ENGINE IDLE PROTECTION SYSTEM

• US 20130079952A1
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VOXX International Corporation
• Original Assignee: DEI Headquarters Inc (DEI Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Fazi, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,825,224 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/00 Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for; Arrangement of elements of electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided for devices for protecting vehicle occupants in case of accidents B60R21/00; safety belts B60R22/00; central door locking E05B49/00, E05B77/50
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/04 rendering engines inoperative or idling, e.g. caused by abnormal conditions dependent on lubricating conditions F01M1/22; dependent on cooling F01P5/14
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 45/00 Electrical control not provided for in groups F02D41/00 - F02D43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

An automated vehicle shutdown and user notification method and device for shutting down an engine in a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start ignition system where the engine has unintentionally been left running by the user is disclosed. In one aftermarket embodiment, the method is implemented in an aftermarket remote start interface module. The module comprises a micro-controller, a memory, a vehicle data bus connector that provides for interface through the vehicles onboard diagnostic (OBDII) port to the vehicle data bus. The system includes a remote start module having a radio frequency transceiver and a cellular telephone transceiver, and provides audible, visual and electronic notifications that the vehicle has been left running and that the engine will be shut off unless the shutdown sequence is deactivated. If the shutdown fails by any malfunction, the system will go into an alternative notice mode.

Claims

1. An engine idle shutdown system for a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start system;

the engine idle shutdown system comprising;

a. a data processing apparatus in digital communication with the data bus system of a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start system, a horn and lights;

b. a memory capable of receiving from an external source programming for a plurality of vehicle makes and models having a set of data messages associated with the passive keyless entry and start system, motion parameters, horn and lights;

c. a communications link between said data bus system, said data processing apparatus and said memory;

wherein said data processing apparatus retrieves data messages associated with a particular vehicle make and model from said memory, monitors data messages communicated on the data bus, compares the data messages communicated on the data bus with the data messages retrieved from memory, and if the data messages match that are indicative that the passive keyless entry and start system fob is absent from the vehicle and that the engine is idling, the system will start a timer to shut down the vehicle after a specified time and a timer to provide a vehicle shutdown warning message to the vehicle driver.

2. The engine idle shutdown system of claim 1 further comprising:

a. a remote start system

b. at least one connector for allowing communication between the remote start system and the data processing apparatus, wherein the signals received by the data processing apparatus from the remote start system are analog signal and the data processing apparatus converts said analog signals to digital signals capable of being communicated on data bus system and controlling vehicle functions, and wherein the data processing apparatus receives digital signals from the data bus system and converts them to analog signals that can be communicated to the remote start system

3. The engine idle shutdown system of claim 1 further comprising:

a cell phone transceiver for communicating messages from the system to a cell phone in the possession of the driver.

4. The engine idle shutdown system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a first radio frequency transceiver in direct communication with the data processing apparatus and a second radio frequency transceiver remote from the data processing apparatus, wherein said first and second radio frequency transceivers form a communication link for providing messages to the driver.

5. A method of automated engine shut down in a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start system comprising the steps of:

a. monitoring the on/off status of said vehicle;

b. monitoring whether the vehicle is moving;

c. monitoring for the present of the a passive keyless entry and start system fob associated with said vehicle;

d. setting an idle run timer when the passive keyless entry and start system fob is not present;

e. setting a user notification timer to provide, when the timer expires, an engine run notice to a user when said passive keyless entry and start system fob is not present;

f. monitoring an idle run timer and a user notification timer;

g. providing a digital engine shutdown message to the vehicle if no fob is present, no motion is detected and the idle run timer has expired;

h. providing a user notification of vehicle idling if no fob is present and the user notification timer has expired.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the notification method can be a radio frequency transmission, cell phone call, vehicle light flash or vehicle horn honk.

7. A method of driver notification of failed engine shut down for an engine in a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start system comprising the steps of:

a. monitoring the on off status of a vehicle engine in a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start system;

b. monitoring whether the vehicle is moving;

c. monitoring for the present of a passive keyless entry and start system fob;

d. setting an idle run timer when the passive keyless entry and start system fob is not present;

e. setting a user notification timer to provide, when the timer expires, an engine run notice to a user when the passive keyless entry and start system fob is not present;

f. monitoring an idle run timer and a user notification timer;

g. providing a digital engine shutdown message to the vehicle if no fob is present, no motion is detected and the idle run timer has expired. Step eight consists of confirming engine shutdown;

h. providing a user notification of failure to shut down the vehicle.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the monitoring of the vehicle movement is done by reading speed codes on the bus.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the notification method can be a radio frequency transmission, cell phone call, vehicle light flash or vehicle horn honk.

10. A method of shutting down an engine in a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start system comprising the steps of:

a. monitoring the on off status of a vehicle engine in a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start system;

b. monitoring whether the vehicle is moving;

c. monitoring for the present of a passive keyless entry and start system fob;

d. setting an idle run timer when the passive keyless entry and start system fob is not present;

e. setting a user notification timer to provide, when the timer expires, an engine run notice to a user when the passive keyless entry and start system fob is not present;

f. cancelling an idle run timer and a user notification timer when passive keyless entry and start system fob is not present;

g. providing a digital engine shutdown message to a vehicle through the data bus if no motion is detected.