Remote starter with anti-theft protection

• US 5,757,086 A
• Filed: 08/05/1996
• Issued: 05/26/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Nagashima, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US08/692,134
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1-10.6, 123/179.2-179.4, 123/198 DB, 123/198 DC, 180/287, 180/272, 180/273, 290/37 R, 290/38 C, 290/38 R, 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/825.3-825.32, 340/825.69, 340/825.72
• US Class Current: 307/10.6
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means

Abstract

A remote starter starts a driving mechanism in a vehicle from the outside through a command signal from a transmitter. A remote start releaser releases a remote drive state of the driving mechanism and converts it to an ordinary driving state. The presence of an operation to mechanisms in the vehicle is detected. The driving mechanism is stopped when the driving mechanism is in the remote drive state and the presence of an operation to mechanisms is detected. The theft of a vacant vehicle is thereby prevented.

Claims

1. A driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle comprising:

remote start means for starting a driving mechanism in a vehicle from outside through a command signal from a transmitter;

remote start releasing means for releasing a remove drive state of said driving mechanism and for converting said driving mechanism to an ordinary driving state;

seat sensing means for sensing a presence of a person in a seat of the vehicle;

operation information outputting means for detecting a presence of an operation of mechanisms in the vehicle and for outputting operation information; and

driving mechanism stopping means for stopping said driving mechanism when the driving mechanism is in the remote drive state, the presence of a person in the seat is sensed by said sensing means and the operation signal from the operation information outputting means is detected.

2. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driving mechanism includes an engine driven through an ignition device, and said driving mechanism stopping means includes ignition cut means for stopping said ignition device.

3. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driving mechanism includes an engine driven through fuel supplied from a fuel supplier, and said driving mechanism stopping means includes fuel supply cut means for stopping said fuel supplier.

4. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said operation information outputting means outputs operation information based on operation signal from at least one means of door scanning means for scanning one of locking/unlocking and opening/closing a door, shift position scanning means situated between the driving mechanism and wheels to scan a shift position, power window scanning means for scanning operation of power window mechanism which controls opening/closing a window of the door, parking brake scanning means, foot brake scanning means, and accelerator scanning means.

5. A driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle comprising:

remote start means for starting a driving mechanism in a vehicle from outside through a command signal from a transmitter;

remote start releasing means for releasing a remote drive state of said driving mechanism and for converting said state of the driving mechanism to an ordinary driving state;

power transmitting mechanism for transmitting power from the driving mechanism to wheels;

seat sensing means for sensing a presence of a person in a seat of the vehicle;

operation information outputting means for detecting a presence of an operation of mechanisms in the vehicle and for outputting operation information; and

power transmission stopping means for stopping said power transmitting mechanism when the driving mechanism is in the remote drive state, the presence of a person in the seat is sensed by said sensing means and the operation signal from the operation information outputting means is detected.

6. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 5 wherein said driving mechanism includes an engine driven through an ignition device.

7. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said driving mechanism includes an engine driven through fuel supplied from a fuel supplier.

8. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said power transmitting mechanism includes a shifting mechanism positioned between said driving mechanism and said wheels, and said power transmission stopping means includes shift lock means for fixing a shift position of said shifting mechanism to parking position.

9. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein said operation information outputting means outputs operation information based on operation signal from at least one means of door scanning means for scanning one of locking/unlocking and opening/closing a door, shift position scanning means situated between the driving mechanism and wheels to scan a shift position, power window scanning means for scanning operation of power window mechanism which controls opening/closing a window of the door, parking brake scanning means, foot brake scanning means, and accelerator scanning means.

10. A driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle comprising:

remote start means for starting a driving mechanism in a vehicle from outside through a command signal from a transmitter;

remote start releasing means for releasing a remove drive state of said driving mechanism and for converting said state of the driving mechanism to an ordinary driving state;

operation information outputting means for detecting a presence of an operation of mechanisms in the vehicle and for outputting operation information;

power transmitting mechanism for transmitting power from the driving mechanism to wheels;

power transmission stopping means for stopping said power transmitting mechanism when the driving mechanism is in the remote drive state and the operation signal from the operation information outputting means is detected;

driving mechanism stopping means for stopping said driving mechanism when the driving mechanism is in the remote drive state and the operation signal from the operation information outputting means is detected; and

control selection means for transmitting selection information regarding selection of said driving mechanism stopping means or said power transmission stopping means to the operation information outputting means;

wherein said operation information outputting means outputs said operation information to said power transmission stopping means or said driving mechanism stopping means in response to said selection information transmitted from said control selection means.

11. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said driving mechanism includes an engine driven through an ignition device, and said driving mechanism stopping means includes ignition cut means for stopping said ignition device.

12. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said driving mechanism includes an engine driven through fuel supplied from a fuel supplier, and said driving mechanism stopping means includes fuel supply cut means for stopping said fuel supplier.

13. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said power transmitting mechanism includes a shifting mechanism positioned between said driving mechanism and said wheels, and said power transmission stopping means includes shift lock means for fixing a shift position of said shifting mechanism to parking position.

14. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus for vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein said operation information outputting means outputs operation information based on operation signal from at least one means of door scanning means for scanning one of locking/unlocking and opening/closing a door, shift position scanning means situated between the driving mechanism and wheels to scan a shift position, power window scanning means for scanning operation of power window mechanism which controls opening/closing a window of the door, parking brake scanning means, foot brake scanning means, and accelerator scanning means.

15. The driving mechanism controlling apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

seat sensing means for sensing a presence of a person in a seat of the vehicle;

wherein

said power transmission stopping means and said driving mechanism stopping means are responsive to said seat sensing means for stopping said power transmitting mechanism and said driving mechanism, respectively, when the driving mechanism is in a remote state, the presence of a person in the seat is sensed by said sensing means and the operation signal from the operation information outputting means is detected.