Method for inhibiting a siren in a motor vehicle, central electronic controller and associated vehicle
A central electronic controller inhibits siren sounds during engine hood opening and re-enables them when closed, addressing safety and comfort issues in maintenance workshops and preventing unauthorized activation.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-01-18
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-06
AI Technical Summary
There is a need to improve the safety and comfort of operators in motor vehicle maintenance workshops by preventing loud siren sounds when the engine hood is opened for maintenance, and to prevent unauthorized siren activation during break-ins.
A central electronic controller is used to inhibit the siren when the engine hood is opened and to re-enable it when closed, with authorization from a maintenance computer and authentication, and to disable siren activation during break-ins.
Prevents loud siren sounds during maintenance and unauthorized activation, enhancing operator safety and comfort in workshops.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: Method for inhibiting a siren in a motor vehicle, central electronic controller and associated vehicle
[0001] In the field of motor vehicles, there are audible warning devices (commonly called "horns") or sirens that allow the driver to warn other road users of an imminent danger by producing a warning sound when the driver presses a horn button located inside the vehicle. Alarm systems that use a siren to produce an alarm signal in the event of a break-in are also known.
[0002] On the other hand, there are maintenance workshops for the maintenance (particularly for preventive maintenance or repair) of motor vehicles. There is a need to improve the safety and comfort of operators in maintenance workshops.
[0003] To this end, the invention relates to a method for inhibiting a siren in a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - Upon receiving initial instructions, the vehicle enters maintenance mode. - In maintenance mode (in other words: determination that we are in maintenance mode and), upon receipt of an opening information indicating that an engine hood of the vehicle is opening (or is open), transmission of an instruction to inhibit the siren.
[0004] This prevents the siren from emitting a sound when the operator has opened the engine hood, for example, to work on the engine. This also prevents the emission of a loud sound in the immediate vicinity of the operator during work carried out under the hood.
[0005] According to one embodiment, the inhibition process further comprises the following step: - Upon receiving a closing information indicating that the vehicle's engine hood is closing (or is closed), in maintenance mode, a siren disinhibition instruction is transmitted.
[0006] According to one embodiment, the inhibition process further comprises the following step: - Upon receipt of a second exit instruction (in other words: end) from maintenance mode, transmission of a siren disinhibition instruction.
[0007] The first instruction is for example received from a maintenance computer in a maintenance workshop.
[0008] An instruction may include one or more messages.
[0009] For example, the instruction includes an authentication code to authorize the transition to maintenance mode.
[0010] The above steps are for example carried out by a central electronic controller which can be an intelligent service box (known by the acronym "BSI").
[0011] According to one embodiment, in maintenance mode, the central electronic controller is configured to, upon receipt of a third instruction (these steps are not permitted when exiting maintenance mode, for example): - Return a vehicle identification number, for example, the vehicle identification number, in English: "Vehicle Identification Number", according to ISO 3779:2009 and ISO 3780:2009, and / or - To modify a computer program that it (i.e., the central electronic controller) contains (in its memory).
[0012] Mode information indicating whether the system is in maintenance mode is, for example, stored in a mode memory of the central electronic controller. The central electronic controller determines whether it is in maintenance mode by reading this memory. Thus, according to the invention, the central electronic controller determines whether the system is in maintenance mode (or has exited it) by reading this mode memory.
[0013] In one embodiment, the engine hood covers an engine designed to propel the vehicle on a road and can be opened to provide access to the engine. The engine hood can also cover the siren. The opening of the engine hood can be detected by a hood sensor, which transmits the opening or closing information (to the central electronic controller). The opening or closing information is thus received, for example, from the sensor.
[0014] The inhibition instruction is, for example, transmitted to the siren. Upon receiving the inhibition instruction, the siren enters, for example, an (inhibited) state where any instruction received by the siren commanding the reproduction of a sound is ignored by the siren.
[0015] Such a restoration instruction may, for example, be received by the siren directly from a warning button, for example, located in the vehicle's passenger compartment, or from the central electronic controller, following the detection of a break-in or attempted break-in of the vehicle based on data received from a break-in sensor (i.e., from physical quantities measured by the sensor). The break-in sensor may be a perimeter sensor (for example, one that detects the opening of a door or the vehicle's trunk), a volumetric sensor (for example, an ultrasonic sensor, which detects a presence in the vehicle), a tilt sensor (to detect the lifting of the vehicle).
[0016] By sound reproduction, we mean, for example, the production of a sound wave by an electroacoustic transducer located in the siren to emit the sound.
[0017] According to one embodiment, upon receiving a disinhibition instruction, the siren enters a (disinhibited) state where an instruction (or any instruction) received by the siren commanding the reproduction of a sound is implemented by the siren (i.e., the sound is actually reproduced by the siren).
[0018] The state (inhibited or disinhibited of the siren) is, for example, stored in a state memory of the siren. Before playing a sound, the siren checks its state by reading the siren's state memory.
[0019] The central electronic controller or the siren includes, for example, a microprocessor or a microcontroller and, in memory, instructions, executable by a microprocessor or a microcontroller, for the implementation of the method according to the invention.
[0020] The invention therefore also relates to a computer program comprising instructions, executable by a microprocessor or a microcontroller, for the implementation of the method according to the invention.
[0021] The invention also relates to a central electronic controller configured to implement the steps of the process according to the invention.
[0022] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising: - A mermaid, - A central electronic controller configured to implement the following steps: - Upon receiving an initial instruction, the system enters maintenance mode. - In maintenance mode (in other words: determination that we are in maintenance mode), upon receipt of an opening information indicating that a vehicle engine hood is opening (or is open), transmission of an instruction to inhibit the siren.
[0023] The characteristics and advantages of the electronic controller, the motor vehicle and the computer program are identical to those of the method, therefore they are not repeated here.
[0024] An element such as the central electronic controller, or another element, is understood to be "configured to" perform a step or operation, by the fact that the element includes means to (in other words, "is configured to" or "is adapted to") perform the step or operation. These are preferably means electronics, for example a computer program, data in memory and / or specialized electronic circuits.
[0025] When a step or operation is performed by such an element, this generally implies that the element has means for (in other words, "is designed for" or "is adapted for" or "is configured for") performing the step or operation. These may also include, for example, electronic means, such as a computer program, data in memory, and / or specialized electronic circuits.
[0026] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, which includes embodiments of the invention given by way of non-limiting examples and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which.
[0027] [Fig. 1] represents a central electronic controller according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0028] [Fig.2] represents the process of the invention, according to an example of an embodiment, implemented by the elements of [Fig.1], in particular by the central electronic controller.
[0029] Detailed description of an example embodiment of the invention
[0030] With reference to [Fig. 1] and 2, in step S10, a maintenance computer 60, in a maintenance workshop, transmits a first instruction to a central electronic controller 20 of a vehicle. Upon receipt of the first instruction, the central electronic controller 20 enters a maintenance mode (of the vehicle).
[0031] According to one embodiment, in maintenance mode, the central electronic controller 20 is configured to, upon receipt of a third instruction (these steps are not permitted when exiting maintenance mode): - Return a vehicle identification number, for example, the vehicle identification number, in English: "Vehicle Identification Number", according to ISO 3779:2009 and ISO 3780:2009, and / or - To modify a computer program that it (i.e., the central electronic controller 20) contains (in its memory 21),
[0032] The maintenance mode of the central electronic controller 20 is, for example, stored in the memory 21 of the central electronic controller. The central electronic controller 20 determines that it is in maintenance mode by reading this memory 21.
[0033] At step S20, the central electronic controller 20 receives an opening information indicating that an engine hood of the vehicle is opening, and transmits (consequently) an instruction to inhibit the siren 10 of the vehicle to the siren 10 of the vehicle.
[0034] According to one embodiment, the engine hood covers an engine intended to propel the vehicle on a road and can be opened to access the engine. The engine hood can also cover the siren 20. The opening of the engine hood can be detected by a hood sensor 30 of the vehicle which transmits the information of closing or opening the hood to the central electronic controller 20.
[0035] Upon receiving the inhibition instruction, the siren 10 enters, for example, an (inhibited) state in which any instruction received by the siren 10 commanding the playback of a sound is ignored by the siren 10. Such a playback instruction may, for example, be received by the siren 10 directly from a warning button 40 located, for example, in the vehicle's passenger compartment, or from the central electronic controller 20, following the detection of a break-in or attempted break-in of the vehicle based on data received from a break-in sensor 50 of the vehicle (i.e., from physical quantities measured by the sensor). The break-in sensor is thus capable of detecting a break-in or attempted break-in of the vehicle.
[0036] The break-in sensor 50 may be a perimeter sensor (for example, which detects the opening of a door or the trunk of the vehicle), a volumetric sensor (for example, ultrasonic, which detects a presence in the vehicle), or a tilt sensor (to detect the lifting of the vehicle).
[0037] By sound reproduction, we mean for example the production of a sound wave by an electroacoustic transducer 11 located in the secure siren 10 to emit the sound.
[0038] At step S30: - Upon receiving a second exit (i.e., end) instruction from maintenance mode, the central electronic controller 20 transmits a siren disengagement instruction to siren 10, or - Upon receiving a closing information indicating that the vehicle's engine hood is closing, in maintenance mode, the central electronic controller 20 transmits a disinhibition instruction for siren 10 to siren 10.
[0039] According to one embodiment, upon receiving a disinhibition instruction, the siren 10 enters a (disinhibited) state where an instruction (or any instruction) received by the siren 10 commanding the reproduction of a sound is implemented by the siren 10 (i.e.: the sound is actually reproduced by the siren 10).
[0040] The state (inhibited or uninhibited of the siren) is for example stored in the memory 12 of the siren 10. Before reproducing a sound, the siren 10 checks the state of the siren by reading the memory 12.
[0041] The central electronic controller 20 or the siren 10 includes, for example, a microprocessor or a microcontroller and, in memory, instructions, executable by a microprocessor or a microcontroller, for the implementation of the method of [Fig.2],
Claims
Demands
1. Method for inhibiting a siren (10), in a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: - Upon receipt of a first instruction, switching (S 10) into a maintenance mode, - In the maintenance mode, upon receipt of an open information indicating that a hood of the vehicle is opening, transmission (S20) of an instruction to inhibit the siren (10), Upon receipt of a close information indicating that the hood of the vehicle is closing, in maintenance mode, transmission (S30) of an instruction to de-inhibit the siren (10).
2. Computer program comprising instructions, executable by a microprocessor or microcontroller, for the implementation of the method according to claim 1.
3. Central electronic controller (20) configured to implement the steps of the process according to claim 1.
4. Motor vehicle comprising: - A siren (10), - A central electronic controller (20) configured to implement the following steps: - Upon receipt of a first instruction, switching (S 10) into a maintenance mode, - In maintenance mode, upon receipt of an open information indicating that a vehicle engine hood is opening, transmission (S20) of an instruction to inhibit the siren (10), - Upon receipt of a close information indicating that the vehicle engine hood is closing, in maintenance mode, transmission (S30) of an instruction to de-inhibit the siren (10).