Interactive wireless vehicle immobilizer
First Claim
1. An apparatus for immobilizing a vehicle having a vehicle battery, a starter, an ignition, and a starter circuit, said apparatus comprising:
- a handheld unit including a microprocessor, electronic storage means for storing a plurality of reference codes, each of said reference codes representing a period of time, a means for entry of a plurality of activation codes, and a user interface, said microprocessor is capable of determining whether any of said activation codes correctly corresponds to any of said reference codes;
said electronic storage means being non-permanent to allow deletion of any of said reference codes determined by said microprocessor to correctly correspond to any of said activation codes;
a base unit mounted to said vehicle and having a means for counting said period of time in increments and a means for deactivating said starter circuit to immobilize said vehicle;
means for wireless communication in each of said handheld unit and said base unit such that said handheld unit communicates a signal to said base unit if said microprocessor determines that said activation code correctly corresponds to said reference code and conveying said period of time from said handheld unit to said base unit; and
said means for immobilizing said vehicle activates to immobilize said vehicle when said means for counting counts all of said period of time.
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Abstract
The present invention is a time-based vehicle immobilizer useful for lenders. The Immobilizer has a base unit attached to the starter circuit of a vehicle and a wireless handheld unit. The base unit disables the vehicle starter circuit unless it receives a signal indicating a period of time from the handled unit. The handheld unit will only generate a signal if an activation code entered into a keypad on the unit corresponds to a reference code stored in the unit'"'"'s memory. Each preloaded reference code represents a period of time and is deleted after matching with an activation code. When no amount of time remains on the base unit, the vehicle is immobilized at the next ignition attempt.
21 Citations
30 Claims
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1. An apparatus for immobilizing a vehicle having a vehicle battery, a starter, an ignition, and a starter circuit, said apparatus comprising:
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a handheld unit including a microprocessor, electronic storage means for storing a plurality of reference codes, each of said reference codes representing a period of time, a means for entry of a plurality of activation codes, and a user interface, said microprocessor is capable of determining whether any of said activation codes correctly corresponds to any of said reference codes; said electronic storage means being non-permanent to allow deletion of any of said reference codes determined by said microprocessor to correctly correspond to any of said activation codes; a base unit mounted to said vehicle and having a means for counting said period of time in increments and a means for deactivating said starter circuit to immobilize said vehicle; means for wireless communication in each of said handheld unit and said base unit such that said handheld unit communicates a signal to said base unit if said microprocessor determines that said activation code correctly corresponds to said reference code and conveying said period of time from said handheld unit to said base unit; and said means for immobilizing said vehicle activates to immobilize said vehicle when said means for counting counts all of said period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An apparatus for immobilizing a vehicle having a vehicle battery, a starter, an ignition, and a starter circuit, said apparatus comprising:
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a handheld unit including a microprocessor, flash memory for storing a plurality of reference codes, a keypad for entry of a plurality of activation codes, and an LCD display, said microprocessor is capable of determining whether any of said activation codes correctly corresponds to any of said reference codes; each of said reference codes represent a period of time; a base unit mounted to said vehicle and including a relay in said starter circuit between said ignition and said starter for immobilizing said vehicle, and a means for counting said period of time; said relay activates for immobilizing said vehicle only after said means for counting counts all of said period of time; an RF transceiver on said handheld unit and said base unit providing wireless communication between said units; said handheld unit transmits a signal to said base unit if said microprocessor determines that said activation code correctly corresponds to said reference code, said signal including said period of time; and said base unit includes flash memory, said flash memory providing a checkpoint of said period of time counted such that said checkpoint is set when said base unit loses power and counting resumes from said checkpoint when power is restored; a plurality of LEDs representing said period of time counted.
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23. A method for immobilizing a vehicle having a starter circuit between a starter and an ignition comprising the steps of:
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generating a plurality of reference codes each representing a plurality of increments of time; storing said reference codes in an electronic memory; generating a plurality of activation codes corresponding to said reference codes; providing said reference codes and said activation codes to a microprocessor; determining by said microprocessor whether any of said activation codes corresponds to any of said reference codes; deleting any of said reference codes determined to correctly correspond to any of said activation codes; counting by an immobilization device said increments of time if said activation code is determined to correctly correspond to said reference code; and disabling by said immobilization device said starter circuit to prevent said ignition from activating said starter when all of said period of time has been counted. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification