Automobile theft detection device

Abstract

To enable more reliable detection of an automobile theft.SOLUTION: A TCU 6 capable of communicating with a smart key K during the start-up of a vehicle M is provided. The TCU 6 monitors whether or not communication with the smart key K can be established during the start-up of the vehicle M, determines that an automobile theft occurs when the communication cannot be established, and notifies a prescribed contact address of the occurrence of the automobile theft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an automotive theft detection device that detects theft of vehicles and automobiles.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, smart entry systems that enable locking and unlocking without inserting a key into the vehicle's keyhole have been adopted and popularized in many vehicles. In this smart entry system, wireless communication and authentication are performed between a smart key held by a vehicle owner and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) of the vehicle, enabling unlocking and starting the engine. In such a smart entry system, originally, since the radio wave emitted by the smart key is weak, wireless communication and authentication are performed only when the smart key is in the vicinity of the vehicle.

[0003] However, in recent years, there have been cases of vehicle theft (automobile theft) where the radio wave of the smart key is amplified and the vehicle is misrecognized as if the smart key is in the vicinity of the vehicle, resulting in unlocking and starting the engine. Such an act is called a relay attack. For example, two repeaters are prepared, the first repeater is placed near the vehicle, and the second repeater is placed at a position away from the vehicle. Then, when a vehicle owner holding a smart key approaches near the second repeater, the signals of the smart key and the vehicle are relayed by the first repeater and the second repeater to perform wireless communication and authentication, and unlocking and engine start occur even when the vehicle owner is away from the vehicle.

[0004] Under such a background, a smart entry device that can detect a relay attack with a simple configuration is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This device discriminates whether a relay attack is being performed by changing the intensity of the signal transmitted from the vehicle side and detecting the presence or absence of a change in the intensity of the signal received by the smart key (portable device).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Document

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, since it determines whether it is a relay attack only based on the presence or absence of a change in signal strength, it is difficult to reliably detect a relay attack. For example, when a signal whose strength changes in a relay attack is transmitted, the relay attack cannot be detected.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle theft detection device that can more reliably detect vehicle theft.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 includes monitoring means capable of communicating with a smart key while the vehicle is in operation, and the monitoring means monitors whether communication with the smart key is possible while the vehicle is in operation, and when communication becomes impossible, determines that vehicle theft has occurred. A vehicle theft detection device characterized by the above.

[0009] The invention according to claim 2 is the vehicle theft detection device according to claim 1, wherein when the monitoring means determines that vehicle theft has occurred, the monitoring means notifies a predetermined contact that vehicle theft has occurred.

[0010] The invention according to claim 3 is the vehicle theft detection device according to claim 2, further comprising position information acquisition means for acquiring position information of the vehicle, and when the monitoring means notifies the predetermined contact that vehicle theft has occurred, the monitoring means notifies the position information of the vehicle acquired by the position information acquisition means.

Effects of the Invention

[0011] According to the invention described in claim 1, when the monitoring means and the smart key cannot communicate during the startup of the vehicle, it is determined that a vehicle theft has occurred, so it is possible to more reliably detect vehicle theft. That is, under normal conditions, even if the vehicle starts and moves, the smart key is inside the vehicle or exists near the vehicle, so the communication state between the monitoring means and the smart key is maintained. On the other hand, in the case of a relay attack, when the vehicle moves, the signal of the smart key cannot be continuously relayed, and the communication between the monitoring means and the smart key is interrupted. Therefore, when the communication between the monitoring means and the smart key becomes impossible, by determining that a vehicle theft has occurred, it is possible to more reliably detect vehicle theft such as a relay attack.

[0012] According to the invention described in claim 2, when it is determined that a vehicle theft has occurred, the occurrence of the vehicle theft is notified to a predetermined contact, so it is possible to appropriately and quickly respond to the theft of the vehicle.

[0013] According to the invention described in claim 3, when it is determined that a vehicle theft has occurred, the position information of the vehicle is notified to a predetermined contact, so it is possible to appropriately and quickly respond based on the position information of the vehicle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0015] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the illustrated embodiments.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration block diagram showing the vehicle theft detection device 1 according to this embodiment and its surroundings. This vehicle theft detection device 1 is a device that detects vehicle theft and is disposed inside a vehicle (automobile) M. Here, in FIG. 1, the case where the smart key K is inside the vehicle M is illustrated, but when locking or unlocking the vehicle M, the smart key K is outside the vehicle M.

[0017] This smart key K is a portable communication device for enabling the locking and unlocking of the door key of the vehicle M, the starting and stopping of the vehicle M, etc. in the smart entry system without inserting it into the keyhole of the vehicle M, and is usually carried by a regular driver such as the vehicle owner. Note that the starting of the vehicle M includes the starting of the engine in the vehicle M equipped with an engine and the starting of the EV (Electric Vehicle) system in an electric vehicle.

[0018] The vehicle theft detection device 1 mainly includes an in-vehicle smart key communication antenna 2, an in-vehicle RF device 3, an ECU 4, a GPS (Global Positioning, position information acquisition means) 5, a TCU (Telematics Control Unit, monitoring means) 6, and a communication antenna 7.

[0019] The in-vehicle smart key communication antenna 2 is an antenna for wireless communication with the smart key K, and the in-vehicle RF device 3 is a device for processing wireless signals with the smart key K, and these have a configuration equivalent to known and existing ones used in the smart entry system. Note that the in-vehicle RF device 3 may be integrally configured with the TCU 6.

[0020] The ECU 4 is a device that controls the locking and unlocking (opening and closing of the door) of the vehicle M, the starting and stopping of the vehicle M, and further, electronic devices such as airbags, transmissions, and engines based on wireless signals received from the smart key K. This ECU 4 has a configuration equivalent to a known and existing ECU and may be provided in plurality.

[0021] The GPS5 is a device that acquires the position information (latitude and longitude) of the vehicle M. That is, it receives the time signal radio wave from the GPS satellite and calculates the latitude and longitude of the vehicle M. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the acquired position information is transmitted to the TCU6.

[0022] The TCU6 is a device (telematics control unit) that receives information from the ECU4 and communicates with the outside via the Internet. It may be mounted on the vehicle M alone or on a car navigation system, a drive recorder, etc. This TCU6 has the same basic configuration and operation as a known and existing TCU except for the vehicle theft monitoring function described later. During the startup of the vehicle M, it can communicate with the smart key K via the in-vehicle RF device 3 and the ECU4.

[0023] The communication antenna 7 is an antenna for the TCU6 to communicate with the outside via the Internet. For example, it is configured to conform to the LTE (Long Term Evolution) standard.

[0024] Next, the vehicle theft monitoring function of the TCU6 will be described.

[0025] First, the TCU6 monitors whether it can communicate with the smart key K during the startup of the vehicle M. That is, it monitors whether it can continuously receive the signal / radio wave from the smart key K during the startup of the vehicle M, and checks the presence or absence of reception (communication availability) at predetermined time intervals or at predetermined distance intervals after the vehicle M starts.

[0026] And when the communication fails, that is, when the signal / radio wave from the smart key K cannot be received, it is determined that a vehicle theft has occurred (the vehicle M has been stolen). That is, in the normal state without vehicle theft, even if the vehicle M starts and moves, the smart key K is inside the vehicle M or exists near the vehicle M, so the communication state between the TCU6 and the smart key K is maintained.

[0027] On the one hand, in the case of a relay attack, when the vehicle M moves or the vehicle owner carrying the smart key K moves, etc., the signal and radio wave of the smart key K cannot be continuously relayed, and the communication between the TCU 6 and the smart key K is interrupted. That is, since the smart key K is not inside or near the vehicle M, the signal and radio wave from the smart key K cannot be received. Therefore, when the communication with the smart key K becomes impossible, it is determined that a vehicle theft has occurred.

[0028] Next, when it is determined that a vehicle theft has occurred, the current position information of the vehicle M is acquired from the GPS 5, and the fact that a vehicle theft has occurred and the position information of the vehicle M, etc. are notified to a predetermined contact via the Internet. Here, the predetermined contact can be anywhere as long as it is a place where the occurrence of a vehicle theft should be notified, such as the communication terminal of the vehicle owner (user) or an emergency call center, etc., and there can be a plurality of them. In addition, when notifying an emergency call center, etc., the identification information of the vehicle M is also notified.

[0029] According to the vehicle theft detection device 1 with such a configuration, when the communication between the TCU 6 and the smart key K becomes impossible during the startup of the vehicle M, it is determined that a vehicle theft has occurred, so it is possible to more reliably detect a vehicle theft. That is, as described above, under normal conditions, even if the vehicle M starts and moves, the communication state between the TCU 6 and the smart key K is maintained, but in the case of a relay attack, when the vehicle M moves, etc., the communication between the TCU 6 and the smart key K is interrupted. Therefore, when the communication between the TCU 6 and the smart key K becomes impossible, by determining that a vehicle theft has occurred, it is possible to more reliably detect a vehicle theft such as a relay attack.

[0030] Also, when it is determined that a vehicle theft has occurred, the vehicle owner, the emergency call center, etc. are notified of the occurrence of a vehicle theft, so it is possible to appropriately and quickly respond to the theft of the vehicle M. Moreover, since the position information of the vehicle M is notified, it is possible to appropriately and quickly respond based on the position information of the vehicle M.

[0031] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the specific configuration is not limited to the above embodiments, and even if there are design changes or the like within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present invention, they are included in the present invention. For example, in the above embodiment, the case where the TCU 6 constitutes the monitoring means has been described, but the monitoring means may be configured separately from the TCU 6.

[0032] 1 Vehicle theft detection device 2 In-vehicle smart key communication antenna 3 In-vehicle RF device 4 ECU 5 GPS (Position information acquisition means) 6 TCU (Monitoring means) 7 Communication antenna M Vehicle K Smart key

Claims

1. Comprising monitoring means capable of communicating with a smart key during vehicle startup, the monitoring means monitors whether communication with the smart key is possible during vehicle startup, and determines that vehicle theft has occurred when communication becomes impossible. A vehicle theft detection device characterized by the above.

2. When the monitoring means determines that vehicle theft has occurred, it notifies a predetermined contact that vehicle theft has occurred. The vehicle theft detection device according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. Comprising position information acquisition means for acquiring the position information of the vehicle, when the monitoring means notifies a predetermined contact that vehicle theft has occurred, it notifies the position information of the vehicle acquired by the position information acquisition means. The vehicle theft detection device according to claim 2, characterized by the above.

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