Audio system for vehicles, in particular for motor vehicles

• US 6,288,634 B1
• Filed: 05/06/1998
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Delphi International Operations Luxembourg S.à r.l., Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Automotive Systems LLC (BorgWarner Incorporated), Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Weiss, Bernd, Lendholt, Reinhard, Beyer, Detlev, Pawlitzki, Olaf, Schönemann, Otto
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): PREVIL, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US09/029,728
• Time in Patent Office: 1,224 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/568.1, 340/542, 340/543, 340/572.3, 340/825.3, 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 455/346, 455/348
• US Class Current: 340/426.24
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/00 Non-optical adjuncts; Attachment thereof G02C7/16 takes precedence

Abstract

An audio system for vehicles, in particular for motor vehicles, comprises a device component (A) permanently fixed to the vehicle, and a mobile component (B) connected to the device component in a mechanically detachable way. The device component further comprises a control unit (1), and the mobile component further comprises a transponder for storing a numerical code. The function of the audio system is interrupted when the mobile component is removed from the device component, and resumed, following an authorization check, when the mobile component (B) is replaced. The authorization check is performed by the control unit which further comprises a comparator unit (2) for comparing the numerical code transmitted by the transponder (T) with a security code previously stored in the device component.

Claims

1. An audio system for a vehicle comprising:

a device component permanently fixed to the vehicle, the device component further comprising a control unit, and

a mobile component connected to the device component in a mechanically detachable way, the mobile component further comprising a transponder for storing a numerical code,

whereby the control unit further comprises a customer-specific control circuit (ASIC) which comprises a demodulator for receiving the numerical code from the transponder, and an amplifier,

whereby function of the audio system is interrupted when the mobile component is removed from the device component and, after an authorization check, function of the audio system is restored when the mobile component is replaced in the device component,

whereby the authorization check is performed by the control unit which further comprises a comparator unit for comparing the numerical code stored in the mobile component with a security code stored in a memory of the device component.

2. An audio system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile component forms part of a front panel of the audio system.

3. An audio system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile component is a machine-readable card in ISO format.

4. An audio system according to claim 1, wherein the transponder is a wafer-programmed read-only transponder.

5. An audio system according to claim 1, wherein the transponder is a cryptological transponder.

6. An audio system according to claim 1, wherein the transponder is a read-write transponder.