Remote vehicle immobilization

• US 7,129,852 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Aulakh, Gurpreet, Gillenius, Ulrika, Helmke, James W., Aslund, Bo, Cuddihy, Mark A., Perry, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Garber, Wendy R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shimizu, Matsuichiro
• Application Number:
  US10/063,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20030210129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.72, 340/426, 340/539, 340/5.31, 340/426.11, 340/426.12, 340/425.5, 340/825.44, 340/468, 340/7.21, 340/7.39, 340/7.48, 340/7.1, 340/825.69, 701/10, 701/12, 123/333, 123/179.2, 123/335, 180/271, 307/10.1, 307/10.3, 307/10.5, 701/36, 701/115
• US Class Current: 340/426.11
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A vehicle immobilization system (10) is coupled to a network system (20) and includes a vehicle that has a speed sensor (34) generating a vehicle speed signal, a telematics control unit (48) receiving and transmitting signals to and from the network (20), and a speed control module (72). An immobilization controller (30) is coupled to the speed sensor (34), the telematics control unit (48), and the speed control module (72). The immobilization controller (30) receives an immobilization signal from the network (20) and sets a maximum operating speed for the power train controller. When the vehicle speed signal is below the maximum operating speed, the immobilization controller reduces the maximum operating speed within the speed control module until a lower predetermined speed limit is met. The lower speed limit is preferably greater than zero so that some limited mobility of the vehicle may be achieved.

Claims

1. A vehicle immobilization system coupled to a network system for a vehicle having a powertrain controller comprising:

a speed sensor generating a vehicle speed signal;

a telematics control unit receiving and transmitting signals to and from the network;

a speed control module within the powertrain controller having a maximum operating speed; and

an immobilization controller coupled to the speed sensor, the telematics control unit, and the speed control module, said immobilization controller receiving an immobilization signal from the network;

setting the maximum operating speed for the vehicle in the speed control module;

when the vehicle speed signal is below the maximum operating speed for the vehicle, reducing the maximum operating speed for the vehicle within the speed control module to the vehicle speed, whereby the immobilization controller keeps resetting the maximum operating speed of the speed control module as a function of the vehicle speed falling below the maximum operating speed until the maximum operating speed for the vehicle is a predetermined lower speed limit greater than zero.

2. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a global positioning system, said telematics control unit transmitting a position signal to a service provider.

3. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a tire pressure release actuator coupled to a plurality of vehicle tires, said controller controlling said release actuator in response to said immobilization signal.

4. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said immobilization controller is incorporated into said telematics control unit.

5. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an occupant sensor coupled to the telematics control unit, said occupant sensor generating an occupant signal indicative of the number of occupants in the vehicle, said telematics control unit transmitting the occupant sensor signal to a service provider.

6. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising an ignition sensor generating an ignition signal indicative of the engine running and not running, said immobilizer preventing the vehicle from starting when the ignition signal indicates the vehicle is not running.

7. A system as recited in claim 1 wherein said telematics control unit receives an agent identification signal;

said immobilization signal being generated in response to said agent identification signal.

8. A system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a powertrain controller, said speed control module positioned within the powertrain controller.

9. A method of operating a vehicle immobilization system comprises:

receiving an immobilization signal;

setting a maximum operating speed; and

when the vehicle speed is below the maximum operating speed, continuously resetting the maximum operating speed of the speed control module to the vehicle speed as the vehicle speed falls below the maximum operating speed until the maximum operating speed is a predetermined lower speed limit greater than zero.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising generating a vehicle position signal, transmitting the vehicle position signal to a service provider.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 when the vehicle is not running, preventing the vehicle from starting.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 when the vehicle is moving, performing the step of reducing the maximum operating speed.

13. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising disabling the immobilization signal by generating a disabling signal from a service provider in response to an identification signal.

14. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising generating an occupant number signal;

transmitting the occupant number signal to the service provider.

15. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising releasing air from a vehicle tire in response to the immobilization signal.

16. A method of operating an immobilization system comprising:

contacting a law enforcement agency;

providing a law enforcement agent with a password;

the law enforcement agent contacting a service provider;

the law enforcement agent providing an agent identification and the password;

the service provider generating an immobilization signal to the vehicle;

in the vehicle, receiving the immobilization signal;

setting a maximum operating speed as the current vehicle speed when the vehicle is moving;

when the vehicle speed is below the maximum operating speed, reducing the maximum operating speed to the vehicle speed until the maximum operating speed is a predetermined lower speed limit;

generating an occupant number signal; and

transmitting the occupant number signal to the service provider.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising disabling the immobilization signal.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein disabling comprises the law enforcement agent providing the service provider with the agent identification, the password and a disable request;

validating the password and agent identification;

the service provider transmitting a disable signal to the vehicle.