GB2266392A

GB2266392A - A three-line type of vehicle burglarproof system.

Info

Publication number: GB2266392A
Application number: GB9208401A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Duke Chen
Original assignee: Equus Inc
Current assignee: Equus Inc
Priority date: 1992-04-16
Filing date: 1992-04-16
Publication date: 1993-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-16
Also published as: GB2266392B; GB9208401D0

Abstract

A three-line type of vehicle burglarproof system includes a multiplex central control unit (W1) with calculation ability, multiple controllers (Cn) and sensors (Sn), and three lines i.e a power wire (W1), a data and sensor bus (W3) and a ground wire (W2) surrounding the whole vehicle. By means of time-division multiplex processing, the control unit (U1) receives the sensing signals sent from the sensors (Sn) and sends out corresponding control signals to command the controllers (Cn), e.g. to detect and respond to intruders (including sending an acknowledgment to the sensor). The control unit (U1) also tests the sensors (Sn) and controllers (Cn). <IMAGE>

Description

A THREE-LINE TYPE OF VEHICLE BURGLARPROOF SYSTEM The present invention relates to a three-line type of vehicle burglarproof system including a multiplex microcomputer with calculation ability, which via a power wire, a data and sensor bus and a ground wire connects with multiple sensors and controllers located at suitable portions of the vehicle so as to control and detect each sensor and controller and achieve the selfdetecting object.

A conventional burglarproof device is designed in accordance with various requirements. Some of the burglarproof devices employ a microcomputer program for controlling object. Most of the burglarproof devices are designed with an open loop, i.e., unit A sends a signal to unit B, but after receiving the signal, unit B does not send back a signal to unit A. Therefore, in a conventional burglarproof device, only the control unit sends out the control signal while the receiving unit can not send back a responding signal to the control unit so that the wiring work is very complex and wrong wiring often takes place causing the burning down of the control unit.

U. S. Patent No. 4,922,224 discloses a device capable of avoiding the damage of the output device, such as a power transistor, due to incorrect wiring and a microcomputer program is designed so that only when the trigger device is triggered, the alarm will emit warning signal. The microcomputer in the above case at least includes first and second input ends and first and second output ends to control the movement of each portion through signals. Therefore, the wire installation thereof is quite difficult andan incorrect connection is apt to happen and thus a protecting device is required to protect the IC from burning down.

Therefore, a burglarproof device with simple wiring and which can be greatly enlarged is still needed.

It is therefore considered advantageous in the present invention to provide a vehicle-used burglarproof device including a multiplex microcomputer with calculation ability, which employs time-division multiplex processing and serial data transmission technique, through a power wire, a data and sensor bus and a ground wire, to receive the sensing signals sent from the sensors located over the vehicle and sends out corresponding control signals to command the controllers located over the vehicle.

It is also considered advantageous to provide the above device, which is designed with a closed loop, wherein unit A sends out a signal to unit B and after receiving the signal, unit B sends back a responding signal to unit A for self-detection.

It is also considered advantageous to provide the above device, wherein the controllers and sensors are connected in series or in parallel so that when enlarging the function, the number of the controllers or sensors can be increased or decreased without increasing or reducing the wires.

It is further considered advantageous to provide the above device, which can be mass produced to lower the cost.

The present invention is described in a serial pattern hereinafter. When changed into a parallel pattern, one only needs to change the data and sensor bus into a parallel bus.

The present invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: FIG. 1 is an arrangement diagram of the burglarproof system of this invention; FIG. 2 shows the procedure of self-detection of the control unit to the sensors of this invention; FIG. 3 shows the procedure of self-detection of the control unit to the controllers of this invention; and FIG. 4 and 5 show the flow chart of control unit in guarding module.

Please first refer to Fig. 1. The present invention includes a control unit U1 serving as a central processor, multiple controllers Cn and multiple sensors Sn, wherein the controllers Cn and sensors Sn are arranged in parallel pattern, and the control unit U1 is a multiplex microcomputer with calculating ability, having a liquid crystal display D1 for indicating proper data to inform the user which sensor Sn or controller Cn is disabled. The vehicle battery or suitable DC power source can provide the present system with power.The control unit U1 is connected to the controllers Cn and sensors Sn via three wires W1, W2 and W3, wherein W1 is a power source wire providing each controller or sensor with power, and W2 is a ground wire, while w3 is a data and sensor bus by means of which the data are transmitted in series or in parallel to control the terminal controllers Cn so that the central control unit U1 can send out commands to control the operation of the terminal elements of a vehicle (such as head light, door lock, etc.). The parallel terminal sensors Sn through the bus W2 transmits serial or parallel data to the control unit U1.

The microcomputer, central control unit U1, by means of its serial data output function puts the serial data on the data bus to command each terminal controller Cn, such as power lock/unlock controller C1, horn controller C2, etc. in time-division mulitplex principle. In case the serial data are power lock and power unlock signals, the central control lock will receive the two data in sequence and then decode the data to create lock and unlock two movements of the door lock so as to achieve the object of the lock/unlock control. The same manner is applied to the horn controller C2, parking light controller C3, head light controller C4, fog light controller C5 to respectively control the movements of horn, parking light, etc.

Because the computer can rapidly transmit different serial data, therefore the user will feel that these movements are performed at the same time.

For example, when the system goes into the guarding state, some movements will take place, such as flashing of head light, locking of the door, sounding of the horn, etc. The sequence of data transmission to the data bus in the central control unit U1 is as follows:

head light flashing & power locking > horn sounding > (delay) + head light off (delay) y horn cut.

With respect to the microcomputer, each thing is done in one unit time so that actually, these things are done separately. However, since they are completed at high speed, the user almost will not feel the interval between the movements.

As to each terminal sensor Sn, a specific call/answer type of detection manner is applied to judge if any sensor is disabled and inform the user which sensor is now disabled. As shown in Figs. 2 through 4, the operation manner is as follows: When going into the guarding state, the microcomputer individually sends out the inquiring codes of the sensors Sn. After the sensors Sn receive their inquiring codes, they will respectively send back their identifying codes to inform the control unit U1 if they are in normal state. If the control unit U1 does not receive the identifying code or receives a wrong identifying code, the display D1 of the control unit U1 will show the corresponding sensor to remind the user to replace the poor terminal sensor or make the poor sensor temporarily off line for taking proper action.

After going into the guarding state, if the sensors detect an intruding movement, they will transmit a "protecting request" signal to the data bus W2. When the central control unit U1 receives this signal, the system will go into protecting module and send out protecting signals to more terminal controllers Cn, such as the horn controller, head light controller, etc., and further send out "protecting answer" signal to the sensors Sn. In case the sensors do not receive the "protecting answer" signal, after a suitable time interval, the sensors Sn will again send out "protecting request" signals, as shown by the flow charts of Figs. 2 and 3, so as to perform the close loop burglar-proof function.

The usage and function of the present invention are described as follows: 1. When doing self-detection, the xth pin Lo key in the IC is first pressed down for eight seconds, and then the system will automatically go into the self detection module. The operation is as follows: (1) device test: At this time, the data and sensor bus W2 is under Lo potential (caused by design), and the control unit U1 emits a short sound to indicate the device is normal and the self-detection is starting. If a Hi potential exists in the data and sensor bus W2, this means that a terminal device fails. At this time, the control unit U1 emits three short sounds and the display D1 thereof flickers.At this time, the user can check the liquid crystal displays of the terminal devices to see which one is kept lighted and fails and should be replaced.

(2) power lock test: The control unit U1 sends out "power lock" code to the data and sensor bus W2, from which the power lock/unlock controller receives the code and decodes the same and send a signal to the electric lock for locking the door.

(3) horn controller test: The control unit sends "horn on" code to the data and sensor bus W2, from which the horn controller receives the code and decodes the same and produces a signal to control the sounding of the horn. After 0.5 second, the control unit U1 sends out a "horn off" signal to stop the horn from sounding.

(4) parking light test: The control unit U1 sends out a "parking light on" code and, after 0.5 second, further sends out a "parking light off" signal to the data and sensor bus W2, from which the parking light controller receives the signal and decodes the same to produce a signal, making the parking light flash once.

(5) head light controller test: The control unit sends out a "head light on" signal to the data and sensor bus W2 and, after 0.5 second, further sends out a "head light off" signal to the bus W2. The head light controller decodes the signal and produces a signal for the head light to light for 0.5 second.

(6) fog light controller test: The control unit sends out the "fog light on" serial data to the data and sensor bus W2, and after 0.5 second, further sends out a "fog light off" signal to the bus W2. The fog light controller decodes the signal and produces a signal for the fog light to light for 0.5 second.

(7) power window controller test: The control unit sends out a "power window on" serial signal to the data and sensor bus W2, and after 0.5 second, further sends out a "power window off" signal to the bus W2. The power window controller decodes the signal and produces a signal for the power window test light to light for 0.5 second.

(8) trunk release controller test: The control unit according to similar principle sends out corresponding on/off signals for testing object.

(9) ultrasonic sensor test: The control unit U1 sends out an inquiring code to the ultrasonic sensor and waits for a second.

The ultrasonic sensor should sends back an identifying code in one second after receiving the inquiring code. If there is no answer, the control unit U1 will again inquire. After three times of inquiring, the control unit will no more inquire and memorize the failing sensor and show the corresponding code on the liquid crystal display to inform the user.

The following sensors Sn are detected in the same manner and will not be further described.

2. The movements of going into the guarding and releasing the guarding: These movements pertain to the inner program design of a microcomputer and are well known, as shown by the flow chart in Fig. 4.

The present invention can be variously modified without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

1. A three-line type of vehicle burglarproof system, comprising a multiplex central control unit with calculation ability and multiple controllers and sensors located at each portion of a vehicle, characterized in that: said central control unit only employs a power source wire, a data and sensor bus and a ground wire, by means of time-division multiplex processing and serial data transmission technique, to receive the sensing signals sent from said multiple sensors and to send out corresponding control signals to command said multiple controllers, making the head light, door lock, window, etc. of the vehicle act.

2. A system as claimed in cliam 1, wherein the number of said controllers or sensors can be increased or decreased as necessary.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein when going into a guarding module, said central control unit individually sends out inquiring codes to each sensor, and said sensors send back identifying codes for detecting whether said sensors are normal and a liquid crystal display of said central control unit will indicate which sensor is abnormal, while if said sensors sense an intruding movement, they will send out a "protection request" signal to said data and sensor bus, and after receiving the signal, said central control unit will go into the protection module and send out the protection signal to more terminal controllers, such as a horn controller, a head light controller, etc. and further send out a "protection answer" signal to said sensors, and if said sensors do not receive the "protection answer" signal, after a suitable time interval, said sensors will again send out a "protection request" signal to achieve the closed loop burglarproof function.

4. A three-line type of vehicle burglarproof system substantially as herein described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.