Abstract:
A method, system, and computer program product are provided to selectively configure a security system based on geographically indexed incident statistics. The preferred embodiment involves a security unit for monitoring events indicative of threats to the security of a vehicle and a navigation unit that is able to ascertain the location of the vehicle. The navigation unit delivers data, indicative of the location of the vehicle, to the security unit. The security unit then uses the location data to acquire data regarding the statistical incidence of crime in the vicinity of the vehicle&#39;s location. Based on the data regarding the statistical incidence of crime in the vicinity of the vehicle&#39;s location, the appropriate configuration of the security unit is determined. The security unit then compares its current configuration to the appropriate configuration and selectively configures itself to match the appropriate configuration.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Technical Field:  
           [0002]    The present invention relates in general to security systems and in particular to methods and systems for configuring security systems. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for selectively configuring a security system based on geographically indexed incident statistics.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art:  
           [0004]    Mobility, the very attribute that makes automobiles and similar transportation systems so useful, also makes such transportation systems popular targets for thieves. Within a few short minutes of breaking into an automobile, a thief can take the vehicle miles away in any direction, delivering the vehicle to any point where it can be sold, cut into parts for resale, or used in the commission of a crime. Automobile owners have always hoped for a remedy that will end the nightmare of vehicles lost to theft, and the automobile and electronics industries have worked with very limited success in developing effective theft deterrent systems. While innovative technological solutions should have seriously deterred theft, secondary effects of the technology have limited their effectiveness and the willingness of users to properly employ them.  
           [0005]    A rapid increase in the rate of automobile theft in the last quarter of the twentieth century created a demand for improved methods of protecting vehicles. Fortunately, a concurrent revolution in portable consumer electronics technology occurred, and the electronics industry responded by developing and marketing security units that, when attached to a vehicle and armed, react to sensor data that indicates a potential threat to the security of the vehicle. A vast array of products offers a wide range of options in responding to a variety of stimuli. Typical events detected by security unit sensors include penetration of the vehicle&#39;s physical perimeter, breaking of glass, attempts to activate the engine of the vehicle, the presence of persons within a set distance from the vehicle, and the application of physical force to the vehicle&#39;s exterior. Sensors range from microphones to infra-red proximity and motion detectors, as well as conventional switches that can detect the opening of a door. Responses range from disabling the engine of the vehicle to a simulated voice advising persons to step away from the vehicle. The most common feature used to alert the owner of an automobile to a potential problem became the audible siren, sometimes able to be heard by persons standing several hundred yards away from the vehicle. Initially, the activation of an alert siren on an automobile attracted tremendous attention to the vehicle and the persons standing near it.  
           [0006]    It briefly appeared that the technology would successfully deter the theft of vehicles equipped with security units, but problems developed. Users, intent on simply moving the car a short distance, forget to disable the security unit before activating the ignition and soon discovered that the ignition was disabled or an audible alarm was triggered. Security systems designed to respond to the application of physical force to a vehicle responded to the low-frequency sound emission from jet aircraft, large-block automobile engines, or planned, innocuous explosions in the vicinity of the vehicle. Sensors designed to detect the sound of broken glass responded instead to the sound of music played loudly in nearby vehicles. As vehicles carrying security units proliferated, the ubiquitous sound of needlessly activated alarms began to annoy the population at large. From the neighbor awakened from sleep in the small hours of the night to the attendees at a funeral who were disturbed by the sound of an alarm system reacting to a jet plane overhead, people grew intolerant of the constant whine of audible alarms attached to security units.  
           [0007]    The problem of inappropriately activated alarms runs deeper than mere annoyance. As the sound of audible alarms grew ubiquitous, people became so desensitized to the sound as to be willing to ignore it. Like the boy who cried wolf, no one took seriously the whining of an alarm in a parking lot, and thieves soon learned that, even if an alarm were tripped, persons within earshot would assume a false alarm and would not bother to investigate. Alarms soon lost most of their usefulness as devices that would attract the attention of nearby persons. Worse still, people began frequently disabling their security units in order to prevent the disturbance of their neighbors. People with loud interior speakers attached to their alarms began to disable them to prevent their own annoyance. Any hope for the use of security units as an effective deterrent to the theft of automobiles was lost.  
           [0008]    The electronics industry soon responded with more configurable security units, but the process of configuration proved too complicated for the average user, and was frequently forgotten, and involved more guesswork than systematic assessment of the risks from which a automobile required protection at any given location. Once again, a promising technology failed to deliver substantial deterrent results, and users continued to hope for improved security systems.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide an improved security system.  
           [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system for configuring security systems.  
           [0011]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and system for selectively configuring a security system based on geographically indexed incident statistics.  
           [0012]    The foregoing objects are achieved as is now described. A method, system, and computer program product are provided to selectively configure a security system on the basis of geographically indexed incident statistics. The preferred embodiment involves a security unit for monitoring events indicative of threats to the security of a vehicle and a navigation unit that is able to ascertain the location of the vehicle. The navigation unit delivers location data, indicative of the location of the vehicle, to the security unit. The security unit then uses the location data to acquire data regarding the statistical incidence of crime in the vicinity of the vehicle&#39;s location. Based on the data regarding the statistical incidence of crime in the vicinity of the vehicle&#39;s location, the appropriate configuration of the security unit is determined. The configuration will include enabling and setting the sensitivity of different types of sensors to trigger alarms of selectively varied frequency and severity on the basis of the relative frequency of certain crimes near the location of the vehicle. The security unit then compares its current configuration to the appropriate configuration and selectively configures itself to match the appropriate configuration.  
           [0013]    The above as well as additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself however, as well as a preferred mode of use, and further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 depicts a wireless vehicular communications environment for the communication of navigation and security data to a navigation unit and a security unit, respectively, in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be implemented;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is an interlinked system of radio-frequency-enabled vehicular navigation and security units in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 depicts a high-level flowchart of a method for selectively configuring a security unit based on geographically indexed incident statistics in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 4 depicts a message flow timing diagram for the transmission of messages between functional modules of a method for selectively configuring a security unit based on geographically indexed incident statistics in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 is a high-level flowchart of a method for selectively configuring a security unit based on geographically indexed incident statistics in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    With reference now to the figures, and in particular with reference to FIG. 1, a wireless vehicular communications environment for the communication of navigation and security data to a navigation unit and a security unit, respectively, in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention may be implemented, is illustrated. The figure includes a vehicle  100 , containing a security unit  102  and a navigation unit  104 . The vehicle  100  also contains a mobile radio-frequency communication system  106 , which is used by the navigation unit  104  to communicate with a radio-frequency-based position location system  108 . Typical examples of a radio-frequency-based position location system  108  include the Global Positioning System (GPS), in which a request  110  for a location data signal  112  is sent from the navigation unit  104 , by means of the mobile radio-frequency communication system  106 , to the radio-frequency-based position location system  108 , in this case a group of satellites in orbit above the earth. The radio-frequency-based position location system  108  then replies to the request  110  by sending a location data signal  112  to the mobile radio-frequency communication system  106 . While the radio-frequency-based position location system  108  of the preferred embodiment involves the use of a satellite in earth orbit, a radio-frequency-based position location system  108  employing stationary radio-communications towers could also be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. A vast variety of additional means could be used to inform the navigation unit  104  of the location of the vehicle  100  without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.  
         [0021]    The security unit  102  of the preferred embodiment also employs the mobile radio-frequency communication system  106  to communicate with an incident data server  114 , though some alternative embodiments will not require this functionality and will store incident statistics within the security unit  102 . A request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118  is sent from the security unit  102 , by means of the radio-frequency communication system  106 , to the incident data server  114 , in this case a data processing system attached to a stationary radio-frequency communication system  120 . The incident data server  114  then replies to the request  116  by sending an incident occurrence data item  118  to the mobile radio-frequency communication system  106 . The mobile radio-frequency communication system  106  relays the incident occurrence data item  118  to the security unit  102 . As depicted in the preferred embodiment, the security unit  102  and the navigation unit  104  share a common radio-frequency communication system  106 , though this arrangement is suggested merely for purposes of a simplified example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The invention could be used in a configuration wherein the security unit  102  and the navigation unit  104  employ separate, dedicated radio-frequency communication systems.  
         [0022]    The security unit  102  is an automated system designed to prevent and deter theft of the vehicle  100 . It operates by selectively responding to external stimuli that may indicate threats to the security of the vehicle  100 . These events are detected through the use of sensors, which range from microphones to infra-red proximity and motion detectors, as well as conventional switches that could detect the opening of a door. Typical events detected by security unit sensors include penetration of the physical perimeter of the vehicle  100 , breaking of glass, attempts to activate the engine of the vehicle  100 , the presence of persons within a set distance from the vehicle  100 , and the application of physical force to the exterior of the vehicle  100 . The security unit  102  may be selectively configured to respond to one or more of these events. A response to the detection of a potential threat can be selectively configured to include the activation of an audible siren, disabling of the engine of the vehicle  100 , or an audible warning to persons near the vehicle  100  that they should step away from the vehicle  100 . Other functions of the security unit  102  will typically include locking or unlocking of car doors and activating the ignition of the engine of the vehicle  100 . Other, less typical functions of the security unit  102  may also be included without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.  
         [0023]    The figure also shows a simplified schematic representation of the parts of a incident data server  114 , which could be used in support of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. A typical incident data server  114  will resemble a general-purpose data processing system containing a random access memory (RAM) unit  122 , a processor  124 , a fixed-disk storage unit  126 , an input and output (I/O) controller  128 , a radio frequency (RF) controller  130 , and an RF interface  132 . The RAM unit  122  serves as a short term storage location for data and instructions as the processor  124  operates on the data and instructions. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the RAM unit  122  is shown as containing multiple programs and a data structure. The programs include an operating system  134  and an incident server  136 . Though only those two programs are shown in the RAM unit  122  of the preferred embodiment, many additional programs, which are omitted for the sake of simplicity and clarity, may also run on the incident data server  114  without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. The operating system  134  controls program execution, resource allocation, input/output operations, and other functions of the data processing system. It exists as a series of modules, only two of which are shown for the sake of simplicity. The I/O module  138  controls the instructions sent to the I/O controller  128  while the RF module  140  controls the operation of the RF interface  132  and the RF controller  130 . The other program shown as stored in the RAM unit  122 , the incident server  136 , provides the incident data item  118  requested by the security unit  102 . The incident server  136  generates the incident data item  118  from the incident data  142 , which is also stored within the RAM unit  122 .  
         [0024]    Other components of the incident data server  114 , whose functions have not yet been explained, will typically include a fixed-disk storage unit  126 , an I/O controller  128 , an RF controller  130 , and an RF interface  132 . The fixed-disk storage unit  126  serves as a long term storage location for data and instructions. The I/O controller  128  provides an interface for most peripheral equipment while the RF controller  130  directs the operation of the RF interface  132 , and the RF interface  132  provides physical connectivity to the stationary radio-frequency communication system  120 .  
         [0025]    The preferred embodiment involves the practice of the invention in the environment of an automobile or other self-propelled vehicle  100 , though it is worth noting that the invention also applies equally to security systems attached to any object, including fixed objects such as homes. In embodiments attached to fixed objects, radio links may be replaced by fixed communication links, or both incident and location data may be supplied by attachment of storage media or through user input. Location and incident data may also be supplied on the basis of user input or other means in alternative embodiments of the invention that are used on mobile vehicles.  
         [0026]    With reference to FIG. 2, an interlinked system of radio-frequency-enabled vehicular navigation and security units in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted. The diagram shows in greater detail the security unit  102  and navigation unit  104 , as well as the connection of these two devices to the mobile radio-frequency communication system  106 . The security unit  102  and navigation unit  104  of the preferred embodiment, shown in very high-level schematic representations for the sake of simplicity, are merely exemplary and many different designs of security unit  102  and navigation unit  104  can be substituted without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In the preferred embodiment, the security unit  102  is a programmable system which operates on the basis of instructions executed by a processor  200 . It also contains a RAM unit  202 , which serves as a short term storage location for data and instructions as the processor  200  operates on the data and instructions.  
         [0027]    In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the RAM unit  202  is shown as containing a system program  204  and multiple data structures. The system program  204  contains logic and instructions for performing the functions required of the security unit  102  and operating the various components of the security unit  102 . It exists as a series of modules, only two of which are shown for the sake of simplicity. The I/O module  206  controls the instructions sent to the security I/O controller  208 , while the configuration module  209  controls the operation of the systems interface  210 , the RF interface  212 , and the user I/O controller  214 . The data structures stored in the RAM unit  202  include the current configuration  216 , which contains selectively configurable setting information that dictates the responses of the security unit  102  to external stimuli, and the stored data  218 . The stored data  218  can contain information ranging from a record of sensory stimuli to a stored geographic database of incident occurrence statistics.  
         [0028]    Other components of the security unit  102 , whose functions have not yet been explained, will typically include a security I/O controller  208 , a systems interface  210 , an RF interface  212 , and a user I/O controller  214 . The security I/O controller  208  provides physical connectivity to an output array  220  across an output interface  222  and provides connectivity to a sensor array  224  across an input interface  226 . In addition to the physical connectivity, the security I/O controller  208  translates commands from the processor  200  into a format usable to the output array  220  and translates sensory input from the sensor array  224  into a format usable to the processor  200 . The sensor array will typically include sensor switches to detect penetration of the physical perimeter of the vehicle  100  by means of opening a door, microphones designed to detect breaking of glass, an ignition continuity sensor to detect attempts to activate the engine of the vehicle  100 , infra-red sensors to detect the presence of persons or movement within a set distance from the vehicle  100 , and shock sensors to detect the application of physical force to the exterior of the vehicle  100 . The output array  220  will typically include an audible siren for attracting attention to the vehicle, a voice synthesizer and speaker for communicating with persons inside of or outside of the vehicle, an ignition kill switch for disabling the vehicle, remote switches to control the vehicle&#39;s door locks, remote switches to activate the vehicle&#39;s lights, and remote switches to control the vehicle&#39;s horn.  
         [0029]    The systems interface  210  provides physical and logical connectivity between the security unit  102  and the navigation unit  104  by means of an inter-system connector  228 . The systems interface  210  enables communication between the two units and facilitates transmission of location information from the navigation unit  102  to the security unit  104 . The RF interface  212  provides physical and logical connectivity between the security unit  102  and the mobile radio-frequency communication system  106  across the RF adapter  230 . This arrangement enables the security unit to communicate with the incident data server  114  and to receive an incident occurrence data item  118  from the incident data server  114 . The user I/O controller  214  provides physical connectivity to user I/O devices  232  across a user I/O interface  234 . User I/O devices  232  may include physical switches, touch pads, transceivers for communication with remote control equipment, and a variety of display systems. In addition to the physical connectivity, the user I/O controller  214  translates commands from the processor  200  into a format usable to user I/O devices  232  and translates sensory input from the user I/O devices  232  into a format usable to the processor  200 .  
         [0030]    The navigation unit  104 , provides location data to the security unit  102  in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. A typical navigation unit  104  will resemble a special-purpose data processing system containing a random access memory (RAM) unit  236 , a processor  238 , a fixed storage unit  240 , a user I/O controller  242 , an RF controller  244 , and a systems interface  246 . The RAM unit  236  serves as a short term storage location for data and instructions as the processor  238  operates on the data and instructions. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the RAM unit  236  is shown as containing multiple programs and multiple data structures. The programs include an operating system  248  and a navigation program  250 . Though only those two programs are shown in the RAM unit  236  of the preferred embodiment, many additional programs, which are omitted for the sake of simplicity and clarity, may also run on the navigation unit  104  without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. The data structures shown as being stored in the RAM unit include map data  260  and location data  262 . The map data is used to plot routes and is displayed to the user, while the location data  262 , indicative of the current position of the navigation unit  104 , is used to plot routes and is provided to the security unit  102 . The operating system  248  controls program execution, resource allocation, input/output operations, and other functions of the navigation unit  104 . It exists as a series of modules, only two of which are shown for the sake of simplicity. The I/O module  252  controls the instructions sent to the user I/O controller  242 , systems interface  246 , and fixed storage  240 , while the RF module  254  controls the operation of the RF controller  244 . The other program shown as stored in the RAM unit  236 , the navigation program  250 , provides location data requested by the security unit  102  and also provides general-purpose user interface and navigation functions. Fixed storage  240  provides a storage location for additional navigational data, such as maps not currently in use by the navigation unit  104 .  
         [0031]    Other components of the navigation unit  104 , whose functions have not yet been explained, will typically include a systems interface  246 , an RF controller  244 , and a user I/O controller  242 . The systems interface  246  provides physical and logical connectivity between the security unit  102  and the navigation unit  104  by means of an inter-system connector  228 . The systems interface  246  enables communication between the two units and facilitates transmission of location information from the navigation unit  102  to the security unit  104 . The RF controller  244  provides physical and logical connectivity between the navigation unit  104  and the mobile radio-frequency communication system  106  across the RF adapter  230 . This arrangement enables the navigation unit to communicate with the radio-frequency-based position location system  108  and to receive a location data signal  112  from the radio-frequency-based position location system  108 . The user I/O controller  242  provides physical connectivity to the user I/O system  256  across a user I/O interface  258 . The user I/O system  256  may include physical switches, touch pads, display screens, speakers, and microphones. In addition to the physical connectivity, the user I/O controller  242  translates commands from the processor  238  into a format usable to user I/O system  256  and translates sensory input from the user I/O system  256  into a format usable to the processor  238 .  
         [0032]    With reference to FIG. 3, a high-level flowchart of a method for selectively configuring a security unit based on geographically indexed incident statistics in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The process begins at step  300 , which depicts the process being initiated. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the process will be triggered by a counter in the system program  204  of the security unit  102 . The system program  204  will contain a clock routine in the configuration module  209  that will count cycles of the processor  200 . After a sufficient number of processor cycles, a flag will be raised in the system program  204  that will cause the initiation of the process. After initiation, the process next passes to step  302 , which illustrates sending a request  110  for a location data signal  112  to the radio-frequency based position location system  108 . The process then proceeds to step  304 , which depicts navigation unit  104  and the security unit  102  processing a location data signal  112 . The process next passes to step  306 , which illustrates the security unit  102  determining whether the location of the vehicle  100  has changed. If the location of the vehicle  100  has not changed sufficiently to warrant a request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118 , the process then proceeds to step  308 , which depicts the security unit  102  waiting before re-initiating the process. The system program  204  will contain a clock routine in the configuration module  208  that will count cycles of the processor  200 . After a sufficient number of processor cycles, a flag will be raised in the system program  204  that will cause the initiation of the process by means of the process returning to step  300 .  
         [0033]    If the location of the vehicle  100  has changed sufficiently to warrant a request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118 , the process next passes to step  310 , which illustrates the security unit  102  sending a request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118  to the incident data server  114 , which will typically be a physically separate data processing system, either within the vehicle or outside the vehicle in the preferred embodiment, but may be a logical process on the security unit  102  in some alternative embodiments. The size of an incident occurrence data item  118  will vary widely from one implementation of the preferred embodiment to another. In some embodiments, where large incident occurrence data items represent the incident occurrence data for large areas of territory, an intermediate step may be imposed wherein the security unit  102  compares the location of the vehicle to a stored geographic database of incident occurrence data in the stored data  218  and, if the vehicle has not moved out of the area covered by the stored geographic database in the stored data  218 , the security unit derives an appropriate configuration from the stored geographic database in the stored data  218  rather than sending a request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118  to the incident data server  114 .  
         [0034]    However, in the preferred embodiment, after sending a request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118  to the incident data server  114 , the process then proceeds to step  312 , which depicts the navigation unit  104  and the security unit  102  processing an incident occurrence data item  118  from the incident data server  114 . The process next passes to step  314 , which illustrates the security unit  102  determining the appropriate configuration of the security unit  102 . Determining the appropriate configuration of the security unit  102  is done by comparing the statistical data in the incident occurrence data item  118  to a listing of actions appropriate to certain statistical toggles for certain types of incident. For every type of incident that is included in the incident occurrence data item  118 , the security unit will compare the relative frequency of the event to one or more toggle values that trigger one or more configuration settings in the security system. For instance, the incident occurrence data item  118 , may include a relative frequency of common car theft equal to a value X. The security unit  102  will compare the relative frequency of common car theft to a toggle value for car theft, Y. If the toggle value for common car theft exceeds the relative frequency of common car theft in the vehicle&#39;s current geographic location, then the a less sensitive security configuration is determined to be appropriate. If the relative frequency of common car theft in the vehicle&#39;s current geographic location exceeds the toggle value for common car theft, then the a more sensitive security configuration is determined to be appropriate.  
         [0035]    The system may discover from analysis of the incident occurrence data item  118  that incidents, which are likely to threaten the security of the vehicle, are unlikely at the vehicle&#39;s current geographic location. For example, in the environment of a corporate campus or military base, where crime is substantially deterred by the presence of security forces, the security unit  102  may determine that the appropriate configuration of the security unit  102  might include completely disabling sensors that detect the presence of persons within a set distance from the vehicle, disabling relays that automatically lock the doors of the vehicle when the engine is started, and reducing the sensitivity of sensors that detect the application of force to the vehicle&#39;s exterior while maintaining the sensitivity of sensors that detect penetration of the vehicle&#39;s physical perimeter, breaking of glass, and attempts to activate the engine of the vehicle. The effect would be to decrease the number of possible events that would trigger an alarm. In the counter-example of an area where the armed theft of automobiles from their drivers is common, the security unit  102  may determine that the appropriate configuration of the security unit  102  might include setting sensors that detect the presence of persons within a set distance from the vehicle to maximum sensitivity, enabling relays that automatically lock the doors of the vehicle when the engine is started, and increasing the sensitivity of sensors that detect the application of force to the vehicle&#39;s exterior while maintaining the sensitivity of sensors that detect penetration of the vehicle&#39;s physical perimeter, breaking of glass, and attempts to activate the engine of the vehicle. The effect would be to increase the number of possible events that would trigger an alarm.  
         [0036]    Alternatively, in a stationary unit, such as one installed in a home, the security unit  102  may determine that the appropriate configuration of the security unit  102  in a high-crime area might include setting sensors that detect the presence of persons within a set distance from the home to maximum sensitivity and enabling circuits that automatically phone the police whenever the doors of the home are opened. The effect would be to increase the number of possible events that would trigger an alarm and to increase the severity of a response to a stimulus. In a low-crime area, the configuration of the same security unit  102  might include setting sensors that detect the presence of persons within a set distance from the home to minimum sensitivity and disabling circuits that automatically phone the police whenever the doors of the home are opened. The configuration might leave in place instructions to sound a small audible alarm whenever a door is opened. The effect would be to decrease the number of possible events that would trigger an alarm and to decrease the severity of a response to a stimulus.  
         [0037]    The process then proceeds to step  316 , which depicts the security unit  102  determining whether the security unit  102  is correctly configured. This is done by comparing the current configuration  216  of the security unit  102  to the configuration determined to be appropriate on the basis of the incident data item  118  in step  314 . If the security unit  102  determines that the current configuration  216  is still appropriate, the process then proceeds to step  308 , which depicts the security unit  102  waiting before re-initiating the process. The system program  204  will contain a clock routine in the configuration module  208  that will count cycles of the processor  200 . After a sufficient number of processor cycles, a flag will be raised in the system program  204  that will cause the initiation of the process by means of the process returning to step  300 . If the security unit  102  determines that the current configuration  216  is not appropriate, the process next passes to step  318 , which depicts the security unit  102  altering its configuration. The security unit  102  may automatically alter its configuration or may seek user ratification before doing so, using the user I/O devices  232  to present the proposed revisions of the configuration and to accept user input as to whether to proceed with the alteration. The security unit  102  may also present to the user the actual incident occurrence statistics for the geographic area in which the vehicle is located, or may summarize them.  
         [0038]    With reference to FIG. 4, a message flow timing diagram for the transmission of messages between functional modules of a method for selectively configuring a security unit based on geographically indexed incident statistics in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Because the message flow timing diagram serves principally to clarify the interaction between the logical components of the preferred embodiment and the components of the wireless vehicular communications environment in performing the process of selectively configuring a security unit based on geographically indexed incident statistics, it is best understood with reference to the high-level flowchart of FIG. 3. In step  302 , which illustrates sending a request  110  for a location data signal  112  to the radio-frequency based position location system  108 , several interactions between software modules are involved. Initially, the configuration module  209  of the security unit  102  sends a coordinate command  400  to the I/O module  206  of the security unit  102 . The I/O module  206  of the security unit  102  then sends a coordinate request  402  to the I/O module  252  of the navigation unit  104 . Responsive to receipt of the coordinate request  402  at the I/O module  252  of the navigation unit  104 , the I/O module  252  of the navigation unit  104  sends a transmit command  404  to the RF module  254  of the navigation unit  104 . The RF module  254  of the navigation unit  104  then sends a request  110  for a location data signal  112  to the radio-frequency based position location system  108 .  
         [0039]    The radio-frequency based position location system  108  will then typically reply to the request  110  for a location data signal  112  by sending a location data signal  112  to the RF module  254  of the navigation unit  104 . Responsive to receipt of the location data signal  112  by the RF module  254  of the navigation unit  104 , step  304  will begin as the RF module  254  sends a location data item  406  to the navigation program  250  of the navigation unit  104 . The navigation program  250  will process the location data item  406  and will produce coordinates  408 , which it will send to the I/O module  252  of the navigation unit  104 . The I/O module  252  of the navigation unit  104  will then package the coordinates into a coordinate data signal  410 , which it will send to the I/O module  206  of the security unit  104 . The I/O module  206  of the security unit will then send coordinate data  412  to the configuration module  209  of the security unit  102 .  
         [0040]    The security unit  102  then determines whether the location of the vehicle  100  has changed in step  306 . If the location of the vehicle  100  has changed sufficiently to warrant a request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118 , then the security unit will request incident occurrence data in step  310 . This is accomplished in a series of steps, with the process being initiated by the configuration module  209  in the security unit  102  sending to the I/O module  206  of the security unit  102  an incident data command  414 . Responsive to receipt of the incident data command  414 , the I/O module  206  of the security unit  102  sends an incident data request  116  to the RF module  140  of the incident data server  114 . Responsive to the incident data request  116  from the security unit  102 , the RF module  140  of the incident data server  114  sends a statistics request  414  to the incident server module  136  of the incident data server  114 . The incident server module  136  then sends statistics  416 , indicative of relative frequency of relevant crimes, to the RF module  140 . The RF module  140  then repackages the data from the statistics  416  into an incident occurrence data item  118  that the RF module  140  then sends to the I/O module  206  of the security unit  102 . The I/O module  206  of the security unit  102  then takes the incident data  420  from the incident occurrence data item  118  and sends the incident data  420  to the configuration module in step  312 .  
         [0041]    With reference to FIG. 5, a high-level flowchart of a method for selectively configuring a security unit based on geographically indexed incident statistics in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention is depicted. The process begins at step  500 , which depicts the process being initiated. In this alternative embodiment of the invention, the process will be triggered by a counter in the system program  204  of the security unit  102 . The system program  204  will contain a clock routine in the configuration module  209  that will count cycles of the processor  200 . After a sufficient number of processor cycles, a flag will be raised in the system program  204  that will cause the initiation of the process. After initiation, the process next passes to step  502 , which illustrates sending a request  110  for a location data signal  112  to the radio-frequency based position location system  108 . The process then proceeds to step  504 , which depicts navigation unit  104  and the security unit  102  processing a location data signal  112 . The process next passes to step  506 , which illustrates the security unit  102  determining whether the location of the vehicle  100  has changed. If the location of the vehicle  100  has not changed sufficiently to warrant a request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118 , the process then proceeds to step  508 , which depicts the security unit  102  waiting before re-initiating the process. The system program  204  will contain a clock routine in the configuration module  208  that will count cycles of the processor  200 . After a sufficient number of processor cycles, a flag will be raised in the system program  204  that will cause the initiation of the process by means of the process returning to step  500 .  
         [0042]    If the location of the vehicle  100  has changed sufficiently to warrant a request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118 , the process next passes to step  510 , which illustrates the security unit  102  sending a request  116  for an incident occurrence data item  118  to the incident data server  114 . In the alternative embodiment herein depicted, the incident occurrence data item  118  will contain a suggested configuration of the security unit  102 . This suggested configuration will typically be created by the incident server module  136  on the incident data server  114  and will typically be based on the relative frequency of incidents within a reasonable proximity to the location of the vehicle  100 . The process then proceeds to step  512 , which depicts the security unit  102  receiving a suggested configuration in the form of an incident occurrence data item  118  from the incident data server  114 . The process then proceeds to step  514 , which depicts the security unit  102  determining whether the security unit  102  is correctly configured. This is done by comparing the current configuration  216  of the security unit  102  to the configuration in the incident data item  118  in step  512 . If the security unit  102  determines that the current configuration  216  is still appropriate, the process then proceeds to step  508 , which depicts the security unit  102  waiting before re-initiating the process. The system program  204  will contain a clock routine in the configuration module  208  that will count cycles of the processor  200 . After a sufficient number of processor cycles, a flag will be raised in the system program  204  that will cause the initiation of the process by means of the process returning to step  500 . If the security unit  102  determines that the current configuration  216  is not appropriate, the process next passes to step  516 , which depicts the security unit  102  altering its configuration. The security unit  102  may automatically alter its configuration or may seek user ratification before doing so, using the user I/O devices  232  to present the proposed revisions to the configuration and to accept user input as to whether to proceed with the alteration. The security unit  102  may also present to the user the actual incident occurrence statistics for the geographic area in which the vehicle is located, or may summarize them.  
         [0043]    Although aspects of the present invention have been described with respect to a computer system executing software that directs the functions of the present invention, it should be understood that present invention may alternatively be implemented as a program product for use with a data processing system. Programs defining the functions of the present invention can be delivered to a data processing system via a variety of signal-bearing media, which include, without limitation, non-rewritable storage media (e.g., CD-ROM), rewritable storage media (e.g., a floppy diskette or hard disk drive), and communication media, such as digital and analog networks. It should be understood, therefore, that such signal-bearing media, when carrying or encoding computer readable instructions that direct the functions of the present invention, represent alternative embodiments of the present invention.