Immobilizer systems including digital car radio with RFID repeater and RFID starter fob

• US 20090295555A1
• Filed: 11/28/2008
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RFID Options LLC
• Original Assignee: RFID Options LLC
• Inventors: Nguyen, Hap
• Granted Patent: US 7,859,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/042 operating on the fuel supply
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/22 responsive to presence or absence of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

An RFID equipped vehicle includes a computer system for controlling operating functions of the vehicle, an RFID fob for use by an operator of the vehicle, an RFID emitter for use by a passenger of the vehicle, and logic means associated with the computer system for determining when the RFID fob of the operator is out of range of the vehicle and the passenger RFID emitter is within range of the vehicle so that the computer system may notify the operator that the passenger has remained in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle operator and occupant identification and safety system, said system comprising:

an RFID equipped vehicle including a computer system for controlling operating functions of said vehicle;

a RFID fob for use by an operator of said vehicle, said RFID fob in communication with said vehicle computer system when said operator is in said vehicle;

a RFID emitter for use by a passenger of said vehicle, said RFID emitter in communication with said vehicle computer system when said passenger is in said vehicle; and

logic means associated with said computer system for determining when said RFID fob of said operator is out of range of said vehicle and said passenger RFID emitter is within range of said vehicle so that said computer system may notify said operator that said passenger has remained in said vehicle.

2. An immobilizer system for use in a motor vehicle, said system comprising:

a car radio including an RFID repeater;

a computer system for controlling operating functions of said vehicle;

an RFID reader associated with said computer system, said car radio implemented to receive a radio signal including an RFID that is transmitted through said RFID repeated to said RFID reader;

a starter fob including an RFID tag used by an operator to initiate operation of said vehicle, said RFID tag in communication with said RFID reader when said operator is located within said vehicle; and

logic means associated with said computer system for determining when said RFID tag of said starter fob has discontinued communication with said RFID reader while said vehicle continues to operate so that a disable signal may be transmitted to said car radio to thereby cause said computer to disable operation of said vehicle.

3. A hand-held immobilizer device for interrupting normal operation of an RFID equipped vehicle, said device comprising:

a processor;

a memory operatively associated with said processor, said memory for storing a plurality of vehicle identification numbers;

an RFID circuit including an antenna; and

an input for inputting a particular vehicle identification number of a corresponding RFID equipped vehicle so that when said corresponding RFID equipped vehicle is within range of said RFID antenna, said processor may be activated to send a disable signal to said corresponding RFID equipped vehicle to thereby prevent continued operation of said vehicle.