Remote controlled security system

• US 5,554,977 A
• Filed: 04/27/1995
• Issued: 09/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Ewald, Henry J., Jablonski, Gary F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coleman, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Application Number:
  US08/430,104
• Time in Patent Office: 502 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/426, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.3
• US Class Current: 340/5.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4097 using mutual authentication between devices and transaction partners
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/0023 with encription of the transmittted data signal
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00238 the transmittted data signal containing a code which is changed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/06 Involving synchronization or resynchronization between transmitter and receiver; reordering of codes
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A security system and method is provided for one way communication between a remote transmitter and a receiver which enables a function such unlocking the doors or disarming a security system. The system uses a three part security code having one part which is a pseudo-randomly generated function, one part which is a permanently assigned code to the transmitter/receiver combination and one part which is based on the number of transmissions transmitted by the transmitter.

Claims

1. A security system comprising;

a transmitter including;

a removable power source;

counting means for providing a count of the number of transmissions made by said transmitter and wherein said counting means has a volatile memory;

first storing means for storing an identification code assigned to said transmitter;

first calculating means for calculating a first rolling code using a predetermined formula; and

transmitting means for transmitting a security code having an identification code portion, a transmission count portion, and a rolling code portion; and

a receiver including;

receiving means for receiving said security code and reproducing said identification portion, said transmission count portion and said rolling code portion;

second storing means for storing said identification code;

third storing means for storing a last transmission count previously received from said transmitter;

second calculating means for calculating a second rolling code using the same predetermined formula;

first comparing means for comparing said identification code portion with the value in said second storing means;

second comparing means for comparing said rolling code portion with said second rolling code; and

third comparing means for comparing said transmission count portion with said last transmission count;

wherein upon removal of said removable power source said volatile memory is cleared and said third storing means is set to the transmission count portion received if said transmission count portion is less than said last transmission count in said third storing means and said transmission count portion is less than a predetermined value.

2. A security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said removable power source is a battery.

3. A security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said predetermined value is about 50.

4. A method for activating a security system having a transmitter having a removable battery and a volatile memory storing a transmission count and a receiver having a receiver memory, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a last transmission count in said receiver memory;

removing said battery;

clearing said volatile memory in response to removing said battery;

replacing said battery;

activating a transmitter to emit a security code;

receiving said security code in said receiver;

decoding said security code in said receiver into a received transmission count;

comparing said received transmission count to said last transmission count in said receiver memory; and

storing said received transmission count in said receiver memory if said transmitter count is less than a predetermined value and said received transmission count is less than or equal to said last transmission count.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

reactivating a transmitter to emit a security code;

incrementing and storing a transmission count in said transmitter;

generating a rolling code value based on a known function in said transmitter;

transmitting a security code having a transmitter identification code portion, transmission count portion, and rolling code value portion;

receiving the security code in said receiver;

verifying the transmitter identification code transmitted is the same as the transmitter identification code stored in the memory of said receiver;

calculating a rolling code in said receiver based on the transmission count received from said transmitter with the same function used in said transmitter;

verifying the transmitted rolling code is equivalent to the rolling code calculated in said receiver;

verifying the transmission count received from said transmitter is greater than the last transmission counter number stored in said receiver;

enabling a function after the transmitter identification code, rolling code, and transmission count have been successfully verified.