Structural theft protection for motor vehicles

• US 6,380,848 B1
• Filed: 05/27/1997
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Randoll, Helmut, Hugel, Robert, Weigl, Andreas, Koelle, Ulrich, Herrmann, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US08/849,169
• Time in Patent Office: 1,799 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/539, 340/825.34, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/426.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/043 by blocking the exhaust

Abstract

The invention relates to a structural theft protection system for motor vehicles with a blocking control device (30) for releasing a motor control device (31), a code acquisition device (20, 21) that is connected to the blocking control device, and a device (32) connected to the blocking control device (30) for acquiring a vehicle use parameter (T, S), as well as with several locally fixed code takeover/output stations (10, 11), wherein the blocking control device (30) keeps the motor control device (31) in the release position only if the blocking control device (30) is fed a new release information by one of the locally fixed code takeover/output stations (10, 11), preferably at regular intervals.

Claims

1. A theft protection system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a motor control device (31) in the vehicle;

a blocking control device (30), in the vehicle, for releasing the motor control device (31);

a device (20) connected to the blocking control device for reading a code card (40); and

a device (32) connected to the blocking control device (30) for acquiring a vehicle use parameter (T, S),

wherein the blocking control device (30) keeps the motor control device (31) in a released position only as long as the acquired vehicle use parameter (T,S) has not yet reached a predetermined maximum value (T_MAX, S_MAX) and an old release information is available,

wherein the release is renewed if a new release information stored on the code card (40) is fed to the blocking control device (30), the blocking control device (30) then generating a valid old release information from the new release information, resetting the vehicle use parameter (T, S,) to its initial value, and deleting the new release information from the code card (40), and

wherein the system additionally comprises a locally fixed device (10) at a gasoline station for renewing the release information on the code card (40).

2. The theft protection system according to claim 1, wherein the release is respectively limited to an operation within a driving range, which is defined by predetermined vehicle use parameters (T_MAX, S_MAX).

3. The theft protection system according to claim 1, wherein the detected vehicle use parameter is the operating time (T) or the traveled distance (S).

4. The theft protection system according to claim 1, wherein the release information comprises information for defining a driving range.

5. The theft protection system according to claim 1, wherein the locally fixed device (10) at a gasoline station is designed as a mobile equipment.

6. The theft protection system according to claim 1, wherein the release of the motor control device (31) occurs only if the user has legitimized him-/herself with the aid of a legitimizing device (33).

7. The theft protection system according to claim 1, wherein the detected vehicle use parameter is the actual position of the vehicle, wherein the release information contains data on the driving range, and wherein the blocking control device (30) releases the motor control device (31) only if the actual position is within the driving range.

8. The theft protection system according to claim 7, wherein the blocking control device (30) gradually reduces the operational readiness of the vehicle if the detected vehicle use parameter indicates that the vehicle is located outside of the predetermined driving range.