Vehicle theft prevention device

• US 6,525,643 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2000
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Okada, Hiroki, Yamamoto, Keiji, Sugiura, Misako
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, BRIAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/642,794
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.26, 340/5.72, 340/5.28, 340/5.31, 340/5.25, 340/5.24, 340/426, 340/5.27
• US Class Current: 340/5.24
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user

Abstract

A vehicle theft prevention device prohibiting release of a vehicle theft prevention control under a predetermined condition even when the control is applied using an authorized portable tool to thereby prevent the vehicle from running. Even when a vehicle ECU 14 controls to release theft prevention control applied by a theft prevention device including an engine control device 12a, a steering locking device 12b, and so on based on a specific code corresponding to a request code from an authorized portable tool 16, the specific code corresponding to the request code from the first portable tool 16 is invalidated upon receipt of a security request code. With this arrangement, an operation to release the theft prevention function of the theft prevention device is prohibited. Moreover, when release control is performed based another specific code (a security code) requiring a request code, vehicle theft can be prevented.

Claims

1. A vehicle theft prevention device including code obtaining means for obtaining a request code for requesting release of vehicle theft prevention control from a portable tool, memory means for storing a specific code allowing the release, control means for comparing the request code obtained and the specific code so as to release the vehicle theft prevention control when the request code obtained coincides with the specific code and to maintain the vehicle theft prevention control when they do not coincide, the vehicle theft prevention device, comprising:

code changing means for changing specific codes at a predetermined changing time so as to invalidate a currently effective specific code so as to disagree with a request code from the portable tool; and

canceling means for canceling invalidation of the specific code, under specific conditions, wherein the canceling means receiving a canceling request code sent from a portable tool other than the portable tool which sends the request code.

2. A vehicle theft prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the memory means has a plurality of predetermined specific codes, and the code changing means sequentially selects the plurality of predetermined specific codes at a predetermined changing time so as to determine a next effective specific code.

3. A vehicle theft prevention device according to claim 1, wherein timing to activate the code changing means is determined based on an accumulated value of a vehicle running distance.

4. A vehicle theft prevention device according to claim 1, wherein timing to activate the code changing means is determined based on an accumulated time after change of the specific codes.

5. A vehicle theft prevention device according to claim 1, wherein timing to activate the code changing means can be changed by a user.

6. A vehicle theft prevention device according to claim 1, wherein the control means compares a corresponding request code with another specific code when specific codes are changed by the code changing means, irrespective of a state of vehicle control, so as to maintain operation thereof.

7. A vehicle theft prevention device according to claim 2, further comprising control limit means for limiting a vehicle theft prevention function allowed based on a specific code having a low frequency of coincidence with a request code obtained, the specific code being among those selected by the code changing means.

8. A vehicle theft preventing device according to claim 1, wherein the canceling means operates when a predetermined condition is met by a predetermined manual canceling operation.

9. A vehicle theft preventing device according to claim 1, wherein the canceling means operates when a canceling request code stored in the memory means is obtained.

10. A vehicle theft preventing device including code obtaining means for obtaining a request code for requesting release of vehicle theft prevention control from a portable tool, memory means for storing a specific code allowing the release, control means for comparing the request code obtained and the specific code so as to release the vehicle theft prevention control when the request code obtained coincides with the specific code and to maintain the vehicle theft prevention control when they do not coincide, the vehicle theft prevention device, comprising:

code changing means for changing specific codes at a predetermined changing time so as to invalidate a currently effective specific code so as to disagree with a request code from the portable tool; and

canceling means for canceling invalidation of the specific code, under specific conditions, wherein the specific condition is set by a specific combination of a plurality of manual manipulations of vehicle mounted devices.

11. A vehicle theft preventing device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of manual manipulations includes at least one of a number of manipulations of one manipulation target, a sequence of manipulations of at least one manipulation target or a combination of a number of manipulations on plural manipulation targets.

12. A vehicle theft preventing device according to claim 10, wherein the canceling request code is not included in the portable tool which sends the request code.

13. A vehicle theft preventing device according to claim 10, wherein the canceling means operates when a canceling request code is sent from another portable tool other than the portable tool which sends the request code and an authorized manual manipulation procedure is performed.