Loan repay enforcement system

Abstract

A system to encourage on time repayment of loans includes electronic apparatus coupled to a critical system of certain equipment; for example, the ignition system of an automobile. Apparatus includes mechanism whereby a user-operator is able to enter a code. Entry of a correct code serves as indication that a payment has been made and enables further use of the equipment. On failure to timely make payments, a user is prevented from using the equipment as the apparatus is arranged to disable the equipment by way of the critical system to which it is coupled. Both a user-operator interface and critical system interruption circuit are coupled to a logic processor which is easily mounted onto equipment subject to the program.

1 . A method of disabling a vehicle comprising: 
 initializing a vehicle disablement apparatus by loading a payment interval;    receiving a code via a keypad;    comparing the code received via the keypad with a reference code; and    disabling a system which supports causing ignition in an engine of the vehicle if, prior to the expiration of the payment interval, there is no agreement between the code received via the keypad and the reference code, wherein said system includes only components not dedicated to directly causing a spark to initiate combustion.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the initializing step further comprises: 
 connecting a host computing apparatus to a client computing apparatus.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the initializing step further comprises: 
 providing the client computing apparatus with a database including a plurality of payment due deadline data elements.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 computing a plurality of payment due deadlines based on the payment interval.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 receiving another code via the keypad;    comparing the another code with another reference code; and    disabling the system which supports causing ignition if, prior to the expiration of one of the plurality of payment due deadlines, there is no agreement between the code received via the keypad and the reference code, wherein the reference code is associated with the one of the plurality of payment due deadlines.    
     
     
         6 . A method of disabling a vehicle comprising: 
 initializing a vehicle disablement apparatus by storing a plurality of reference codes;    receiving a code via a keypad;    comparing the code received via the keypad with the one of the reference codes; and    disabling a system which supports causing ignition in an engine of the vehicle if, prior to the expiration of a payment interval, there is no agreement between the code received via the keypad and the reference code, wherein said system includes only components not dedicated to directly causing a spark to initiate combustion.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the initializing step further comprises: 
 connecting a host computing apparatus to a client computing apparatus.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the payment interval is loaded during the initializing step.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 computing a plurality of payment due deadlines based on the payment interval.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 receiving another code via the keypad;    comparing the another code with another reference code; and    disabling the system which supports causing ignition if, prior to the expiration of one of the plurality of payment due deadlines, there is no agreement between the code received via the keypad and the reference code, wherein the reference code is associated with the one of the plurality of payment due deadlines.    
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for disabling a vehicle comprising: 
 a memory which is loaded with a payment interval during initialization of the apparatus;    a keypad which a receives code;    a processor which compares the received code with a reference code; and    an interruption circuit which disables a system which supports causing ignition in an engine of the vehicle if there is no agreement between the received code and the reference code prior to the expiration of the interval, wherein said system includes only components not dedicated to directly causing a spark to initiate combustion.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 a connector which connects a host computing apparatus to a client computing apparatus for initialization.    
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the memory stores a database including a plurality of payment due deadline data elements provided by the host computing apparatus.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , the processor computes a plurality of payment due deadlines based on the payment interval.