Container device provided with surveillance panels, surveillance method using the same device, and structure of the same device

• US 20040046660A1
• Filed: 07/08/2002
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Ando, Tanichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,271,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/545.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/186 using light guides, e.g. optical fibres

Abstract

The objective is the provision of intrusion detection sensor panels, which when used to enclose a closed space as a closed space apparatus, protect against the unlawful intrusion into that closed space, as well as the removal or secretion of articles into that closed space. To achieve that objective, the present invention provides a closed space apparatus comprised of intrusion detection sensor panels that detect intrusions over their entire surface. The intrusion detection sensor panels are not merely ones which incorporate a plurality of wire or point sensors over their surface, but they are characterized by being panels in which the overall panel functions to detect intrusions across its entire surface without gaps or lapses. Specifically, these surface detection function panels can be structured so that the panel interior or the side facing the closed space has an embedded optical fiber or fine electric wire at a specific density, so that if a part of the panel is broken or there is an intrusion from the outside, the severance of the optical fiber or fine wire is detected, to thereby guard the closed space against unlawful intrusion.

Claims

1. A closed space apparatus having all of the constituent walls provided with a plurality of intrusion detection sensor panels on all of the inner walls of said apparatus, each of said intrusion detection sensor panels having a panel surface to detect an intrusion from any portion of the constituent wall of said closed space apparatus.

2. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said closed space apparatus is either a container, a building or a safe, and each of the inner walls of said apparatus is provided with said intrusion detection sensor panel over the entire surface of the inner wall.

3. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said closed space apparatus is either a container, a building or a safe, and said intrusion detection sensor panels are sandwiched in the constituent walls of said closed space apparatus.

4. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion, comprises:

an optical fiber or fine electric wire at a prescribed density;

a signal input unit to input a signal into one end of said optical fiber or fine electric wire; and

a signal receiving unit to receive said input signal at the other end of said optical fiber or fine electric wire;

wherein said intrusion can be detected if said input signal is no longer received at the other end by said signal receiving unit in the event that said optical fiber or fine electric wire is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus.

5. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion, comprises:

two thin liquid bags containing conductive liquid on said entire surface of said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus; and

a liquid isolator sheet to isolate said two thin liquid bags;

wherein an electric resistance value between said isolated conductive liquid is changed in the event that said liquid isolator sheet is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus, and said change is detected by a detecting means.

6. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion, comprises:

two electrode panels on said entire surface of said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus; and

an electric insulator sheet to isolate said two electrode panels;

wherein an electric resistance value between said isolated electric panels is changed in the event that said electric isolator sheet is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus, and said change is detected by a detecting means.

7. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion, comprises an air bag in said entire surface of said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus;

and

wherein an air pressure value of said air bag is changed in the event that said electric isolator sheet is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus, and said change is detected by a detecting means.

8. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion comprises a surface pressure sensor panel provided with two thin conductive sheets and an electrically conductive sponge between said conductive sheets;

and

wherein an electric resistance value of said surface pressure sensor panel is changed in the event that said pressure sensor panel is pushed by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus, and said change is detected by a detecting means.

9. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an intrusion recording unit which records an unlawful intrusion data detected by said intrusion detection sensor panels, and an ID data previously assigned for each apparatus, said intrusion recording unit further provided with an output means to output said recorded unlawful intrusion data from said closed space apparatus, and said intrusion recording unit being placed inside of said closed space apparatus or sandwiched in one of said constituent walls.

10. A surveillance method to perform surveillance for unlawful intrusion through constituent walls of a closed space apparatus, comprising the steps of:

detecting a normal signal of a normal status of said closed space apparatus by intrusion detection sensor panels installed inside of said apparatus, said panels having a detection means to detect said unlawful intrusion into said apparatus;

outputting a real time surveillance signal which is detected by said intrusion detection sensor panels in a surveillance mode, or recording said real time surveillance signal in an intrusion recording unit being placed inside of said closed space apparatus or sandwiched in one of said constituent walls; and

comparing said surveillance signal which is output real time or output from said intrusion recording unit, and said normal signal for detecting said unlawful intrusion into said closed space apparatus.

11. An intrusion detection sensor panel provided with an intrusion detecting means over the entire surface of the constituent walls of a closed space apparatus to detect an intrusion from any portion of said constituent walls, said intrusion detecting means being provided inside of said constituent walls or sandwiched in said constituent walls of said closed space apparatus.

12. The intrusion detection sensor panel according to claim 11, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion, comprises:

an optical fiber or fine electric wire at a prescribed density;

a signal input unit to input a signal into one end of said optical fiber or fine electric wire; and

a signal receiving unit to receive said input signal at the other end of said optical fiber or fine electric wire;

wherein said intrusion can be detected if said input signal is no longer received at the other end by said signal receiving unit in the event that said optical fiber or fine electric wire is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus.

13. The intrusion detection sensor panel according to claim 11, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion, comprises:

two thin liquid bags containing conductive liquid on said entire surface of said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus; and

a liquid isolator sheet to isolate said two thin liquid bags;

wherein an electric resistance value between said isolated conductive liquid is changed in the event that said liquid isolator sheet is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus, and said change is detected by a detecting means.

14. The intrusion detection sensor panel according to claim 11, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion, comprises:

two electrode panels on said entire surface of said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus; and

an electric insulator sheet to isolate said two electrode panels;

wherein an electric resistance value between said isolated electric panels is changed in the event that said electric isolator sheet is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus, and said change is detected by a detecting means.

15. The intrusion detection sensor panel according to claim 11, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion comprises an air bag in said entire surface of said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus;

and

wherein an air pressure value of said air bag is changed in the event that said electric isolator sheet is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus, and said change is detected by a detecting means.

16. The intrusion detection sensor panel according to claim 11, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion comprises a liquid bag in said entire surface of said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus;

and

wherein a liquid pressure value of said liquid bag is changed in the event that said electric isolator sheet is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus, and said change is detected by a detecting means.

17. The intrusion detection sensor panel according to claim 11, wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion is provided with two thin conductive sheets and an electrically conductive sponge between said conductive sheets;

and

wherein an electric resistance value of said surface pressure sensor panel is changed in the event that said pressure sensor panel is pushed by an unlawful intrusion through said constituent wall of said closed space apparatus, and said change is detected by a detecting means.