GB2274347A - Remote operation of a vehicle security system - Google Patents

Abstract

The system for re-mobilising a vehicle 28 when the security system 26 is activated and the usual personal remote control device lost or damaged comprises a database 10 containing vehicle specific information, a telecommunications link 18, 22 via a service headquarters 16 to a service vehicle and a control device 24 or receiving a security code from the telecommunications links 18, 22 and transmitting it as a radio signal for de-activating the security system 26 and re-mobilising the vehicle 28. <IMAGE>

Description

REMOTE OPERATION OF A VEHICLE SLuniii r.

The present invention relates to the operation, and in particular disarming, of vehicle security systems in situations where the usual means of operating them, for example a personal remote control (PRC) such as an RF transmitter attached to a key ring, has been lost or is broken.

With the increasing effectiveness of vehicle security devices, and in particular engine immobilisation devices, there is a danger of a vehicle becoming temporarily unusable by its owner or driver due to loss of, or damage to, the usual operating means.

The operation of the system usually requires the use of a unique code specific to the vehicle and it is not desirable to make the code for a particular vehicle available to anyone, such as an employee of a recovery service, who could then use it or allow it to become known to a third party.

Accordngly the present invention provides a system for operating a vehicle security system comprising: storing means for storing a security code for a vehicle security system telecommunications link means for communicating the code and converting means for receiving the code from the telecommunications link means and converting it into a coded electromagnetic signal for operating the vehicle security system.

This can allow the code to be retrieved remotely from a secure storage system or database and used to operate the vehicle security system without it ever being made recognisable to the person operating the system.

The telecommunications link may comprise a cable telecommunications link or a radio telecommunications link or both. This allows the system operator to use a radio telephone in his vehicle to communicate with his headquarters, from where the cable telecommunications link can be used to retrieve the code. Alternatively the link could be direct between the storing means and the converting means.

The storing means may include access security means which may, for example, require the system operator to input vehicle specific information such as personal details of the vehicle owner or driver before the code is released.

This ensures that the system can only be used for a vehicle with the knowledge and assistance of the owner or driver.

The converting means may be arranged to receive an electrical signal directly from the telecommunications system. Alternatively an acoustic coupler or microphone may be used to convert an acoustic signal from the telecommunications system to an electrical signal which is then input to the converting means.

The converting means may include a memory for storing the code prior to its transmission. This enables the code to be sent repeatedly for a limited number of times once it has been receivea.

Preferably the converting means includes indicator means for indicating when the memory is full. This informs the system user that the code has been received properly and is ready to be used.

The converting means preferably includes user control means for controlling the transmission of the electromagnetic signal.

The converting means may also include timing means for monitoring the length of time the code is stored in memory. The converting means may be arranged to delete the code from memory after a pre-determined period. This prevents the code from being permanently stored in such a way that it can later be extracted from the system by the system operator or any other third party.

Some vehicle security systems, instead of having a single code, operate a rolling code system in which the code changes according to some algorithm on each operation.

For such systems, and other purposes, the storing means may be arranged to transmit to the converting means a series of codes for any one vehicle. The converting means can then transmit the codes individually as coded electromagnetc signals until the current code is reached and the security system operated.

The present invention also provides apparatus for operating a vehicle security system, the apparatus comprising input means for receiving a coded electrical signal from a telephone system, transmitting means for converting the electric signal to a coded electromagnetic signal, a memory for storing the code prior to its transmission and user controls for controlling the transmission.

The apparatus may comprise the converting means in a system according to the invention and may include any of the features thereof.

The present invention further provides a method of operating a vehicle security system, the method comprising the steps of: interrogating a storing means where a code is stored transmitting the code via a telecommunications link to a converting means converting the transmitted code to the form of a coded electromagnetic signal which can operate the vehicle security system.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a system according to the invention; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a control device of the system of figure 1; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic repreEentation of a control device of an alternative system; and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a security code used in a system according to the invention.

Referring to Figure 1 a system for operating a vehicle security system comprises storing means in the form of a database 10 in which are stored security codes for a large number of vehicles. The database is situated at a factory where the vehicles are produced. For each vehicle the vehicle identity number (VIN) and the unique security code are entered while the vehicle is at the factory. A factory to dealer telecommunications link 12 is provided which links one or more dealers 13 to the database 10.

When a vehicle is sold, details of the vehicle owner including his name, address and postcode are entered on the database 10 by the dealer 13.

The system is arranged so that the database 10 can be interrogated by a recovery service employee from his recovery vehicle 14 via his headquarters 16.

The headquarters 16 is connected to the database 10 via a standard cable telecommunications link 18 and a modem 20.

The recovery vehicle 14 has a radio telephone link with headquarters 16 comprising a standard radio telephone system 22.

The recovery vehicle 14 is equipped with an electronic control device 24 ror receiving the vehicle security code via the radio telephone link and converting it to a coded radio signal for operating a security system 26 on the vehicle 28.

Referring to Figure 2 the control device 24 comprises a decoder 30, a microprocessor 32 and transmitting means 34. The decoder is connected directly to the radio telephone system and receives the security code as a series of dial tones. It decodes this signal and outputs it as a coded series of pulses. The microprocessor contains sequencing and filtering logic and has a memory 36 for storing the pulse code, and an indicator in the form of an LED 37 is connected to the memory 36 to indicate when the memory is full.

The transmitting means 34 comprises an oscillator 38 for producing a UHF carrier signal, a modulator 40 for applying the coae to the carrier signal, a band pass filter 42 and an antenna 44 for transmitting the code as a radio frequency unlocking signal for operating the vehicle security system. A re-mobilisation switch 46 is connected to the modulator 40 and the microprocessor 32 for initiating the transmission of the unlocking signal.

A timer 47 is also connected to the microprocessor 32 and to a store switch 48.

The store switch initiates the storing of the code in the memory and also initiates the timer 47. After a set period from when the code is stored, the timer produces a signal which causes the microprocessor to delete the code from the memory 36. That period is long enough to allow for a reasonable number of transmissions of the code.

Operation of the system will now be described.

As described above, the database 10 has on it the VIN, security code and owner's name and postcode. Access to the database 10 is via the modem 20 and the database is protected, requiring an authorisation code to be entered via the modem before a user can access the information held.

When a vehicle driver wishes to gain access to or re-mobilise his vehicle but cannot use his normal code transmitter he telephones the recovery service who send a recovery agent to his assistance in the recovery vehicle 14. The recovery agent then obtains from the driver his name, address and postcode and checks the vehicle registration number and VIN. He then contacts his headquarters 16 via his radio telephone system 22 and gives the information to them. The headquarters 16 accesses the database 10 via the telecommunications link 18 and modem 20 by providing the required authorisation code. The headquarters then inputs the driver's name, address and postcode and vehicle registration number and VIN, and connects the database to the agent's radio telephone.

When it has received all the vehicle specific information the database sends out the security code which is communicated via the headquarters to database link 18 and the radio telephone link 22 to the recovery vehicle 14.

The security code is sent several times in succession from the database 10. The control device 24, receives the code directly from the radio telephone system to which it is electrically connected and after it has been decoded to a pulsed signal by the decoder 30 it enters the microprocessor 32 and is stored in the memory 36. The repeated code is continuously entered in the memory 36 until the memory is full and the LED 38 is illuminated.

The recovery agent ensures that his recovery vehicle 14 is close enough to the vehicle 28 to enable re-mobilisation, and then activates the microprocessor to send the repeated code signal stored in the memory 36 to the modulater 40 where it is combined with the carrier signal produced by the oscillator 38. The coded signal is then passed through the band pass filter 42 and transmitted by the aerial 44. When the vehicle security system 26 receives the coded signal it re-mobilises the vehicle and unlocks it.

Referring to Figure 3 the control device 50 of a second embodiment of the invention includes an acoustic coupler 52 for receiving an acoustic signal from the handset 54 of the radio telephone system 22 and converting it back to a coded electrical signal, and a pre-amplifier 55 for amplifying the signal before it is fed to a decoder 56.

In other respects the second embodiment of the invention is the same as the first.

The systems described above are suitable for operating a vehicle security system which has a single permanent code. However security systems are known in which the code used changes according to a set algorithm each time it is used.

If the number of permutations of the code for any one vehicle is quite low, then in order for the system to be operated remotely the database can have stored on it all the possible permutations. These can be transmitted sequentially to the control device in the recovery vehicle and stored in memory, and then transmitted sequentially to the security system until the current code is reached and the security sytem de-activated.

If there are a large number of permutations of the code produced by the PRC it is desirable to enable the security device to distinguish between codes sent by the PRC and a code sent remotely via the control device.

To enable this to be done the normal code can be made up of three sections as shown in Figure 4. The first section 54 comprises a rolling code portion which changes each time the PRC is used according to an algorithm which is also followed by the security sytem.

The second section 56 is a vehicle code which is specific to the vehicle and remains constant. The third section 58 identifies which of several PRCs and the control device is sending the code.

The security system control unit keeps a separate rolling code in memory for each PRC and one for the control device of the remote re-mobilisation system. The database which holds the codes for remote re-mobilisation can then be programmed to change the code according to the same algorithm as the vehicle security system and the security system can remain synchronised with the database as well as the PRCs.

Claims (31)

1. A system for operating a vehicle security system comprising: storing means for storing a security code for a vehicle security system telecommunications link means for communicating the code and converting means for receiving the code from the telecommunications link means and converting it into coded electromagnetic signal for operating the vehicle security system.

2. A system acording to Claim 1 wherein the telecommunications link means comprises a cable telecommunications link and a radio telecommunications link.

3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the storing means includes access security means.

4. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the storing means contains vehicle specific information and is arranged to release the code only upon receiving the vehicle specific information.

5. A system according to any foregoing claim further comprising acoustic modem means for receiving an acoustic signal from a telephone system, and converting it to an electrical signal for inputting to the converting means.

6. A system according to any foregoing claim wherein the converting means includes aerial means for transmitting the electromagnetic signal.

7. A system according to any foregoing claim wherein the converting means includes a memory for storing the code prior to its transmission.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein the converting means includes indicator means for indicating when the memory is full.

9. A system according to claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the converting means includes a timing means for monitoring the length of time the code is stored in memory.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein the converting means is arranged to delete the code from the memory after a pre-determined period.

11. A system according to any foregoing claim wherein the storing means is arranged to communicate to the converting means a series of codes for any one vehicle.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein the converting means is arranged to convert the codes individually to coded electromagnetic signals.

13. A system according to any foregoing claim wherein the converting means includes user control means for controlling the transmissions of the coded electromagnetic signal(s).

14. A system according to any foregoing claim wherein the electromagnetic signal is a radio frequency signal.

15. Apparatus for operating a vehicle security system, the apparatus comprising input means for receiving a coded electrical signal from a telephone system, transmitting means for converting the electric signal to a coded elelctromagnetic signal, a memory for storing the code prior to its transmission and user controls for controlling the transmission.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 further comprising indicator means for indicating when the memory is full.

17. Apparatus according to Claim 15 or claim 16 wherein the apparatus includes a timing means for monitoring the length of time the code is stored in memory.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the converting means is arranged to delete the code from the memory after a pre-determined period.

19. A method of operating a vehicle security system, the method comprising the steps of: interrogating a storing means where a code is stored transmitting the code via a telecommunications link to a converting means converting the transmitted coae to the form of a code electromagnetic signal which can operate the vehicle security system.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein the code is transmitted via a cable telecommunications link and a radio telecommunications link.

21. A method according to claim 19 or claim 20 wherein the interrogating step includes inputting vehicle specific information to the storing means.

22. A method according to any one of claims 19 to 21 wherein the converting step includes converting an acoustic signal to an electrical signal using acoustic modem means.

23. A methoa according to any one of claims 19 to 22 wherein the method includes the controlling by a user of the transmissions of the coded electromagnetic signal.

24. A method according to any one of claims 19 to 23 including storing the code in memory after its transmission via the telecommunications link'and prior to its transmission in the form of any electromagnetic signal.

25. A method according to any one of clams 19 to 24 including the step of monitoring the length of time the code is stored in memory.

26. A method according to claim 25 including the step of deleting the code from memory after a pre-determined period.

27. A method according to claim 25 or claim 26 wherein a plurality of codes are stored for a single vehicle and the codes are all transmitted to the converting means in a single operation.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein the codes are converted to electromagnetic signals individually.

29. A system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

30. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

31. A method of operating a vehicle security system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.