Abstract:
Means for disabling an automobile by causing an on-board computer to disable the ignition system thereof. A radio receiver provides a signal to the on-board computer through an existing port (e.g. diagnostic port or ignition interface port). The on-board computer disables ignition function through supplanted firmware that recognizes the status of the signal received from the radio receiver. Removal of the radio receiver also disables the ignition system. The entire system is installed during government required inspections (e.g. a smog check).

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates generally to vehicle disablement, specifically to a method for installing and disablement system and the system itself.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Automobile chases are becoming quite commonplace in the landscape of our society. This is absolutely astonishing given the fact that law enforcement officials are endowed with such powerful means for apprehending fleeing suspects. Many varied technologies are available for disabling an automobile that is being pursued by the police.  
         [0003]     One common method employed by law enforcement to disable a fleeing vehicle is to deploy a tire puncturing device. These types of devices are typically deployed in front of a fleeing suspect in hopes that the tires of the vehicle become compromised. This results in a greatly diminished capacity for speed and generally brings the pursuit to a safe completion. One of the problems with this particular method of disabling a fleeing vehicle is that the tire puncturing device must be deployed ahead of the vehicle. The problem with this notion is that the suspect may choose to alter course at the last minute or otherwise evade the tire puncturing device.  
         [0004]     Even more sophisticated means for disabling a fleeing vehicle have now been developed. For example, the electronics in the vehicle may be substantially destroyed, or incapacitated by means of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP). Hence, EMP “guns” are becoming available to disable feeing vehicles. One problem with this technology is that it tends to be indiscriminate. Hence, not only is the suspect&#39;s vehicle disabled, but other electronic devices that are inadvertently subjected to the electromagnetic pulse can also be damaged or destroyed.  
         [0005]     Also available, both as an aftermarket product and as original equipment in later model automobiles are devices that can disable a moving unless a special electronic key is allowed to interact with the vehicle&#39;s ignition system. These systems, though, are not widely deployed and do nothing in the case where the fleeing suspect is in possession of the special electronic key (e.g. the suspect owns the vehicle).  
         [0006]     What is needed is a means for terminating a pursuit anymore discriminate manner. Any such means must be capable of disabling the vehicle in a safe and efficient manner. If such a capability is provided in an automobile, one problem that must be overcome is that any additional circuitry necessary to enable the means must be installed in a vast majority of automobiles in order to provide law enforcement an effective means for disabling a fleeing suspect.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention comprises a method for installing a vehicle disablement system comprising the receipt of the vehicle for some government mandated inspection. Once the vehicle is received further required inspection, a vehicle disablement system may be installed in the vehicle. According to one illustrative variation of the present method, receiving a vehicle for government required inspection comprises receiving a vehicle for emission control inspection. According to yet another illustrative variation of the present method, a disablement system may be installed in the vehicle when it is received for a border crossing inspection.  
         [0008]     According to one example method of the present invention, a vehicle disablement system is installed by electrically connecting a radio signal receiver to a computer on board the vehicle and then programming the computer so as to disable the vehicle when a radio signal is either received or not received. According to one example method of the present invention, the radio receiver is connected to a vehicle computer by way of a diagnostic port on the computer. According to yet another example method of the present invention, the radio receiver is connected to the vehicle computer by detaching a vehicle interface harness from a vehicle interface connector on the computer, connecting the radio receiver to the vehicle interface connect and then attaching the vehicle interface harness to the radio receiver. According to yet another illustrative method of the present invention, the radio receiver may be integrated directly into the vehicle&#39;s computer. This illustrative method may be used by an original equipment manufacturer that is supplying computers to an automobile manufacturer. In order to ensure that it would be suspect cannot disable the vehicle disablement system, one illustrative method of the present invention provides for programming the vehicle computer to disable the vehicle when the radio receiver is electrically disconnected from the vehicles computer.  
         [0009]     The present invention also comprises a vehicle disablement system. According to one example embodiment, a vehicle disablement system comprises a radio receiver that is capable of being electrically connected to a vehicle computer and firmware, that when executed by a processor in the vehicle computer, causes the processor to disable a vehicle when a signal is either received or not received from the radio receiver. According to one example embodiment, the radio receiver comprises an interface as capable of electrical connection to a diagnostic port of a vehicle computer. According to yet another alternative embodiment, the radio receiver comprises an interface capable of connecting to a vehicle computer interface connector and an interface capable of connecting to a vehicle interface harness. According to yet another illustrative embodiment, the radio receiver is integrated directly into a vehicle computer. According to yet another embodiment, the firmware, when executed by the processor, is further capable of causing the processor to sense whether the radio receiver is attached to the vehicle computer. The firmware also causes the processor to disable the vehicle when the radio receiver is not attached to vehicle computer. According to one alternative method, programming the vehicle computer is accomplished by attaching a programming device to the diagnostic port on the vehicle computer, conveying firmware to the vehicle computer that is capable of disabling the vehicle when a signal is received or not received from the radio receiver and then storing the firmware in the vehicle computer.  
         [0010]     The present invention further comprises a vehicle computer comprising a processor, memory and disablement firmware. According to one example embodiment, the disablement firmware, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to disable a vehicle when a single is received or not received from a radio receiver. The according to one example embodiment of the invention, the vehicle computer further comprises a radio receiver capable of issuing a disable signal to the processor when a radio signal is received or not received.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The foregoing aspects are better understood from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of one example method for installing a vehicle disablement system according to the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of one example method for installing a vehicle disabled system on the vehicle once it is received for a government required inspection according to the present invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram that depicts one illustrative method for connecting a radio receiver to an on-board computer according to the present invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram that depicts one alternative example method for connecting a radio receiver to an on-board computer according to the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram that depicts one example method for programming an on-board computer according to the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a vehicle disablement system that implements the methods of the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of one alternative embodiment of a vehicle disablement system according to the present invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram that depicts an on-board computer wherein a receiver is integrated into the on-board computer during original manufacturer according to the teachings of the present invention; and  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram that depicts one example embodiment of a decoder according to the teachings of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]      FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of one example method for installing a vehicle disablement system according to the present invention. According to one example method, a vehicle is received for government required inspection (step  5 ). Once the vehicle is received for government required inspection, a vehicle disablement system is installed on the vehicle (step  10 ). According to one alternative method, the vehicle is received for an emissions control inspection. According to yet another alternative method, the vehicle is received for a border crossing inspection.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of one example method for installing a vehicle disabled system on the vehicle once it is received for a government required inspection according to the present invention. This example method provides that a radio receiver is electrically connected to an on-board computer in the vehicle (step  15 ). Once the radio receiver is electrically connected to the on-board computer, the onboard computer is programmed to disable the vehicle (step  20 ) when a radio signal is either received or not received by the radio receiver. According to one example method, the on-board computer is an ignition control computer. In this case, the ignition functions are disabled by the processor in the on-board computer in order to disable the vehicle. The alternatives of this method provided in one case for receipt of a “disable” signal which is used to cause the on-board computer to disable the vehicle. An alternative method provides that a “keep-alive” signal is received by the radio receiver. In the event that this keep-alive signal is no longer received, the on-board computer is programmed to disable the vehicle.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram that depicts one illustrative method for connecting a radio receiver to an on-board computer according to the present invention. According to this illustrative method, the radio receiver is connected to the on-board computer by means of a diagnostic port (step  25 ). Alternatively, the radio receiver may be integrated into the vehicle computer directly.  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram that depicts one alternative example method for connecting a radio receiver to an on-board computer according to the present invention. According to this alternative method, a vehicle interface harness is detached from a vehicle interface harness connector comprising the on-board computer (step  30 ). The radio receiver is then connected to this interface connector (step  35 ). The interface harness that was originally removed from the interface harness connector is then attached to the radio receiver (step  40 ).  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram that depicts one example method for programming an on-board computer according to the present invention. According to this example method, a programming device is attached to a diagnostic port of the on-board computer (step  50 ). According to one alternative, an interface connector usually used for a vehicle interface harness is used in lieu of the diagnostic port. Firmware that is capable of disabling the vehicle when a signal is received or not received from a radio receiver is then conveyed to the on-or computer (step  55 ) by means of either the diagnostic port or the interface connector. Then, the firmware is stored in the on-board computer (step  60 ).  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a vehicle disablement system that implements the methods of the present invention. According to one example embodiment, a vehicle disablement system comprises a receiver  125  and disablement firmware  101 . The disablement firmware  101  is firmware that is loaded into an on-board computer  100 . The disablement firmware is firmware that, when executed by a processor  105  in the computer  100 , causes the processor to disable the vehicle based on a signal  116  received from the receiver  125 . Generally, according to one example embodiment, the receiver comprises an interface connector  120  this capable of mating with a diagnostic port  115  comprising the on-board computer  100 .  
         [0027]     The receiver  125  itself, according to one illustrative embodiment of the invention, comprises a tuner  135  this capable of selectively amplifying a particular radio frequency. Once the radio frequency is amplified, a demodulator  140  further comprising the receiver  125 , extracts information from the selectively amplified signal. The receiver  125  further comprises a decoder  145 . According to this example embodiment, the decoder is capable of identifying a particular signal for that is addressed to a particular receiver. When such a signal is recognized, a signal  150  is propagated to the processor  105  in the on-board computer. This signal is used as a basis for determining if the processor should disable the vehicle. According to one example embodiment, the on-board computer is an ignition control computer and the processor disables the ignition functionality based on the signal  150  received from the receiver.  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is a block diagram of one alternative embodiment of a vehicle disablement system according to the present invention. According to this alternative embodiment, the receiver  170  comprises an interface  175  this capable of connecting to vehicle interface connector  165  comprising the on-board computer  160 . The receiver  170  further comprises a vehicle interface harness connector  180  this capable of mating with a vehicle harness  190 . This arrangement is much can to a “connector saver” or a computer software anti-piracy “dongle” that may be used on a parallel interface disposed in between a computer and a peripheral (e.g. a printer) attached to the computer by the harness  190 . Hence, in application a vehicle harness  190  is detached from its original attachment  165  on the on-board computer  160 . The receiver  170  and attaches to that original attachment  165  on the on-board computer  160 . The vehicle harness  190  then attaches to the vehicle interface harness connector  180  comprising the receiver  170 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 8  is a block diagram that depicts an on-board computer wherein a receiver is integrated into the on-board computer during original manufacturer according to the teachings of the present invention. A vehicle on-board computer  200 , according to one example embodiment of the invention, comprises a processor  205  and memory  210 . The disablement firmware  215  is stored in the memory  210 . As a processor executes the disablement firmware  215 , the processor is enabled to disable the vehicle in the event a signal is received from a receiver  220 . According to one example embodiment of the on-board computer  200 , the on-board computer  200  further comprises said receiver  220 . Orange one example embodiment of the invention, the on-board computer  200  further comprises an antenna  225  attached to the receiver  220  for purposes of receiving a radio frequency signal from free-space. The receiver  220  conforms to the description already provided herein. According to the this example embodiment, the disablement firmware causes the processor  205  to receive a signal from the receiver  220 . The receiver  220  is capable of receiving two different types of signals. According to one example embodiment, the receiver  220  receives a “disable” signal from free-space. Accordingly, the processor will disable the vehicle when the disable signal is received from the receiver  220 . According to another alternative embodiment, the receiver receives a keep-alive signal. As the processor  205  executes the disablement firmware  215 , it will disable the vehicle when that keep-alive signal is no longer detected.  
         [0030]      FIG. 9  is a block diagram that depicts one example embodiment of a decoder according to the teachings of the present invention. According to this example embodiment, a decoder comprises the comparator  250  this capable of receiving a vehicle identification number  255  from the demodulator  140 . Typically, the decoder further comprises a serial-to-parallel converter  260 . A state machine within the decoder causes the serial-to-parallel converter  260  to receive a serial bitstream from the demodulator  140  into properly frame a command message. This command message comprises the vehicle identification number  255 . The decoder  140  further comprises a receiver identification number  257  that corresponds to a particular vehicle identification number. Hence, each individual receiver is programmed with a unique receiver identification number. When a command message is received and the vehicle identification number  255  in the command message matches the receiver&#39;s identification number  257  as indicated by the comparator  250 , a disable (or in the alternative a keep-alive) signal  150  is generated.  
         [heading-0031]     Alternative Embodiments  
         [0032]     While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, it is contemplated that alternatives, modifications, permutations, and equivalents thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and study of the drawings. It is therefore intended that the true spirit and scope of the present invention include all such alternatives, modifications, permutations, and equivalents.