EP0475356B1 - Central locking apparatus for a motor vehicle opening - Google Patents

Description

• DE-C2-38 17 838

vorbekannt ist. Die in den Schlössern angebrachten Sperren verhindern in ihrer Sperrlage ein selbsttätiges Öffnen der betreffenden Abdeckungen, also z.B. der Türen und / oder Klappen von Kraftfahrzeugen. Diese Zentralverriegelungsanlage enthält unter anderem einen Handsender, mit welchem wahlweise Entriegelungssignale und Verriegelungssignale an den Empfänger gesendet werden können, um wahlweise das betreffende Schloß bzw. die betreffenden Schlösser zu entriegeln und zu verriegeln.The invention relates to the further development of a special, defined in the preamble of claim 1 variant of a remote-controlled central locking system, which for example by

• DE-C2-38 17 838

is known. In their locked position, the locks in the locks prevent the relevant covers from opening automatically, for example the doors and / or flaps of motor vehicles. This central locking system contains, among other things, a hand-held transmitter, with which unlocking signals and locking signals can optionally be sent to the receiver in order to optionally unlock and lock the relevant lock or locks.

In order to achieve good theft protection, when the motor vehicle has been locked from the outside by the hand transmitter, the connection between the control elements in the passenger compartment and the control unit is blocked by means of a blocking unit, so that the relevant locks are only unlocked from the outside can. This blocking unit can e.g. through a correspondingly dimensioned link, e.g. can also be formed by a suitable AND gate, which - viewed spatially instead of functionally - can also be attached within the control unit. This blocking unit can, however, also contain a mechanism which acts analogously to such links.

• es besteht nämlich die Gefahr, daß sie selber die Türen nicht mehr ohne weiteres mittels der Bedienelemente von innen her öffnen können. Durch jene
• DE-C2-38 17 838

wird keine Lösung für den Aufbau der Zentralverriegelungsanlage beschrieben, bei welcher das versehentliche Einschließen von Personen auch dann vermieden ist, falls der Empfänger im Inneren des Fahrgastraumes angebracht wird.In that known central locking system, it is no longer possible to open the doors of the motor vehicle by means of the operating elements located in the interior, that is to say in the passenger compartment, as soon as the receiver received the locking signal emitted by the hand transmitter. If the receiver is installed inside the passenger compartment, there is a risk that the Hand transmitter is operated by accident by an occupant of the motor vehicle, which causes the occupants to lock themselves up,

• there is a risk that they will no longer be able to open the doors themselves from the inside using the controls. Through those
• DE-C2-38 17 838

no solution for the construction of the central locking system is described in which the accidental inclusion of people is avoided even if the receiver is installed inside the passenger compartment.

• DE-C2-37 37 468

ist eine Zentralverriegelungsanlage bekannt, bei welcher im Kofferraum des Kraftfahrzeuges ein besonderer Schalter angebracht ist, durch welchen man die bisher verriegelten Schlösser der Türen notfalls wieder entriegeln kann, wenn die Elektronik aus irgendwelchen Gründen versagte. Z.B. durch diese

• DE-C2-37 37 468

ist auch bekannt, bei solchen Zentralverriegelungsanlagen den Empfänger außerhalb des Fahrgastraumes anzubringen. Der Empfänger ist dann nämlich sozusagen zuverlässig im Schatten der vom Handsender abgegebenen Strahlung angebracht, falls der Handsender versehentlich innerhalb des Fahrgastraumes betätigt wird. Dadurch kann gemäß dieser Schrift verhindert werden, daß sich die Personen durch die versehentliche Betätigung des Handsenders im Inneren des Kraftfahrzeuges selbst einsperren, wenn sie im Inneren des Fahrgastraumes den Handsender betätigen. Auch durch diese

• DE-C2-37 37 468

wird keine Lösung für den Aufbau der Zentralverriegelungsanlage beschrieben, bei welcher das versehentliche Einschließen von Personen auch dann vermieden ist, falls der Empfänger im Inneren des Fahrgastraumes angebracht wird.Through the

• DE-C2-37 37 468

a central locking system is known, in which a special switch is mounted in the trunk of the motor vehicle, through which one can unlock the previously locked locks of the doors if necessary, if the electronics failed for some reason. Eg through this

• DE-C2-37 37 468

it is also known to mount the receiver outside the passenger compartment in such central locking systems. The receiver is then, so to speak, reliably installed in the shadow of the radiation emitted by the handheld transmitter if the handheld transmitter is accidentally operated within the passenger compartment. According to this document, this can prevent people from locking themselves inside the motor vehicle due to the accidental actuation of the hand transmitter when they operate the hand transmitter inside the passenger compartment. Also through this

• DE-C2-37 37 468

no solution for the construction of the central locking system is described in which the accidental inclusion of people is avoided even if the receiver is installed inside the passenger compartment.

However, the invention aims for a solution in which the central locking system may well have an interior receiver and in which there is nevertheless no risk of that occupants can accidentally lock themselves up if the hand transmitter is accidentally operated inside the passenger compartment.

This is because the invention is based on the knowledge that it is advantageous in various respects to receive - e.g. a corresponding infrared diode - to be installed inside the passenger compartment instead of outside it. Then the receiver is not only particularly well protected against the weather. If the receiver is mounted outside the passenger compartment, you usually need several such receivers all around the passenger compartment, i.e. all around on the inside surfaces of the vehicle windows or even around the outside of the body of the motor vehicle so that the central locking system receives the signals sent by the handheld transmitter from all Can receive directions. A receiver installed in the interior of the passenger compartment therefore also has the advantage of being considerably less complex than that, and then inevitably several receivers, including their complex wiring. But even more so if the handheld transmitter works on a radio basis, there is a risk of accidentally locking yourself in, because a receiver can hardly be attached even outside the motor vehicle so that it is always reliably in the shadow of the radio waves as soon as the handheld transmitter is actuated in the passenger compartment becomes. However, the invention should also allow the use of radio-based hand-held transmitters, although an indoor receiver can be used in the invention.

• KRAFTHAND, 4. Febr. 1984, Heft 3, Seite 116, Kapitel "Ultraschall - Auto - Diebstahlsicherung"

ist bekannt, eine Zentralverriegelungsanlage und eine Diebstahlwarnanlage eines Kraftfahrzeuges in einem einzigen Gerät, genauer : in einem einzigen Gehäuse, unterzubringen. Auch in dieser Druckschrift wird weder direkt noch indirekt auf die Vermeidung der Gefahr des sich selbst Einsperrens eingegangen, erst recht nicht für den Fall, daß ein Innenraumempfänger benutzt wurde.Through the magazine

• KRAFTHAND, Feb. 4, 1984, Issue 3, page 116, Chapter "Ultrasound - Auto - Theft Protection"

is known to accommodate a central locking system and an anti-theft alarm system of a motor vehicle in a single device, more precisely: in a single housing. Also in this publication, neither directly nor indirectly is the avoidance of the risk of being locked in, especially not in the event that an indoor receiver is used has been.

There are also an almost unmistakable number of publications on the structure and operation of a wide variety of interior surveillance systems, which monitor whether there are people in this interior or not. E.g. there is a hardly visible number of publications on the technical field of anti-theft alarm systems alone, which e.g. can work on ultrasound or infrared light basis. In particular, the use of interior surveillance systems based on infrared allows the detection of people who are at rest in the passenger compartment.

• DE 29 38 969 = EP-B1-26 385

für sich bekannt, das Profil eines Echos eines ausgestrahlten Ultraschallknalles digital abzuspeichern und Bewegungen festzustellen, wobei auch der Dopplereffekt mitausgenutzt werden kann.For example, by

• DE 29 38 969 = EP-B1-26 385

known for storing the profile of an echo of an emitted ultrasound bang digitally and determining movements, the Doppler effect also being able to be exploited.

In addition, a number of publications disclose, particularly in motor vehicles, interior monitoring, e.g. can also be achieved through contacts built into the seats in conjunction with associated control electronics.

• daß die Zentralverriegelungsanlage durchaus einen Innenraumempfänger aufweisen darf und trotzdem nicht jene Gefahr besteht, daß sich Insassen versehentlich selber einsperren können, wenn versehentlich der Handsender innerhalb des Fahrgastraumes betätigt wird,
• daß sogar, unabhängig davon ob der Handsender im Fahrgastraum oder außerhalb des Kraftfahrzeuges bedient wird, ein versehentliches Einsperren von Personen im Fahrgastraum vermieden werden kann, selbst wenn der Empfänger ein Innenraumempfänger ist, also im Fahrgastraum angebracht ist,
• ja sogar wenn ein auf Funkbasis arbeitender Handsender verwendet wird, durch den auch dann Personen versehentlich im Fahrgastraum eingesperrt werden können, wenn der Empfänger außen an der Karosserie angebracht wird,
• daß nämlich immer noch die Bedienelemente - also z.B. jene Druckknöpfe oder Hebel, die normalerweise zum Öffnen der betreffenden Abdeckung von den im Innenraum verbliebenen Personen vom Innenraum her betätigbar sind - , weiterhin vom Inneren des Fahrgastraumes her das Öffnen der betreffenden Abdeckung zulassen, selbst wenn der Handsender dem Empfänger ein Verriegelungssignal sandte,

wird erfindungsgemäß durch eine Zentralverriegelungsanlage gelöst, welche die im Patentanspruch 1 definierten Merkmale aufweist.The task of improving a central locking system according to the preamble of claim 1,

• that the central locking system may well have an interior receiver and that there is still no danger that occupants may accidentally lock themselves in if the hand transmitter is accidentally operated within the passenger compartment,
• that, regardless of whether the handheld transmitter is operated in the passenger compartment or outside the motor vehicle, accidental locking in of persons in the passenger compartment can be avoided, even if the receiver is an interior receiver, that is to say is installed in the passenger compartment,
• yes, even if a radio-based hand transmitter is used, which can accidentally lock people in the passenger compartment even if the receiver is attached to the outside of the body,
• that namely, the controls - e.g. those push buttons or levers that can normally be actuated from the interior by people remaining in the interior to open the cover in question - continue to allow the cover in question to be opened from the interior of the passenger compartment, even if the Hand transmitter sent a locking signal to the receiver,

is achieved according to the invention by a central locking system which has the features defined in claim 1.

The invention thus allows, even if an interior receiver is attached, to prevent the people in the passenger compartment from being locked up e.g. by accidentally pressing the control buttons on the handheld transmitter that the driver has put in the bag or by the driver's children playing on the handheld transmitter. However, the invention allows the freedom to attach this receiver - or also several receivers - to the inner surfaces of windows of the motor vehicle, or even completely outside the passenger compartment, without incurring the risk of being accidentally locked in.

The invention adopts the knowledge that people in the interior, i.e. in the passenger compartment, can also be determined by the interior monitoring arrangement, which can also be formed by an anti-theft alarm system that is then activated and operated accordingly, if the hand transmitter is on at this time Lock signal sends out. As long as people are found in the passenger compartment, for the persons still remaining in the passenger compartment, the unlocking of the locks by the operating elements installed in the passenger compartment and operated by the persons remains in the invention possible.

By means of the invention it can be achieved that the blocking unit no longer blocks the unlocking or opening of the lock by means of the operating elements, as long as the interior monitoring arrangement, upon receipt of the locking signals, ascertained or had already determined the presence of a person in the passenger compartment. In the invention, the person remaining in the passenger compartment or several such persons remaining in the passenger compartment remains able to open the covers by the operating elements installed in the passenger compartment and operated by the persons, even if the receiver received a locking signal, as long as the interior monitoring arrangement during this reception or had determined that this person (s) were still in the passenger compartment before this reception. In the invention, the interior surveillance arrangement is therefore not - or at least not exclusively - used to detect a break-in in the locked and locked motor vehicle, but (also) to determine the per se permissible stay of this person in the passenger compartment.

• 2, zumindest Energie einzusparen, solange der Motor läuft, indem die Innenraumüberwachungsanordnung besonders während der Fahrt abgeschaltet bleibt,
• 3, zumindest Energie einzusparen, indem die Innenraumüberwachungsanordnung erst durch das Öffnen der betreffenden Abdeckung aktiviert wird,
• 4 und 5, die Aufgabe der Erfindung mit besonders wenig Aufwand zu lösen, z.B. weil die betreffende Blockiereinrichtung dazu auch ein sehr einfach entsprechend dimensionierbares Verknüpfungsglied aufweisen kann,
• 6, einen ganz anderen Weg zur Lösung der Aufgabe der Erfindung mit besonders wenig Aufwand zu bieten,
• 7 und 8, zwei unterschiedliche, für sich aber bekannte Maßnahmen zur Überwachung des Innenraums anzuwenden, wobei im Prinzip diese Innenraumüberwachungsanordnungen dann, wenn sich ordnungsgemäß niemand mehr im verschlossenen und verriegelten Fahrgastraum aufhält, auch als Diebstahlwarnanlage betrieben werden kann,
• 9, durch kombinierte Anwendung von Infrarot und Ultraschall, und / oder auch durch die für sich bekannte Anwendung des Dopplereffektes und / oder der laufenden (bei Bedarf sogar adaptiv anpaßbaren) sowohl schlafende Personen als auch vor Aufregung sehr unruhig bewegte Personen feststellen zu können,
• 10, eine Mehrfachausnutzung der Innenraumüberwachungsanordnung erreichen zu können,
• 11, kombiniert oder ausschließlich auch eine andere Variante der Innenraumüberwachungsanordnung mit wenig Aufwand anwenden zu können, wobei diese Innenraumüberwachungsanordnung während der Fahrt des Kraftfahrzeuges auch zusätzliche, für sich schon bekannte Funktionen aufweisen kann, z.B. bei einem Crash auch zur personengewichtsabhängigen Steuerung von Airbags oder Gurtstrammern dienen kann,
• 12, der von der Ferne verriegelnden Person auf einfache Weise sein versehentliches Einschließen anderer Personen anzuzeigen, wobei dann zusätzlich auch Tiere wie Hunde nicht mehr versehentlich vom Fahrer eingesperrt werden, - wobei solche Tiere an sich gar nicht die Möglichkeit hätten, sich selbst durch Bedienen der Bedienelemente zu befreien, und
• 13, eine besonders platzsparende kompakte Lösung für die zentrale Unterbringung der gesamten Steuerelektronik zu ermöglichen.

The additional measures mentioned in the subclaims allow additional advantages to be achieved. Among other things, allow the measures according to the claim

• 2, at least to save energy as long as the engine is running by keeping the interior monitoring arrangement switched off, especially while driving,
• 3, at least to save energy by activating the interior monitoring arrangement only when the relevant cover is opened,
• 4 and 5 to achieve the object of the invention with particularly little effort, for example because the blocking device in question can also have a connecting element which can be dimensioned in a very simple manner,
• 6 to offer a completely different way of achieving the object of the invention with particularly little effort,
• 7 and 8, to use two different but known measures for monitoring the interior, and in principle these interior monitoring arrangements can also be operated as an anti-theft system when no one is properly in the locked and locked passenger compartment,
• 9, through the combined use of infrared and ultrasound, and / or also through the known use of the Doppler effect and / or the running (even adaptable if necessary) able to detect both sleeping people and people who are very agitated due to excitement,
• 10 to be able to achieve multiple use of the interior monitoring arrangement,
• 11, combined or exclusively to use another variant of the interior monitoring arrangement with little effort, whereby this interior monitoring arrangement can also have additional functions that are known per se while the motor vehicle is traveling, for example in the event of a crash they are also used to control airbags or belt tensioners depending on the person's weight can,
• 12, to indicate to the person locking from afar his accidental inclusion of other people in a simple manner, in which case animals such as dogs are no longer accidentally locked in by the driver, - such animals in themselves would not have the possibility of operating themselves by operating the Controls free, and
• 13 to enable a particularly space-saving, compact solution for the central accommodation of the entire control electronics.

• 1 ein Beispiel für sie räumliche Verteilung der Bestandteile des gezeigten Ausführungsbeispiels, wobei die Verdrahtungen zwischen diesen Bestandteilen der Übersichtlichkeit wegen weggelassen wurden, sowie
• 2 in schematischer Darstellung ein Blockschaltbild einschließlich eines Schaltschemas für die Verdrahtungen bei dem in der Figur 1 gezeigten Ausführungsbeispiel.

The invention and further developments of the same are further described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment shown in the two figures. The figure shows

• 1 shows an example of the spatial distribution of the components of the exemplary embodiment shown, the wiring between these components have been omitted for clarity, and
• 2 shows a schematic diagram of a block diagram including a circuit diagram for the wiring in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

The central locking system shown is intended for at least one cover of at least one opening of the motor vehicle, here for one or more doors. At least one lock 3 is attached to each of these covers affected by the central locking system, cf. the two figures, e.g. a mechanically movable bolt or bolt through which the cover of the opening can be opened and closed so that it can no longer easily self-assemble or e.g. can open by wind. FIG. 2 schematically shows components of this central locking system according to the invention in an embodiment with only two locks 3. However, the use of any number of locks 3 is possible. The use of the locks 3 is not only limited to doors; In principle, flaps such as the trunk lid and bonnet can also be equipped with a lock that can be operated by the central locking system.

These locks 3 can be in their locked position, ie when they close the cover in question. These locks 3 can also each be locked or unlocked mechanically or / or electrically either by at least one single control element 2 in a manner known per se, so that the relevant locks 3 are no longer easily actuated and the covers in question are easily opened can.

In the passenger compartment there are - generally several - control elements 4, for example push buttons 4 and / or levers 4, each of which at least actuating signals for locking or - at least by mechanical and / or electrical means under the conditions permitted by the invention - can deliver an unlock signal for unlocking the lock 3. However, you can, or other control elements, - at least under the conditions permitted by the invention - additionally operate the locks 3 themselves, if necessary, and also in an electrical and / or mechanical manner.

The - generally compact, central - control unit 1 can in turn supply a control current for locking or unlocking to each control element 2, the control signals 4 emitted by the control elements 4 acting electrically on the control unit 1 in the example shown, so that the control unit 1 Control unit 1 delivered control current also depends on the position or on the operation of the controls 4.

In the invention, a receiver 6 is also attached, which in the example shown can also be formed solely by a corresponding sensor 6 on the lower edge of the inside mirror - e.g. by an ultrasound microphone and / by an infrared photodiode and / or by a ferrite antenna - while an associated, amplifying and filtering receiver electronics form a structural unit together with the control unit 1 and can then also be installed inside the housing of the control unit 1.

This receiver 6, which is attached to the inside mirror in the example shown, can receive the actuation signals emitted by a hand transmitter 7 - for example acoustic signals (for example in the ultrasound range), optical signals (for example in the infrared range) and / or relatively low-frequency electromagnetic radio signals - and transmit them to the control unit 1, see. 1 and 2. The actuation signals emitted by the hand transmitter 7 can be unlocking signals for unlocking and locking signals for locking the lock 3, as a result of which the receiver 6 receives a corresponding control current from the control unit 1 for locking or unlocking the relevant actuating elements 2 of the locks 3 can trigger.

A blocking unit 5 can block the unlocking signal given by the control element 4 to the control unit 1, namely prevent the unlocked lock 3 from being unlocked by the control element 4, so that a burglar no longer using the control elements 4 can enter the lock 3 by means of the control elements 4 can unlock.

In the example shown, the blocking unit 5 is designed as an electronic blocking unit 5, which, for example, is also controlled directly by the operating elements 4. When the blocking unit 5 is activated, the electrical unlocking signal coming from the control element 4 is no longer forwarded to the control unit 1. However, this blocking unit can also form a common circuit 1/5 with the control unit 1. However, a purely mechanical blocking unit 5 is even possible. Here, e.g. the controls 4 are also mechanically blocked so that the controls 4 in question can then no longer be moved. For this, e.g. Additional control elements, not shown in the figure, which block these control elements 4 are useful. Unlocking the locks 3 and then opening the doors is then no longer possible. Incidentally, the mechanical blocking unit sometimes has the disadvantage over the electronic blocking unit 5 that more mechanical components are required for adjusting elements.

The invention additionally contains an interior monitoring arrangement 8 which, when receiving a locking signal emitted by the hand transmitter 7, monitors whether at least one person is in the passenger compartment. This interior monitoring arrangement 8 can e.g. work on infrared basis and / or ultrasound basis and / or radio basis.

• · daß das Stellelement 2, sobald gleichzeitig eine erste Kombination von mindestens drei Bedingungen erfüllt ist, das Öffnen der Abdeckung mittels des auf die Sperre 3 wirkenden Bedienelementes 4 zuläßt, nämlich dann,
  • ·· wenn die Sperre 3 bis dahin entriegelt war,
  • ·· wenn der Empfänger 6 ein Verriegelungssignal empfängt, und
  • ·· wenn im Zeitpunkt dieses Empfanges die Innenraumüberwachungsanordnung 8 feststellt oder bereits festgestellt hatte, daß sich noch mindestens eine Person im Fahrgastraum befindet,
• · daß aber das Stellelement 2, sobald gleichzeitig eine weitere Kombination von mindestens drei Bedingungen erfüllt ist, das Öffnen der Abdeckung, auch mittels des Bedienelementes 4, nicht mehr zuläßt, nämlich dann,
  • ·· wenn die Sperre 3 bis dahin entriegelt war,
  • ·· wenn der Empfänger 6 ein Verriegelungssignal empfängt, und
  • ·· wenn im Zeitpunkt dieses Empfanges die Innenraumüberwachungsanordnung 8 feststellt oder bereits festgestellt hatte, daß sich keine Person mehr im Fahrgastraum befindet.

This interior monitoring arrangement 8 is in the invention with the control unit 1 and / or with the blocking unit 5 - for example by means of appropriately dimensioned logic elements like AND gates and OR gates - connected and operated in a certain way. These links can be part of the control unit 1, for example, and can be attached within a separate housing provided for this control unit 1. This interior monitoring arrangement 8 is namely interconnected and operated in such a way that at least two effects are achieved:

• That the control element 2, as soon as a first combination of at least three conditions is simultaneously fulfilled, allows the cover to be opened by means of the control element 4 acting on the lock 3, namely then,
  • ·· if lock 3 was unlocked by then,
  • ·· when the receiver 6 receives a lock signal, and
  • ·· if, at the time of this reception, the interior monitoring arrangement 8 detects or has already determined that at least one person is still in the passenger compartment,
• But that the control element 2, as soon as a further combination of at least three conditions is simultaneously fulfilled, no longer permits the cover to be opened, also by means of the control element 4, namely,
  • ·· if lock 3 was unlocked by then,
  • ·· when the receiver 6 receives a lock signal, and
  • ·· if, at the time of this reception, the interior monitoring arrangement 8 ascertains or has already established that there is no longer any person in the passenger compartment.

These two combinations of conditions can be realized, for example, by appropriately dimensioned logic circuits. However, these two combinations of conditions can also be implemented, for example, by corresponding operation of a programmed memory processor, which is contained in the blocking unit 5 - or which is contained in the control unit 1, but then this control unit 1 also takes over the functions of the blocking unit 5.

These two combinations of conditions for the construction and operation of the control unit 1 and / or the blocking unit 5 enable the central locking system to have an interior receiver. If the receiver 6 receives a locking signal from the hand transmitter 7 - regardless of whether this hand transmitter 7 is located in the passenger compartment or outside the motor vehicle, the people who are still in the passenger compartment during this reception can easily free themselves. Only when the interior monitoring arrangement 8 determines that there was no longer any person in the passenger compartment at the time of reception, the relevant locks 3 are permanently locked by the associated control elements 2.

The invention thus allows, even if an interior receiver is attached, to prevent people who are in the passenger compartment from being locked up, even if the locking signals are caused by inadvertent pressing on control buttons on the handheld transmitter stuck in the bag by the driver or by playing on the hand-held transmitter with the driver's children in motion.

The central locking system according to the invention even allows the risk of - or other - inadvertent locking to be avoided if the receiver is attached outside the motor vehicle and at the same time the hand transmitter 7 is operated from outside the vehicle - if it is in accordance with the prior art cited above , supposedly to protect the people in the passenger compartment, the receiver is attached to itself in the shadow of the radiation from a handheld transmitter operated in the passenger compartment and at the same time the user of the handheld transmitter 7 accidentally sends the locking signal from outside the motor vehicle.

The invention thus allows the freedom to also mount this receiver 6 inside the passenger compartment without creating the risk of being accidentally locked up.

The invention therefore also makes it possible not only to mount the receiver 6 particularly well protected against the effects of the weather. In addition, the invention makes it possible to avoid using several such receivers 6, e.g. Several photodiodes 6, outside of the passenger compartment, that is to say must be attached to the outside of the body of the motor vehicle, in order at least to avoid inadvertently locking people into the passenger compartment if the handheld transmitter 7 is actuated inadvertently inside the passenger compartment. The invention thus also allows a reduction in the amount of wiring to the receivers — generally several — attached to the outside of the motor vehicle, because the invention in principle even allows the attachment of a single receiver 6 mounted centrally in the interior of the passenger compartment.

But even more so when the handheld transmitter 7 operates on a radio basis, the invention allows the risk of being accidentally locked in, because a receiver can hardly be attached outside the motor vehicle so that it is always reliably in the shadow of the radio waves, as soon as the hand transmitter in the passenger compartment is activated. The invention thus also allows the use of radio-operated hand-held transmitters, although even an indoor receiver can be used.

At least in order to save energy in a particularly user-friendly manner, as long as the engine is running, the interior monitoring arrangement 8, including the electronics belonging to it, can also be automatically switched off, especially when the interior monitoring arrangement 8 is connected directly or indirectly to the ignition lock, and the interior monitoring arrangement 8 is only activated by switching off the ignition in order to begin at this point in time to determine whether a person is in the passenger compartment. The user of the vehicle therefore does not have to switch on the interior monitoring arrangement 8 by hand when switching off the ignition.

Also, at least in order to save energy in a particularly user-friendly manner, one can - additionally or alternatively - also activate the interior monitoring arrangement 8 only when leaving the passenger compartment in another way: namely, the interior monitoring arrangement 8 can only be activated by opening the relevant cover, by connecting the interior monitoring arrangement 8 directly or indirectly to one or more door contacts 9 in such a way that the interior monitoring arrangement 8 is only activated by opening the relevant door to determine whether a person is still in the passenger compartment.

In order to achieve the object of the invention with particularly little effort, the interior monitoring arrangement 8 with the control unit 1 and / or with the blocking unit 5 can also be used, e.g. by attaching an appropriately dimensioned connecting element - interconnect and operate such that, from the presence of both the first combination of three conditions and from the presence of the further combination of three conditions, the lock 3 is immediately locked by means of the actuating element 2, and that, however, from the existence of the first three conditions alone and if afterwards the control element 4 is a - for example mechanical or electrical or other, e.g. also releases pneumatic - unlocking signal, the blocking unit 5 forwards an electrical signal corresponding to this unlocking signal via the electronic control unit 1 to the actuating element 2 and then allows the cover to be opened.

In addition, the last-mentioned variant of the invention requires particularly little effort if the interior monitoring arrangement 8 with the control unit 1 and / or with the blocking unit 5 is additionally connected in such a way - for example by means of a correspondingly dimensioned connecting element - and is operated in such a way that, from the presence of the three further conditions and if the control element 4 then additionally emits an unlock signal, the blocking unit 5 this unlock signal does not pass on to the control element 2 via the control unit 1 and thus does not allow opening of the cover.

In principle, the blocking unit 5 can also be activated and deactivated in the invention depending on the actuation signal of the hand transmitter 7, but only in a similar way to the prior art: the blocking unit, cf. 5, activated when the receiver 6 receives a locking signal from the handheld transmitter 7 - but only if the interior monitoring arrangement 8 then no longer detects a person in the passenger compartment. And when the receiver 6 receives an unlocking signal from the hand-held transmitter 7, the blocking unit 5 is deactivated again, as in the prior art, in principle also in the invention. In addition, however, the interior monitoring arrangement also acts in the invention, cf. 8, on the locking mechanism, in that, depending on the type of connection and operation, it also has an influence on the activation or non-activation of the blocking unit 5 and / or the control unit 1, that is to say it has an influence on the possibility of using the control element 4 e.g. to open the door or not.

A very different way of achieving the object of the invention can be chosen with particularly little effort by interconnecting the interior monitoring arrangement 8 with the control unit 1 and / or with the blocking unit 5 and operating it in such a way that the control unit starts from the first three conditions 1 the lock 3 unlocked until then is still not locked by means of the actuating element 2.

The invention also allows different, known per se measures to be used to monitor the interior. For example, it can work on an ultrasound basis and / or an infrared basis and / or a radio basis. It can even perform additional tasks: in principle, when it is no longer in the locked and locked passenger compartment of the parked motor vehicle, it can also be operated as an anti-theft alarm system.

Especially through the known application of the Doppler effect and / or e.g. through the combined use of infrared on the one hand and ultrasound and / or radio on the other hand, the interior monitoring arrangement 8 can even detect both sleeping people and - possibly even very agitated before excitement - moving people.

The interior monitoring arrangement 8 can also contain, in a manner known per se, at least one contact in at least one of the seats in the passenger compartment. This means - in addition or exclusively - that a further variant of the interior monitoring arrangement 8 can be used with little effort, although this interior monitoring arrangement 8 can also take on additional functions outside of the locking process by multiple use: namely, it can e.g. In the event of a crash, they can also be used to control airbags or belt tensioners depending on the person's weight.

So that the person locking from a distance his accidental inclusion of other people is displayed in a simple manner, you can additionally attach a signal device to the motor vehicle and / or the handheld transmitter 7, which is controlled by the interior monitoring arrangement 8 and which of the handheld transmitters 7 operate from which The person sending the locking signal remotely may indicate that at least one person is still in the passenger compartment. An additional advantage of this variant of the invention is that even animals such as dogs are no longer accidentally locked in by the driver, and such animals in themselves would not have the possibility of freeing themselves by operating the controls.

• a) die Bedienelemente 4 trotz Verriegelns der Sperre 3 ein Öffnen von innen erlauben, oder
• b) die Bedienelemente 4 in jedem Fall zuverlässig blockiert sind, auch wenn noch eine Person oder ein Tier im Fahrgastraum verblieb,

kann der Handsender 7 auch unterschiedliche Betätigungsmöglichkeiten bieten. So kann dieser Handsender 7 z.B. zwei unterschiedliche Tasten aufweisen, eine für normales Verriegeln der Sperre 3 und die andere für das Verriegeln der Sperre 3 und zusätzliches Aktivieren der Blockiereinheit 5, damit in jedem Falle die Abdeckung nicht mehr von Innen her geöffnet werden kann - selbst wenn noch eine Person oder ein Tier eingeschlossen bleibt. Eine andere ähnliche Lösung für eine solche Spezialaufgabe, aber mit nur einer Taste, kann darauf beruhen, daß - in Abhängigkeit von der Zeitdauer, wie lange auf die Taste des Handsenders 7 gedrückt wird - zuerst nur ein Verriegeln der Sperre 3 stattfindet, aber bei längerem Gedrückthalten der Taste zusätzlich die Blockiereinheit 5 so aktiviert wird, daß bewußt die im Fahrgastraum verbliebenen Personen und / oder Tiere eingesperrt sind.In order to allow the operator of the handheld transmitter 7 to lock the motor vehicle in such a way that either

• a) allow the controls 4 despite locking the lock 3 opening from the inside, or
• b) the control elements 4 are reliably blocked in any case, even if a person or an animal still remains in the passenger compartment,

the handheld transmitter 7 can also offer different actuation options. For example, this hand transmitter 7 can have two different buttons, one for normally locking the lock 3 and the other for locking the lock 3 and additionally activating the blocking unit 5, so that in any case the cover can no longer be opened from the inside - itself if another person or animal remains trapped. Another similar solution for such a special task, but with only one button, can be based on the fact that - depending on the length of time for how long the button on the hand transmitter 7 is pressed - only the lock 3 is initially locked, but for a longer time Holding down the key additionally activates the blocking unit 5 in such a way that people and / or animals remaining in the passenger compartment are deliberately locked up.

For reasons of rationalization and cost savings or expense, it is advantageous to combine the functions carried out by the control unit 1 and the function of the interior monitoring 8 in one device housing.

Claims (10)

1. Central locking installation for a door of a motor vehicle,

   - having an interlock (3) on the door, which in the interlocking position prevents opening of the door,

   - having an actuator (2) for the interlock (3), by means of which the interlock (3) can, according to choice, be locked in the interlocking position or be unlocked,

   - having an operating element (4), in the passenger compartment, which supplies control signals, namely an interlocking signal for locking or an interlock release signal for unlocking the interlock (3),

   - having a controller (1) which, depending on the respective control signal, supplies a command to lock or to unlock to the actuator (2),

   - having a receiver (6) which receives actuating signals transmitted by a manual transmitter (7), namely unlocking signals to unlock or locking signals to lock the interlock (3), and transmits them to the controller (1) and, as a result, triggers the command to lock or to unlock the interlock (3), and

   - having a blocking unit (5) which, after the transmission of a locking signal by the manual transmitter (7), blocks the interlock release signal transmitted by the operating element (4) to the controller (1), so that unlocking of the locked interlock (3) by means of the operating element is prevented,

   characterized in that the central locking installation is configured such that it is linked to an interior monitoring arrangement (8) known per se, in that the interior monitoring arrangement (8), at least after the transmission of a locking signal, monitors whether there is at least one person in the passenger compartment, and in that the blocking unit (5), after the transmission of a locking signal, only blocks the interlock release signal transmitted by the operating element (4) to the controller (1) if there is nobody in the passenger compartment.
2. Central locking installation according to Patent Claim 1, characterized in that

   - the interior monitoring arrangement (8) is connected, directly or indirectly, to the ignition lock and

   - the interior monitoring arrangement (8) is activated by switching off the ignition, in order to determine whether there is anybody in the passenger compartment.
3. Central locking installation according to Patent Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

   - the interior monitoring arrangement (8) is connected, directly or indirectly, to one or more door contacts (9) and

   - the interior monitoring arrangement (8) is activated by opening a door, in order to determine whether there is anybody in the passenger compartment.
4. Central locking installation according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that

   - the interior monitoring arrangement (8) is an infrared interior monitoring arrangement.
5. Central locking installation according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that

   - the interior monitoring arrangement (8) is an ultrasonic interior monitoring arrangement.
6. Central locking installation according to one of Patent Claims 4 or 5, characterized in that

   - the interior monitoring arrangement (8) can determine both a moving and a stationary person.
7. Central locking installation according to one of Patent Claims 4 to 6, characterized in that

   - its interior monitoring arrangement (8) is used during parking in the properly closed and locked condition as a theft monitoring installation.
8. Central locking installation according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that

   - the interior monitoring arrangement (8) contains at least one contact in at least one of the seats.
9. Central locking installation according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that

   - it has a signal device which is controlled by the interior monitoring arrangement (8) and which indicates, if appropriate, to the person operating the manual transmitter (7) and transmitting the locking signal remotely that there is still at least one person in the passenger compartment.
10. Central locking installation according to one of the preceding patent claims, characterized in that

    - the controller (1) and the control electronics of the interior monitoring arrangement (8) are united in one device.

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