Security system of construction machinery

• US 6,998,957 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2002
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hiroshi, Shibata, Koichi, Karasawa, Hideo, Sugiyama, Genroku, Adachi, Hiroyuki, Hirata, Toichi, Ono, Kiyoshi, Tomikawa, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): YANG, CLARA I
• Application Number:
  US10/297,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20030137398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.28, 340/5.72, 340/5.22, 340/5.25, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.5
• US Class Current: 340/5.28
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/308 Industrial vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/24 Safety devices , e.g. for preventing overload E02F9/226 takes precedence

Abstract

A security system for a construction machine including a construction machine equipped with a body controller for storing a first password, management apparatus arranged in a location apart from the construction machine and a portable communications unit for storing a second password provided communicably with the management apparatus and the body controller. The portable communications unit, receiving the first password from the management apparatus, replaces the second password with the first password. The body controller determines whether the second password output from the portable communications unit coincides with the first password. In case these passwords coincide with each other, an engine drive signal is output. Otherwise the engine is kept inoperable. This prevents possible theft of a construction machine.

Claims

1. A security system for a construction machine, comprising:

a construction machine equipped with a body controller for storing a first password; and

a portable communications unit for storing a second password,

wherein

the body controller determines whether the second password output from the portable communications unit coincides with the first password and inhibits a predetermined operation of the construction machine in the case of mismatch between the passwords;

the system comprises a management apparatus for storing the first password and communicating with the body controller and the portable communications unit, the management apparatus being arranged in a location apart from the construction machine,

upon receiving the first password from the management apparatus, the portable communications unit changes the second password to the first password;

the predetermined operation of the construction machine is starting an engine installed on the construction machine,

the construction machine comprises an engine start instruction section for instructing the body controller to start the engine,

the management apparatus comprises an input section for receiving a communication signal output from the portable communications unit, a database for storing the first password, an arithmetic operation section for selecting the first password stored in the database in accordance with a communication signal received by the input section, and an output section for outputting the first password selected by the arithmetic operation section,

the portable communications unit is owned by an operator of the construction machine and comprises a first output section for outputting the communication signal to the management apparatus, a first input section for receiving the first password output from the management apparatus, a memory for storing the first password received by the first input section as a second password, and a second output section for outputting the second password to the body controller,

the body controller of the construction machine comprises a memory for storing in advance the first password stored in the database of the management apparatus, an input section for receiving the second password output from the second output section of the portable communications unit, an arithmetic operation section for determining whether the second password output from the second output section of the portable communications unit coincides with the first password stored in the memory of the body controller and outputting an engine drive permission signal when matching is made, and an engine start controller for outputting an engine drive signal in accordance with the engine drive permission signal output from the arithmetic operation section; and

the portable communications unit and the management apparatus perform communications via a public circuit.

2. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that

the portable communications unit further comprises a second input section for receiving a predetermined request signal output from the body controller and an arithmetic operation section for reading the second password stored in the memory of the portable communications unit in accordance with the request signal output from the body controller, the body controller further comprises an output section for outputting the request signal to the second input section of the portable communications unit,

the arithmetic operation section provided on the body controller performs processing to output the request signal in accordance with a signal output from the engine start instruction section for outputting an engine drive signal in accordance with the engine drive permission signal output from the arithmetic operation section.

3. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 2, characterized in that

the engine start instruction section is a key switch for detecting insertion of an engine key.

4. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that

the portable communications unit is a cell phone,

the management apparatus comprises a database for storing a telephone number of the cell phone and the first password in relation to each other.

5. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that

the first password is a dated password with a predetermined expiration date,

the body controller comprises a clock,

the arithmetic operation section of the body controller determines whether the dated password is valid or invalid based on the date and time indicated by the clock and inhibits starting of the engine when the arithmetic operation section has determined that the dated password is invalid.

6. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 5, characterized in that

the management apparatus comprises a database for storing a telephone number of the cell phone, a work schedule of an owner of the cell phone and the first password, which are related to each other,

and an arithmetic operation section for reading the work schedule of the owner related to the telephone number and stored in the database of the management apparatus in accordance with the telephone number of the cell phone recognized based on a communication signal input from the input section of the management apparatus, and setting a dated password having an expiration date corresponding to the work schedule.

7. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 5, characterized in that

the management apparatus comprises a database for storing a telephone number of the cell phone, a work schedule of an owner of the cell phone, an operation schedule of the construction machine and the first password, which are related to each other,

and an arithmetic operation section for reading the work schedule of the owner related to the telephone number and stored in the database of the management apparatus and the operation schedule of the construction machine in accordance with the telephone number of the cell phone recognized based on a communication signal input from the input section of the management apparatus, determining an expiration date based on both the work schedule of the owner and the operation schedule of the construction machine and setting a dated password corresponding to the expiration date.

8. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of portable communications units, characterized in that

the management apparatus stores a plurality of first passwords.

9. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that

the portable communications unit is a cell phone and stores a telephone number of the cell phone as a second password.

10. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that

the second password is data keyed into an operation section of the portable communications unit.

11. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that

the portable communications unit and the body controller performs communications via a serial interface.

12. A security system for a construction machine according to claim 1, characterized in that

the portable communications unit and the body controller perform wireless communications.