TITLE: Advance Immobilizer Electronic Control Unit for Automobiles
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to enhancing the security of the vehicle by means of an advanced immobilizer electronic control unit (AIECU). More particularly, a transponder Immobilizer is incorporated in vehicle whose battery is either dead or the battery is missing and also in case of the availability of the battery in the vehicle.
BACKGROUND - DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Most of the two wheelers available today and in past were using mechanical key to open the Lock. Since, the lockset is a mechanical security devise it has a limitation. The limitation is that the there are limited number of key codes which can be used. Such codes are normally less that ten thousand.
To enhance the security of the vehicle, a transponder immobilizer is used. The immobilizer works on digital electronic codes stored in a chip which is embedded in the key. The immobilizer has billions of combinations which enhance the vehicle security, manifolds. When the vehicle key is inserted and the key is rotated to connect the electrical circuit of the vehicle the immobilizer Electronic Control Unit (ECU) checks the availability of the correct coded key and if such key is present the vehicle can be started. Else the vehicle cannot be started i.e. the vehicle is immobilized.
Concerns have been raised by domestic manufacturers that the above explained immobilizer function requires battery power to operate. In developing countries like India, there are events when the vehicle battery is not in a healthy condition and the customer is not willing to replace the battery as it is a recurring cost. The challenge is that the immobilizer should function even in the event when the vehicle is without any battery.

Existing Product – Description
At present, the Immobilizers require energy source to activate the electronic circuit of the immobilizer. The power / energy is supplied by turning “ON” the key of the ignition lock of the vehicle.
After getting power from battery through key, the Electronic Control Unit gets activated and senses the electronic code from transponder. In case of receiving a valid electronic code from transponder the controller gets disarmed and the vehicle can be started. In case of wrong code or no code from transponder the vehicle remains immobilized and cannot be started.
Working Principle of Conventional Immobilizers:
1. The Key is inserted inside the steering cum ignition lock.
2. The key is rotated and the battery circuit is connected and power is given to immobilizer control unit which in turns activates the antenna.
3. The antenna generates magnetic field which activates the transponder chip hidden inside the key.
4. The transponder transmits the code to the antenna.
5. The antenna transmits the code to the Electronic control unit.
6. The electronic control unit verifies the code.
7. In case the code is verified and found OK, the vehicle can be started.
8. In case the code does not gets verified, the vehicle cannot be started.

Necessity for the new product
In the above product, battery plays an important role as the primary source of power required to operate the electronic circuit, is derived from battery.
In price sensitive market like India, people refrain from replacing the battery as they consider it to be an expense. Moreover, the two wheelers perform marginally good, even in the absence of the battery.
Under these circumstances, the manufacturers of the two wheelers had a reservation on introducing conventional immobilizers on their vehicles, fearing that such products will force their customers towards a recurring cost of battery replacement.
Hence the demand of the industry is to have an electronic immobilizer which can work on vehicles even in the event when the vehicle battery is not present.
Therefore, in the present invention, the inventors have come out with a advanced transponder immobilizer electronic control unit which is capable in functioning, while the battery of the vehicle is dead or not fully charged.
OBJECTIVE OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an advanced immobilizer electronic control unit to secure the vehicle even in the absence of battery.
BRIEF DESRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Figure 1 show the conventional immobilizer system.
Figure 2 show the advanced immobilized for vehicles without battery.
DETAILE DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention is an Advance Immobilizer Electronic Control Unit (AIECU) illustrated in Fig 2. This AIECU is capable to secure the vehicle even in the absence of the battery. The working principle of the invention is based on the concept that when the vehicle without battery needs to be started, the vehicle has to be kicked. When the vehicle is kicked there is a dynamo in the vehicle which starts generating current. This current is used to provide source of energy for the innovative immobilizer.
The advanced immobilizer comprises and an additional reservoir circuit and a regulatory circuit, which is actually responsible where the transponder verification is delayed. That is first the engine starts as in normal vehicle without electronic control unit and once the engine has started, the power generated by engine is supplied to the immobilizer controller (after a time lag). After this delay time lag, the immobilizer gets active and performs its function of verifying the code of the transponder which is important to maintain the running condition of the vehicle engine.
The immobilizer in the standby condition allows the vehicle to be started. Once the vehicle is started and AIECU gets charged, the AIECU checks the code of the transponder chip in the vehicle and in case a correct code is identified, the vehicle engine continues to run. In case the code is missing or is wrong the vehicle engine stops.
Hence the vehicle is secured / protected by AIECU even in the condition of no battery and provided complete security to the vehicle.
Working Principle of Immobilizer of the present invention for vehicles without battery:
1. The vehicle is started by kick or manual crank handle or by key using the electric start.
2. Every automobile has a dynamo / magneto which is driven by the IC engine. The dynamo or magneto generates current which is supplied to the spark plugs of the engine to keep the engine firing.
3. This current from dynamo / magneto is supplied to the electronic controller of the advanced immobilizer.
4. On receiving power from dynamo / magneto, the electronic control unit activates the antenna as in the conventional systems.
5. The process of checking the code remains same as in the conventional system.
6. In case the code is verified and found OK, the vehicle engine remains in the start state.
7. In case the code is not verified and found to be wrong the vehicle engine stops and hence the vehicle is immobilized and secured.
Major Differences:
In the conventional system, initially the transponder is verified using power source from battery. Whereas, in case of the present invention, the transponder verification is delayed. That is first the engine starts as in normal vehicle without electronic control unit and once the engine has started, the power generated by engine is supplied to the immobilizer controller (after a time lag). After this delay time lag, the immobilizer gets active and performs its function of verifying the code of the transponder which is important to maintain the running condition of the vehicle engine.
Conventional System Present invention (Minda) AIECU
Source of power is battery. Source of power is from Dynamo / Magneto.
The vehicle does not start in case of wrong electronic code or no code. First, the vehicle starts. In case of wrong code or no code, the vehicle engine stops.