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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of identifying the status of an
anti-theft system for motor vehicles by using an automotive telephone
system.
2. Prior Art
Various types of theft-proof devices have so far been proposed to prevent
motor vehicles from being stolen. When someone other than a vehicle owner
tries to open a door or open a trunk door of a car provided with a
theft-proof device, or otherwise gives a significant shock thereto, the
device operates to buzz an alarming buzzer or to flash a head lamp.
However, conventional devices have various limitations of utility. For
example, buzzing a buzzer or flashing a head lamp is effective only when
someone is near the vehicle. They proved to be insufficient in case where
nobody is near the vehicle or the theft occurs at night.
For this reason and others, the owner of a vehicle sometimes wants to
ascertain the safety of his/her car in a parking lot or garage even if
he/she is taking a tour or a business trip for many days. If the safety of
his/her vehicle is ascertained, the owner will feel rested. Otherwise, the
owner can take some countermeasures depending upon abnormalities
ascertained.
However, it was impossible in accordance with conventional devices to
identify, from a place away from a vehicle, what is happening on his/her
car. In other words, remote checking as to whether or not the car is safe
was not practically available in accordance with the conventional devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for
identifying the status of an anti-theft system which is available at a
remove area to check whether a motor vehicle is in normal state or whether
abnormalities are occurring in the vehicle.
In summary, the present invention comprises a system configuration wherein
the time to set a motor vehicle telephone system to a power-on state and a
power-off duration are pre-set, and the power for the motor vehicle
telephone system is turned on at the pre-set power-on time. The status of
the anti-theft system is checked when an incoming call arrives during the
pre-set power-on state and when a pre-determined ID code is entered. This
system configuration enables identification even from a place away from a
motor vehicle as to whether the vehicle is at normal state or whether some
abnormality such as theft has occurred. In addition, the vehicle telephone
system may be set to the power-on state only at a predetermined time only
for a pre-determined period of time, thereby reducing the watt consumption
of vehicle batteries.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system for realizing a method for an
anti-theft system in accordance with the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the control unit,
FIG. 3 is a front view of the handset, and
FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the processings for the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Means to solve the problem
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system for realizing the method for
theft-prevention in accordance with the present invention.
THe MTS is a motor vehicle telephone system and the MSP is a anti-proof
system.
The motor vehicle telephone system MTS comprises a control unit 101, a
transceiver unit 102, a T-connector 103, and an antenna 104.
The anti-theft system MSP comprises a sensor unit 201 for detecting a theft
or other abnormalities, an operating unit 202 with numeric and function
keys, a control unit 203 of a microcomputer-system, a timer 204, and a
remote control unit 205 as a pager for turning on/off the theft-proof
function.
The control unit 101 and the transceiver unit 102 are interfaced for
enabling mutual communication by means of power control lines, digital
data exchange lines, voice lines, etc., and the T-connector 103 connects
these lines to the control unit 203 of the anti-theft system MSP.
Function
In the present identification of the anti-theft system operation, the time
Ts is pre-set into the anti-theft system MSP in order to set the telephone
system MTS to the power-on state and the power-on duration Tp.
Before leaving the motor vehicle, a driver sets the anti-theft system MSP
to the operating state by operating the operating unit 202 or the remote
control unit 205 and sets the power for the motor vehicle telephone system
to the turned-off state.
Under the above condition, when the power-on time is reached, the
anti-theft system MSP sets the power for the motor vehicle telephone
system to the turned-on state.
During this power turned-on state, when a call arrives at the motor vehicle
telephone system, an ID code set in the anti-theft system in advance is
input, and further a pre-determined code corresponding to each operation
mode of the anti-theft system is input and the status of the system is
confirmed to the notifiee.
Therefore, when an owner of a vehicle calls up the vehicle telephone system
of the vehicle at the pre-set time, and inputs the ID code which has been
stored in the anti-theft system, and inputs a code corresponding to an
anti-theft operation mode, the owner is then appropriately notified of the
status of the system by a recognition sound.
Examples
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the system to realize the anti-theft status
identification method of the present invention.
The MTS is a motor vehicle telephone system of a cellular system and the
MSP is an anti-theft system. The cellular system is a system wherein a
service area is broken down into a plurality of cells each having a radius
of approximately 6.4 Km and being provided with a radio station (base
station). One of the base stations which receives a radio wave from a
telephone installed in a vehicle is switched successively in response to
the movement of the vehicle for establishing a communication path with a
notification destination.
The motor vehicle telephone system MTS comprises a control unit 101, a
transceiver unit 102, a T-connector 103, and an antenna 104.
The control unit 101 is composed of a control section 101a of a computer
structure, a speaker 101c, a microphone 101b, and an operating/display
section 101d, which are divided mechanically into a handset HDS and a base
unit BSU as shown in FIG. 2. On the back surface of the handset HDS are
installed the microphone 101b and the speaker 101c. On the front surface
are installed, as shown in FIG. 3, a ten-key section 101d-1 for inputting
telephone numbers, a function key section 101d-2 with a send key SND, and
an end key END, and a display section 101d-3 for displaying telephone
numbers dialed.
The base unit BSU is provided as shown in FIG. 2 with a panel section
101d-4, a speaker rest section SRS, and a microphone rest section MRS. On
the panel section 101d-4 are installed a power-on/off switch PW, an AUX
switch, an volume control ALV for controlling the speaker level for a ring
tone, a handset volume HSV for controlling the receiver sound volume for
the handset, and a display section DSP for various displays. It is noted
that the ten-key section 101d-1, the function key section 101d-2, and the
display section 101d-3 of the handset HDS; and the panel section 101d-4 of
the base unit BSU constitutes the operating/display section 101d shown in
FIG. 1.
The transceiver unit 102 comprises a receiver section 102a, a transmitter
section 102b, a switch section 102c for properly connecting the antenna
104 to the receiver section or to the transmitter section, a synthesizer
102d for generating a pre-determined frequency signal, a control section
102e, and status identifying tone generator devices 102f and 102g. The
status identifying tone generator device 102f generates a normal status
tone (pitz - pitz - pitz . . . , for example) while the status identifying
tone generator device 102g generates an abnormal status tone (pee - pee -
pee . . . , for example). It is also possible to integrate the status
identifying tone generator devices 102f and 102g into one voice
synthesizer which outputs normal status and abnormal status with spoken
language.
The anti-theft system MSP comprises a sensor section 201 for detecting
theft or abnormalities, an operating section 202 of a keyboard structure,
a control unit 203 of a microcomputer, a timer 204, and a remote control
unit 205 as a pager for turning on/off the theft-proof function.
The sensor unit 201 comprises a sensor DS for detecting door
opening/closing, a shock sensor SS for detecting shocks exceeding a
pre-determined shock value, a noise sensor NS for detecting that noise
inside a vehicle has exceeded a pre-determined noise value, and a sensor
for detecting opening/closing of a trunk door
The operating unit 202 having ten keys and function keys is operated
respectively, (a) when storing an ID code (password number) into the
memory MEM of the contorl unit 203, (b) when storing the time Ts to turn
on the power for the motor vehicle telephone system MTS and the power-on
duration Tp into the memory MEM, (c) when making the anti-theft function
of the system operate, and (d) when clearing the operation of the
anti-theft function.
The ID code is input when identifying the status of the anti-theft system
MSP or when resetting the alarm state of the system because of the
occurrence of an abnormality.
The timer 204 starts clocking by a command from the control unit 203 when
the power-on time Ts is reached, and the elapsed time t is referred to as
required by the control unit 203.
The remote control unit 205 incorporates a transmit circuit and has a key
KEY (referred to as an arming key) for operating the anti-theft function
of the system, and a key DAK (referred to as a disarming key) for clearing
the operating mode of the anti-theft function.
The control unit 101 and the transceiver unit 102 of the telephone system
MTS are interfaced by means of a plurality of power control lines, digital
data exchange lines and voice lines, and the T-connector 103 connects some
of the lines to these control unit 203 of the anti-theft system MSP. More
specifically, a total of three lines, i.e. a power control line, a data
transmitting line, and a data receiving line are connected to the control
unit 203 of the anti-theft system MSP.
The operational steps in the anti-theft system are described as follows
with reference to the flow chart in FIG. 4.
A time Ts and a power-on period Tp are set and stored into the memory MEM
of the control unit 203 by operating the operating unit 202 of the
anti-theft system MSP. The time Ts is to set the telephone system MTS to
the power-on state. In addition, an ID code is set and stored into the
memory MEM in the same way through the operating unit 202.
When the driver leaves a vehicle, he/she sets the anti-theft system MSP to
the operating state by operating unit 202 or the remote control unit 205
and sets the power for the motor vehicle telephone system MTS to the
turned-off state by operating the power-on/off switch PW (FIG. 2) of the
motor vehicle telephone system.
(1) Under this condition, the processor of the control unit 203 of the
anti-theft system checks whether the present time has reached the power-on
time Ts.
(2) When the power-on time Ts has not been reached yet, the processor
executes other processings.
(3) When the power-on time is reached, the control section 203 of the
theft-proof system MSP outputs a power enabling signal (high level-signal)
to the power control line to turn on the power for the motor vehicle
telephone system MTS. The control unit 203 also instructs the timer 204 to
start clocking.
(4) The processor of the control unit 203 reads out the elapsed time t from
the timer 204 as required, then it discriminates between t and Tp by
checking whether the elapsed time t exceeds the power-on duration Tp (i.e.
t>Tp).
(5) When the relation of t>Tp is obtained, the control unit 203 sets the
motor vehicle telephone system MTS to power-off state.
(6) On the other hand, in the case of t.ltoreq.Tp, the control unit 203
checks, until the relation of t>Tp is obtained, whether a call command is
input from the transceiver unit 102.
(7) When the control section 102e of the transceiver unit 102 in the motor
vehicle telephone system MTS is accessed by a notifiee, it performs the
normal incoming call processing and inputs a call command to the control
unit 203 of the theft-proof system MSP. By this, the control unit 203 is
caused to hook-off.
(8) Under this condition, the control unit 203 is in the wait mode until an
ID code of the theft-proof system is received. It is necessary in this
case to make an inquiry about the operation mode of the theft-proof system
using a touch-tone telephone for sending an ID code, etc.
(9) Upon receipt of an ID code, it is checked as to whether the relation to
t>Tp is obtained until it is received. It should be noted that the process
skips to the step (5) when the relation to t>Tp is obtained.
(10) when an ID code is received, the control section 102e of the
transceiver unit 102 inputs the ID code to the control unit 203.
(11) The processor of the control unit 203 checks whether the ID code
notified from the transceiver unit coincides with the ID code stored in
the memory MEM. If not, the process skips to the step (5).
(12) If the received ID code is coincident with the stored ID code, the
control unit 203 notifies this coincidence to the transceiver unit 102.
(13) After this, the control unit 203 will be in the wait mode until the
reception of pre-determined codes set in advance according to the
operation modes of the theft-proof system. Then, the codes are as follows:
(a) Code #1 is to inquire whether the theft-proof system is in the
operating mode,
(b) Code #2 is to inquire whether the anti-theft system is in the non
operating mode,
(c) Code #3 is to inquire about the on/off state of the door sensor, and
(d) Code #4 is to inquire about the on/off state of the shock sensor.
(14) If no status code is received, the control unit 203 reads out as
required the elapsed time t from the timer 204 to check whether t>Tp is
obtained. If obtained, the process skips to the step (5).
(15) If a status code is received, the control unit 203 decodes the
received code and checks the status of the anti-theft system corresponding
to the code provided to the control section 102e of the transceiver unit
102 via the transmit lines. If the received status code, for example is
"#3", the control unit 203 checks the on/off state of the sensor which
detects the door open/close state and outputs a code signal corresponding
to the door sensor-on/off.
(16) According to the signal provided upon checking the door sensor-on/off,
the control section 102e of the transceiver unit 102 makes either of the
status identifying tone generator devices 102f and 102g operate in order
that a sound having a tone corresponding to the door sensor-on/off status
(on for abnormal off for normal) is sent to the notification destination.
(17) The control unit 203 then checks whether the end state occurred.
(18) If the end state does not occur, the control unit 203 checks whether t
is larger than Tp (t>Tp). If t is larger than Tp (t>Tp), the process skips
to the step (5). If t is smaller than or equal to Tp (t.ltoreq.Tp), the
control unit 203 will be in the wait state until the next inquiry code is
received, whereupon the processes subsequent to the steps (13) are
repeated.
(19) When the end state occurs in the step (17), the control unit 203 of
the anti-theft system causes an on-hook state to occur. By this, the motor
vehicle telephone system MTS is set immediately to the end state through
the normal on-hook operation. After this, the process skips to the step
(5) causing the motor vehicle telephone system to be set to the power-off
state.
As thus far described, if an owner of a vehicle calls up the motor vehicle
telephone system of the vehicle at the pre-set time, inputs the ID code
which has been set in the anti-theft system, then inputs a code
corresponding to the state of the vehicle desired to kown be confirmed,
the owner is then notified by a sound corresponding to the state of the
vehicle.
Although the invention has been described for the case where one power-on
time Ts is used, it is to be understood that the invention is of course
not limited to one power-on time.
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