Method for managing the operation of an intrusion detection device of an anti-theft device of a motor vehicle and associated system, device, apparatus and motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a management method for managing the operation of an intrusion detection device of an anti-theft device of a motor vehicle, a system (100) implementing such a method, an intrusion detection device with an ultrasonic sensor comprising such a system, an anti-theft device for a motor vehicle comprising such an intrusion detection device, and a motor vehicle comprising such an anti-theft device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention claims priority to French application 2101186, filed February 8, 2021, the contents of which (text, drawings, and claims) are incorporated herein by reference. The invention relates to the field of anti-theft devices for motor vehicles (i.e., particularly electronic and computer devices installed on motor vehicles for preventing vehicle theft). In particular, the invention relates to a management method for managing the operation of an intrusion detection device of an anti-theft device for a motor vehicle by a computer system. The invention also relates to a computer system implementing this method, an intrusion detection device including such a system, an anti-theft device including such an intrusion detection device, and a motor vehicle including such an anti-theft device. The invention is particularly applicable to passenger cars, heavy vehicles, buses, utility vehicles, etc. Background Technology

[0002] It is known that most current anti-theft devices for motor vehicles include at least an alarm and an intrusion detection device, which typically includes one or more ultrasonic sensors to enable intrusion detection, or in other words, to monitor the volumetric space of the vehicle's passenger compartment and / or other compartments. It is also known that the components of current anti-theft devices are generally capable of communicating with each other and with the vehicle's electronic control unit, for this purpose using data transmission networks (e.g., LIN, CAN, Ethernet, etc.) now equipped in most motor vehicles. Furthermore, and more often, these communication components are used to enable the vehicle's main computer to periodically transmit wake-up signals (i.e., data characterizing the wake-up signal) to the alarm of the anti-theft device, thereby enabling the anti-theft device to defend against malicious acts by thieves who attempt to prevent the alarm from being triggered by cutting the cable connecting the main computer to the alarm.

[0003] However, considering the architecture and configuration of current data transmission networks used in motor vehicles (especially those typically used in motor vehicles to connect the vehicle's anti-theft devices and host computers), it is observed that the solution to the aforementioned problem implemented by periodically transmitting wake-up signals between the host computer and the alarm of the anti-theft device implies a significant energy waste at the location of the intrusion detection device of the anti-theft device. Indeed, this data, periodically transmitted by the vehicle's host computer, is also received at the communication interface location of the intrusion detection device of the anti-theft device, and each time this data is received, the intrusion detection device is forced to immediately operate according to a first operating mode (referred to as wake-up mode), in which the intrusion detection device can perform intrusion detection, but in which the electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device is also maximized, even if the received data is not inherently used by the intrusion detection device, and therefore when the intrusion detection device does not necessarily need to perform intrusion detection at that exact moment (known intrusion detection devices typically perform intrusion detection multiple times per second, meaning the intrusion detection device operates in wake-up mode multiple times per second). As is well known, for most known intrusion detection devices, when no data is received, an intrusion detection device operating in wake mode can switch and re-operate according to a second operating mode (called standby mode), which typically requires a certain amount of time (e.g., 20ms) before it can operate. In the second operating mode, the electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device is reduced.

[0004] Therefore, known solutions for preventing the risk of disconnection (maliciously severing the cable connecting the host computer to the alarm of the anti-theft device) clearly imply a waste of energy at the known intrusion detection device locations of the anti-theft devices, since these devices are sometimes (even frequently) forced to operate in wake mode, which is unnecessary. Furthermore, since vehicle anti-theft devices are typically only used when the vehicle is stopped and locked (in which case the vehicle's energy-generating capacity is therefore zero, and one or more batteries of the vehicle are therefore the only one or more available sources of electrical energy), these untimely energy wastes clearly have adverse consequences in terms of battery life and therefore, in terms of long-term ability to prevent vehicle theft. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention aims to overcome these shortcomings. In particular, the object of this invention is to minimize the energy wasted by the intrusion detection device of the anti-theft system in motor vehicles. In this way, the invention aims to increase the battery life of the motor vehicle and thereby allow for more durable vehicle anti-theft protection.

[0006] According to a first objective of the invention, these objectives are achieved by means of a management method for managing the operation of an intrusion detection device of an anti-theft device for a motor vehicle by a computer system, the intrusion detection device including at least one ultrasonic sensor, the method comprising the following steps:

[0007] • Determine whether data representing a wake-up signal has been received, said data being used by the alarm of the anti-theft device and transmitted by the vehicle's electronic control unit; and, when the method establishes that this is the case,

[0008] • Determine the duration of the time interval between the current moment and the moment when the next intrusion into the vehicle will be detected by the sensor; and, when the method establishes that the duration is less than or equal to a pre-established threshold,

[0009] • Enables the implementation of intrusion detection into the vehicle using the aforementioned sensors; and

[0010] • Determine the next time to implement the detection of intrusion into the vehicle using the sensor, based on the current time; or, when the method establishes that the duration is greater than the threshold,

[0011] • The operation of the intrusion detection device is managed according to the operating mode in which the electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device is reduced.

[0012] According to an advantageous variant, the steps for managing the operation of the intrusion detection device in accordance with an operating mode that reduces the electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device include steps aimed at causing the temporary deactivation of modules of the intrusion detection device configured to process electrical signals generated by the sensors.

[0013] According to another advantageous variant, the steps for managing the operation of the intrusion detection device in accordance with an operating mode in which the electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device is reduced include steps aimed at causing the communication interface of the intrusion detection device to be temporarily disabled.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a system for managing the operation of an intrusion detection device for an anti-theft device of a motor vehicle, the intrusion detection device including at least one ultrasonic sensor, the system including at least one information processing unit including at least one processor and a data storage medium, the information processing unit and the data storage medium being configured to implement the method as defined above.

[0015] Furthermore, the present invention also aims to provide a computer program that includes program code instructions for performing the steps of the method as defined above when the program is executed on a computer.

[0016] In addition, the present invention also aims to provide a computer-usable medium that includes the program as described above.

[0017] Furthermore, the present invention also aims to provide an intrusion detection device for motor vehicles, the intrusion detection device comprising at least one ultrasonic sensor and a system as described above.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide an anti-theft device for motor vehicles, the anti-theft device comprising at least one alarm and an intrusion detection device as described above.

[0019] Finally, an objective of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle that includes the anti-theft device as described above. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Other features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] - Figure 1 This is a block diagram of the system operation according to the present invention;

[0022] - Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of the method according to the present invention;

[0023] - Figure 3 The diagram shows the advantages of the method according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0024] According to the present invention, the system 100 (for managing the operation of the intrusion detection device for anti-theft equipment of motor vehicles) is a computer system, such as... Figure 1 As shown above, the computer system includes an information processing unit 101 (which includes one or more processors), a data storage medium 102, and at least one input and output interface 103 capable of transmitting and receiving data.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the system 100 according to the invention is mounted on a motor vehicle (e.g., an automobile, a heavy vehicle, a bus, a utility vehicle, etc.) and housed in one or more of the vehicle's computer or other electronic control unit. According to other embodiments, the system 100 is housed in the motor vehicle's computer and interacts with the vehicle's anti-theft device via the computer's input / output interface 103, the anti-theft device including an intrusion detection device comprising at least one ultrasonic sensor and an alarm. According to a preferred embodiment, the system 100 according to the invention is a component of an intrusion detection device for an anti-theft device of a motor vehicle, the intrusion detection device including at least one ultrasonic sensor, a module configured to process electrical signals generated by the ultrasonic sensor, and a communication interface configured to allow the intrusion detection device to connect to the motor vehicle's communication network (e.g., LIN, CAN, Ethernet). Through these components, the system 100 according to the invention is particularly capable of determining whether data characterizing a wake-up signal (which is used by the alarm of the anti-theft device and transmitted by the vehicle's electronic control unit), determining the duration of the time interval between the current moment and the moment when the next intrusion detection will occur, prompting the detection of intrusion into the vehicle (i.e., managing the triggering of the intrusion detection process (which can monitor the volume space of the vehicle's passenger compartment or other compartments), and determining the subsequent moment for the next detection of intrusion into the vehicle based on the current moment. Furthermore, advantageously, these components also enable the system 100 according to the invention to manage the operation of the intrusion detection device of the motor vehicle's anti-theft device according to an operating mode that reduces the electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device.

[0026] According to the present invention, all the elements described above contribute to enabling the system 100 according to the present invention to implement a management method for managing the operation of an intrusion detection device with one or more ultrasonic sensors for an anti-theft device of a motor vehicle, as described below. Figure 2 and Figure 3 describe.

[0027] According to the first step 201 of the method according to the invention, the system 100 according to the invention determines whether data representing a wake-up signal has been received, said data being used by the alarm of the anti-theft device and transmitted by the vehicle's electronic control unit. Indeed, as mentioned above, the vehicle's main computer periodically (i.e., multiple times per second) transmits data representing a wake-up signal to the alarm of the anti-theft device, which is received by the input and output interface 103 of the system according to the invention via the communication interface of the intrusion detection device. Thus, through this first step 201 of the method according to the invention, the system 100 according to the invention performs monitoring of these recurring transmissions (of the data representing the wake-up signal between the vehicle's electronic control unit and the alarm of the anti-theft device) in order to determine the moment when the data is received.

[0028] Next, when data characterizing a wake-up signal has been received during the previous step 201 (which is used for the alarm of the anti-theft device and transmitted by the electronic control unit of the vehicle), the system 100 according to the invention advantageously implements the following steps of the method according to the invention as described below.

[0029] According to the second step 202 of the method according to the invention, the system 100 according to the invention determines the duration of the time interval between the current moment and the moment when the next intrusion detection of the vehicle by means of the sensor will occur. It is known that the intrusion detection device performs intrusion detection multiple times per second, meaning that there exists a component enabling the intrusion detection device to determine these moments when intrusion detection needs to occur. Such a component, for example, relies on the storage of data characterizing periodic parameters (i.e., the duration of the time interval between two intrusion detections and / or other timing mechanisms well known to those skilled in the art). Thus, during this second step 202 of the method according to the invention, preferably by using the system's data storage medium 102, the system 100 according to the invention relies on these components, as described below, to previously record data characterizing the moment when the next intrusion detection of the vehicle by means of the sensor will occur, on the data storage medium. Thus, whenever data characterizing a wake-up signal is received at the input and output interface 103 location, the system 100 according to the invention estimates the duration of the time interval separating the current moment (i.e., the moment the data is received) from the moment when the next intrusion detection will occur.

[0030] Next, according to the third step 203 of the method according to the invention, the system 100 according to the invention determines whether the duration determined in the previous step 202 is less than or equal to a pre-established threshold (e.g., 15 ms). For this purpose, the system 100 according to the invention preferably uses its data storage medium 102, on which data characterizing the pre-established threshold has been recorded during the manufacture of the intrusion detection device in the factory. And when the system determines that the duration determined in the previous step 202 is less than or equal to the threshold, the system 100 according to the invention performs the following two steps of the method according to the invention as described below.

[0031] According to the fourth step 204a of the method according to the invention, the system 100 according to the invention prompts the immediate implementation of intrusion detection into the vehicle by means of the sensor. In other words, when the system has determined in the previous step that the next implementation of intrusion detection will occur in a relatively short period of time after the current moment, the system 100 according to the invention predicts the implementation of intrusion detection into the vehicle by means of the fourth step 204a of the method according to the invention. And next, according to the fifth step 205 of the method according to the invention, the system 100 according to the invention determines the later moment for the next implementation of intrusion detection into the vehicle by means of the sensor based on the current moment. For this purpose, the system 100 according to the invention uses, for example, the data representing the value of the periodic parameter mentioned above (which is recorded on the system's data storage medium 102) to determine the later moment (i.e., the future moment) when the next intrusion detection into the vehicle will occur based on the current moment and the value of the periodic parameter.

[0032] Conversely, when the system has established, during the third step 203 of the method according to the invention, that the duration determined during the second step 202 of the method according to the invention exceeds a threshold, the system 100 according to the invention implements the only and final fourth step 204b of the method according to the invention, in which the system manages the operation of the intrusion detection device according to an operating mode in which the electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device is reduced (i.e., according to an operating mode corresponding to the standby mode described above). For this purpose, the system 100 according to the invention may, for example, implement an auxiliary step in which the system causes a temporary shutdown of the module of the intrusion detection device configured to process the electrical signals generated by the sensor. Alternatively or cumulatively, the system 100 according to the invention may implement another auxiliary step in which the system causes a temporary shutdown of the communication interface of the intrusion detection device.

[0033] Therefore, according to the method and system described above, a solution is provided to minimize the energy wasted by the intrusion detection device of a motor vehicle's anti-theft system, and thus increase the battery life of the motor vehicle to allow for longer-lasting vehicle anti-theft protection. In fact, as can be seen from reading... Figure 3 As shown, the figure illustrates in its upper part the switching between an awake mode and a standby mode of a known intrusion detection device based on a transmitted awake signal, and in its lower part the same switching of an intrusion detection device equipped with a system according to the invention (which implements the method according to the invention). The method and system according to the invention help to significantly minimize the transition time from the intrusion detection device of a motor vehicle's anti-theft device to the awake mode under the normal operating conditions of the anti-theft device (wherein data characterizing the awake signal is periodically transmitted by the electronic control unit to the alarm of the anti-theft device). In this way, the system and method according to the invention described above effectively contribute to increasing the battery life of the motor vehicle, thereby allowing for more durable vehicle anti-theft protection.

Claims

1. A management method for managing the operation of an intrusion detection device of an anti-theft device for a motor vehicle by a computer system (100), the intrusion detection device comprising at least one ultrasonic sensor, characterized in that, The management method includes the following steps: • Determine whether data representing a wake-up signal has been received, said data being used by the alarm of the anti-theft device and transmitted by the electronic control unit of the motor vehicle; and, when the management method establishes that this is the case, • Determine the duration of the time interval between the current moment and the moment when the next intrusion into the vehicle will be detected by the ultrasonic sensor; and, when the management method determines that the duration is less than or equal to a pre-established threshold, • Enables the implementation of detection of intrusions into the vehicle by means of the ultrasonic sensor; and • Determine the next time to implement the detection of intrusion into the vehicle using the ultrasonic sensor, based on the current time; or, when the management method establishes that the duration is greater than the pre-established threshold. • The operation of the intrusion detection device is managed according to the operating mode in which the electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device is reduced.

2. The management method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for managing the operation of the intrusion detection device according to an operating mode that reduces the electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device include steps aimed at causing the temporary deactivation of a module of the intrusion detection device configured to process electrical signals generated by the ultrasonic sensor.

3. The management method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The steps aimed at managing the operation of the intrusion detection device according to the operating mode of reduced electrical consumption of the intrusion detection device include steps aimed at causing the communication interface of the intrusion detection device to be temporarily disabled.

4. A system (100) for managing the operation of an intrusion detection device for an anti-theft device of a motor vehicle, the intrusion detection device comprising at least one ultrasonic sensor, characterized in that, The system includes at least one information processing unit (101) and a data storage medium (102), the information processing unit including at least one processor, and the information processing unit and the data storage medium configured to implement the management method according to any one of the preceding claims.

5. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising a computer program, the computer program including program code instructions, the program code instructions being configured to perform the steps of the management method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 when the computer program is executed on a computer.

6. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium contains a computer program, which includes program code instructions that, when executed on a computer, perform the steps of the management method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. An intrusion detection device for a motor vehicle, the intrusion detection device comprising at least one ultrasonic sensor, characterized in that, The intrusion detection device includes the system according to claim 4.

8. An anti-theft device for a motor vehicle, the anti-theft device comprising at least one alarm, characterized in that, The anti-theft device includes the intrusion detection device according to claim 7.

9. A motor vehicle, characterized in that, The motor vehicle includes the anti-theft device according to claim 8.

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