” e
Contents
1. when its respective one of the doors is closed A sound transducer such as a car horn produces an audible sound output in response to an energizing signal A vehicle mounted control module responds to a first occurrence of the lock code to 1 generate the lock command signal which is sent to the door lock actuators and 2 enter an armed state if each of the door position sensors produces a door closed signal The control module is further responsive to a second occurrence of the lock code received within a predetermined time of the first occurrence of the lock code to generate a first energizing signal to produce a first audible sound output if the lock command has been sent and each of the door position sensors produces a door closed signal or to generate a second energizing signal to produce a second audible sound output if at least one of the door position sensors fails to produce a door closed signal The control module does not produce any energizing signal absent the second occurrence of the lock code BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG 1 is a schematic block diagram of an anti theft system according to the present invention FIG 2 is a flow chart showing operation of the anti theft system of the present invention DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG 1 a vehicle mounted remote anti theft module 10 contains electronics for performing remote entry and anti theft functions as are well known in th2. with a respective vehicle door When authorized 5 568 120 3 remote transmitter 13 transmits a lock code in response to depressing lock button 17 remote anti theft module 10 locks the vehicle doors and then enters a pre arm state in which a ready to arm indicator light on the vehicle instrument panel is illuminated and the opened closed status of the vehicle doors are checked Thus door position sensors 20 23 are checked to determine whether all the doors are closed and if not all doors are closed then module 10 waits in the pre armed state until they are all closed Once all doors are closed a predetermined exit delay e g 30 seconds is begun The exit delay is necessary since the door lock command may have been initiated from within the vehicle and time may be needed to allow the occupants to leave the vehicle After this exit delay the system becomes fully armed and any change in condition of a door position sensor from a door closed signal to a door opened signal results in a siren signal from horn 11 The present invention provides on demand audible and or visual verification of anti theft system operation as follows Such audible or visible verification is initiated using a unique button sequence on remote transmitter 13 but no audible or visible verification is provided without such a specific request by the user In a preferred embodiment the unique button sequence is comprised of a second occurrence of a transmission
3. ICATE READY TO ARM JO 2ND LOCK COMMAND RECEIVED WITHIN 5 SEC NO lI ARE ALL DOORS CLOSED CHIRP HORN TWICE UNABLE TO ARM A 2ND LOCK NO COMMAND RECEIVED ARE ALL WITHIN 5 DOORS SEC CLOSED CHIRP HORN ONCE LOCKED amp ARMING HAS 30 MINUTES ELAPSED COUNTDOWN FOR 6 30 SECONDS EXIT DELAY YES 27 EZA FULLY ARM CANCEL PRE ARM ANTI THEFT SYSTEM CONDITION LE 35 FIG 2 5 568 120 1 ANTI THEFT SYSTEM WITH REMOTE CONTROLLED VERIFICATION OF ARMING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to remote con trolled anti theft systems for vehicles and more specifically to providing audible horn chirps or beeps and or visible flashes of exterior lights identifying successful or unsuc cessful remote controlled operation of the anti theft system Remote entry systems are known for cars trucks and other transportation vehicles which operate locks anti theft systems and vehicle personality features such as seat and mirror position A remote entry radio receiver is mounted in the vehicle which responds to a radio transmitter carried by the user of the vehicle In one common type of system the user depresses a control button on the remote transmitter causing a coded signal to be transmitted to the receiver identifying a command desired by the user e g lock or unlock doors unlock trunk or arm d
4. II Service Manual Section 01 14B Keyless Entry System pp 01 14B 1 through 01 14B 9 1994 Probe Service Manual Section 13 11 Anti Theft Alarm System pp 13 11 1 through 13 11 3 Primary Examiner leffery Hofsass Assistant Examiner Julie B Lieu Attorney Agent or Firm Mark Mollon 57 ABSTRACT A remote controlled anti theft system for transportation vehicles allows the user to easily determine at will if a faulty door position sensor or an open door will inhibit proper operation of the anti theft system by pressing the lock button on the remote transmitter in a predetermined sequence A first lock code from the remote transmitter initiates a locking and arming sequence of the anti theft system A second lock code received within a predetermined time of the first lock code causes an audible verification to be produced identi fying whether the anti theft system is successfully arming or whether a door ajar or faulty door sensor is preventing the anti theft system from arming 4 Claims 2 Drawing Sheets 30 2ND LOCK COMMAND RECEIVED WITHIN 5 SEC CHIRP HORN TWICE UNABLE TO ARM ARE ALL DOORS CLOSED HAS 30 MINUTES ELAPSED CANCEL PRE ARM CONDITION U S Patent Oct 22 1996 Sheet 1 of 2 5 568 120 REMOTE ANTI THEFT MODULE U S Patent Oct 22 1996 Sheet 2 of 2 5 568 120 CGT 5 DOORS LOCKED WITH REMOTE FOB 21 22 IND
5. United States Patent u9 LeMense et al AEN A OO OAOA UD DOON N EAO O DONT US005568120A 11 Patent Number 5 568 120 45 Date of Patent Oct 22 1996 54 ANTI THEFT SYSTEM WITH REMOTE CONTROLLED VERIFICATION OF ARMING 75 Inventors Thomas J LeMense Livonia David R Tengler West Bloomfield both of Mich 73 Assignee Ford Motor Company Dearborn Mich 21 Appl No 350 296 22 Filed Dec 6 1994 SIF tC aa a a ia B6OR 25 10 52 U S Ch scccsscccessensicoteocd 340 426 340 425 5 340 539 180 287 307 10 2 58 Field of Search oc e 340 426 425 5 340 430 539 825 69 825 72 361 172 307 10 2 180 287 56 References Cited U S PATENT DOCUMENTS 4 383 242 5 1983 Sassover et al v ccecsesessseeseeee 340 426 4 884 055 11 1989 Memmola cccsessessccsssseeee 340 426 4 887 064 12 1989 Drori et al eecsssscsseesseeees 340 426 5 113 182 5 1992 Suman et al 340 825 31 5 307 048 4 1994 Sonders cccessscssseseesesesaseeeee 340 426 5 381 128 1 1995 Kaplan ccessssssssssssescsseaeseees 340 426 DOORS LOCKED WITH REMOTE FOB INDICATE READY TO ARM ARE ALL DOORS CLOSED A 2ND LOCK COMMAND RECEIVED WITHIN 5 SEC CHIRP HORN ONCE LOCKED amp ARMING COUNTDOWN FOR 30 SECONDS EXIT DELAY FULLY ARM ANTI THEFT SYSTEM OTHER PUBLICATIONS Remote Plus Alarm System Operating Instructions 1991 Model Year 1993 Mark VI
6. e If the second lock code was received within five seconds then the vehicle horn is chirped once and or the lights are flashed once in step 25 otherwise step 26 is executed If the second lock command was not received within five seconds then the horn chirp and or light flash of step 25 is bypassed In step 26 an exit delay of a predetermined time such as thirty seconds is established to allow opening and closing of a door without triggering an alarm siren Thus the exit delay in step 26 allows time for a person to leave the vehicle or to retrieve an item after having exited the vehicle without disturbing the anti theft system After the exit delay the anti theft system becomes fully armed in step 27 and the method is completed and exited in step 28 If a door is not closed after the doors have been locked from the remote fob fob refers to a keychain transmitter either because a door is ajar or a door position sensor is faulty then perimeter protection is not possible Thus in step 23 if it is determined that door closed signals have not been received from all door position sensors a check is made in step 30 to determine whether a second lock code was received within five seconds If it was then a double hom chirp and or a double light flash is produced in step 31 by appropriate energizing signals from the anti theft module to the horn to inform the vehicle operator that arming of the anti theft system is not possible I
7. e art A speaker or car horn 11 is connected to module 10 to receive an energizing signal for producing beeps or horn chirps as are described below Likewise exterior lamps 18 are coupled to module 10 for producing visible flashes under control of module 10 Module 10 is connected to an antenna 12 for communicating with a remote transmitter 13 having its own internal antenna 14 Module 10 is further connected to a door module 15 and provides lock and unlock command signals to door module 15 In turn door module 15 actually locks or unlocks an appropriate vehicle door via a respective lock actuator 16 Remote transmitter 13 includes a plurality of push buttons including a lock push button 17 When lock push button 17 is manually activated a coded signal is sent from remote transmitter 13 through a radio frequency signal to module 10 which recognizes the coded signal and locks vehicle doors via a lock command signal to door module 15 Preferably upon locking of the vehicle doors module 10 enters an anti theft mode and attempts to arm the anti theft system The RF signal transmitted from remote transmitter 13 includes at least two data segments namely a user code that will identify whether the transmitter is authorized for vehicle entry and a function code e g the lock code identifying which push button was pressed Perimeter protection is provided by a plurality of door position sensors comprised of door switches 20 23 each associated
8. f the second lock code was not received within five seconds the double horn chirp and or double light flash is bypassed In step 32 a check is made to determine if all the doors have become closed since the last check of the door position sensors If they are not closed then a check is made in step 33 to determine whether a predetermined time such as thirty minutes has elapsed since the reception of the lock code from the remote fob If not then the door position sensors are again checked in step 32 If it is determined in step 33 that all doors have now been closed then the exit delay is initiated in step 26 followed by fully arming the anti theft system in step 27 If 30 minutes elapses without the closing of all the doors then the pre armed state is cancelled i e the ready to arm light is extinguished in step 34 and the method is exited in step 35 In summary the present invention has provided for on demand remote controlled verification of the operation of an anti theft system Different audible sound outputs such as horn chirps or different light flashes identify the state of the anti theft system In particular one chirp sequence or light flash sequence identifies a locked and arming vehicle while another chirp sequence or light flash sequence indicates the inability to arm the anti theft system The user is provided with a convenient method for indicating whether confirma tion is desired at the time of initiating the armi
9. isarm or trigger an anti theft system Unique portions of the codes identify the individual transmitter to insure that only an authorized user gains access to the vehicle or the remote entry functions Anti theft systems provide perimeter protection by sens ing unauthorized entry into a vehicle and then initiating a siren or other action to deter entry When in its armed or active state the anti theft system monitors sensors such as door position sensors to detect entry Other types of sensors include vibration sensors glass breakage sensors hood position switches and trunk tamper switches for example The authorized user causes the anti theft system to enter its armed state when leaving the vehicle and disarms the anti theft system upon returning and prior to entering the vehicle When arming the anti theft system the user may desire verification of proper arming to ensure that the anti theft system will be effective during his absence Such verifica tion typically takes the form of audible beeps or horn chirps that signify successful arming Verification may also take the form of flashing the vehicle exterior lights with or without the use of audible chirps Any combination of the headlamps and parking lights can be flashed These verification actions from the vehicle to signify successful arming of the anti theft system may be undesir able in certain situations Horn chirps and headlight flashes may be especially disturbing in a quie
10. ng sequence thereby allowing the user to obtain the verification in a proper environment but avoiding the verification in envi ronments where the disturbance inherent in the verification is not desired If verification is desired more than five seconds after having issued the first lock code the user is able to transmit a new pair of lock codes within five seconds of each other so that the lock arming and verification sequence of FIG 2 will be repeated What is claimed is 1 A remote controlled anti theft system for a transporta 5 568 120 5 6 tion vehicle providing on demand audible verification of occurrence of said lock code regardiess of whether said anti theft system operation comprising armed state has been entered a portable transmitter transmitting a lock code in response 2 The system of claim 1 wherein said first audible output to a manual activation is comprised of a single sound chirp door lock actuators for locking doors of said transporta gt 3 The system of claim 1 wherein said second audible tion vehicle in response to a lock command signal output is comprised of a double sound chirp door position sensors associated with said doors each 4 A method of operating a remote controlled anti theft generating a respective door closed signal when a System for a transportation vehicle comprising the steps of respective one of said doors is closed transmitting a first occurrence of a lock code from a a sound transducer pr
11. oducing an audible sound output in portable transmitter response to an energizing signal and locking at least one door of said transportation vehicle in a vehicle mounted control module responsive to a first response to said first occurrence of said lock code occurrence of said lock code to 1 generate said lock sensing the open closed position of said door command signal which is sent to said door lock actua 15 entering an armed state of said anti theft system in tors and 2 enter an armed state of said anti theft system Be response to said first occurrence of said lock code if if each of said door position sensors produces a door id door i d to be i Tosca vesiton closed signal said control module further being respon Sare GOOT 1S SCnSEd 10 Des BON aes on if a second occurrence of said lock code is transmitted sive to a second occurrence of said lock code received sec within a predetermined time of said first occurrence of 20 within a predetermined time of said first occurrence of 10 said lock code to generate a first energizing signal to produce a first audible sound output verifying that said armed state has been entered if said lock command has been sent and each of said door position sensors produces a door closed signal or to generate a second energizing signal to produce a second audible sound output verifying that said armed state has not been entered if at least one of said door position sensors fails to prod
12. of a second The second energizing signal is comprised to two successive alternating voltage signals each with a duration of oth of a second If visible flashes are given for verification then similar times are used for flash duration and separation The sequence of operation of the present invention is shown in greater detail in the flow chart of FIG 2 The flow chart illustrates a preferred subroutine to be implemented in a microprocessor contained within anti theft module 10 and begins at a start block 20 In step 21 a first lock code is received from the remote transmitter after manual activation by the user of a lock push button The doors are locked and a timer is initiated to distinguish a second lock code trans mitted within a predetermined time of the first lock code After the lock commands are sent to the door modules the remote anti theft module illuminates a ready to arm indica tor light in step 22 to inform the vehicle operator that the anti theft system is attempting to arm i e it enters a pre arm state 10 20 30 35 45 50 55 60 65 4 A check is made in step 23 to determine whether the door position sensors indicate that all doors are closed which would allow perimeter protection to be initiated If door closed signals are received from all door position sensors then a check is made in step 24 to determine whether a second lock code was transmitted within the predetermined period of tim
13. of the lock code from the portable trans mitter within a predetermined time of the first transmission of the lock code which initiated locking of the vehicle doors The predetermined time may be about five seconds Thus if a second lock code is received within five seconds of the initial lock code an audible verification is made to identify the state of the anti theft system i e whether the anti theft system is successfully entering an armed state The ability to enter an armed state depends upon the closing of all perim eter doors as indicated by door position sensors 20 23 One distinctive audible sound indicates that all doors are closed and that arming of the anti theft system is successful and a second audible sound different from the first indicates an open door and unsuccessful arming of the anti theft system In a preferred embodiment a single hom chirp indicates that the anti theft system is arming while a double horn chirp indicates an inability to arm Anti theft module 10 provides an energizing signal to transducer 11 to produce the chirps A chirp preferably is obtained by sounding transducer 11 for about oth of a second at the normal operating frequency of the horn The double chirp comprises two successive oth of a second horn chirps separated by about rd of a second Thus a first energizing signal from module 10 for producing the first audible sound is comprised of an alternating voltage signal with a duration of Zoth
14. t residential neighbor hood late at night Prior art anti theft systems have thus been given the ability to optionally either provide or not provide verifica tion of arming This selection is made by a setting switch on the anti theft module in the vehicle for the desired mode of operation i e verification mode or non verification mode Once a system is preset however the single chosen mode of operation is utilized at each arming independent of the time of day or situation Thus the user does not have the option of obtaining verification of system arming with horn chirps at loud places during the day and then not obtaining veri fication in quiet settings late at night SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides the advantage that the anti theft system user can obtain on demand verification as desired The present invention provides a remote controlled anti theft system for a transportation vehicle providing on demand audible verification of anti theft system operation 10 15 20 30 35 45 50 55 65 2 comprising a portable transmitter which transmits a lock code in response to a manual activation Door lock actuators will lock the doors of the transportation vehicle in response to a lock command signal that may be generated following reception of a lock code if it is received with a valid user code Door position sensors associated with the doors each generate a respective door closed signal
15. uce a door closed signal said control module not producing any energizing signal absent said second 25 said lock code then either 1 producing a first audible sound output to verify if said armed state has been entered or 2 producing a second audible sound output to verify if said armed state has not been entered and withholding any production of an audible sound output absent said second occurrence of said lock code whereby no verification is produced concerning said armed or unarmed state of said anti theft system k k k
Download Pdf Manuals
Related Search