SYSTEM FOR GUARDING A VEHICLE FROM A DISTANCE

Abstract: The invention relates to a system (1) for guarding vehicles (2) from a distance which consists of an alarm system in each vehicle for guarding, a transmitter (4) connected to the alarm system, in addition to a central receiving station (5). In each vehicle a navigation system connected to the transmitter can further be arranged as well as a receiver connected to the alarm system. The invention also relates to the assembly of components in a vehicle which are intended for use in this security system. The invention also relates to a vehicle provided with such an assembly, and to the central receiving station.

Description: System for guarding a vehicle from a distance The present invention relates to a system for guard¬ ing vehicles from a distance. It is still a large scale occurrence at the present time that vehicles are stolen or broken into and the contents stolen. Thiε is particularly the consequence of a declining social control in society as a whole and of a shortage of surveillant personnel, in particular police, determined by budgetary constraints . Breaking into and stealing from vehicles or even outright theft thereof therefore represents a considerable loss for the insurance companies . Much research iε therefore being done into possibilities of preventing such occurrences. Vehicles in the higher price range are for instance equipped virtually standard with at least electronic start blocking systems which can operate for instance with a code key or a pin code to be entered by the user. In addition, alarm systems are increasingly being installed in vehicles whereby an alarm signal is generated when an attempt is made to break into the vehicle. A drawback of the known systems is that, as a result of the above cited reduction in social control , a criminal will generally not be disturbed in his activities by the general public, even when an alarm signal sounds. In addition, most alarm systems and start blocking systems are relatively simple to disable for a practised criminal, whereafter the vehicle is further unprotected and can therefore easily be stolen or its contents removed. Furthermore, a vehicle which is stolen at the moment the alarm system is disabled s not immediately recognizable as a stolen vehicle. The invention therefore has for its object to provide a system with which vehicles can be guarded from a distance such that in the case the vehicle is broken into the proper authorities can be alerted very quickly, while if stolen the vehicle can be identified as a stolen vehicle and is moreover easy to trace. This is achieved according to the invention by a system for guarding vehicles from a distance comprising an alarm system and a transmitter connected controllably thereto in each vehicle for guarding, in addition to a central receiving station. The invention makes it possible for break-in in a vehicle or theft of a vehicle to be notified directly to an incident room, whereby action can be undertaken immediately and there is the chance that the criminal, or at least the vehicle, can still be found. Preferred embodiments of the security system accord¬ ing to the invention form the subject-matter of the dependent claims 2-7. The invention also relates to an assembly of an alarm system and a transmitter in a vehicle as intended for uεe in a security system as described above. The invention also relates to a vehicle equipped with such an assembly. Finally, the invention further relates to a central receiving station for use in a security system of the above described type. The invention will now be elucidated on the basis of an embodiment wherein reference is made to the annexed drawing, in which: fig. 1 shows a schematic overview of the constituent parts of a security system according to the invention, and fig. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of an assembly of components arranged in a vehicle which form part of the security system according to the invention. A system l for guarding a plurality of vehicles 2 from a distance is based on the presence of a central receiving station or incident room 5 from where the different vehicles 2 are guarded. For this purpose each vehicle 2 is provided with at least an alarm system 3 and a transmitter 4 connected controllably thereto. Each vehicle is further provided with a navigation system 6, for instance a GPS receiver, connected in signal-generat¬ ing manner to transmitter 4. In addition to a transmitter 4, each vehicle will also have available a receiver 7 which is at least connected to the alarm system 3. Trans¬ mitter 4 and receiver 7 can herein be integrated into a mobile telephone 9. The various components are mutually connected via a central inter ace 12. The security system now operates as follows. When a vehicle 2 is parked it will be locked and the alarm system 3 will be activated. This alarm system 3 comprises for instance a start interrupter 19, a glass breakage detector 20 and an ultrasonic sensor 21 arranged in the interior of the vehicle. Other modules may also be present aimed at guarding other parts of the vehicle. As soon as an attempt is made to break into the vehicle or to steal the vehicle the alarm syεtem 3 will generate an alarm signal which is sent by transmitter 4. This signal 15 sent by transmitter 4 is passed via optional relay stations 16 to the central receiving station 5. Simultaneously with the alarm signal the position of the vehicle 2 is also transmitted to central receiving station 5. This position is determined by the vehicle navigation system, wherein in the shown embodiment a GPS system is provided as vehicle navigation system. Use is herein made of signals 14 which are transmitted by a plurality of satellites 13 and which define the position of the vehicle 2 with an accuracy of several tens o metres. This accuracy is more than sufficient for this purpose. In central receiving station 5 an operator 17 can visualize the alarm signal on his computer screen 18 and can herein also show on the map the position of the vehicle 2 transmitting the alarm signal. Present for this purpose in central receiving station 5 is a computer (not shown) in which the requisite map data is stored in digitized form and which further includes software for processing and displaying the incoming alarm signals. In addition, the stolen vehicle 2 can be followed constantly in this manner so that the police for instance can also be guided to the vehicle. From the central receiving station 5 it is possible to communicate with vehicle 2 via the mobile telephone 9. In the case of theft of vehicle 2, when the criminal has succeeded in disabling the alarm system 3 of the vehicle, this latter can be partially switched on again from a distance, for instance by a command from the central incident room 5. A signal source in the vehicle itself can also be activated from the central incident room 5, such as for instance a third brake light in which the word "STOLEN" or the like is illuminated. In addition, it is also possible to install a mini-camera in vehicle 2, the images from which are likewise transmitted through the mobile telephone 9 to a central incident room 5. In this manner the identity of the criminal can be determined in simple manner. The security system 1 can be further combined with a coding and decoding installation 8 present in the vehicle. In this manner the data exchange between vehicle 2 and central incident room 5 can take place, in coded manner whereby third parties cannot decipher this data. The coding and decoding means 8 can for instance form part of a modem 10 which is connected to telephone 9. Using this modem 10 the usual office appliances such as fax and PC can in addition be made suitable for use in vehicle 2. it is also possible for the computer in central incident room 5 to "query" the vehicles 2 with some regularity concerning their position. In this manner a fleet of vehicles 2 can be guarded, which may for instance be important for courier services, security firms, companies with travelling service personnel and the like. This querying of the vehicle navigation system 6 by the computer of central receiving station 5 can, as stated, take place periodically under the control of the computer in central receiving station 5 but can also be carried out manually. The positions of all queried vehicles 2 can herein be displayed on the screen of the operator 17. In the same way data from the central incident room 5 can be transmitted to the vehicle navigation system 6. The vehicle navigation system 6 can thus be supplied with route data whereby the security system can therefore also function as route planning and control system. The above described security system makes it possible in simple manner to guard and to follow a large number of vehicles from a central location, both in the case of theft thereof and during normal use.

Claims: Claims 1. System (1) for guarding vehicles (2) from a distance comprising an alarm system (3) and a transmitter (4) connected controllably thereto in each vehicle (2) for guarding, in addition to a central receiving station (5) . 2. Security system (1) as claimed in claim 1, char¬ acterized in that in each vehicle (2) is arranged a navigation system (6) connected in signal-generating manner to the transmitter (4) . 3. Security system (l) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in each vehicle (2) is arranged a receiver (7) connected to the alarm system (3) . 4. Security system (1) as claimed in claim 3, char¬ acterized by coding and decoding means (8) co-acting with the transmitter (4) and the receiver (7) . 5. Security system (1) as claimed in claim 4, char¬ acterized in that the transmitter (4) and the receiver (7) are integrated into a mobile telephone (9) and the coding and decoding means (8) are incorporated in a modem (10) connected to the mobile telephone (9) . 6. Security system (1) as claimed in any of the claims 3-5, characterized in that the central receiving station (5) has means for periodically requesting a position determined by the navigation system (6) cf each of the vehicles (2) . 7. Security system (1) as claimed in any of the claims 3-6, characterized in that the alarm system (3) is controllable from a distance and the central receiving station (5) comprises means for generating and transmit¬ ting to the receiver (7) a control signal for the alarm system (3) . 8. Assembly (11) of an alarm system (3) and a trans¬ mitter (4) in a vehicle ( 2 ) evidently intended for use in a security system (1) as claimed in any of the foregoing claims. 9. Assembly (ll) as claimed in claim 8, characterized by a vehicle navigation system (6) connected to the transmitter (4) . 10. Assembly (11) as claimed in claim 8 or 9, char¬ acterized by a receiver (7) connected to the alarm system (3) . 11. Assembly (11) as claimed in claim 10, character¬ ized in that the alarm system (3), the transmitter (4), the receiver (7) and the vehicle navigation system (6) are mutually connected with interposing of a central interface (12) . 12. Assembly (ll) as claimed in claim 11, character¬ ized by a modem (10) connected to the central interface (12) . 13. Vehicle (2) provided with an assembly (11) as claimed in any of the claims 8-12. 14. Central receiving station (5) evidently intended for use in a security system (1) as claimed in any of the claims 1-7.

Inventors: STANDAERT RUDIGER, STANDAERT, RUDIGER
Applicants: STANDAERT RUDIGER, STANDAERT, RUDIGER
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B60R25
IPC codes: B60R25, G01S5, G08G1