FR2815149A1 - Components and accessories in a motor vehicle protected by a common access code, uses access via master code to allow alteration of client device codes to master code so single code accesses all devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The protection uses master and slave devices. When the correct code is supplied (E1), the master device can be accessed. The first user code is then delivered (E2) to the slave device which is enabled if the user code is equal to the slave access code. The user can the enter (E3) a second user code, which replaces the stored slave code. The master access code is then stored (E4) by the slave.

Description

<Desc / Clms Page number 1>

ACCESS CODE PROTECTED SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED DEPROTECTION METHOD
The invention relates to a system protected by an access code and to an associated deprotection method.

The invention is particularly interesting in the case of a system comprising at least two bodies protected by an access code. In a vehicle, it can for example be used to protect against theft multimedia accessories, such as a radio, CD player, a guidance device or a telephone, or else vehicle operating components such as a engine ignition component.

 Certain accessories or components of a vehicle are not or are poorly protected at present against theft. For example, the current anti-theft systems used to protect a CD player associated with a vehicle radio are most often mechanical or electromechanical. Such devices are intended to prevent an unauthorized attempt to remove the CD player from the radio, possibly by setting off an audible or visual alarm. The deterrent aspect of these protection systems is however limited since they do not prevent, if necessary, from associating the stolen CD player with another radio of another vehicle.

 Access code protection systems are also known and commonly used for the protection of an accessory such as a radio or the protection of a vehicle organ such as

<Desc / Clms Page number 2>

 engine ignition. Such protection systems are dissuasive and more effective than mechanical or electromechanical locks. Only the person with the corresponding access code can, if necessary, use the radio or the protected vehicle.

 A disadvantage of known code protection systems is that each protected member has its own access code, most often provided by the manufacturer of the protected member.

Also, the user should necessarily provide one by one all the access codes before being able to use his vehicle and all of its accessories simultaneously, which is particularly restrictive. Consequently, manufacturers choose not to protect accessories such as the CD player by code so as not to dissuade the legitimate user of the vehicle.

 The current protection systems are therefore not satisfactory in the case in particular where several parts of the vehicle must be protected; they are either too restrictive for the legitimate user of the vehicle, or they do not provide a sufficient level of security.

 The object of the present invention is to propose a system protected against theft comprising at least two members to be protected. The system is protected by an access code which ensures optimum security. In addition, during normal operation, only one access code is required to unprotect all

<Desc / Clms Page number 3>

 protected system organs, which limits the constraints for the user.

 With these objectives in view, the subject of the invention is a protected system comprising a master member protected by a master access code and comprising a master protection device, and a slave member protected by a slave access code, the device protection device deprotecting the master device if the master access code is supplied by a user, the system being characterized in that the slave device comprises a slave protection device which exchanges information with the master device, in that the slave protection device deprotects the slave member if the master access code is provided to it by the master protection device, after deprotection of the master member, and in that the slave device comprises means, controlled by the user, to replace the slave access code by the master access code if they are different.

 The word organ (master or slave) is used here, and in everything that follows, in the broadest sense to speak of an element that one wishes to protect in a vehicle: engine injection organ, battery, management of overall vehicle operation, door locks, multimedia accessories, etc.

<Desc / Clms Page number 4>

With the invention, all the organs of the protected system are protected by a single access code, which ensures maximum security and at the same time facilitates the task of the user.

 According to the invention, the master protection device first of all deprotects the master member, that is to say that it authorizes normal operation and control of this member. Then the master device, by transmitting the master code to the slave protection device, authorizes the deprotection of the slave member. The system can also include several slave devices, in this case, the slave devices can be unprotected by the master device either one after the other, or simultaneously.

 In one example of a system comprising two protected organs, the master organ is a radio and the slave organ is a CD player. In another example, of a system comprising a master member and several slave devices, the master member is a central unit managing the protection / deprotection of all the protected members of the vehicle; the slave components are a radio, an engine injection component, door locks, etc.

 The slave device (s) include means for replacing their own access code with the master access code. This allows the user to easily replace a defective component without necessarily having to replace all of the components protected by the access code

<Desc / Clms Page number 5>

 Preferably, the means for replacing the slave access code are controlled by the user by the supply of the slave access code or by the supply of a virginization code.

 Thus, a malicious user cannot use a protected organ previously installed on another vehicle on a new vehicle if he does not know the previous organ code or the virginization code specific to the protected organ.

The virginization code is a code which is used to erase the slave access code of a slave organ, whatever the slave code. This code is for example kept by the supplier of the slave unit.

 Preferably also, the slave device comprises means for storing the master access code if it does not include a previously stored slave code.

 Thus, during a first installation, for example by the manufacturer, of the slave member on a vehicle, the slave protection device immediately stores the master access code of the master member with which it is associated.

 Advantageously, the master device comprises means for delaying the supply of a code by the user if a code previously supplied is different from the master access code, the slave access code or the virginization code.

<Desc / Clms Page number 6>

The delay can be constant, or variable depending on the number of errors previously made. For example, the first code is accepted immediately, the second code after one minute, the third code after 2 minutes, the fourth code after 4 minutes, etc. Any attempt to find an access code by successive tests is therefore unlikely to be successful in a reasonable time.

 The supply of a code by the user can be done via a keyboard linked physically or by radio frequency to the master protection device. The supply of a code can also be done via a remote control memorizing the master code; a digital radio frequency signal comprising information relating to the code is then transmitted to the master protection device by simple pressing of the user on a control button of the remote control.

 Preferably, an information transmission between the user, the master device and / or the slave device (s) is carried out in coded form, to limit any risk of detection of an access code. .

 Advantageously, the master device comprises means for verifying that the slave device (s) attached to it are well protected by a protection device similar to its own. This avoids launching a deprotection procedure which is unlikely to succeed if the slave organ does not include

<Desc / Clms Page number 7>

 protective device, or a different protective device.

 The invention also relates to a deprotection method, in particular for a vehicle, for a system comprising a master member protected by a master access code and comprising a master protection device, and a slave member, method during which performs the following step El: supply of a first user code to the master protection device, and deprotection of the master member. According to the invention, the method is characterized in that the following step E2 is then carried out: supply of the first user code to a slave protection device of the slave member, and deprotection of the slave member if the first code user is equal to the slave access code.

 A single access code provided by the user is thus necessary to unprotect all the organs, master or slave (s), the master organ being deprotected first, then deprotecting the organ (s) itself ( s) slave (s) associated with it.

Advantageously, the method according to the invention also comprises one or other of the following steps:
E3, performed if the slave code is different from the master access code: supply, by the user, of a second user code, and erasure of the slave code previously memorized by

<Desc / Clms Page number 8>

 the slave device if the previously memorized slave code is different from the master access code.

 E4, performed during the first implementation of the method on the protected system or after a step E3: storage of the master access code by the slave device, the master access code becoming the slave access code specific to the slave organ.

 Thus, in the case of a first commissioning of the slave member or else of a first commissioning on a new vehicle, the code of a slave member is changed to become that of the master device with which it is associated. .

 An ON / OFF button, placed for example at the level of the master device or of the control element, can complete the system, to allow the user to interrupt at any time a decoding process in progress. . Similarly, an initialization button can be useful if a process in progress is blocked. However, such buttons are preferably not immediately accessible to the user to limit the risk of malicious use.

 Preferably, if no code is supplied by the user, the deprotection process will remain waiting for a code, rather than terminating.

 The invention will be better understood and other characteristics and advantages will appear on reading the description which follows, of an example

<Desc / Clms Page number 9>

 for implementing the code-protected system and the associated deprotection method in accordance with the invention. The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which: - Figure 1 is a block diagram of a protected system according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a diagram of an algorithm for implementing a method according to FIG. 3 details the steps of the algorithm of FIG. 2.

 FIG. 1 is a functional diagram of a protected system according to the invention, which comprises a master member 12 comprising a master protection device 14, a slave member 16 comprising a slave protection device 18, and a control element 20.

 The master member 12 is protected by a master access code, stored by its protection device 14. Likewise, the slave member 16 is protected by a slave access code stored by its protection device 18. The slave device also stores a virginization code used to modify the slave access code.

 The control element 20 allows a user to exchange information with the master device 14. The control element 20 can be a keyboard connected by a data bus to the master device 14. The control element can also be a remote control exchanging information with the master device 14 via a radio frequency signal.

<Desc / Clms Page number 10>

 Similarly, the master and slave devices exchange information, via a data bus or a radio frequency signal.

 FIG. 2 is a diagram of an algorithm used to implement a deprotection method according to the invention.

 The two essential steps for carrying out the invention are steps E1, E2. The first step E1 is carried out to unprotect the master member 12 on instruction from the user (provision of a user code equal to the master access code). The user code is then supplied to the slave device (step E2) which unprotects the slave member 16 if the first user code is equal to the slave access code.

 The steps E3, E4 are not essential for the implementation of the invention but bring advantageous improvements. These steps are represented by dotted lines in FIG. 2.

 Step E4 is particularly useful in the case of a first use of the slave member 16, that is to say in the case of a slave member 16 which has not yet stored an access code. The steps of the deprotection process are in this case carried out in the following order: El, then E4, and finally E2. During step E4, the slave device simply stores the master code it receives.

<Desc / Clms Page number 11>

 Step E3 is particularly useful in the case of a slave member 16 having already been used, but in association with another master member. In this case, the slave access code is initially different from the master access code. The steps of the deprotection process are then executed in the following order: El, then E3, then E4 and finally E2. At the end of step E2, the slave access code has been replaced by the master code.

 Figure 3 details the steps of Figure 2 in an improved mode of implementation of the method according to the invention.

 Step E1 is broken down into four sub-steps.

During a step E1, the master device 14 receives a code supplied by the user via the control element 20, then checks whether the master device 12 is protected or not (step E12).

 If the master device is protected, then the master device compares (step E13) the user code received with the master access code that it has in memory.

 If the user code received and the master code are equal, then the master device unprotects the master organ (step E14), that is to say that it authorizes the operation and the control of this organ. If the two codes are different, then, after a delay (step E15), the master device 14 requests a new user code and a new step Ell is carried out.

<Desc / Clms Page number 12>

Step E2 is carried out after complete completion of step E1, that is to say after the deprotection of the master member 12. If the user is unable to provide the access code master, then step E1 does not end and step E2 does not take place.

 Step E2 is broken down into five sub-steps. During step E21, the user code, equal to the master code, is transmitted to the slave device 18.

If the slave code exists (step E22) then the slave code is compared with the master code (step E23). During step E24, the slave device 18 unprotects the slave member 16 if the slave code is equal to the master code. Information indicating that the slave member 16 is unprotected is then transmitted to the master device 14 (step E25).

 Step E4 is executed if the slave code does not exist (negative response to the test in step E22), that is to say if the slave device 18 does not have a slave code in memory. This is particularly the case for a first use for example. During step E3, the slave device 18 simply stores the master code.

 Step E3 is executed if the slave code is different from the master code (negative response to the test in step E23). Step E3 is broken down into four sub-steps.

 During step E31, information indicating that the slave device 18 is still protected is transmitted to the user by

<Desc / Clms Page number 13>

 through the master device 14, which asks the user for a new code (step E32). If the user code received in response is equal (step E33) to the slave code or to the virginization code, then the slave device erases the slave code which it has in memory (step E34) then a new step E21 is carried out. If the user code is different from the slave code and is different from the virginization code, then a new step E32 is performed, after a delay (step E35).

 It should be noted that the algorithm of FIG. 3 is an improved algorithm for implementing the method of the invention. In particular, steps E12, E3, E4, E25, E31, E15, E35 are not essential for the operation of the invention but simply provide additional comfort or safety in use of the invention. Depending on the use made of the invention, these steps can possibly be omitted.

 Step E12 is used simply to check whether the master member 12 is protected or not.

It avoids unnecessarily performing steps E13, E14 if the master member 12 is already unprotected or cannot be protected.

 - As already seen previously, steps E3 and E4 are only useful in the case of a slave member 16 used for the first time or used for the first time in association with the master member 12.

 Steps E25, E31 are used simply to inform the user of success or failure

<Desc / Clms Page number 14>

 of the system deprotection procedure. The user can be informed otherwise, by a simple test of operation of the master 12 and / or slave 16 organs.

 The steps E15 and E35 introduce delays in the carrying out of the steps Ell, E32 if the code or codes supplied are incorrect. They simply have a deterrent effect on a malicious user who would like to look for protection codes by successive tests.

 In the same spirit, other modifications and / or improvements can be made to the algorithm of FIG. 3, without departing from the scope of the invention. For example: - a step similar to step E12 could be carried out between steps E21 and E22 to verify whether the slave member is protected or not. This makes it possible to avoid carrying out steps E2, E3, E4 unnecessarily in the case of a slave member 16 already unprotected, in the case of a slave member 16 of an old model not protected by a code or in the case of a slave organ protected by a device different from that of the invention.

Claims (15)

1. In a vehicle, protected system (10) comprising a master member (12) protected by a master access code and comprising a master protection device (14), and a slave member (16) protected by a master code slave access, the master protection device (14) deprotecting the master member (18) if the master access code is supplied by a user, the system being characterized in that the slave member (16) comprises a device for slave protection (18) which exchanges information with the master device (14), in that the slave protection device (18) deprotects the slave member (16) if the master access code is provided to it by the master protection (14), after deprotection of the master member (12), and in that the slave device (18) comprises means, controlled by the user, to replace the slave access code by the code master access if they are different.  2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the means for replacing the slave access code are controlled by the user by the supply of the slave access code or by the supply of a virginization code. <Desc / Clms Page number 16>  3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the slave device (18) comprises means for storing the master access code if it does not include a previously stored slave code.  4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the master device (14) comprises means for delaying the supply of a code by the user if a code previously supplied is different from the master access code, from the code d slave access or virginization code.  5. System according to claim 1, in which the supply of a code by the user is done via a control element (20) which is: - a keyboard connected to the master protection device (14) , or a remote control, a digital radio frequency signal comprising information relating to the code being transmitted to the master protection device, 6. deprotection method, in particular for a vehicle, for a system comprising a master member (12) protected by a master access code and comprising a master protection device (14), and a slave member (16), during which the following step is carried out: <Desc / Clms Page number 17> E2: supply of the first user code to a slave protection device (18) of the slave member (16), and deprotection of the slave member (16) if the first user code is equal to the slave access code.  El: supply of a first user code to the master protection device (14), and deprotection of the master member (12), the method being characterized in that the following step is then carried out:  7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that it also comprises the following step, carried out if the slave code is different from the master access code: E3: supply, by the user, of a second user code, and erasure of the slave code previously memorized by the slave device (18) if the previously memorized slave code is different from the master access code.  8. Method according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that it comprises the following step, carried out during the first implementation of the method on the protected system or after a step E3: E4: memorization of the master access code by the slave device (18), the master access code becoming the slave access code specific to the slave unit (16). <Desc / Clms Page number 18> 9. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that step E1 is broken down into: Ell: waiting for the first user code, E13: comparison of the first user code with the master access code, then: - if the user code is equal to the master code, then deprotection (step E14) of the master device (12), - otherwise, production of a new step Ell.  10. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that step E2 comprises the following substeps: E21: transmission of the first user code to the slave device (18) by the master device (14), E23: comparison of the first user code with the slave access code, then - if the first user code is equal to the slave access code, then deprotection (step E24) of the slave member (16), 11. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that step E3 comprises the following substeps: E32: waiting for a second user code, E33: carrying out a test to compare the second user code with the slave access code and with a virginization code for the slave protection device (18), the test being positive if the second user code is equal to the slave code or equal to the virginization code and then <Desc / Clms Page number 19>  - If the test is positive, erasing (step E34) of the slave access code memorized by the slave device (18) then carrying out a new step E2.  12. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that the following step E12 is also carried out, immediately after step Ell: E12: determination of the state of the master member (12), then: - if the master member (12) is protected, then carrying out of steps E12, E13, otherwise, if the master member (12) is deprotected , then carrying out of step E2.  13. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that it also comprises the following step E15, carried out between steps E13 and Ell, if the first user code is different from the master access code: E15: waiting for a first predefined time 14. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that it also comprises the following step E35, carried out between steps E33 and E32 if the second user code is different from the slave access code and different from the virginization code: E35: waiting for a second predefined time. <Desc / Clms Page number 20>  15. Method according to claim II, characterized in that steps E2, E3 also include the following step E25: E25: supply, to the master protection device (14), of information relating to the state, protected or unprotected, of the slave protection device (18).