Vehicle anti-theft engine control device

DETAILED DESCRIPTION An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle anti-theft engine control device which is commonly applicable to an engine control device not equipped with a vehicle anti-theft Function and which can be used in combination with any type of vehicle anti-theft function as necessary.
The engine control device according to the present invention is provided with an engine control unit or circuit which controls the start of the engine in response to a start permit signal; an anti-theft function provision determining section which determines whether the engine is equipped with a vehicle anti-theft function or not and issues a signal indicating whether the anti-theft function is provided or not; a theft detector means which receives and checks an ID signal (code) indicating that legitimate starting operation is being performed and issues a validation signal; and a means for issuing a start permit signal in response to one of the validation signal received from the theft detector means and the signal indicating the absence or lack of the anti-theft function; the theft detector means being demountably mounted on the circuit board of the engine control section.
The section for determining whether the anti-theft function is provided or not and the means for issuing the start permit signal can of course be mounted on the same circuit board of the engine control device.
A timer may be further provided to prohibit the supply of the validation signal to the start permit signal issuing means when a preset time has elapsed since the timer was activated in response to the signal indicating the presence or provision of the anti-theft function.
The anti-theft function provision determining section is furnished with a divided voltage of a dividing means which is connected between an operating power supply and the ground so as to determined whether an anti-theft device is provided or not on the basis of the value of the divided voltage.
The theft detector means may be demountably mounted on a common circuit board on which the engine ECU is mounted; it checks whether the engine is started by a legitimate key and issues the validation signal when it decides that the engine is being started by the legitimate key