Remote starting control system

• US 7,692,531 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2004
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsubara, Manabu, Yoshimura, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Syed; Nabil H
• Application Number:
  US10/771,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20070200667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,252 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/825.69, 340/5.64, 340/5.61, 340/5.25, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.5
• US Class Current: 340/5.72
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine

Abstract

The present invention teaches a remote starting control system having a simple construction and being low in cost, that can be mounted on a vehicle having an immobilizing function. The system, which is mounted on a vehicle equipped with an immobilizer for capturing a code output in response to an insertion of an ignition key into a key cylinder and permitting an engine start when judging the captured code to be a unique code of the vehicle so as to control engine starting according to an instruction from a portable transmitter, comprises a device for storing a code in an EEPROM each time the code is supplied to a signal line, and a device for supplying the code stored in the EEPROM to the immobilizer when receiving a start instruction of the engine from the portable transmitter.

Claims

1. A remote starting system mounted on a vehicle equipped with a starting control device and for interfacing with the starting control device, the starting control device being operable to capture a prescribed code output in response to a predetermined operation, operable to determine whether the captured prescribed code matches a unique vehicle code of the vehicle, and operable to permit a start of the vehicle when it is determined that the captured prescribed code matches the unique vehicle code, the remote starting system comprising:

a remote control device operable to transmit a start instruction;

a code storage device operable to store a code;

a suitability judgment device operable to judge whether the prescribed code output in response to the predetermined operation is suitable for storage in the code storage device;

a first code storage controller operable to receive the prescribed code output in response to the predetermined operation and operable to store the prescribed code in the code storage device only if the prescribed code is judged, by the suitability judgment device, to be suitable for storage, such that the prescribed code output in response to the predetermined operation and received by the first code storage controller is prevented from being stored in the code storage device when the suitability judgment device judges that the prescribed code is not suitable for storage; and

a code supply controller operable to supply the prescribed code stored in the code storage device to the starting control device when the start instruction is received from the remote control device, the supplied prescribed code being used by the starting control device for determining whether the supplied prescribed code matches the unique vehicle code,

wherein the suitability judgment device judges whether the prescribed code is suitable for storage based on a state of an engine within the vehicle, such that, when the engine is judged to have not started and a timer has counted to a prescribed period from a time of a specified event, the prescribed code is judged to not be suitable for storage and the first code storage controller prevents the prescribed code received by the first code storage controller from being stored in the code storage device.

2. The remote starting system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a matching judgment device operable to judge whether the prescribed code matches the code stored in the code storage device; and

a second code storage controller operable to rewrite the code stored in the code storage device to the prescribed code if the prescribed code is judged, by the matching judgment device, to not match the code stored in the code storage device and if the prescribed code is judged, by the suitability judgment device, to be suitable for storage.

3. The remote starting system according to claim 1, wherein:

the code storage device is operable to store multiple codes;

the remote starting system further comprises an entry judgment device operable to judge whether the prescribed code has been stored in the code storage device; and

the second code storage controller is operable to store the prescribed code in the code storage device if the entry judgment device judges that the prescribed code has not been stored in the code storage device and if the suitability judgment device judges that the prescribed code is suitable for storage.

11. The remote starting system according to claim 1, wherein the suitability judgment device judges whether the prescribed code is suitable for storage without user interaction and the first code storage controller stores the prescribed code without user interaction.

4. A remote starting system mounted on a vehicle equipped with a starting control device and for interfacing with the starting control device, the starting control device being operable to capture a prescribed code output in response to a predetermined operation, operable to determine whether the captured prescribed code matches a unique vehicle code of the vehicle, and operable to permit a start of the vehicle when it is determined that the captured prescribed code matches the unique vehicle code, the remote starting system comprising:

a remote control device operable to transmit a start instruction;

a code storage device operable to store a code;

a suitability judgment device operable to judge whether the prescribed code output in response to the predetermined operation is suitable for storage in the code storage device;

a first code storage controller operable to receive the prescribed code after a supply of power is received by the remote starting system and operable to store the prescribed code in the code storage device only if the prescribed code is judged, by the suitability judgment device, to be suitable for storage, such that the prescribed code output in response to the predetermined operation and received by the first code storage controller is prevented from being stored in the code storage device when the suitability judgment device judges that the prescribed code is not suitable for storage; and

a code supply controller operable to supply the prescribed code stored in the code storage device to the starting control device when the start instruction is received from the remote control device, the supplied prescribed code being used by the starting control device for determining whether the supplied prescribed code matches the unique vehicle code,

wherein the suitability judgment device judges whether the prescribed code is suitable for storage based on a state of an engine within the vehicle, such that, when the engine is judged to have not started and a timer has counted to a prescribed period from a time of a specified event, the prescribed code is judged to not be suitable for storage and the first code storage controller prevents the prescribed code received by the first code storage controller from being stored in the code storage device.

5. The remote starting system according to claim 4 further comprising:

a matching judgment device operable to judge whether the prescribed code matches the code stored in the code storage device; and

a second code storage controller operable to rewrite the code stored in the code storage device to the prescribed code if the prescribed code is judged, by the matching judgment device, to not match the code stored in the code storage device and if the prescribed code is judged, by the suitability judgment device, to be suitable for storage.

6. The remote starting system according to claim 4, wherein:

the code storage device is operable to store multiple codes;

the remote starting system further comprises an entry judgment device operable to judge whether the prescribed code has been stored in the code storage device; and

the second code storage controller is operable to store the prescribed code in the code storage device if the entry judgment device judges that the prescribed code has not been stored in the code storage device and if the suitability judgment device judges that the prescribed code is suitable for storage.

7. A remote starting system mounted on a vehicle equipped with a starting control device and for interfacing with the starting control device, the starting control device being operable to capture a prescribed code output in response to a predetermined operation, operable to determine whether the captured prescribed code matches a unique vehicle code of the vehicle, and operable to permit a start of the vehicle when it is determined that the captured prescribed code matches the unique vehicle code, the remote starting system comprising:

a remote control device operable to transmit a start instruction;

a code storage device operable to store a code;

a suitability judgment device operable to judge whether the prescribed code output in response to the predetermined operation is suitable for storage in the code storage device;

a first code storage controller operable to receive the prescribed code and operable to store the prescribed code in the code storage device only if the prescribed code is judged, by the suitability judgment device, to be suitable for storage, such that the prescribed code output in response to the predetermined operation and received by the first code storage controller is prevented from being stored in the code storage device when the suitability judgment device judges that the prescribed code is not suitable for storage; and

a code supply controller operable to supply the prescribed code stored in the code storage device to the starting control device when the start instruction is received from the remote control device, the supplied prescribed code being used by the starting control device for determining whether the supplied prescribed code matches the unique vehicle code,

wherein the suitability judgment device judges whether the prescribed code is suitable for storage based on a state of an engine within the vehicle, such that, when the engine is judged to have not started and a timer has counted to a prescribed period from a time of a specified event, the prescribed code is judged to not be suitable for storage and the first code storage controller prevents the prescribed code received by the first code storage controller from being stored in the code storage device.

8. The remote starting system according to claim 7, wherein the first code storage controller stores, in the code storage device, the prescribed code judged to be suitable for storage after a supply of power is received by the remote starting system.

9. The remote starting system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a matching judgment device operable to judge whether the prescribed code matches the code stored in the code storage device; and

a second code storage controller operable to rewrite the code stored in the code storage device to the prescribed code if the prescribed code is judged, by the matching judgment device, to not match the code stored in the code storage device and if the prescribed code is judged, by the suitability judgment device, to be suitable for storage.

10. The remote starting system according to claim 7, wherein:

the code storage device is operable to store multiple codes; and

the remote starting system further comprises;

an entry judgment device operable to judge whether the prescribed code has been stored in the code storage device; and

a second code storage controller operable to store the prescribed code in the code storage device if the entry judgment device judges that the prescribed code has not been stored in the code storage device and if the suitability judgment device judges that the prescribed code is suitable for storage.