1. A vehicle security apparatus capable of communicating with an electronic key transmitting a unique identification signal and with a communication apparatus in a remote location transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request for a vehicle driving device of a vehicle, the vehicle security apparatus comprising:
a key communication unit for communicating with the electronic key;
a remote communication unit for communicating with the communication apparatus in the remote location;
a control unit for controlling the vehicle driving device based on at least one of the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and the drive request signals transmitted to the remote communication unit; and
a releasing unit for releasing control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request according to an instruction from a user,
wherein the control unit prohibits driving of the vehicle driving device upon receipt of the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request at the remote communication unit and allows a transition of power from a power supply mounted on the vehicle such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user only when the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit is an authorized identification signal.
2. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit prohibits the drive permission for the vehicle driving device until the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.
3. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit also controls locking and unlocking of a steering wheel of the vehicle based on the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and prohibits unlocking of the steering wheel until at least the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.
4. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the releasing unit includes a display unit for displaying an image for releasing the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request, and an operation unit operable by the user and allowing an operation associated with the image; and
the releasing unit releases the control over the vehicle driving device, when an operation based on the image displayed on the display unit is performed on the operation unit.
5. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing unit includes an operation unit, which is operable by the user and releases the control over the vehicle driving device according to an operation by the user.
6. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing unit includes a voice recognition device for checking whether the voice of the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the voice recognition device determines that the voice satisfies the predetermined condition.
7. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the releasing unit includes a biological information determination device for checking whether biological information on the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the biological information determination device determines that the biological information satisfies the predetermined condition.
8. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the control unit controls the power from the power supply mounted on the vehicle for a transition to an off state, an accessory-on state or an ignition-on state; and
the control unit makes the power supply transition of the power supply to the accessory-on state or the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.
9. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the control unit controls the transition of the power from the power supply; and
the control unit supplies power to the releasing unit without making the accessory-on state and the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.
10. A vehicle security system comprising:
an electronic key which is portable and which transmits a unique identification signal;
a communication apparatus for remote-controlling a vehicle driving device of a vehicle by transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request; and
a vehicle security apparatus according to claim 1.
11. A vehicle security apparatus capable of communicating with an electronic key transmitting a unique identification signal and with a communication apparatus in a remote location transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request for a vehicle driving device of a vehicle, the vehicle security apparatus comprising:
a key communication unit for communicating with the electronic key;
a remote communication unit for communicating with the communication apparatus in the remote location;
a control unit for controlling the vehicle driving device based on at least one of the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and the drive request signals transmitted to the remote communication unit;
a releasing unit for releasing control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request according to an instruction from a user; and
a door lock switch detection unit which is normally supplied with power from a power supply mounted on the vehicle and which detects an operation on a door lock switch of the vehicle,
wherein the control unit prohibits driving of the vehicle driving device upon receipt of the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request by the remote communication unit and allows a transition of power from the power supply such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user only when the door lock switch detection units detects an operation on the door lock switch of the vehicle.
12. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit prohibits the drive permission for the vehicle driving device until the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.
13. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit also controls locking and unlocking of a steering wheel of the vehicle based on the identification signal transmitted to the key communication unit and prohibits unlocking of the steering wheel until at least the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request is released, even when the power supply transition is allowed.
14. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:
the releasing unit includes a display unit for displaying an image for releasing the control over the vehicle driving device based on the drive request signal representing the drive prohibition request, and an operation unit operable by the user and allowing an operation associated with the image; and
the releasing unit releases the control over the vehicle driving device, when an operation based on the image displayed on the display unit is performed on the operation unit.
15. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the releasing unit includes an operation unit, which is operable by the user and releases the control over the vehicle driving device according to an operation by the user.
16. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the releasing unit includes a voice recognition device for checking whether the voice of the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the voice recognition device determines that the voice satisfies the predetermined condition.
17. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the releasing unit includes a biological information determination device for checking whether biological information on the user satisfies a predetermined condition, and releases the control over the vehicle driving device when the biological information determination device determines that the biological information satisfies the predetermined condition.
18. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:
the control unit controls the power from the power supply mounted on the vehicle for a transition to an off state, an accessory-on state or an ignition-on state; and
the control unit makes the power supply transition of the power supply to the accessory-on state or the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.
19. The vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:
the control unit controls the transition of the power from the power supply; and
the control unit supplies power to the releasing unit without making the accessory-on state and the ignition-on state, when the transition of the power from the power supply is allowed such that the releasing unit can accept an instruction from the user.
20. A vehicle security system comprising:
an electronic key which is portable and which transmits a unique identification signal;
a communication apparatus for remote-controlling a vehicle driving device of a vehicle by transmitting drive request signals representing a drive prohibition request and a drive permission request; and
a vehicle security apparatus according to claim 11.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
What is claimed is:
1. A system for facilitating the assembly of a bundle of conductors into a connector that defines a plurality of cavities for receiving the conductors, said system comprising:
a plurality of mating connectors that each define a plurality of cavities, wherein the connector is capable of being removably coupled to one of said mating connectors, wherein coupling the connector to the mating connector optically couples the cavities of the mating connector with the cavities of the connector; and
a plurality of light emitting elements optically coupled to the cavities of said mating connectors, wherein said light emitting elements are capable of selectively illuminating at least one of the cavities of said mating connectors; and
a processing element adapted to control said light emitting elements to selectively illuminate at least one of the cavities of said mating connectors to thereby illuminate at least one corresponding cavity of the connector to facilitate plugging at least one associated conductor into the at least one illuminated cavity of the connector.
2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus further comprises a plurality of optical fibers capable of optically coupling the cavities of said mating connectors with said light emitting elements.
3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said mating connectors include at least one plug mating connector and at least one receptacle mating connector, wherein the connector is selected from a group consisting of a plug connector and a receptacle connector, and wherein the plug mating connector is capable of being removably coupled to a receptacle connector and the receptacle mating connector is capable of being removably coupled to a plug connector.
4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said mating connectors include at least two connectors of different types, wherein the connector is capable of being removably coupled to the mating connector of the same type as the connector.
5. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a display capable of being driven by said processing element to thereby indicate the at least one cavity being illuminated.
6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said processing element is capable of driving said display to present a graphical representation of the connector including the cavities and indicating the at least one cavity being illuminated.
7. A system according to claim 6, wherein said processing element is further capable of driving said display to indicate at least one of at least one cavity including a previously plugged conductor and at least one cavity including a filler plug.
8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said processing element is capable of receiving a selection of a conductor and thereafter illuminating a corresponding cavity of the connector to thereby facilitate plugging the selected conductor into the illuminated cavity.
9. A system according to claim 8 further comprising a display capable of being driven by said processing element, wherein said processing element is capable of driving said display to present a listing of the conductors and associated cavities of the connector such that said processing element can receive the selection from the listing.
10. A system according to claim 8, wherein said processing element is capable of receiving an identification of the bundle of conductors and thereafter driving said display to present the listing of conductors and associated cavities based upon the identified bundle.
11. A method of assembling a bundle of conductors into a connector that defines a plurality of cavities for receiving the conductors, said method comprising:
providing an apparatus comprising:
a plurality of mating connectors that each define a plurality of cavities, wherein the connector is capable of being removably coupled to one of said mating connectors; and
a plurality of light emitting elements optically coupled to the cavities of said mating connectors;
removably coupling the connector to one of the mating connectors, wherein coupling the connector to the mating connector optically couples the cavities of the mating connector with corresponding cavities of the connector;
selecting one of the plurality of conductors;
illuminating a cavity of the mating connector to thereby illuminate the corresponding cavity of the connector, wherein the cavity illuminated is based upon the conductor selected;
displaying an indication of the cavity being illuminated; and
plugging the selected conductor into the illuminated cavity of the connector,
wherein the selecting, illuminating and displaying steps occur for each conductor of the bundle.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein providing an apparatus comprises providing an apparatus comprising a plurality of mating connectors including at least one plug mating connector and at least one receptacle mating connector, wherein the connector is selected from a group consisting of a plug connector and a receptacle connector, and wherein removably coupling the connector comprises removably coupling the connector to a plug mating connector when the connector comprises a receptacle connector and removably coupling the connector to a receptacle mating connector when the connector comprises a plug connector.
13. A method according to claim 11, wherein providing an apparatus comprises providing an apparatus comprising a plurality of mating connectors including at least two connectors of different types, and wherein removably coupling the connector comprises removably coupling the connector to a mating connector of the same type as the connector.
14. A method according to claim 11, wherein displaying an indication comprises displaying a graphical representation of the connector including the cavities and indicating the at least one cavity being illuminated.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein displaying an indication further comprises displaying an indication at least one of at least one cavity including a previously plugged conductor and at least one cavity including a filler plug.
16. A method according to claim 11 further comprising displaying a listing of the conductors and associated cavities of the connector and thereafter identifying the conductor selected from the listing, wherein displaying the listing occurs before illuminating the cavity, and wherein illuminating the cavity is based upon the conductor identified from the listing.
17. A method according to claim 16 further comprising identifying the bundle of conductors, and wherein displaying a listing comprises displaying a listing based upon the bundle identified.
18. A system for facilitating the assembly of a bundle of conductors into a connector that defines a plurality of cavities for receiving the conductors, said system comprising:
a display;
a processing element capable of driving said display, wherein said processing element is capable of receiving a selection of a conductor and thereafter driving said display to present an indication of a corresponding cavity of the connector to thereby facilitate plugging the selected conductor into the corresponding cavity.
19. A system according to claim 18, wherein said processing element is capable of driving said display to present a graphical representation of the connector including the cavities and indicating the corresponding cavity.
20. A system according to claim 19, wherein said processing element is further capable of driving said display to indicate the corresponding cavity and at least one cavity including a previously plugged conductor.
21. A system according to claim 20, wherein said processing element is further capable of driving said display to indicate the corresponding cavity and at least one cavity including a filler plug.
22. A system according to claim 18, wherein said processing element is capable of driving said display to present a listing of the conductors and associated cavities of the connector such that said processing element can receive the selection from the listing.
23. A system according to claim 22, wherein said processing element is capable of receiving an identification of the bundle of conductors and thereafter driving said display to present the listing of conductors and associated cavities based upon the identified bundle.