Audio device security system

• US 6,140,935 A
• Filed: 10/04/1996
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Burnham, Robert John, Felten, Paul Vinzenz, Kopicki, Thomas Lee, Hayton, Keith Andrew, Dorner, Guenter, Sendelbach, Douglas Ralph, Loebach, Werner, Norton, Alan Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): DaLencourt, Yves
• Application Number:
  US08/725,724
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/825.54, 340/568.1, 340/568.2, 340/568.3, 340/10.1, 340/426
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password

Abstract

An audio device 1 is installed in a motor vehicle with a vehicle security system 2, 3, 4. The radio 1 has circuitry 21 to detect a connection to the vehicle power supply, a microprocessor 11 to inhibit the operation of the radio after an interruption of the connection, an interface 6 and a connection to a bus 9, 10 for communicating data between the radio 1 and the vehicle security system 2, 3, 4, and a data verification unit 15 with a non-volatile memory 13 for verifying data communicated to the radio. Following an interruption of the connection the radio is automatically reset to operational if the data are communicated and verified, and if the data are not communicated or not verified the radio may only be reset manually.

Claims

1. An audio device for installation in a motor vehicle including an electronic security system responsive to an electronic security code for operating said vehicle, said audio device comprising:

detection means to detect a connection between said audio device and said vehicle;

inhibition means to inhibit at least partly the operation of said audio device after an interruption of said connection;

communication means for communicating data between said audio device and said electronic security system;

verification means for verifying data communicated through said communication means in response to said electronic security code;

automatic reset means to uninhibit operation of said audio device following an interruption of said connection if said data are communicated and verified; and

manual reset means to uninhibit operation of said audio device following an interruption of said connection if said data are not communicated or not verified but a predetermined code stored in said audio device is entered manually.

2. The audio device of claim 1 wherein said connection is an electrical connection.

3. The audio device of claim 2 wherein said electrical connection is to an electrical power supply of said vehicle.

4. The audio device of claim 1 wherein said detection means further detects a first-time installation of said audio device to said vehicle.

5. The audio device of claim 1 wherein said verification means is activated in response to said audio device being connected to an electrical power supply.

6. The audio device of claim 1 wherein said verification means has a non-volatile memory for storing data.

7. The audio device of claim 6 wherein said non-volatile memory stores at least some of said data communicated after said data is verified.

8. The audio device of claim 6 wherein said verification means compares stored data with data communicated from said electronic security system to said audio device.

9. The audio device of claim 6 wherein said non-volatile memory holds an initialization code which is set to indicate either that said audio device has never been powered up in a vehicle, or that it has been powered up at least once, so that when said audio device is powered up for said first time and data has been communicated but not verified, said initialization code is used to override said manual resetting so that said audio device is automatically reset.

10. The audio device of claim 6 wherein following an interruption of said connection and manual resetting of said audio device, said data which is communicated but not verified is stored in said non-volatile memory so that automatic resetting of said audio device may follow a subsequent interruption of said connection in response to said same data.

11. The audio device of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is activated by a key which has an identity and wherein at least some of said electronic security code relates to said identity of said key.

12. The audio device of claim 1 wherein no data is communicated unless said inhibition means has been activated to inhibit said operation of said audio device.

13. The audio device of claim 1 wherein said audio device has a key pad and said operation of said audio device is reset manually by keying said predetermined code on said key pad.

14. An audio device security system for a motor vehicle comprising:

an electronic security system responsive to an electronic security code for operating said vehicle; and

an audio device including;

detection means to detect a connection between said audio device and said vehicle;

inhibition means to inhibit at least partly the operation of said audio device after an interruption of said connection;

communication means for communicating data between said audio device and said electronic security system;

verification means for verifying data communicated through said communication means in response to said electronic security code;

automatic reset means to uninhibit operation of said audio device following an interruption of said connection if said data are communicated and verified; and

manual reset means to uninhibit operation of said audio device following an interruption of said connection if said data are not communicated or not verified but a predetermined code stored in said audio device is entered manually.

15. The audio device security system of claim 14 wherein said electronic security system comprises:

a security key with a first transceiver for transmitting said electronic security code;

a second transceiver installed in said vehicle for wireless communication with said first transceiver; and

a security control module in communication with both said second transceiver and said audio device.