Vehicle antitheft device and control method of a vehicle

• US 7,859,129 B2
• Filed: 12/25/2003
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Ozawa, Takao, Tanaka, Shinichi
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US10/540,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20080203815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,560 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.72, 340/426.1, 340/426.28, 340/825.72, 340/539.1, 34042611-42613, 340/825.69, 340/426.36, 340/426.17, 307 91- 106, 180/287
• US Class Current: 307/10.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1001 Alarm systems associated with another car fitting or mechanism, e.g. door lock or knob, pedals features related to the general power supply B60R25/1018
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/209 Remote starting of engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means

Abstract

When a remote start of an engine using a predetermined transmitter is performed, a security regarding theft of a vehicle can be prevented form being significantly deteriorated. The vehicle has a remote engine starter for remotely start an engine and a vehicle antitheft device for activating an alarm when there is a possibility of occurrence of vehicle theft. The remote engine starter and the vehicle antitheft device are connected to each other through a communication line. In a case where an engine start signal is supplied from the transmitter, the remote engine starter is caused to supply a start signal to the vehicle antitheft device through the communication line before causing a contact point closing signal to be supplied to an ignition relay. When the start signal is supplied to the vehicle antitheft device, preventing apparatus, only the security function regarding conditions of no-insertion of an ignition key and an ignition ON is cancelled to be an unvigilant state, and the security function regarding other conditions is maintained to be a vigilant state.

Claims

1. A vehicle antitheft system mounted to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a remote start device to remotely start an engine, further comprising a start signal radio-transmitter and an in-vehicle radio-receiver;

a vehicle anti-theft device operatively coupled to

the remote start device,

a starter-motor relay,

a sensor to detect attempted theft of the vehicle; and

logic means for disabling the anti-theft device as a function of sensor outputs from the sensor before an engine start when said start signal is received by said in-vehicle radio-receiver.

2. The vehicle antitheft system as claimed in claim 1, comprising

a remote stop device that stops the engine when a stop signal radio-transmitted from a stop-signal radio-transmitter is received by said in-vehicle radio-receiver, and

logic means for restoring the antitheft device after an engine stop by said remote stop device is performed when said stop signal is received by said in-vehicle radio-receiver.

3. The vehicle antitheft system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an antitheft function stopped by said logic means for disabling the anti-theft device is a function to give warning upon detection that an ignition is turned on, in a state where a key is not inserted in an ignition key cylinder of the vehicle.

8. The vehicle antitheft system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensor includes at least one of an inserted ignition-key sensor, a door-open sensor, and a hood-open sensor.

9. The vehicle antitheft system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the anti-theft device detects at least one of theft modes consisting of:

unlocking a vehicle door or a luggage door without inserting an ignition key into an ignition key cylinder and without completing code collation between a wireless door locking/unlocking device and a portable device;

opening any door or the vehicle bonnet that is locked; and

activating an ignition relay when the ignition key is not inserted in the ignition key cylinder.

4. A vehicle antitheft system mounted to a vehicle, the system comprising:

a remote start device to remotely start an engine, further comprising a start signal radio-transmitter and an in-vehicle radio-receiver;

a vehicle anti-theft device operatively coupled to

the remote start device,

a starter-motor relay,

a sensor to detect attempted theft of the vehicle; and

logic means for disabling the anti-theft device as a function of sensor outputs from the sensor for a predetermined time period after an occurrence of the attempted theft of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle antitheft system as claimed in claim 4, wherein an antitheft function stopped by said logic means for disabling the anti-theft device is a function to give warning upon detection that an ignition is turned on, in a state where a key is not inserted in an ignition key cylinder of the vehicle.

10. The vehicle antitheft system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the sensor includes at least one of an inserted ignition-key sensor, a door-open sensor, and a hood-open sensor.

11. The vehicle antitheft system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the anti-theft device detects at least one of theft modes consisting of:

unlocking a vehicle door or a luggage door without inserting an ignition key into an ignition key cylinder and without completing code collation between a wireless door locking/unlocking device and a portable device;

opening any door or the vehicle bonnet that is locked; and

activating an ignition relay when the ignition key is not inserted in the ignition key cylinder.

6. A control method of a vehicle equipped with a remote start device for starting a vehicle engine when a start signal radio-transmitted from a radio-transmitter is received by an in-vehicle radio-receiver and an antitheft device for preventing theft of the vehicle, the method comprising:

a first step of stopping a theft preventing function by said antitheft device when said start signal is received by said in-vehicle radio-receiver; and

a second step of starting the vehicle engine by said remote start device after the antitheft function is stopped by said antitheft device.

7. The control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein

said vehicle is equipped with a remote stop device that stops the engine when a stop signal radio-transmitted from said radio-transmitter is received by said in-vehicle radio-receiver, and the control method includes:

a third step of performing an engine stop by said remote stop device when said stop signal is received by said in-vehicle receiver; and

a fourth step of restoring the antitheft function corresponding to said part of the theft modes by said antitheft device after an engine stop by said remote stop device is performed by said third step.