RU2204497C1 - Device to control operation of vehicle unauthorized use prevention system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport engineering; antitheft systems. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to systems protecting vehicles from unauthorized use. Device contains ignition switch with connector for connection with electrical equipment of vehicle, transponder in form of transponder card, unit of interrogation and information reading from transponder, command shaping unit to control functional and service members of vehicle and alarm signaling devices. Ignition switch is made in form of printed circuit boards with electronic components and guides for driving in, fixing and shifting transponder parallel to board. Relays are connected to connector by wire bundle. Spring stop limits movement of transponder card. Limit switches operate in steps as card is shifted along holder. First of said switches cuts in/cuts out service members, second one switches on ignition system and third one, engine starting system. Invention provides enlarged functional capabilities as compared with known devices and improved comfort and services for vehicle users and control of conditions of vehicle sets. EFFECT: enlarged operating capabilities. 3 cl, 4 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to techniques for protecting a vehicle (TS) from unauthorized use and is intended to control ignition systems and protect a vehicle with additional service capabilities for managing the functional organs of the vehicle.

 Recently, systems for protecting vehicles from unauthorized use using active and passive transponder cards (TCs) have been widely used, with the help of which remote control of the components of a particular protection system is carried out, as well as the management of various functional organs of the vehicle, including the immobilizer and ignition system.

 So, systems based on the remote (wireless) question-answer dialogue between one or more TCs located at the user’s place and digitally stored encoded information in the digital memory and a block for interrogating and reading code information from the TCs are known. As a result of this dialogue, the user is provided with access to the vehicle and normal operation of the latter (DE 19809624, 60 R 25/00, 05.27.99; DE 19818263, 60 R 25/00, 10.28.99; US 5905444, H 04 Q 1 / 00, 05/18/99; WO 99/28169 B 60 R 25/00, 06/10/99; RU 2098297, B 60 R 25/00, 12/10/97; RU 2123441, B 60 R 25/00, 12/20/98; EP 0926021, B 60 R 25/00, 06/30/99).

 The disadvantage of the above protection systems is their limited functional capabilities, which are manifested in separately implemented in different designs the functions of permitting / denying access to the vehicle, blocking / unlocking the engine, starting / removing alarms, notifications of hijacking attempts, etc. in the absence of the possibility of comprehensive protection against unauthorized access to the vehicle with the simultaneous use of several functions.

 The expansion of the functionality of protection systems of this type and enhancing the protection of vehicles is provided in the protection system according to patent RU 2160675, 60 R 25/00, 20.12.2001, which contains a control unit installed on the vehicle and a unit for interrogating and reading commands connected to it, a unit code entry, pager, memory node, status sensors, nodes of sound and light alarm, nodes for blocking and unlocking immobilizer and other functional bodies, timer and mode indicator, as well as a TC located at the owner of the vehicle nnuyu for setting system for removing the protection modes, full protection, the protection with the engine running, Auto arming, remote radio warning, maintenance or programming when making it into the identification zone.

 Various options for methods and systems for protecting the vehicle against unauthorized use are implemented in mass-produced automotive security complexes. Information about the car security and anti-theft systems issued by the applicant enterprise and the TCs used in them (such as TIRIS and EM Marin) are given in the annually updated catalog of the applicant enterprise (ALTONIKA Automotive Security Systems, Catalog 2002).

 It should be noted that, despite the complex nature of the protective measures used in these systems, all of them are potentially vulnerable due to the presence of a permanent radiation field created by the polling and reading unit of information from the TC. On the one hand, a relatively large coverage area (transponders can be located at distances of up to 2-2.5 m from the polling and information reading unit) is convenient because it allows the user not to remove the transponder from his clothing pocket during identification by his security complex. However, on the other hand, this allows an attacker to intercept the request signal emitted by the polling and information reading unit of the security complex while outside the vehicle and simulate the response signal of the transponder.

 Consider how a vehicle theft can be carried out with a security system installed on it using this technique. The hijacking technique is designed to select a point in time when the user temporarily leaves the vehicle, heading, for example, to the store. The vehicle is guarded, the temporary removal of which is possible only when a complete transponder is inserted into the coverage area of the polling and reading unit, which is part of the security complex.

 One of the attackers can be located near the vehicle, and the other can establish surveillance of the user. For definiteness, we call an attacker located near the vehicle “the hijacker,” and who has set up surveillance of the user as an “accomplice.” The hijacker and accomplice may carry a transceiver with them. A set of the two indicated transceivers will hereinafter be called a radio extension for brevity. The hijacker places its transceiver in the communication area of the polling and reading unit from the transponder. The hijacker's transceiver receives the request signal of this unit, transfers it to the high-frequency carrier and sends it to the accomplice's transceiver. The accomplice transceiver forms an inductive coupling zone around its antenna. When the complete transponder of the user of the vehicle gets into it, it answers the received request. The response of the transponder is received by the accomplice transceiver, transfers it to the high-frequency carrier and sends it to the hijacker transceiver. In turn, the hijacker transceiver sends a response signal to the polling and information reading unit, which repeats the signal that was issued by the complete transponder. As a result, the expected response to the request, upon which the vehicle is temporarily disarmed, comes to the polling and reading unit. The hijacker enters the vehicle and instructs the security complex to enter the mode corresponding to the vehicle maintenance. After that, the hijacker can turn off the command via the paging network (otherwise, when the user detects the hijacking, he can turn on the vehicle engine lock via the paging network, which can only be disabled through the paging network). To combat the issuance of commands via the paging network, the hijacker only needs to mechanically disconnect the receiver (or transceiver) of the paging connection from the rest of the security complex. After that, the vehicle is completely under the control of the hijacker.

 Vehicle insecurity in such situations is a significant drawback of existing and developing security systems.

 To eliminate this drawback in the known method of preventing unauthorized use of the vehicle, according to which the security and anti-theft parts of the vehicle protection system are remotely controlled using complete tags (transponders) located in the clothes or on the body of the users, the information reading unit and the master tag are permanently installed on the vehicle moreover, preliminary information on the configuration and settings of the vehicle protection system is recorded in the permanent memory of the master tag, complete tag codes to control locking and unlocking the engine of the vehicle, setting service functions, parameters of the paging channel providing remote notification of unauthorized exposure to the vehicle, priority of commands transmitted by various complete tags and using the paging channel transceiver, place the master tag in the coverage area information reading unit and rewrite information from it into control units of the security and anti-theft parts of the protection system, respectively TS, and to make changes to the operating modes of the TS protection system, the contents of the master tag are changed and the updated information is read using the information block from the master tag, some of the complete tags are blocked, with the highest priority in terms of issuing engine blocking and notification commands about unauthorized exposure to the vehicle, while when the blocking mark is in the coverage area of the information reading unit, the blocking mark is placed in the shielding enclosure that prevents the receipt of request signals from the information reading unit, and when the blocking tag is outside the zone of interaction of the information reading unit with the complete tags, it is released from the shielding and placed in the immediate vicinity of the complete tag, for example, in clothing or on the user's body.

 The disadvantage of this kind of technical solutions is the need to perform additional manual manipulations with two (instead of one) TCs.

Other technical solutions include reducing (to millimeters) the distance between the transponder and the antenna of the polling and reading unit, for example, by embedding the transponder in the ignition key. Naturally, the use of a radio extension in this case is impossible, and the user identification operation is carried out together with the ignition on. Based on this principle, the technical solutions are described in the patents EP 0926022, 60 R 25/04, 09/12/97, US 6191703, G 08 C, 02.20.2001. The last one is selected as a prototype of the present invention. The system for remote control of the functional organs of the vehicle described in it contains means for remote control of service functions, including:
- transmitting means for transmitting signals containing request commands for performing certain service functions, and receivers for receiving said request commands and generating corresponding service function control commands;
- sensors to indicate the location of the transmitting means in the coverage area of the specified sensor;
- blocking means for blocking the aforementioned control commands in response to information that the given transmitting means is in the range of the sensor to determine the location of the transmitting device.

 In this case, the transmitting means and the transponder are built into the ignition key, and the sensor for determining the location of the transmitting means in the range of the specified sensor is located inside the ignition, the vehicle is equipped with means for blocking the engine, which do not allow the engine to be started until an unlock command is received engine, the transponder emits a signal with the individual code of the given user of the vehicle in response to the request signal, and the sensor for determining the location of the transmitting means includes a medium CTBA for identifying the individual user code and inductor serving to transmit a request signal and reception of the transponder response signal comprising a unique code of the vehicle user. In addition, the remote control means comprise an engine blocking / unlocking remote control means, and the engine blocking means include means that impede the operation of the aforementioned engine blocking / unlocking remote controls if they receive certain commands.

 The process of identifying the user of the vehicle occurs automatically when the user is inside the vehicle and inserts the ignition key into the well of the ignition switch. At the same time, the transponder interacts with the polling and information reading unit, which eliminates the possibility of intruders using a radio extension. Moreover, this is achieved not due to additional manual manipulations with the TC, but due to the combination of the engine starting mechanisms and vehicle user identification in a single design.

 However, it cannot be said that in this case the possibilities of creating the most comfortable conditions for the user of the vehicle and increasing the effectiveness of protecting the vehicle from unauthorized use are exhausted.

The fact is that the method described above and the constructive solutions implementing it provide for the presence of two types of key movement:
- progressive - with the introduction of the key plate (or cylinder) into the borehole of the ignition switch;
- rotational - when the ignition is turned on and the engine is started.

 It is more convenient for the user when operations to identify the user, turn on the functional organs of the vehicle and start the engine would be carried out in the process of a single translational movement of the element acting as a key relative to the ignition switch.

 Another disadvantage of the technical solution described above is associated with limited capabilities for controlling the security, anti-theft and service functions of the vehicle when using the standard design of the ignition switch.

 Significantly great opportunities are possessed by electronic "keys" made in the form of a plastic card or a plastic "petal". Currently, the applicant company sells TIRIS (Texas Instuments) plastic transponder cards on the security systems market with a code reading range of up to 0.6 m, EM Marin cards with a code reading range of up to 0.18 m and transponders in the form of a plastic “petal” EM Marin with a reading range of up to 0.12 m.

All of these transponders have a unique identification code with the number of code options exceeding 5 • 10 ¹¹ (2 • 10 ¹⁹ in the TIRIS card) and do not require autonomous power sources for their operation. Along with its main purpose (working as electronic "keys"), these transponders can be used as an external long-term storage device (DZU), in which useful information can be recorded:
- about the owner;
- about periods of maintenance;
- about restrictions on mileage, etc.

 The necessary information can be quickly read from the card using manual readers at the traffic police duty posts and customs control points.

 TC can also be used as an electronic service book with the ability to overwrite information. Currently, EM Marin electronic books with the ability to overwrite information up to 16 K (1 page of text), the cost of which is 3-4 US dollars, are mass-produced.

 The introduction of such electronic “books” is a prerequisite for the practical implementation of the requirements of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, providing for the introduction of a digital tachograph and a driver's plastic card in the European Union (EU) (Council Regulation of 09.24.1998 2135/98, document TRANS / SC. 1 / 1999/5). By order of the Ministry of Transport of Russia dated 08.01.1007 2 (Clause 5.4), equipment is provided for the indicated components of buses used on international routes.

 In view of the foregoing, the object of the present invention is to: expand the functionality of the class of systems that protect the vehicle from unauthorized use, create more comfortable conditions for users of the vehicle, provide more objective control over the state of the units of the vehicle, and more efficient use of service capabilities. This is achieved by using the above advantages of plastic shopping malls.

 This problem is solved due to the fact that in a known device containing an ignition lock with a holder for the ignition key and a standard connector for connecting to a vehicle’s electrical equipment, a transponder, a polling and reading unit with an inductor for two-way communication with a transponder, a unit for generating functional control commands vehicle authorities, including immobilizer and bodies providing service capabilities, and alarm equipment, lock burning is made in the form of a printed circuit board, on the surface of which there is a holder for insertion, fixing and translational movement of the transponder, made in the form of a transponder card, and electronic components that provide the generation of polling signals and read information from the transponder card, user identification, the formation of functional control commands a vehicle, in particular, an immobilizer and bodies providing service capabilities, and control of alarm alarm, as well as power relays that are connected using a wiring harness to a standard connector for connecting to the vehicle’s electrical equipment, a spring stopper that limits the translational movement of the transponder card, and three limit switches that operate in series as the transponder card moves along the holder parallel to the surface of the printed circuit boards, while the first limit switch is configured to enable / disable functional bodies, providing their performance of service functions, the second - with the ability to turn on / off the ignition system, and the third - with the ability to turn on / off the engine start system using power relays.

The following particular features of the invention contribute to the solution of the problem:
The transponder card is made using TIRIS or EM Marin technology.

 The digital memory of the transponder card is configured to write and read information about the technical condition of the vehicle and the user of the vehicle.

 In FIG. 1 and 2 are images of the construction scheme of the proposed device for controlling the vehicle protection system against unauthorized use at two positions of the TC relative to the printed circuit board. In Fig. 1, the TC is in the position corresponding to the inclusion of the service function execution mode, and in Fig. 2, in the position corresponding to the inclusion of the user identification mode and ignition circuits.

 Figures 3 and 4 show photographs of the proposed device with a TC inserted into it at the above TC positions.

Figure 1-4 used the following notation:
1 - TC; 2 - holder; 3 - printed circuit board; 4 - the first limit switch; 5 - a unit for generating commands for controlling the functional organs of the vehicle; 6 - pin connector; 7 - inductor for two-way communication with a transponder; 8 - second limit switch; 9 - spring stopper; 10 - the third limit switch; 11 - power relays; 12 - harness; 13 is a standard connector for connecting to the electrical equipment of the vehicle.

 On the surface of the printed circuit board 3 there are: a holder 2, which provides the possibility of translational movement of the TC 1 parallel to the surface of the printed circuit board 3, and electronic components that provide the generation of polling and reading signals from the TC 1, user identification, the formation of commands for controlling the functional organs of the TS, in particular, the immobilizer and bodies providing the performance of service functions, control of vehicle alarm systems, as well as turning the ignition system on and off. The translational movement of the TC 1 is set by clicking on the rear end of the TC 1, as shown in figures 1 and 2.

 The limit switches installed on the printed circuit board 3 first 4, second 8 and third 10 are designed for sequential (as the TC 1 moves inside the holder 2) connecting / disconnecting circuits providing the above functions. The first limit switch 4 provides on / off functional bodies that implement the service capabilities: turning on the interior lighting, dipped beam, air conditioning, etc.

 The second limit switch 8 is designed to enable / disable the ignition system.

 The third limit switch 10 is for turning on / off the engine starting system.

 The formation of control commands for the functional organs of the vehicle in various modes is carried out by block 5 of the formation of commands for controlling the functional organs of the vehicle (controller) connected to the electrical equipment of the vehicle through pin connector 6. The parameters of the control commands generated by block 5 are set using the programmer (not shown in the images).

 The possibility of translational movement of TC 1 is limited by a spring stopper 9, which is a cylinder with a slot for introducing a plastic TC 1, inside of which there is a spring. The spring stop 9 is thus positioned relative to the holder 2 and the third limit switch 10, so that when the front end of the TC 1 enters the slot and the spring is compressed, the vehicle engine start circuits are switched on using the limit switch 10. When releasing the TC 1 and pushing it with the spring of the stopper 9 in the opposite direction, the opening of these circuits is similar to how it is done using a conventional ignition key.

 Power relays 11 are designed to form starting current pulses transmitted through a bundle 12 to a standard plug 13 of the ignition switch.

 To identify the user, as in the prototype system, an inductor 7 is used for two-way communication with TC 1, which is an integral part of the interrogation and reading unit. It should be noted that the coil 7 for two-way communication with the transponder is configured to read the identification code from the TC 1 at any position of the TC 1 inside the holder 2 (regardless of which end and which side the TC 1 is inserted into the holder 2 )

 All the structural elements shown in Figs. 1-4 are standard components of automotive electronics used in anti-theft alarm systems and systems commercially available by the applicant company (see Catalog 2002, Automotive Security Systems. Technical Information "ALTONIKA").

 Currently, the enterprise has developed a prototype of the device in question (photos are shown in Figs. 3 and 4), which successfully passed factory tests.

 The proposed device operates as follows.

 To turn on the ignition and start the TK 1 engine, any end and any side is inserted into the holder 2 of the printed circuit board 3. By pressing the end face of the TK 1, it is advanced parallel to the printed circuit board 3, passing three positions in series.

In the first position (Figs. 1 and 3), the right edge of the TC 1 opens the limit switch 4 connected to the unit 5 for generating commands for controlling the functional bodies of the vehicle connected to the electronic circuits of the vehicle through pin connector 6. In this position, unit 5 generates commands according to a given program service function management. For example, in the BLACK BUG SUPER security and anti-theft systems that are mass-produced by the applicant enterprise, models BT-84W, VT-84P (see Catalog 2002, Automotive Security Systems. Technical Information "ALTONIKA", p. 8), the following commands can be used:
- inclusion of a passing light;
- inclusion of interior lighting;
- closing / opening door locks;
- inclusion of direction indicators;
- inclusion of a siren, a pager;
- control of the engine blocking relay, etc.

In addition, the following functions can be monitored:
- the state of the brake lights (brake pedal);
- the position of the driver’s door, other doors;
- position of the hood and trunk;
- the state of the marker lights.

 In the second position (FIGS. 2 and 4), the TC 1 is installed above the inductor 7 for two-way communication with the transponder, entering into a “request-response” dialogue with the interrogation and reading unit of information (of which the inductor 7 is a part). At the same time, with its left edge, TC 1 mechanically acts on the second limit switch 8, causing the ignition system to turn on.

 In the process of dialogue, the user of the vehicle is identified. If correctly identified, the ignition system is put into standby mode to start the engine.

 In the third position of the TC 1 (not shown in Figs. 1-4), the front end of the TC 1 enters the slot of the spring stopper 9, compressing the spring of the stopper 9. The front end of the TC 1 closes the third limit switch 10, as a result of which the power relays 11 and control signals for starting the engine through the harness 12 and the standard connector 13 of the ignition switch are supplied to the electrical equipment of the vehicle, causing the engine to start. Straightening, the spring of the stopper 9 pushes the TC 1 in the opposite direction. In this case, the limit switch 10 opens the engine start circuit.

 Thus, in the claimed device there are completely no mechanical contacts designed for high currents, as a result of which the reliability of the lock is significantly increased and its service life is increased.

 At the same time, all manual operations are implemented in the most convenient way for the user in conjunction with operations to identify and manage service functions (see above).

In addition, the transponder card is the most convenient carrier of digital information. In particular, it can be written on it:
- data on the owner of the vehicle;
- restrictions on mileage;
- data of technical control of the vehicle, etc.

 Such a plastic transponder card can be used as a driver's plastic card, the introduction of which for international freight and passenger traffic is one of the mandatory requirements of the Economic Commission for Europe (see above).

 Thus, the combination of known and newly introduced into the inventive device elements allows you to solve the problem. The device is technically feasible and novelty, which allows us to classify this proposal as an invention.

Claims (3)

 1. Device for controlling a vehicle against unauthorized use, containing an ignition switch with a holder for the ignition key and a standard connector for connecting to a vehicle’s electrical equipment, a transponder, a polling and reading unit with an inductor for two-way communication with a transponder, a command generation unit control of the functional bodies of the vehicle, including the immobilizer and bodies providing service capabilities, and medium alarm system, characterized in that the ignition switch is made in the form of a printed circuit board, on the surface of which there is a holder for insertion, fixing and translational movement of the transponder, made in the form of a plastic card, and electronic components for generating polling signals and reading information from a plastic card , user identification, the formation of commands to control the functional organs of the vehicle, in particular the immobilizer and the bodies providing reliabilities and control of alarm equipment, as well as power relays that are connected using a wiring harness to a standard connector for connecting to the vehicle’s electrical equipment, a spring stopper that limits the translational movement of the transponder card, and three limit switches that operate in sequence as the transponder moves cards along the holder parallel to the surface of the printed circuit board, while the first limit switch is configured to include function on / off, providing the performance of service functions, the second - with the ability to turn on / off the ignition system, and the third - with the ability to turn on / off the engine start system using power relays.  2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transponder is made using TIRIS technology or EM Marin.  3. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that the transponder contains a digital memory configured to record and overwrite data about the vehicle and its user, as well as with the ability to read this information in order to monitor the technical condition of the vehicle and obtain information about it user.

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