Device and method for securing a motor vehicle against unauthorized use

• US 6,538,557 B1
• Filed: 03/19/1999
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Giessl, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BANGACHON, WILLIAM L
• Application Number:
  US09/272,966
• Time in Patent Office: 1,467 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.31, 340/825.56, 340/825.69, 340/825.34, 340/10.1, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.21, 340/5.22, 340/5.28, 340/5.64, 340/5.72, 340/10.52, 340/825.72, 340/426, 370/10.1, 370/10.2, 703/37
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 35/001 with key identifying function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00507 keyless data carrier having more than one function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00825 remotely by lines or wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00817 where the code of the lock can be programmed
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00904 for hotels, motels, office buildings or the like

Abstract

Each of the vehicle keys issued for a vehicle can be selectively authorized and blocked. A lost or stolen vehicle key can thus be selectively blocked, in which the vehicle still remains usable with the other vehicle keys. For each vehicle key, a use authorization can be stipulated in the form of an admissible number of uses or use duration. A pager receiver is provided in the vehicle, via which the key authorization information fed from the central office can be received and sent to a control unit, preferably a drive-away blocking control unit.

Claims

1. A device for securing a rotor vehicle against unauthorized use, wherein a plurality of keys are issued for the motor vehicle, comprising:

a receiver mounted in a motor vehicle for directly receiving signals from a central office;

a control unit disposed in the motor vehicle for storing use authorization information received by said receiver from the central office; and

at least some vehicle keys issued for the motor vehicle being assigned an identifier different from identifiers assigned to the other vehicle keys, and said control unit being programmed to;

query the identifier of a respective vehicle key upon an activation thereof;

determine if a key authorization is present in said control unit for the respective vehicle key;

determine if a use authorization is present in said control unit for the respective vehicle key only after it has been determined that a key authorization is present in said control unit for the respective vehicle key; and

release a function requested by the corresponding key only when use authorization is present in said control unit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said control unit comprises a memory storing use restrictions for one or more vehicle keys, and wherein said control unit no longer accepts a vehicle key as valid if a corresponding use restriction stipulated for the respective key is reached.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the use restriction is defined as a maximum admissible number of uses of the corresponding key stored in said control unit, and each use of a vehicle key is selectively counted for the corresponding vehicle key, and a vehicle key is classified as unauthorized upon reaching the maximum admissible number of uses stipulated therefor.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said control unit contains a memory storing a time value for the corresponding vehicle key, and said control unit no longer accepts as valid a vehicle key a time value of which has been reached.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the time value is stored as an admissible number of use days.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the data received by said control unit from the central office contain a vehicle key identifier notifying said control unit for which respective vehicle key the transmitted information is to be stored.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the data received by said control unit from the central office contain a vehicle key identifier notifying said control unit for which respective vehicle key one of a transmitted maximum use number and a time value is to be stored.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein said key authorization is stored in said control unit.

9. A method of blocking a motor vehicle against unauthorized use, which comprises;

selectively sending use authorization information for each of a plurality of vehicle keys of a motor vehicle from a central office to a control unit disposed in the motor vehicle, wherein each vehicle key is provided with its own identifier;

determining upon an activation of a respective vehicle key if a key authorization is present in the control unit for the respective vehicle key;

determining only after it has been determined that a key authorization is present in the control unit for the respective vehicle key, if a use authorization is present in the control unit for the respective vehicle key; and

releasing a function requested by the respective key only when use authorization is present in the control unit.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of determining upon an activation of a respective vehicle key if a key authorization is present for the respective vehicle key is performed by accessing key authorization information stored in a control unit.