WO2009127906A1

WO2009127906A1 - A vehicle dealership security system

Info

Publication number: WO2009127906A1
Application number: PCT/IB2008/051474
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Boyden Parnaby
Original assignee: Pfk Electronics (Proprietary) Limited
Priority date: 2008-04-17
Filing date: 2008-04-17
Publication date: 2009-10-22

Abstract

This invention relates to a vehicle dealership security system. The system includes onboard vehicle security systems installed respectively onboard vehicles on display for sale by a vehicle dealership. Each onboard vehicle security system includes a receiver for receiving arm and disarm signals from a compatible remote, gauge means for gauging the charge status of the battery of the associated vehicle, and signalling means for emitting from the vehicle a charge status signal indicative of the charge status. The signalling means may be configured for emitting a charge status signal in the form of light, a sound, or an RF signal for reception by a compatible monitoring device. Each onboard vehicle security system may, e.g., be configured for emitting a charge status signal at preset time intervals and/or upon receiving a disarm signal.

Description

A VEHICLE DEALERSHIP SECURITY SYSTEM

THIS INVENTION relates to a vehicle dealership security system.

It is known for a vehicle dealership to use a dealership security system which includes an onboard vehicle security system installed by or for the dealership in each of a plurality of vehicles displayed on the shop floor of the dealership. Each onboard vehicle security system includes at least one of an alarm and an immobilizer and may also be linked to a locking system of the associated vehicle. Such installation of security systems on vehicles is sometimes referred to as preloading of vehicles with security systems. This preloading not only serves the purpose of protecting the vehicles on the shop floor prior to sale, but also gives the dealership an opportunity to attempt to sell each security system on to a purchaser of a the vehicle and to thus profit therefrom.

The invention relates particularly to a vehicle dealership security system of the above general type, to an onboard vehicle security system suitable for use in the former system, and to a remote suitable for use in the former system.

A problem commonly encountered by vehicle dealerships is that, due to insufficient driving of at least some of the vehicles on display for sale, the batteries of such vehicles may become discharged to the extent that they have insufficient capacity for starting the associated vehicles. Such discharging may be caused by any of number of factors, including a battery being defective, a battery not having been charged for an extended period and having discharged naturally, or a battery having been drained by a current. A sales person may be caused some embarrassment if, upon attempting to start an engine of a vehicle in order to demonstrate the vehicle to a customer, the sales person finds that the battery of the vehicle does not have the charge or capacity to start the vehicle. It is an aim of the current invention to at least ameliorate this problem.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an onboard vehicle security system, operatively installed onboard a vehicle, including: a receiver for receiving arm and disarm signals from a compatible remote; gauge means for operatively gauging whether the charge status of the battery of the vehicle in which the system is installed is low, i.e. the charge level of the battery is below a predetermined threshold, or high, i.e. the charge level is not below the predetermined threshold; and signalling means for emitting from the vehicle a charge status signal indicative of the charge status.

The threshold may be the maximum charge level below which there is an unacceptable risk that the vehicle will not start.

The onboard vehicle security system may be configured to emit a low charge status signal upon the charge status changing from high to low.

Alternatively or additionally, the onboard vehicle security system may be configured to emit a low charge status signal at time intervals whilst the charge status is low.

Yet alternatively or additionally, the onboard vehicle security system may be configured to emit a high charge status signal at time intervals whilst the charge status is high.

The onboard vehicle security system may be configured to emit a low charge status signal upon receiving a disarm signal whilst the charge status is low. Alternatively or additionally, the onboard vehicle security system may be configured to emit a high charge status signal upon receiving a disarm signal whilst the charge status is high.

The gauge means of the onboard vehicle security system may include a voltage meter.

The signalling means may include an audio annunciator, a charge status signal operatively being a sound emitted thereby. The audio annunciator may, for example, be a siren of the system. So, for example, the onboard vehicle security system may be configured to emit an audible warning of a low charge status of the battery of the associated vehicle upon a person disarming the system via a remote.

Alternatively or additionally, the signalling means may include a light, a charge status signal operatively being light emitted thereby. A charge status signal may, more particularly, be energizing of the light in a predetermined fashion. The system may be configured to use the direction indicator lights of the associated vehicle to emit charge status signals also. So, for example, the onboard vehicle security system may be configured to, upon a person disarming the system via a remote, flash the indicator lights of a vehicle to warn of a low charge status of the battery of the vehicle.

Yet alternatively or additionally, the signalling means may include RF signalling means, including an RF transmitter, for emitting a charge status signal in the form of an RF charge status signal. In this case, the onboard vehicle security system may operatively have an ID code stored therein, also associated with the vehicle in which the system is installed, and may be configured to incorporate this ID code in RF charge status signals transmitted thereby.

In the case of the signalling means including RF signalling means, the onboard vehicle security system may be configured to operatively serve as a repeater for relaying, via its transmitter, of RF charge status signals transmitted by identical systems.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a remote, compatible with an onboard vehicle security system in accordance with the first aspect of the invention for arming and disarming the system, the remote including an RF receiver for receiving an RF charge status signal from such a system.

The remote may include indicator means for indicating the charge status represented by an RF charge status signal received by it. The indicator means may include a light.

The remote may be capable of receiving an RF charge status signal incorporating an ID code, as transmitted by an onboard vehicle security system, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention that can transmit such a signal. The remote may include a memory for storing such ID codes. It may, additionally, include output means providing for downloading of such ID codes stored therein to a compatible computer.

Such a remote, capable of receiving an RF charge status signal incorporating an ID code, may be configured for relaying RF charge status signals incorporating such ID codes received by it, the remote thus effectively serving as a repeater. According to yet a further aspect of the invention there is provided a vehicle dealership security system including a plurality of onboard vehicle security systems, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, installed respectively on vehicles on display for sale on a shop floor of a vehicle dealership.

The vehicle dealership security system may include at least one remote, in accordance with the invention.

The vehicle dealership security system may include a monitoring apparatus for monitoring the charge status of the batteries of the vehicles, particularly for identifying those vehicles of which the batteries have a low charge status, the monitoring apparatus including: a receiver for receiving RF charge status signals from a vehicle security system, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention and capable of transmitting an RF charge status signal incorporating an ID code, as defined above; a memory for storing ID codes incorporated in RF charge status signals received by it; and display means for displaying the charge status of at least each vehicle, if any, of which the battery has a low charge status, as identified by its ID code.

In this case, the vehicle dealership security system may include a plurality of remotes serving as repeaters, as defined above. Such remotes may serve to relay a charge status signal from an onboard vehicle security system of a vehicle to the monitoring apparatus where the distance between the vehicle and the system is too great for direct transmission.

The vehicle dealership security system may include a monitoring apparatus for monitoring the charge status of the batteries of the vehicles, particularly for identifying those vehicles of which the batteries have a low charge status, the monitoring apparatus including: input means compatible with the output means, as defined above, of a remote, providing for downloading from the remote of ID codes stored in the remote; a memory for storing ID codes incorporated in RF charge status signals received by it; and display means for displaying the charge status of at least each vehicle, if any, of which the battery has a low charge status, as identified by its ID code.

The exact configuration of the vehicle dealership security system of the invention is highly variable and, as such, the invention extends to any vehicle dealership security system including the essential features of one as defined herein. The same applies to each of an onboard vehicle security system and to a remote, each as defined herein.

The invention is described below by way of an example of an embodiment of a vehicle dealership security system, in accordance with the invention, including onboard vehicle security systems, in accordance with the invention, and remotes, in accordance with the invention, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying schematic. Figure 1 is a schematic of a vehicle dealership security system, in accordance with the invention, and twelve vehicles of which each has an onboard vehicle security system of the vehicle dealership security system installed in it;

Figure 2 is a schematic of an electronic circuit of one of the onboard vehicle security systems of Figure 1 and certain vehicle components with which it interacts; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic front view of a remote of the vehicle dealership security system of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a schematic of an electronic circuit of the remote of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a schematic of a monitoring apparatus of the vehicle dealership security system of Figure 1 .

With reference initially to Figure 1 , a vehicle dealership security system 10 is used by a vehicle dealership that has twelve vehicles 1 1 .1 to 1 1 .12 on display for sale on its shop floor, of which only twelve are shown. The vehicle dealership security system 10 includes an onboard vehicle security system 12 installed in each vehicle 1 1 . Such installation has particularly occurred by way of preloading. In addition to the onboard vehicle security systems providing for the protection of the vehicles on the shop floor, the dealership also aims to sell the onboard vehicle security system installed in each vehicle 1 1 on to a customer who buys the vehicle, particularly to profit from such sale. The system 10 may readily be scaled up to accommodate larger stocks of vehicles, say in excess of a hundred.

For the sake of simplicity, it will be assumed that all of the onboard vehicle security systems 12 are identical. As such, the onboard vehicle security system 12.1 , installed in the vehicle 1 1 .1 , is now described as a representative system.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an electronic circuit of the onboard vehicle security system 12.1 and certain components of the vehicle 1 1 .1 with which the system interacts. The system 12.1 includes a processor 14, an alarm and immobilizer circuit 16, an audio annunciator in the form of a siren 17, a memory 18, gauge means in the form of a voltage meter 20, an RF transceiver 22, having an antenna 23, and a dashboard mounted indicator light 24. The alarm and immobilizer circuit 16 is connected to an electronic circuit 26 of the vehicle 1 1 .1 and can control the circuit 26 to perform functions such as locking and unlocking of doors of the vehicle, flashing of turn indicator lights of the vehicle, and sounding of a horn of the vehicle.

The system 12.1 stores in the memory 18 an ID code that is uniquely associated with the vehicle 1 1 .1 . The voltage meter 20 gauges the charge level of a battery 28 of the vehicle 1 1 .1 by measuring the voltage of the battery. The processor 14 has a particular voltage threshold stored therein and registers a low charge status of the battery 28 if the voltage is below the threshold and a high charge status if the voltage is not below the threshold. The threshold is the maximum charge level below which there is an unacceptable risk that the vehicle 1 1 .1 will not start.

The system 12.1 is configured to emit from its RF transceiver 22 a low charge status signal in the form of an RF charge status signal upon receiving a disarm signal from a compatible remote, as will be described below, whilst registering a low charge status of the battery 28. The RF transceiver 22 thus serves as signalling means of the system 12.1 for transmitting a signal indicative of the charge status of the battery 28.

The system 12.1 may be configured to additionally emit at least one of the following low charge status signals upon receiving a disarm signal whilst registering a low charge status of the battery of the vehicle 1 1 .1 : Flashing of the turn indicator lights of the vehicle 1 1 .1 , say three times in quick succession;

Flashing the dashboard mounted light 24 continuously; Sounding the siren 17, say three times in quick succession; and Sounding the horn of the vehicle 1 1 .1 .

Each of the turn indicator lights, the dashboard mounted light 24, the siren 17, and the horn of the vehicle 1 1 .1 may thus serve as signalling means of the system 12.1 .

The system 12.1 may be configured to, alternatively or additionally, upon registering a low charge status, emit a low charge status signal irrespective of having received a disarm signal. It may be configured to do so at predetermined time intervals. It may, alternatively or additionally, be configured to do so upon the charge status of the battery changing from high to low.

With reference to Figures 1 , 3, and 4, the vehicle dealership security system 10 includes also a remote for each onboard vehicle security system 12. Only one of these remotes, that of the onboard vehicle security system 12.1 , is shown, designated by the reference numeral 30. The remote 30 includes an RF transceiver 32, having an antenna 33 and being compatible with the RF transceiver 22 of the system 12.1 , and a processor 34, a keypad 36, a memory 38, a battery 40, and indicator means in the form of an indicator light 42. The remote 30 can be operated by a sales person to emit arm and disarm signals to which the security system 12.1 will respond upon receiving them. The light 42 of the remote 30 is a low charge status indicator light, which it will energize upon receiving a low charge status signal from the onboard vehicle security system 12.1 . Upon a sales person operating the remote 30 to disarm the system 12.1 and the system registering a low charge status of the battery 28 of the vehicle 1 1 .1 , the system 12.1 emits an RF signal incorporating its ID code. The low charge status indicator light 42 on the remote 30 is energized, warning the sales person that the battery 28 may have insufficient charge or capacity to start the vehicle 1 1 .1 .

With reference to Figures 1 and 5, the vehicle dealership security system 10 includes also a monitoring apparatus 44, which includes a PC 46, an RF receiver 48, compatible with the transceivers 22 and 32 and having an antenna 49, and a display 50. The PC runs a vehicle stock monitoring system. Upon the monitoring apparatus 44 receiving a low charge status signal, incorporating an ID code, it registers the ID code on the stock monitoring system. The PC 46 displays on the display 50 details of those vehicles from which it has received low charge status signals, as identified by their ID codes. A person inspecting the display 50 will thus be alerted of the low charge status of the battery of the associated vehicle.

With reference to the drawings generally, upon the remote 30 receiving any low charge status signal, incorporating an ID code, from any of the onboard vehicle security systems 12, it relays the signal on towards the monitoring apparatus 44, thus acting as a repeater. Each onboard vehicle security system 12 is configured to similarly act as a repeater. Such relaying of signals ensures that low charge status signals emitted by any onboard vehicle security system 12 out of direct transmission range to the monitoring apparatus 44 reach the monitoring apparatus. Two examples of possible relay routes are illustrated by way of broken arrows in Figure 1 .

The remote 30 may be configured to, upon receiving any low charge status signal, incorporating an ID code, store the ID code in its memory 38 for subsequent downloading to the monitoring apparatus 44. For the purpose of such downloading, the remote 30 must include output means, which may be its RF transceiver. In this case, the RF receiver of the apparatus 44 may serve as compatible input means. Alternatively, the remote 30 may be provided with output means in the form of a physical connector port (not shown) and the apparatus 44 may be provided with a docking station (not shown) for the remote, the docking station defining input means in the form of a complementary port. As such, the system 12.1 may be configured to provide for downloading of ID codes from the memory 38 of the remote 30 whilst the remote is docked in the docking station. Insofar as docking and downloading of this general nature is known in relation to other devices and systems, it does not require further description or illustration.

It will be appreciated that the operation of the vehicle dealership security system 10 is dependent on the transmission of signals that are indicative of the charge status of a battery of each of a number of vehicles 1 1 and that such signals may be low charge status signals or high charge status signals or a combination thereof. As such, the onboard vehicle security systems 12 may be configured to, as an alternative to or in addition to emitting a low charge status signal, when applicable, as described above, emit a high charge status signal, when applicable. Clearly, the vehicle dealership security system 10 may be configured to interpret the absence of an expected high charge status signal as an indication of a low charge status of an associated battery.

The configuration of the vehicle dealership security system of the invention is highly variable and, as such, the invention extends to any vehicle dealership security system including the essential features of a vehicle dealership security system as defined herein.

The invention extends also to any onboard vehicle security system, such as the system 12.1 described above, and to any remote, such as the remote 30 described above, as such.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . An onboard vehicle security system, operatively installed onboard a vehicle, including: a receiver for receiving arm and disarm signals from a compatible remote; gauge means for operatively gauging whether the charge status of the battery of the vehicle in which the system is installed is low, i.e. the charge level of the battery is below a predetermined threshold, or high, i.e. the charge level is not below the predetermined threshold; and signalling means for emitting from the vehicle a charge status signal indicative of the charge status.

2. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in claim 1 , in which the threshold is the maximum charge level below which there is an unacceptable risk that the vehicle will not start.

3. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any preceding claim, which is configured to emit a low charge status signal upon the charge status changing from high to low.

4. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any preceding claim, which is configured to emit a low charge status signal at time intervals whilst the charge status is low.

5. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any preceding claim, which is configured to emit a high charge status signal at time intervals whilst the charge status is high.

6. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any preceding claim, which is configured to emit a low charge status signal upon receiving a disarm signal whilst the charge status is low.

7. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any preceding claim, which is configured to emit a high charge status signal upon receiving a disarm signal whilst the charge status is high.

8. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the gauge means includes a voltage meter.

9. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the signalling means includes an audio annunciator, a charge status signal operatively being a sound emitted thereby.

10. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the signalling means includes a light, a charge status signal operatively being light emitted thereby.

1 1 . An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the signalling means includes RF signalling means, including an RF transmitter, for emitting a charge status signal in the form of an RF charge status signal.

12. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in claim 1 1 , which operatively has an ID code stored therein, also associated with the vehicle in which the system is installed, and which is configured to incorporate this ID code in RF charge status signals transmitted thereby.

13. An onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any one of claims 1 1 to 12, which is configured to operatively serve as a repeater for relaying, via its transmitter, of RF charge status signals transmitted by identical systems.

14. A remote, compatible with an onboard vehicle security system as claimed in any one of claims 1 1 to 13 for arming and disarming the system, the remote including an RF receiver for receiving an RF charge status signal from such a system.

15. A remote as claimed in claim 14, which includes indicator means for indicating the charge status represented by an RF charge status signal received by it.

16. A remote as claimed in claim 15, in which the indicator means includes a light.

17. A remote as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 16, which can receive an RF charge status signal incorporating an ID code, as transmitted by an onboard vehicle security system as claimed in claim 12.

18. A remote as claimed in claim 17, which includes a memory for storing such ID codes.

19. A remote as claimed in claim 18, which includes output means providing for downloading of such ID codes stored therein to a compatible computer.

20. A remote as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 19, which is configured for relaying RF charge status signals incorporating such ID codes received by it, the remote thus effectively serving as a repeater.

21 . A vehicle dealership security system including a plurality of onboard vehicle security systems, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, installed respectively on vehicles on display for sale on a shop floor of a vehicle dealership.

22. A vehicle dealership security system as claimed in claim 21 , including at least one remote as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 20.

23. A vehicle dealership security system as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 22, which includes a monitoring apparatus for monitoring the charge status of the batteries of the vehicles, particularly for identifying those vehicles of which the batteries have a low charge status, the monitoring apparatus including: a receiver for receiving RF charge status signals from a vehicle security system as claimed in claim 12; a memory for storing ID codes incorporated in RF charge status signals received by it; and display means for displaying the charge status of at least each vehicle, if any, of which the battery has a low charge status, as identified by its ID code.

24. A vehicle dealership security system as claimed in claim 23, including a plurality of remotes, as claimed in claim 20, serving as repeaters.

25. A vehicle dealership security system as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 24, which includes a monitoring apparatus for monitoring the charge status of the batteries of the vehicles, particularly for identifying those vehicles of which the batteries have a low charge status, the monitoring apparatus including: input means compatible with the output means of a remote as claimed in claim 19, providing for downloading from the remote of ID codes stored in the remote; a memory for storing ID codes incorporated in RF charge status signals received by it; and display means for displaying the charge status of at least each vehicle, if any, of which the battery has a low charge status, as identified by its ID code.