Device for safeguarding transports

• US 20040100378A1
• Filed: 01/09/2003
• Published: 05/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alpine-Invent GmbH
• Original Assignee: Alpine-Invent GmbH
• Inventors: Hollnagel, Wilhelm
• Application Number:
  US10/276,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20040100378A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.17
• 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 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data

Abstract

The device serves for safeguarding transports with a transport vehicle by alerting a head office in the case of an abnormal occurrence. It comprises a cargo space monitoring apparatus to be incorporated in the cargo space with a control apparatus for acquiring and processing data and with a telecommunication means for transmitting information signals and/or alarm signals leaving the control apparatus to a monitoring apparatus located in the head office. The cargo space monitoring apparatus further has at its disposal a locating means independent of the travelling data, for example a GPS receiver. It permits an alerting of the head office and a locating of the cargo when the driver is missing.

Claims

1. A device for safeguarding transports with a transport vehicle comprising a driver'"'"'s cabin and at least one cargo space, by alerting a head office with an abnormal occurrence, characterised by a cargo space monitoring apparatus to be incorporated in the cargo space with a control apparatus for acquiring and processing data and with a telecommunication means for transmitting information signals and/or alarm signals leaving the control apparatus to a monitoring apparatus located in the head office.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the cargo space monitoring apparatus has a current supply means which may function independently of the vehicle.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the cargo space monitoring apparatus has a locating means independent of travel data, for example a GPS receiver.

4. A device according to claim 3, characterised in that the cargo space monitoring apparatus may be configured such that it continuously or at regular time intervals transmits its position determined with the locating means to the head office.

5. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that there are present means for maintaining a connection between the cargo space monitoring apparatus and at least one part of the cargo and/or at least one element fixedly connected to the cargo, with which means also a separation of this connection may be detected and that the cargo space monitoring apparatus may be configured such that on detection of the separation of this connection it transmits an alarm signal to the monitoring apparatus of the head office.

6. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by a driver'"'"'s cabin monitoring apparatus to be incorporated in the driver'"'"'s cabin with an instrument for producing an electronic signature, as well as by communication means for maintaining a communication link between the cargo space monitoring apparatus and the driver'"'"'s cabin monitoring apparatus.

7. A device according to claim 6, characterised in that the instrument for producing the electronic signature comprises a first means which registers a body feature and prepares data from this, and preferably a second means which registers the presence of a person from which one has recorded the body feature.

8. A device according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the driver'"'"'s cabin monitoring apparatus has a telecommunication means for transmitting information signals and/or alarm signals leaving the control apparatus to the monitoring apparatus located in the head office.

9. A device according to one of the claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the cargo space monitoring apparatus and/or the driver'"'"'s cabin monitoring apparatus may be configured such that on separation of the communication link between the cargo space monitoring apparatus and the driver'"'"'s cabin monitoring apparatus it transmits an alarm signal to the monitoring apparatus of the head office.

10. A device according to one of the preceding claims, characterised by a homing transmitter integrated in the cargo space monitoring apparatus or fixedly connectable to the cargo or a part of the cargo.

11. A means for safeguarding transports with a transport vehicle comprising a driver'"'"'s cabin and at least one cargo space, by alerting a head office, characterised by a cargo space monitoring apparatus to be incorporated in the cargo space, with a control apparatus for acquiring and processing data, with a communication means for transmitting and/or receiving information signals and/or alarm signals, said signals leaving the control apparatus or coming in, and with a locating means independent of the travelling data, for example a GPS receiver, as well as by a monitoring apparatus to be installed in the head office, with a communication means for transmitting and/or receiving information signals and/or alarm signals to or from the cargo space monitoring apparatus.

12. A means according to claim 11, characterised by a driver'"'"'s cabin monitoring apparatus to be incorporated in the driver'"'"'s cabin, by communication means for maintaining a communication link between the cargo space monitoring apparatus and the driver'"'"'s cabin monitoring apparatus as well as preferably by communication means for exchange of information signals and/or alarm signals between the monitoring appartus of the head office and the driver'"'"'s cabin monitoring apparatus.

13. A method for alerting a head office with an abnormal occurence with a transport with a transport vehicle comprising a driver'"'"'s cabin and at least one cargo space, characterised in that a cargo space monitoring apparatus to be incorporated in the cargo space, with a locating means operating independently of the travelling data, for example a GPS receiver, and with a telecommunication means, transmits an alarm signal and its position to a monitoring apparatus located in the head office in the case of an abnormal occurrrence.

14. A method according to claim 13, characterised in that an automatic transmission of an alarm signal to a police station located in the vicinity of the cargo space monitoring apparatus is made by the head office on arrival of an alarm signal.