Vehicle immobilizer

• US 9,090,171 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2014
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Bartholomew Smith
• Original Assignee: David Bartholomew Smith
• Inventors: Smith, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TARCZA, THOMAS H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, Alex C
• Application Number:
  US14/298,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20140371962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 415 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Embodiments described herein describe an immobilization device configured to simulate the communication of safety signals of a charging cable to a charging port of an electric vehicle; such that a processor of the electric vehicle may determine that the charging state of electric vehicle is ready to charge, thus immobilizing the vehicle. In embodiments, the immobilization device may be configured to restrict the movement of the electric vehicle without supplying power to the electric vehicle, and be configured to allow the components of the electric vehicle to be utilized if the immobilization device is coupled to the charging port of the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for immobilizing a vehicle, the system comprising:

a processor configured to determine a charging state of the vehicle, wherein when the charging state of the vehicle is ready to charge then the vehicle is immobilized;

a charging port configured to be disposed within the vehicle;

an immobilization device including a charging port interface configured to be coupled with the charging port, the charging port interface being configured to communicate signals to the processor through the charging port to change the charging state of the vehicle to ready to charge, wherein when the charging state of the vehicle is passive the vehicle is mobile.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging port interface is configured to simulate that the vehicle is being charged without charging the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one component of the vehicle, wherein the at least one component of the vehicle is operable when the charging port interface is coupled to the charging port.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one component of the vehicle includes power windows, air-conditioning, power locks, opening a trunk, and a radio.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an authorized key configured to authenticate a user of the vehicle responsive to determining that the authorized key is engaged with the vehicle, wherein the charging port interface is configured to immobilize the vehicle when the authorized key is engaged with the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the authorized key configured to be physically or wirelessly engaged with the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the signals communicated from the charging port interface are configured to change the charging state of the vehicle from passive to ready to charge.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein responsive to decoupling the charging port interface from the charging port, the charging state of the vehicle is changed from ready to charge to passive.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging port interface is configured to transmit the signals to the processor without transmitting power signals.

10. A method for immobilizing a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a charging state of the vehicle, wherein when the charging state of the vehicle is ready to charge then the vehicle is immobilized;

coupling a charging port interface, positioned on a mobile immobilization device, with the charging port for the vehicle;

communicating signals from the charging port interface to the processor through the charging port;

changing the charging state of the vehicle to ready to charge, wherein when the charging state of the vehicle is passive the vehicle is mobile.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

simulating that the vehicle is being charged via the signals without charging the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

operating at least one component of the vehicle when the charging port interface is coupled to the charging port.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one component of the vehicle includes power windows, air-conditioning, power locks, opening a trunk, and a radio.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

authenticating a user of the vehicle responsive to determining that an authorized key is engaged with the vehicle, wherein the charging port interface is configured to immobilize the vehicle when the authorized key is engaged with the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the authorized key is configured to be physically or wirelessly engaged with the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

changing the charging state of the vehicle from passive to ready to charge responsive to the signals being communicated from the charging port interface.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

changing the charging state of the vehicle from ready to charge to passive responsive to decoupling the charging port interface from the charging port.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting the signals to the processor without transmitting power signals.