Method for managing the operating condition of an anti-theft security device for a motor vehicle and device therefor

• US 6,861,947 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2001
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sevic System AG
• Original Assignee: Sevic System AG
• Inventors: Albert, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US10/257,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20030047371A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.17, 340/426.11, 340/426.12, 340/426.13, 340/426.16, 340/426.35, 340/426.36, 340/539.21, 340/539.23, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 180/287, 180/272, 107/10.2, 107/10.4, 123/179.2, 307/10.1, 307/10.3, 307/10.6, 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 340/426.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/042 operating on the fuel supply

Abstract

Anti-theft security devices for a motor vehicle, comprise portable transmitting elements, of a receiving module on board the vehicle and of elements controlling a system for interrupting at least one circuit required for operating the vehicle (ignition circuit engine, fuel intake circuit or other . . . ) when the distance between the transmitting elements and the receiving elements exceeds a certain value. The method for managing the operation of such a device consists, when resetting the affected circuit(s), following an interruption relative to accidental signal loss, in performing this resetting only very gradually.

Claims

1. A method for managing the operation of an anti-theft security device for a motor vehicle, which device consists of portable transmitting means (1), of a receiving module (11) on board said vehicle and of means controlling (12) a system (14, 14′

) for interrupting at least one circuit (15, 15′

) required for operating the vehicle, when the distance between said transmitting means (1) and said receiving module (11) exceeds a certain value, said circuit (15, 15′

) will be reset following an interruption upon accidental signal loss, wherein said circuit (15, 15′

) will reset itself very gradually once the signal between said on board vehicle and said portable transmitting means is regained after said signal loss.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resetting of the circuit (15, 15′

) required for operating the vehicle is performed after a succession of activations and of deactivations of the interruption system (14, 14′

).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the resetting of the circuit (15, 15′

) after a succession of activations and of deactivations of the interruption system (14, 14′

), is performed with decreasing durations of deactivations.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the resetting of the circuit (15, 15′

) after a succession of activations and of deactivations of the interruption system (14, 14′

), is performed with decreasing durations of activations.

5. An anti-theft security device for the implementation of the method according to claim 1, which device consists of portable transmitting means (1), of a receiving module (11) on board said vehicle and of means controlling (12) an interruption system (14, 14′

) of at least one circuit (15, 15′

) required for operating the vehicle, for interrupting said circuit (15, 15′

) when the distance between said transmitter (1) and said receiver (11) exceeds a certain value, wherein the device further comprises means which, when resetting said circuit(s) (15, 15′

) following an interruption relative to accidental signal loss, perform the gradual resetting of this or of these circuits (15, 15′

).

6. The security device according to claim 5, further comprising an interruption device (14) in the form of a power output interposed on said ignition circuit (15) of the engine for interrupting or resetting this circuit in relation to the signal or of the absence of a signal supplied by controlling means in the form of a microprocessor (12), which microprocessor (12) manages the sending of this signal in relation to the information received from the receiving module (11).

7. The security device according to claim 5, further comprising an interruption device (14′

) in the form of an electrovalve placed on the fuel intake circuit (15′

) for interrupting or resetting this circuit in relation to the signal or of the absence of a signal supplied by controlling means in the form of a microprocessor (12), which microprocessor (12) manages the sending of this signal in relation to the information received from the receiving module (11).

8. The security device according to claim 6, further comprising a power output (16) controlled by the microprocessor (12), enabling activation of the blinking warning lights (20, 21) of the vehicle, and activation of a sound device (17) such as a “

buzzer”

.

9. A security device according to claim 6, further comprising means (22) which enable to sense the presence of a starter contact, the corresponding information being transmitted to the microprocessor (12) to differentiate the operating procedure in case of signal loss, in relation to the presence or the absence of said starter contact.

10. The security device according to claim 6, further comprising at least one additional power output (30) controlled by the microprocessor (12) to activate or deactivate complementary security functions.

11. A security device according to claim 6, further comprising transmitting means (1) in the form of a portable case integrating a module (2) for transmitting a low power encoded cyclic signal, means in the form of a microprocessor (3) performing the management of the signal transmitted by the transmitting module (2), notably in terms of encoding and in terms of cyclic sending, a supply battery (5), an on/off switch (6) and a control light indicator (7).