Automatically armed vehicle anti-theft system

• US 5,559,491 A
• Filed: 02/28/1995
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stadler, David M.
• Original Assignee: Stadler, David M.
• Inventors: Stadler, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/395,432
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/428, 340/430, 340/425.5, 340/527, 340/528, 340/539, 340/441, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/426.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1018 Alarm systems characterised by features related to the general power supply

Abstract

A motorized vehicle anti-theft system which is passive by being automatically armed (i.e., does not require a vehicle occupant to set the system). Once power has been turned on to the vehicle, detection of an attempt to start the vehicle motor or the opening of a vehicle door starts a predetermined time cycle. If a first reset signal is not received before the end of the time cycle, a vehicle disabling circuit is set. After that, a detection of actuation of the vehicle brake will trigger the disabling circuit to only permit the vehicle engine to operate properly near the engine idling speed, and set off an alarm. More specifically, the engine'"'"'s operating speed is continually monitored, and after the disabling circuit is triggered, if the contemporaneous engine operating speed exceeds the normal idling speed, the vehicle fuel supply is intermittently interrupted to cause violent lunging of the vehicle. Only proper generation of the first and a second reset signal will allow the vehicle to be operated properly again.

Claims

1. An automatically armed motorized vehicle anti-theft system comprising:

a first sensor means for providing an output signal in response to detection of either an attempt to start the vehicle motor or the opening of a vehicle door;

a timer means having a timer cycle, said timer means being responsive to detection of vehicle power activation and to said first sensor means output signal for automatically starting the timer cycle, wherein when the timer cycle is complete, said timer means outputs a trigger signal;

means for generating a first reset signal to reset said timer means;

an engine speed detection means coupled to the vehicle engine for providing a signal representative of contemporaneous engine operating speed;

a second sensor means for providing an output signal in response to actuation of a vehicle brake mechanism; and

a vehicle disabling means which is responsive to said trigger signal, said engine operating speed signal, and said second sensor means output signal, for only permitting the vehicle engine to operate properly near an engine idling speed in response to detection of a vehicle brake actuation after the receipt of said trigger signal.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a means for generating a second reset signal to reset said vehicle disabling means, wherein after the vehicle is disabled, said anti-theft system can only be reset and the vehicle operated normally again by the generation of both said first and said second reset signals.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle disabling means comprises means for comparing said engine operating speed signal to a predetermined idle threshold value, and means connected to said comparing means for disrupting electrical current to a vehicle fuel supply control system in response to said threshold being exceeded.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said vehicle disabling means further actuates a high decibel audible alarm inside the vehicle when the vehicle is disabled.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said first reset signal generating means comprises a voice or speaker recognition means which generates said first reset signal in response to detecting an authorized voice or speech input.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising means connected to said voice or speaker recognition means for detecting if the person speaking is inebriated, said inebriation detecting means activating said vehicle disabling means in response to detection of an inebriated driver.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said voice or speaker recognition means generates an abduction mode triggering signal in response to detecting a predetermined abduction input, and an abduction mode control means for inhibiting said vehicle disabling means and activating a location tracking transmitter means in response to said abduction mode triggering signal.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising an abduction mode activating means for detecting a predetermined number of vehicle brake mechanism actuations within a predefined interval during said timer cycle, and an abduction mode control means responsive to said abduction mode activating means for inhibiting said vehicle disabling means and activating a location tracking transmitter means.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for activating said vehicle disabling means in response to detection of one end of the vehicle being lifted a particular height.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising a means for activating a location tracking transmitter means when said vehicle is disabled so that the location of said disabled vehicle can be determined.

11. A method for passively preventing a theft of a motorized vehicle comprising:

a) detecting power activation of the vehicle;

b) detecting an attempt to start the vehicle motor or open a vehicle door;

c) in response to both steps a) and b), automatically initiating a predetermined time cycle;

d) detecting whether a first reset signal is generated;

e) generating a trigger signal at the end of said time cycle if a first reset signal is not generated;

f) detecting actuation of a vehicle brake mechanism;

g) detecting a contemporaneous vehicle engine operating speed; and

h) disabling the vehicle by intermittently disrupting operation of the vehicle engine whenever the contemporaneous operating speed exceeds an idling threshold value in response to the first detection of vehicle brake actuation after said trigger signal has been generated.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of detecting whether a second reset signal is generated after the vehicle is disabled, and in response to the generation of said second reset signal, restarting said time cycle and repeating steps f), g) and h), wherein only generation of both said first and said second reset signals will again permit normal operation of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein step h) further includes actuating a high decibel alarm inside the vehicle when the vehicle is disabled.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said first reset signal is generated by a voice or speaker recognition means.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of detecting an abduction of the vehicle driver, and in response thereto, inhibiting the disabling of the vehicle and activating a location tracking transmitter means.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of detecting one end of the vehicle being lifted a particular height, and in response thereto, disabling the vehicle at step h).

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of detecting if a driver is inebriated, and in response thereto, disabling the vehicle at step h).