US 8,825,224 B2Granted

Engine idle protection system

AssigneeDirected, LLC

InventorPeter Fazi

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An automated vehicle shutdown and user notification method and device for shutting down an engine in a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start ignition system where the engine has unintentionally been left running by the user is disclosed. In one aftermarket embodiment, the method is implemented in an aftermarket remote start interface module. The module comprises a micro-controller, a memory, a vehicle data bus connector that provides for interface through the vehicles onboard diagnostic (OBDII) port to the vehicle data bus. The system includes a remote start module having a radio frequency transceiver and a cellular telephone transceiver, and provides audible, visual and electronic notifications that the vehicle has been left running and that the engine will be shut off unless the shutdown sequence is deactivated. If the shutdown fails by any malfunction, the system will go into an alternative notice mode.

Claims10

Dependent claims

An engine idle shutdown system for a vehicle having a passive keyless entry and start system having a vehicle user proximity indicator;

the engine idle shutdown system comprising:
a. a data processing apparatus installed in a vehicle and configured for digital communication with data bus system of a plurality of vehicle, said vehicles having a passive keyless entry and start system, a horn and lights;
b. a memory associated with the data processing apparatus and configured to receive from an external source digital codes corresponding to vehicle data bus messages from said plurality of vehicles, the messages associated with control of passive keyless entry and start systems, horns and lights;
c. a communications link between said data bus system, said data processing apparatus and said memory;
wherein said data processing apparatus
i) monitors data bus system messages associated with the identification of the particular vehicle make and model
ii) compares the monitored data messages communicated on the data bus with the data messages stored in memory, and
iii) selects from memory data control messages corresponding to the particular vehicle make and model for controlling the vehicles passive keyless entry and start system, a horn and lights;
and
iv) if the data messages communicated on the data bus are indicative of the absence from the vehicle of the passive keyless entry and start system user proximity indicator and that the engine is idling, generates a user notification command and start a timer, and upon expiration of a set time issues a command selected from memory corresponding to the particular vehicle make and model to the data bus system to shut down the vehicle engine.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/430,460Filed 26 Mar 2012 · us provisional application
Priority: 26 Mar 2011
Published: US 2013/0079952 A128 Mar 2013
Granted: 2 Sep 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

F02D 45/00
Electrical control not provided for in groups f02d41/00 - f02d43/00
B60R 16/00
Electric or fluid circuits specially adapted for vehicles and not otherwise provided
F02D 17/04
Controlling engines by cutting out individual cylinders; Rendering engines inoperative or idling: rendering engines inoperative or idling, e.g.…
F02N 11/0807
Characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop: remote means