Antitheft device for a vehicle
First Claim
1. An antitheft device for a vehicle having an engine ignition device and a power supply for said engine ignition device, comprising:
- an ignition switch including switching means for opening and closing a circuit connection between said engine ignition device and said power supply, said ignition switch also including locking means for mechanically inhibiting normal use of said vehicle, and sensor means for detecting an abnormality of at least one of said switching means and said locking means; and
an antitheft unit having means for receiving an input signal, means for causing a first disablement condition in response to said input signal wherein at least a part of said engine ignition device is disabled, and means for causing a second disablement condition in response to the detection of said abnormality by said sensor means wherein at least a part of said engine ignition device is disabled, said second disablement condition being different than said first disablement condition, at least one part of said engine ignition device being incorporated into said antitheft unit and said antitheft unit being adapted to make the operation of said engine ignition device substantially impossible by controlling the function of said at least one part of the engine ignition device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An antitheft device for a vehicle such as a motorcycle or an automobile for preventing theft of the vehicle by controlling the ignition system of the vehicle. The antitheft device includes a power supply, an ignition device for starting the vehicle'"'"'s engine, an ignition switch having a switch mechanism for opening and closing a power circuit between the power supply and ignition device and an antitheft unit. The ignition switch includes a mechanical locking mechanism for selectively preventing the normal steering operation of the vehicle as well as sensors for detecting the removal or destruction of the switch mechanism or the mechanical locking mechanism. The antitheft unit causes a first disablement condition in response to an input signal where at least a part of the ignition device is disabled and causes a second disablement condition in response to the detection of an abnormality by the sensors where at least a part of the ignition device is disabled. The ignition device being incorporated into the antitheft unit.
49 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An antitheft device for a vehicle having an engine ignition device and a power supply for said engine ignition device, comprising:
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an ignition switch including switching means for opening and closing a circuit connection between said engine ignition device and said power supply, said ignition switch also including locking means for mechanically inhibiting normal use of said vehicle, and sensor means for detecting an abnormality of at least one of said switching means and said locking means; and an antitheft unit having means for receiving an input signal, means for causing a first disablement condition in response to said input signal wherein at least a part of said engine ignition device is disabled, and means for causing a second disablement condition in response to the detection of said abnormality by said sensor means wherein at least a part of said engine ignition device is disabled, said second disablement condition being different than said first disablement condition, at least one part of said engine ignition device being incorporated into said antitheft unit and said antitheft unit being adapted to make the operation of said engine ignition device substantially impossible by controlling the function of said at least one part of the engine ignition device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An antitheft device for a vehicle having an engine ignition device and a power supply for said engine ignition device, comprising:
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an ignition switch including switching means for opening and closing a circuit connection between said engine ignition device and said power supply, said ignition switch also including locking means for mechanically inhibiting normal use of said vehicle, and sensor means for detecting an abnormality of at least one of said switching means and said locking means; and an antitheft unit having means for receiving an input signal, means for causing a first disablement condition in response to said input signal wherein at least a part of said engine ignition device is disabled, said first disablement condition includes electrical bypassing of a circuit component which is physically contained in said ignition switch and means for causing a second disablement condition in response to the detection of said abnormality by said sensor means wherein at least a part of said engine ignition device is disabled, said second disablement condition being different than said first disablement condition. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of preventing undesired use of a vehicle having an engine ignition system, an ignition switch and an antitheft unit capable of receiving an input signal, comprising the steps of:
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providing both an electrical power connecting component and a mechanical lock for said ignition switch, said mechanical lock being capable of inhibiting normal use of said vehicle; incorporating at least one part of said engine ignition system into said antitheft unit; initiating a first disablement condition in response to an input signal in which at least a part of said engine ignition system is disabled by controlling the function of said at least one part of said engine ignition system which is incorporated into said antitheft device; and detecting an abnormality of at least one of said electrical power connecting component and said mechanical lock, and initiating a second disablement condition in response to said detection in which at least a part of said engine ignition system is disabled, said second disablement condition being different from said first disablement condition. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of preventing undesired use of a vehicle having an engine ignition system, an ignition switch and a controller capable of receiving an input signal, comprising the steps of:
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providing both an electrical power connecting component and a mechanical lock for said ignition switch, said mechanical lock being capable of inhibiting normal use of said vehicle; initiating a first disablement condition in response to an input signal in which at least a part of said engine ignition system is disabled by bypassing a current controlling element associated with said engine ignition system which is contained in said ignition switch; and detecting an abnormality of at least one of said electrical power connecting component and said mechanical lock, and initiating a second disablement condition in response to said detection in which at least a part of said engine ignition system is disabled said second disablement condition being different from said first disablement condition. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification