Method of protecting components connected to a car radio

• US 6,542,069 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1999
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Rathgeber, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, VERNAL U
• Application Number:
  US09/342,157
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.3, 340/426, 340/5.8, 340/5.1, 340/568.1, 340/5.6, 340/5.72, 340/5.65, 340/5.67, 380/201
• US Class Current: 340/5.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0205 for radio sets B60R11/0211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0098 using electric or electronic means, e.g. alarms, codes

Abstract

To protect components connected to a car radio, which each have a microprocessor and are connected to the car radio via a bus, when the component is connected to the car radio for the first time, a specific ID signal, which is stored in the component so as to be secured against access by the user, is transmitted by the car radio to the component via the bus. When the component and/or the car radio are turned on again, the ID signal stored in the component is compared to the ID signal of the car radio and the component and/or the car radio cannot be turned on unless the ID signal of the car radio is identical to (matches) the stored ID signal. Thus, the car radio, which is theft-protected per se, assumes a “guardian” function for the connected components.

Claims

1. A method for protecting at least one component, each of the at least one component including a microprocessor, the method comprising the steps of:

when the at least one component is connected, via a bus, to a car radio for a first time, providing an identification signal of the car radio from the car radio to the at least one component, and storing the identification signal in the at least one component so as to be secured against an access by a user;

when the user attempts to turn-on at least one of the car radio and the at least one component, comparing the identification signal stored in the at least one component to the identification signal of the car radio; and

turning-on the at least one of the car radio and the at least one component only if the identification signal stored in the at least one component is identical to the identification signal of the car radio.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing step includes the step of providing the identification signal of the car radio from the car radio to the at least one component, and wherein the comparison is performed in the at least one component.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

when the at least one component is connected to the car radio for the first time, providing a further identification signal of the at least one component from the at least one component to the car radio, and storing the further identification signal in the car radio; and

when the user attempts to turn-on the at least one of the car radio and the at least one component, comparing the further identification signal stored in the car radio to the further identification signal of the at least one component.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identification signal is provided from the car radio with a one-way encryption.