Vehicle theft avoidance systems and associated methods

• US 10,328,896 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2017
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart C., Buttolo, Pietro, Huebner, Annette Lynn, Dellock, Paul Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Santiago
• Application Number:
  US15/598,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20180334137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 1587007, 34042618
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2025/1013 Alarm systems characterised by the type of warning signal, e.g. visual, audible
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2009 Antitheft state indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates

Abstract

A vehicle theft avoidance system for improving vehicle security is disclosed. The system includes an awareness system configured to detect an unauthorized object near a vehicle, and a control system in communication with the awareness system and configured to automatically issue a warning if the awareness system detects the unauthorized object near the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle theft avoidance system, comprising:

an awareness system configured to detect an unauthorized object near a vehicle;

a tracking system configured to track a positioning of an authorized user of the vehicle;

a fuel door sensor configured to monitor whether a fuel door of the vehicle is open or closed; and

a control system in communication with the awareness system and configured to automatically issue a warning when the awareness system detects the unauthorized object near the vehicle and the tracking system detects the authorized user outside the vehicle,

wherein the control module is configured to automatically lock each door and close each window of the vehicle when the fuel door is open.

2. The vehicle theft avoidance system as recited in claim 1, wherein the awareness system includes a plurality of sensors.

3. The vehicle theft avoidance system as recited in claim 2, wherein the plurality of sensors include a combination of at least two of proximity sensors, ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors, and LIDAR sensors.

4. The vehicle theft avoidance system as recited in claim 1, comprising a communication system configured to issue the warning to a personal electronic device of the authorized user of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle theft avoidance system as recited in claim 1, wherein the warning is a visual warning or an audible warning.

6. The vehicle theft avoidance system as recited in claim 1, wherein the warning is a message sent to a personal electronic device of the authorized user of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle theft avoidance system as recited in claim 1, wherein the tracking system includes a first wireless device that communicates with a second wireless device of the authorized user to track the positioning of the authorized user.

17. The vehicle theft avoidance system as recited in claim 1, wherein the warning includes both an audible or visual warning and a message sent directly to a personal electronic device of the authorized user of the vehicle.

8. A method, comprising:

monitoring whether a fuel door of a vehicle is open or closed;

automatically locking each door of the vehicle and closing each window of the vehicle when the fuel door is open;

tracking a location of an authorized user relative to a vehicle;

entering a security engaged state when the authorized user is outside the vehicle; and

warning the authorized user when an unauthorized object is approaching or attempting to enter the vehicle during the security engaged state.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the fuel door is monitored with a fuel door sensor.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, comprising:

monitoring whether the unauthorized object is approaching or attempting to enter the vehicle.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, comprising:

issuing the warning to the authorized user of the vehicle when the unauthorized object is approaching or attempting to enter the vehicle.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein issuing the warning includes:

communicating the warning to a personal electronic device of the authorized user.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein warning the authorized user includes:

communicating the warning to a personal electronic device of the authorized user.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein entering the security engaged state includes:

locking each door of the vehicle; and

closing each window of the vehicle.

15. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein tracking the location of the authorized user includes:

determining a proximity of a personal electronic device of the authorized user relative to the vehicle.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein determining the proximity of the personal electronic device includes:

communicating Bluetooth Low Energy signals between a first wireless device of a tracking system and a second wireless device of the personal electronic device.

18. The method as recited in claim 8, comprising:

requiring authentication of the authorized user prior to allowing reentry into the vehicle.

19. A vehicle theft avoidance system, comprising:

an awareness system configured to detect an unauthorized user near a vehicle;

a fuel door sensor configured to monitor a fuel door position;

a tracking system configured to track a positioning of an authorized user of the vehicle; and

a control system configured to automatically issue a warning when the awareness system detects the unauthorized user near the vehicle and the tracking system detects the authorized user outside the vehicle and further configured to automatically command each door of the vehicle locked and each window of the vehicle closed when the fuel door position is open.