and normally providing a continuous electrical circuit path between the battery and the clock means, the circuit elements, when opened, disconnecting the clock means from the battery.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including:

display means, mounted in the band, for displaying the total time of use of the band.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the electric circuit elements comprise:

an electrical conductor mounted continuously around the band and extending from the battery to the clock means; and

the band- having first and second lockable ends, an electrical contact mounted in each of the first and second ends of the band and connected to the electrical conductor, the contacts being engageable, when the band is lockingly closed about a portion of a body of a person, to complete the electric circuit path through the electrical conductor between the battery and the clock means.