Vehicle security system

• US 7,173,517 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2004
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Shimomura, Toshio, Shimonomoto, Ifushi, Kondo, Akihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): AU, SCOTT D
• Application Number:
  US10/974,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20050122208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/5.22, 340/426.16, 340/426.11, 340/5.31, 340/5.61, 340/5.85, 340/425.5, 307/10.5, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking

Abstract

When transmitting an instruction for activating an immobilizer function to a subject vehicle, a base station also transmits a given ID code for releasing the immobilizer function. An immobilizer ECU that receives the instruction and the given ID code, prohibits an engine from being started by other than a key having the given ID code. Therefore, a regular user alone, who owns a key having the given ID code, can start the engine.

Claims

1. A vehicle security system comprising:

a driving-device start unit that is portable, includes an ID code, and capable of starting, by transmitting an ID code, a driving device of a vehicle that is prohibited from being started;

an ID-code reception unit that receives an ID code from the driving-device start unit;

a base station that transmits a prohibition instruction for requiring a start prohibition that prohibits the driving device from being started;

an instruction reception unit that receives the prohibition instruction transmitted by the base station; and

a control unit that executes the start prohibition based on the prohibition instruction received by the instruction reception unit and releases the start prohibition so as to enable the driving device to be started, based on the ID code received by the ID-code reception unit,

wherein, when the base station transmits the prohibition instruction, the base station transmits a given ID code for releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given ID code transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device being started by other than a driving-device start unit having the given ID code.

2. A vehicle security system comprising:

a driving-device start unit that is portable, includes an ID code, and capable of starting, by transmitting an ID code, a driving device of a vehicle that is prohibited from being started;

an ID-code reception unit that receives an ID code from the driving-device start unit;

a base station that transmits a prohibition instruction for requiring a start prohibition that prohibits the driving device from being started;

an instruction reception unit that receives the prohibition instruction transmitted by the base station; and

a control unit that executes the start prohibition based on the prohibition instruction received by the instruction reception unit and releases the start prohibition so as to enable the driving device to be started, based on the ID code received by the ID-code reception unit,

wherein the control unit includes a storage unit that stores al least two ID codes,

wherein the driving device is allowed to be started only by a driving-device start unit that includes at least one of the stored ID codes,

wherein, when the base station transmits the prohibition instruction, the base station transmits a given signal for designating, of the stored ID codes, a given ID code as an ID code that is capable of releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given signal transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device from being started by other than a driving-device start unit having the given ID code.

3. A vehicle security system comprising:

a driving-device start unit that is portable, includes an ID code, and capable of starting, by transmitting an ID code, a driving device of a vehicle that is prohibited from being started;

an ID-code reception unit that receives an ID code from the driving-device start unit;

a base station that transmits a prohibition instruction for requiring a start prohibition that prohibits the driving device from being started;

an instruction reception unit that receives the prohibition instruction transmitted by the base station; and

a control unit that executes the start prohibition based on the prohibition instruction received by the instruction reception unit and releases the start prohibition so as to enable the driving device to be started, based on the ID code received by the ID-code reception unit,

wherein the control unit includes a storage unit that stores al least two ID codes,

wherein the driving device is allowed to be started only by a driving-device start unit that includes at least one of the stored ID codes,

wherein, when the base station transmits the prohibition instruction, the base station transmits a given signal for designating, of the stored ID codes, a given ID code as an ID code that is incapable of releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given signal transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device from being started by a driving-device start unit having the given ID code.

4. A vehicle security system comprising:

a driving-device start unit that is portable, includes an ID code, and capable of starting, by transmitting an ID code, a driving device of a vehicle that is prohibited from being started;

an ID-code reception unit that receives an ID code from the driving-device start unit;

a base station that transmits a prohibition instruction for requiring a start prohibition that prohibits the driving device from being started;

an instruction reception unit that receives the prohibition instruction transmitted by the base station; and

a control unit that executes the start prohibition based on the prohibition instruction received by the instruction reception unit and releases the start prohibition so as to enable the driving device to be started, based on the ID code received by the ID-code reception unit,

wherein the control unit includes a storage unit that stores al least two ID codes,

wherein the driving device is allowed to be started only by a driving-device start unit that includes at least one of the stored ID codes,

wherein, when the base station transmits the prohibition instruction, the base station transmits a given ID code that is different from the stored ID codes, as an ID code that is capable of releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given ID code transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device from being started by other than a driving-device start unit having the given ID code.

5. A vehicle security system comprising:

a driving-device start unit that is portable, includes an ID code, and capable of starting, by transmitting an ID code, a driving device of a vehicle that is prohibited from being started;

an ID-code reception unit that receives an ID code from the driving-device start unit;

a base station that transmits a prohibition instruction for requiring a start prohibition that prohibits the driving device from being started;

an instruction reception unit that receives the prohibition instruction transmitted by the base station; and

a control unit that executes the start prohibition based on the prohibition instruction received by the instruction reception unit and releases the start prohibition so as to enable the driving device to be started, based on the ID code received by the ID-code reception unit,

wherein the control unit includes a storage unit that stores al least two ID codes,

wherein the driving device is allowed to be started only by a driving-device start unit that includes at least one of the stored ID codes,

wherein, when the base station transmits the prohibition instruction, the base station transmits a given ID code that is different from the stored ID codes, as an ID code that is capable of releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given ID code transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device from being started by other than a driving-device start unit having the given ID code and the at least one of the stored ID codes.

6. A vehicle security system comprising:

a driving-device start unit that is portable, includes an ID code, and capable of starting, by transmitting an ID code, a driving device of a vehicle that is prohibited from being started;

an ID-code reception unit that receives an ID code from the driving-device start unit;

a base station that transmits a prohibition instruction for requiring a start prohibition that prohibits the driving device from being started;

an instruction reception unit that receives the prohibition instruction transmitted by the base station; and

a control unit that executes the start prohibition based on the prohibition instruction received by the instruction reception unit and releases the start prohibition so as to enable the driving device to be started, based on the ID code received by the ID-code reception unit,

wherein, when the base station transmits the prohibition instruction, the base station transmits a given information piece relating to releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given information piece transmitted by the base station, the control unit determines whether or not the driving device should be allowed to be started by a driving-device start unit having a given ID code that is associated with the given information piece.

7. The vehicle security system of claim 6,

wherein the given information piece is the given ID code, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given information piece, which is the given ID code, transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device from being started by other than the driving-device start unit having the given ID code.

8. The vehicle security system of claim 6,

wherein the control unit includes a storage unit that stores at least two ID codes.

9. The vehicle security system of claim 8,

wherein the given information piece is a given signal for designating, of the stored ID codes, a given ID code as an ID code that is capable of releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given signal transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device from being started by other than a driving-device start unit having the given ID code.

10. The vehicle security system of claim 8,

wherein the given information piece is a given signal for designating, of the stored ID codes, the given ID code as an ID code that is incapable of releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given signal transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device from being started by a driving-device start unit having the given ID code.

11. The vehicle security system of claim 8,

wherein the given information piece is the given ID code that is different from the stored ID codes, as an ID code that is capable of releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given ID code transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device from being started by other than a driving-device start unit having the given ID code.

12. The vehicle security system of claim 8,

wherein the given information piece is the given ID code that is different from the stored ID codes, as an ID code that is capable of releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given ID code transmitted by the base station, the control unit prohibits the driving device from being started by other than a driving-device start unit having the given ID code and at least one of the stored ID codes.

13. The vehicle security system of claim 8,

wherein the given information piece is the given ID code that is different from the stored ID codes, as an ID code that is capable of releasing the start prohibition, and

wherein, when the instruction reception unit receives the prohibition instruction and the given ID code transmitted by the base station, the control unit allows driving device to be started only by both of a driving-device start unit having the given ID code and a driving-device start unit having at least one of the stored ID codes.