GB2340883A

GB2340883A - Vehicle theft prevention system

Info

Publication number: GB2340883A
Application number: GB9918933A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Warren Snook; Stephen Rowntree; Paul Charles Henry Bonner
Original assignee: SECURITY INTERFACE Ltd
Current assignee: SECURITY INTERFACE Ltd
Priority date: 1998-08-19
Filing date: 1999-08-12
Publication date: 2000-03-01
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-12
Also published as: GB9918933D0; GB9817958D0; GB2340883B

Abstract

A vehicle theft prevention system is disclosed comprising a detector which alerts the system to a change in driver of the vehicle and which is connected within the existing electrical system of the vehicle. The system also comprises a reset switch which must be pressed within a predetermined time period after a new driver enters the vehicle and assumes the driving position to disarm the system. Failure to disarm the system results in the gradual diminution of power to the engine of the vehicle after said vehicle is driven away, preferably by reducing the electrical current supplied to or voltage applied to the electrical fuel pump of the vehicle. The system is ideally hard-wired into the existing electrical system of the vehicle, and optionally the electrical circuits of the vehicle which supply power to the horn and/or external indicator lights or brake lights. In this manner, as the vehicle slows as its power is diminished, an audible and/or visible alarm signal can be provided to draw attention to the possibility that the vehicle is being stolen.

Description

2340883 Vehicle Theft Prevention Device and Method This invention relates

to a device and method for preventing the theft of motor vehicles, and more particularly to a device and method for preventing vehicle thieves from travelling any substantial distance in the vehicle after it has been stolen, or has been hijacked from an owner after a so-called "car-jacking" incident has occurred.

The following description is provided with almost exclusive reference to cars, but it will be appreciated that the invention has application to any type of motorised vehicles. Furthermore, although the devices discussed hereinbelow are of particular use in high value and desirable cars, it is foreseeable that the device according to the invention may ultimately be installed in any car.

Vehicle insurers, especially those insurers who insure high value and desirable cars such as cabriolets, so-called "hot-hatch" cars having powerful engines and being of hatchback configuration, and prestige vehicles, are keen to ensure that a thief of these types of vehicle cannot travel any significant distance in the vehicle after it has been stolen. This is because insurers are concerned both to prevent engine of the car from being driven almost to destruction by the thieves and also to prevent the car from being destroyed or seriously damaged by the thieves, either as a result of their usually dangerous driving or their desire to damage and/or destroy the car after driving said car.

Vehicle thieves use a variety of different methods. For instance, a window of the car may be easily broken with a brick or the like, and the ignition barrel can be removed from the steering column or dashboard of the vehicle or wherever else it may be installed. Once the ignition barrel has been removed, a simple wiring connection 2 may be made to start the vehicle. Alternatively, a vehicle may be hijacked from an owner seated behind the wheel of a stationary or slowly moving vehicle. Recent statistics indicate a concerning increase in the trend of so-called "car-jacking", and as such carJacking is often committed by an armed thief threatening the owner of the vehicle with violence or the possibility of being shot at if the thief is armed with a gun, the owner is left with no option but to relinquish the vehicle to the thief.

Factory fitted immobilisers, alarms and other security devices only marginally alleviate the problem of vehicle theft because of the identical nature of factory fitted items. It is thus possible for a thief to steal any type of car with a factory fitted protection device if the thief has information concerning that particular device and how it is removed or disarmed. It will be appreciated that this information may easily be communicated between thieves, and furthermore, depending on the security policy of a particular vehicle manufacturing company, it may be possible for a thief to steal any vehicle in a particular range if identical security devices are fitted to the entire range by the manufacturer.

A yet further method by which vehicles are now being stolen is the theft of the keys of the vehicle from its owner's house. Thieves realise that many modern cars are fitted with security devices which are not easily removed or removed according to a known method but which are simply deactivated by using the car's keys to start the ignition and/or open the car.

British vehicle theft rates are among the worst in Europe, and as it would appear that cars are always desirable targets for thieves and will therefore always be stolen, an effective vehicle protection system is required to ensure that if a car is stolen, then the thief is prevented from driving the vehicle for any substantial distance.

3 Such a system is currently available from a company called Clifford Electronics, and prevents any person from driving the vehicle in which the system is fitted by breaking the firing circuit providing electric current to the spark plugs of the car unless within a predetermined time of the vehicle doors closing and subsequent movement of the car being detected, a hidden switch or button is activated by the driver.

This system, and others like it currently available are generally crude in that in any vehicle theft, the vehicle is usually driven at high speed and acceleration from the point where the theft occurred and a break in the firing circuit effectively removes all power from the engine as the spark plugs simply do not fire, no combustion is achieved in the engine. Together with the rapid and accordingly dangerous deceleration which is experienced after a total power loss from the engine, many of the functions of the car which require the power of the engine and its electric circuits are also rendered dysfunctional. For example, the power steering and power assisted braking with which a car may be provided derive their power from the engine and therefore do not function when engine power is cut. The disorientating effect of instantaneous power loss from the engine and all the functions of a vehicle on a driver may prove exceedingly dangerous and a loss of control of the vehicle may result, especially when the driver may be a thief of relatively little driving inexperience or a youth. The danger of this scenario to other vehicles and their drivers in the proximity of the stolen vehicle when the power loss event occurs will be readily appreciated.

A yet further disadvantage of currently available vehicle protection systems is that the pistons within the engine of the vehicle continue to turn after the firing circuit has been broken. Henceforth, the petrol/air combustion mixture, which combusts on ignition and 4 powers the engine, continues to be drawn into the cylinders which are hot from recent combustions, and the petrol may partially carbonise internally of the cylinder causing clogging of the valve ports of the cylinder and possibly caking of the cylinder walls. A reduction in engine efficiency may result when the engine is subsequently started, and in extreme circumstances, physical damage to the engine may result from any prolonged period during which the engine turns over without ignition of the combustion mixture by the spark plugs.

A further consideration is the damage that may be caused to the catalytic converter by exhaust gases which issue from the cylinders during that period when the engine is turning over but no spark is supplied to the combustion mixture inside the cylinders. Catalytic converters in motor vehicles are notoriously expensive items to replace, and therefore a vehicle protection system which prevents damage thereto would be of advantage.

The system described above and other systems currently available on the market are further disadvantaged in that if the vehicle is to be serviced or otherwise repaired, then it is necessary for the owner to indicate to the garage, workshop or the like the location of the hidden system deactivation device in order for the personnel of the garage or workshop to manoeuvre the vehicle. It will be appreciated that it is in the owners interest to minimise the number of people who are aware of the location of said switch. Furthermore, in the event that the vehicle is a highly desirable or particularly powerful car, the owner is also desirous of preventing said personnel from driving the vehicle before the owner returns to the garage or workshop to retrieve the vehicle. There is no vehicle protection system currently available or operable in such a manner that the location of the deactivation device need not be disclosed in these circumstances.

It is an object of this invention to provide a vehicle theft prevention system which mitigates the above disadvantages and provides greater flexibility in the control of the car, and also provides additional features such as the facility for permitting personnel to manoeuvre the vehicle short distances for the purposes of repair or servicing.

According to the invention, there is provided a protection system for a vehicle with an engine, said system being activated and/or deactivated by means of a user operable switch or the like usually in a hidden location within the vehicle, said system being further provided with detection means coupled to a part of the vehicle which necessarily moves as a result of a change in driver of the vehicle, said system being activated when such change is detected and subsequently deactivated on operation of said user operable switch or the like, characterised in that in its activated state, the system allows the car to be driven but reduces the power supplied by the engine over a predetermined period of time.

Preferably, the system interacts with fuel supply means of the vehicle such that the quantity of fuel supplied to the engine is reduced over said time period.

The reduction in fuel supplied to the engine results in a loss of power produced thereby and a concomitant slowing of the vehicle without instantaneous loss of the functions of the vehicle, such as powerassisted steering and braking, which derive their power from the engine.

Further preferably the system is electrical and reduces the electrical power supply to the fuel supply means.

6 It is preferable that the fuel supply means is a fuel pump, and it Is also preferable that the system is connected in series in the electrical circuit within the vehicle which supplies electrical current to said fuel pump.

It is further preferable that the detection means of the system detects the opening and closing of a door of the vehicle, preferably the driver side door of the vehicle. However, it should be appreciated that the detection means may detect the motion or pressure applied to another part of the vehicle which would necessarily move or have pressure applied thereto during a change in driver of the said vehicle. An example could include the provision of a pressure detector in the seat of the vehicle which would reset the system on the vacation of the seat by a driver, or alternatively a detection of the movement of the door handle could reset the system. Further examples will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be pointed out that the invention is not limited to the particular location or type of the detection means.

Most preferably, the system provides a visible and/or audible warning to other road users in the proximity of the vehicle in which the system is installed during the said predetermined time period in which engine power is reduced, or thereafter when the vehicle has been brought to a standstill.

It is most preferable that the system interacts with the electrical circuit by which the indicators of the vehicle are powered to provide said visible warning. Alternatively and/or additionally the brake lights may be illuminated during said predetermined time period or thereafter, or a further warning light may be illuminated.

7 The system may interact either with the electrical circuit by which the horn of the vehicle is powered such that the horn may be sounded during the said predetermined time period or thereafter.

It will be appreciated from the above that the system according to the invention provides a refined vehicle protection system which allows a thief to steal a car with the minimum of damage to the vehicle, while nevertheless preventing the thief from travelling any significant distance in the vehicle and further preventing said thief from travelling any distance in the vehicle once it has been brought to a standstill by said system.

Additionally, the vehicle is brought to a standstill by the system in a safe and effective manner without significant danger to other road users and without instantaneous loss of the vehicle functions as described above.

The operation of the system according to the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying Figure which shows the electrical connection of the system according to the invention within a portion of an electrical circuit of a vehicle.

The Figure shows the positive portion of an electrical circuit generally indicated at 2. In a typical vehicle, this circuit is driven at 12 Volts and circuit elements include an engine management system 4 electrically connected to a plurality of fuel injectors 6 generally corresponding to the number of cylinders within the engine of the vehicle, a 15 Amp fuse 8. A vehicle protection system 10 according to the invention interrupts this portion of the circuit such that the current within the circuit may be reduced thereby.

8 The circuit extends to a fuel pump (not shown) which is connected after point 12 in the circuit.

Ideally, the vehicle protection system 10 is encased in a black powder coated steel box in a concealed location in the vehicle which is difficult for a thief to access, and furthermore the electrical connections which are made to the system are preferably by black thin wall automotive cable manufactured in accordance with the following specifications:

IS06722 part 4, BS AU 255 part 2, Ford of Europe product engineering standard no. SL100.01A October 1985.

The use of such cable, which is generally identical in colour and gauge to much of the electrical cabling within a vehicle renders disconnection of the system almost impossible to thieves.

Within the system 10, two four-pin relays, one of which is shown at 14 are provided which are selectively operable to switch into the electrical circuit further current limiting circuits (not shown) within the system 10.

In its most preferable operation the system effectively reduces the amount of fuel released by the injectors 6 into the cylinders of the vehicle engine and also concomitantly reduces the supply of fuel to said injectors by said fuel pump. This results in smooth deceleration of the vehicle. The system firstly reduces the fuel supplied by the injectors 6 to 50% of that supplied under normal operating conditions, thence to 40%, thence to 30%, and finally to 20%. It should be pointed out that many vehicles stall at fuel supply levels of lower than 20% of that supplied under normal operating conditions.

9 It will be appreciated that either a stepped reduction as described above, or an infinitesimal reduction in fuel supply may be implemented by the system 10, depending on the control circuitry provided therein. It should also be appreciated that the electric firing circuit of the vehicle engine is not affected in any way by the system according to the invention. Henceforth, the spark plugs continue to fire., combustion continues within the cylinders, and the engine continues to develop power, albeit reduced according to the fuel supply.

The system is further provided with electrical connections 16 to a detection device ideally attached to the driver side door (not shown) of the vehicle to detect when said door is opened. The system is further provided with electrical connections 18 to an activation/ deactivation button (also not shown) in a location within the cabin of the vehicle known only to the driver thereof.

Connections of the system to other functions of the vehicle such as the indicator circuit and horn circuit are not shown for the purposes of clarity, but it will be appreciated that such connections and the control of such functions by the system 10 are simple, and do not merit description here.

The activation and deactivation of the system is described as follows:

The detection device sends a reset signal along connections 16 to the system 10 each time the driver side door of the vehicle is opened. This reset signal activates the system which thus requires deactivation prior to the car being driven to prevent the power reduction cycle described above from being implemented by the system.

The system may additionally power a light emitting diode (LED) device 22 through connections 20, said LED being located within the cabin of the vehicle so as to be viewable by a driver thereof. The LED indicates the particular status of the system 10.

When a driver, whether a thief or otherwise, enters the vehicle and closes the door, the system may only be deactivated by depressing the brake pedal of the vehicle, which action is signalled to the system 10 through connections 24 which are attached to a sensing device (not shown).

Once the brake pedal of the vehicle is depressed with the LED 22 in its illuminated state, the user may depress the activation /deactivation button to deactivate the system. Once this occurs, the LED is extinguished and the car me be driven without interference from the system.

If however, the car is driven without first performing the deactivation sequence described above, the system may cause the LED flash intermittently, the indicators of the care may flash three times, and/or the vehicle horn may issue three blasts to warn the driver to deactivate the system. If the system is not deactivated within a certain time, typically 20s from the occurrence of these events, then the system automatically executes the power reduction cycle described above.

It is to be appreciated that the particular sequence of events may be altered without exceeding the scope of the invention.

The system may also be provided with circuitry allowing for semipermanent deactivation thereof, for example for a period of 36 hours to allow for servicing or repair of the vehicle without the need to inform those working on the vehicle of the location of the activation /deactivation button.

An example event sequence for semi-permanently deactivating the system is now described.

A driver enters the car by the driver's side door and closes same. The said driver turns the ignition key providing power to electrical circuits within the car, depresses the brake pedal, and presses the hidden button. These steps are identical to those used in conventional deactivation of the system.

To semi-permanently deactivate the system, the driver then turns off the ignition without opening the driver's side door, and then presses the activation /deactivation button for a 5 second or similar period whereupon the horn may sound to indicate the semipermanent deactivation of the system. This mode of operation of the system may also be termed "Intelligent Valet Mode".

While the system is semi-permanently deactivated, the vehicle may not be driven for a continuous period exceeding 20 minutes, whereafter the system reverts to convention operation and the vehicle engine power reduction cycle will be implemented. Henceforth, testing of the vehicle may be allowed after servicing or repair, but those working on the car are prevented from travelling in the vehicle for any significant distance.

Although the system is semi-permanently deactivated, the system continues to monitor the vehicle functions. Furthermore, the system may also monitor the driving style such that if the system considers that the engine is working particularly hard, the power reduction cycle may be implemented. This prevents persons from travelling at excessive speeds in the vehicle in the absence of the owner.

12 A further feature of the system's that once the power reduction cycle has been implemented and the vehicle has been brought to a standstill, the system cannot be deactivated for a further 10 minutes. Additionally, each further press of the activation/ deactivation button during this time resets a counter, so it is necessary to wait for a further 10 minutes before deactivating the system. During this time, the system may cause the indicators of the vehicle to flash, and the horn (or other sound emission means) to sound, thus drawing the attraction of other road users which may include the police to the vehicle. Furthermore, even if a thief located the hidden activation/ deactivation button, it is most unlikely that he will be aware of or understand the procedure which must be followed if the system is to be deactivated. The time period allows time for either the public to alert the police, and then for the police to attend.

1 13

Claims

1. A protection system for a vehicle with an engine, said system being activated and/or deactivated by means of a user operable switch or the like usually in a hidden location within the vehicle, said system being further provided with detection means coupled to a part of the vehicle which necessarily moves as a result of a change in driver of the vehicle, said system being activated when such change is detected and subsequently deactivated on operation of said user operable switch or the like, characterised in that in its activated state, the system initially allows the car to be driven but reduces the power supplied by the engine over a predetermined period of time.

2. A system as described in claim 1 characterised in that the system interacts with fuel supply means of the vehicle such that the quantity of fuel supplied to the engine is reduced over said time period.

3. A system as described in claim 2 characterised in that the system is electrical and reduces the electrical power supply to the fuel supply means.

4. A system as described in claims 2 or 3 characterised in that the fuel supply means is a fuel pump.

5. -A system as described in any of claims 2, 3, or 4 characterised in that the system is connected in series with the electrical circuit within the vehicle which supplies electrical current to said fuel supply means.

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6. A system as described in any of the preceding claims characterised in that that the detection means of the system detects the opening and closing of a door of the vehicle

7. A system as described in claim 6 characterised in that the system detects the opening and closing of the driver side door of the vehicle.

8. A system as described in any of claims 1-5 characterised in that the detection means comprises a pressure detector in a driving seat of the vehicle.

9. A system as described in any of claims 1-5 characterised in that the detection means comprises a door or door handle motion detector.

10. A system as described in any of the preceding claims characterised in that the system provides a visible and/or audible warning to other road users in the proximity of the vehicle in which the system is installed during the said predetermined time period in which engine power is reduced.

11. A system as described in claim 10 characterised in that the system interacts with the electrical circuit by which external indicators lights of the vehicle are powered to provide said visible warning.

12. A system as described in claim 10 or 11 characterised in that the system interacts with the electrical circuit by which external brake lights of the vehicle are powered to provide said visible warning.

1

13. A system as described in claims 10, 11 or 12 characterised in that the system interacts with the electrical circuit by which the horn of the vehicle is powered such that the horn may be sounded during the said predetermined time period or thereafter.