Apparatus for providing drive-off security in a motor vehicle environment and a motor vehicle being provided with such apparatus

• US 7,714,696 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Rumpf, Bernd
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III; Edwin C
• Application Number:
  US10/511,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20050270174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,610 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.31, 340/870.16, 340/426.1, 340/426.11, 340/426.12, 307/10.2, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 180/287, 701/36, 123/179.4
• US Class Current: 340/5.31
• 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

An apparatus is arranged for providing drive-off security in a motor vehicle environment through blocking one or more vehicle engine system sub-functions, such blocking is triggered by detecting an unauthorized system activation. A particular such sub-function facility comprises an on-off control circuit is used to control the functionality of a fuel pump arrangement.

Claims

1. An apparatus arranged for providing drive-off security in a motor vehicle environment through blocking one or more vehicle engine system subfunctions, said apparatus comprising:

a detection circuit detecting an unauthorized system activation;

an on-off control circuit pertaining to and controlling a fuel pump arrangement functionality means, said on-off control circuit being configured to electronically start the fuel pump arrangement at an attempted starting of the motor vehicle and being triggered to electronically switch off the fuel pump after the attempted starting when said detection circuit detects that the attempted starting was unauthorized;

wherein said detection circuit is disposed between the on-off control circuit and the fuel pump arrangement functionality means, wherein said detection circuit determines whether a pre-established code word is received from a drive-off security electronic circuit, said on-off control circuit being triggered to electronically switch off the fuel pump arrangement functionality means if no code word or an erroneous code word is received.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said on-off control circuit is physically arranged in an immediate vicinity of a fuel tank of the motor vehicle.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said on-off control circuit is physically integrated with one of a fuel tank or a fuel pump element of the motor vehicle.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said drive-off security circuit further encompasses at least one of start means inhibition, spark means inhibition, and fuel injection means inhibition facilities.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detection circuit includes a central processing unit having an EEPROM for storing operational characteristics.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the operational characteristics comprise at least one of digitized curves, a number of past errors associated with drive-off prevention and sequencing information for engine and control functions.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the detection circuit includes a watchdog block which receives a watchdog signal from a central processing unit of the detection circuit, the watch dog block outputting a failure signal for visual display or signaling purposes.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the on-off control circuit and the detection circuit comprise part of tank electronics physically joined with the fuel pump as a subassembly.

5. A motor vehicle comprising an apparatus arranged for providing drive-off security through blocking one or more vehicle engine system subfunctions, said apparatus comprising:

a detection circuit detecting an unauthorized system activation;

an on-off control circuit pertaining to and controlling a fuel pump arrangement functionality means, said on-off control circuit being configured to electronically start the fuel pump arrangement at an attempted starting of the motor vehicle and being triggered to electronically switch off the fuel pump after the attempted starting when said detection circuit detects that the attempted starting was unauthorized;

wherein said detection circuit is disposed between the on-off control circuit and the fuel pump arrangement functionality means, wherein said detection circuit determines whether a pre-established code word is received from a drive-off security electronic circuit, said on-off control circuit being triggered to electronically switch off the fuel pump arrangement functionality means if no code word or an erroneous code word is received.

9. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the detection circuit includes a central processing unit having an EEPROM for storing operational characteristics.

10. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the operational characteristics comprise at least one of digitized curves, a number of past errors associated with drive-off prevention and sequencing information for engine and control functions.

11. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the detection circuit includes a watchdog block which receives a watchdog signal from a central processing unit of the detection circuit, the watch dog block outputting a failure signal for visual display or signaling purposes.

13. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least the on-off control circuit and the detection circuit comprise part of tank electronics physically joined with the fuel pump as a subassembly.