Anti-theft system for a motor vehicle

• US 5,889,471 A
• Filed: 03/04/1996
• Issued: 03/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Haimerl, Stefan, Voelkl, Peter, Glehr, Manfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asongwed, Anthony A.
• Application Number:
  US08/610,328
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 307/10.6, 340/825.31, 340/825.3, 340/425.5, 340/426, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/5.63
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00777 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

In an anti-theft system for a motor vehicle, an oscillating circuit of a transceiver in the motor vehicle is modulated with code information of a portable transponder. A demodulator detects the code information and carries it onward to a computer unit, where it is checked for authorization. Component tolerance or temperature changes can mean that initially no code information will be demodulated, despite a properly functioning transponder. According to the invention, the frequency of the modulated oscillation is then measured and reregulated to a command frequency.

Claims

1. An anti-theft system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a portable transponder carrying code information; and

a transceiver in a motor vehicle having;

an oscillating circuit with an oscillation being modulated by said transponder at a rhythm of the code information,

an exciter device oscillating at an exciter frequency for inducing said oscillating circuit to oscillate,

a demodulator receiving the modulated oscillation of said oscillating circuit,

a security unit, and

a computation unit for comparing command code information with the code information obtained from the modulated oscillation by sampling, and transmitting a release signal to said security unit if the command code information and the code information match, the exciter frequency being measured, compared with a command frequency and adjusted to match the command frequency upon a deviation, if said computation unit initially detects no code information.

2. The anti-theft system according to claim 1, including a transponder coil inductively coupling said transponder with said oscillating circuit of said transceiver.

3. The anti-theft system according to claim 2, wherein the oscillation of said oscillating circuit is load-modulated as a function of the code information due to the inductive coupling.

4. The anti-theft system according to claim 1, wherein said security unit is a door locking system.

5. The anti-theft system according to claim 1, wherein said security unit is an immobilizer system.

6. The anti-theft system according to claim 1, wherein said exciter device is an oscillator, and including an adjustable frequency divider disposed between said oscillator and said oscillating circuit for varying the exciter frequency.

7. The anti-theft system according to claim 1, wherein the exciter frequency is varied by regulating the oscillator frequency.