Automobile antitheft apparatus

Claim 2

A vehicle antitheft apparatus comprising: means for sensing a selected key code pattern; means for identifying a first code pattern from the means for sensing; means for identifying a second code pattern from the means for sensing; means for operating the vehicle in response to the means for identifying the first code pattern; means for operating only a portion of vehicle functions in response to the means for identifying a second code pattern; and means for selecting which of the first or second code patterns is operable to the exclusion of the other code pattern.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for sensing comprises a plurality of switch means selectively closable in response to key code indicia; and the means for identifying a first code pattern comprises: a plurality of AND gates; a plurality of NOR gates, there being a 1 to 1 correlation between the AND gates, the NOR gates and the switch means; means for connecting each of the switch means to either its corresponding AND gate or its corresponding NOR gate in a preselected pattern corresponding to the first code pattern; means for enabling vehicle operation in response to the AND gates; and means for disabling vehicle operation in response to the NOR gates.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the means for identifying a second code pattern comprises: second means for connecting each of the switch means to either its corresponding AND gate or its corresponding NOR gate in a second preselected pattern corresponding to the second code pattern and independent of the first preselected pattern; and wherein the means for selecting comprises: means for selectively disabling a first portion of each of the AND gates and the NOR gates when the first code pattern is operable, and for disabling a second portion of each of the AND gates and the NOR gates when the second code pattern is operable.

Claim 5

A vehicle antitheft apparatus comprising: card reader means for sensing key code indicia on a vehicle operating card, said card reader means being located in a vehicle driver compartment; control logic means located in a portion of the vehicle inaccessible from the driver compartment; switch means located in a portion of the vehicle inaccessible from the driver''s compartment for operating the vehicle, said switch means being operable only in response to the control logic means; and lock means for locking the portion of the vehicle containing the control logic means and the switch means; said control logic means comprising; means for actuating the switch means in response to a first card code pattern; means for actuating the switch means in response to a second card code pattern; and means for enabling the lock means to be unlocked only in response to the first card code pattern.

Claim 6

A vehicle antitheft apparatus comprising: card reader means for sensing key code indicia on a vehicle operating card, said card reader means being located in a vehicle driver compartment; control logic means located in a portion of the vehicle inaccessible from the driver compartment; switch means located in a portion of the vehicle inaccessible from the driver''s compartment for operating the vehicle, said switch means being operable only in response to the control logic means; and lock means for locking the portion of the vehicle containing the control logic means and the switch means; said control logic means comprising; means for actuating the switch means in response to a first card code pattern; means for actuating the switch means in response to a second card code pattern; and means for enabling the lock means to be unlocked only in response to the first card code pattern.

Claim 7

A vehicle antitheft apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the first card code pattern is mutually exclusive with the second card code pattern and further comprising: means for switching from the first card code pattern to the second card code pattern only when the first card code pattern is operable.

Claim 8

A vehicle antitheft apparatus comprising: a card reader comprising a plurality of switches selectively closable in response to a pattern of code indicia; a plurality of AND gates, each of the AND gates having an A input and a B input; a plurality of NOR gates, each of the NOR gates having an A input and a B input, both the AND gates and the NOR gates bearing a 1 to 1 relation to the switches so that each switch has a corresponding AND gate and a corresponding NOR gate; means for connecting each of the switches to the A input of its corresponding AND gate or to the A input of its corresponding NOR gate; means for connecting each of the switches to the B input of its corresponding AND gate or to the B input of its corresponding NOR gate; first means for selectively disabling the A inputs to the AND gates and the NOR gates; second means for selectively disabling the B inputs to the AND gates and the NOR gates, operation of the first and second means for disabling being mutually exclusive; electrically operated switch means for enabling vehicle operation; and means for operating the switch means in response to state of the AND gates and the NOR gates.

Claim 9

A vehicle antitheft apparatus comprising: a card reader comprising a plurality of switches selectively closable in response to a pattern of code indicia; a plurality of AND gates, each of the AND gates having an A input and a B input; a plurality of NOR gates, each of the NOR gates having an A input and a B input, both the AND gates and the NOR gates bearing a 1 to 1 relation to the switches so that each switch has a corresponding AND gate and a corresponding NOR gate; means for connecting each of the switches to the A input of its corresponding AND gate or to the A input of its corresponding NOR gate; means for connecting each of the switches to the B input of its corresponding AND gate or to the B input of its corresponding NOR gate; first means for selectively disabling the A inputs to the AND gates and the NOR gates; second means for selectively disabling the B inputs to the AND gates and the NOR gates, operation of the first and second means for disabling being mutually exclusive; electrically operated switch means for enabling vehicle operation; and means for operating the switch means in response to state of the AND gates and the NOR gates.

Claim 10

A vehicle antitheft apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising means for preventing access to the antitheft apparatus, except for the card reader, in response to all but a selected pattern of switch closures in the card reader.

Claim 11

A vehicle antitheft apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the means for selectively disabling comprises: an NPN-transistor; a PNP-transistor; means for selectively applying a positive voltage to the bases of both transistors; and means for connecting the emitter of one of the transistors to the A inputs to the AND gates and the NOR gates, and means for connecting the collector of the other transistor to the B inputs to the AND gates and the NOR gates for selectively disabling the A inputs and B inputs, respectively.

Claim 12

A vehicle antitheft apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein the means for connecting the switches to the AND gates And NOR gates comprises: a connection board having: a plurality of switch terminals, a plurality of pairs of AND gate terminals, a plurality of pairs of NOR gate terminals, and a first plurality of interconnections in a first selected pattern between each of the switch terminals and corresponding ones of AND gate or NOR gate terminals, a second plurality of interconnections in a second selected pattern between each of the switch terminals and corresponding ones of AND gate or NOR gate terminals; said connection board being removable and replaceable by a similar board having a different selected pattern of interconnections.