Vehicle security system

• US 20040140885A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Wang, Xiujuan S., Slicker, James M.
• Application Number:
  US10/346,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140885A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• 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 25/305 using a camera

Abstract

An invention is disclosed to make vehicles more secure. The disclosed system uses an intrusion subsystem to determine whether an intruder has entered a vehicle. If the intrusion subsystem detects an intruder, the identification subsystem can capture an identifying characteristic of the intruder through the use of an identification sensor. The identification sensor can be configured to consume no power until activated by a determination by the intrusion subsystem that an intruder has entered a vehicle. After an identifying characteristic has been captured by the identification subsystem, a response subsystem can be used by the system to generate a communication to a receiver outside the vehicle. That communication can include the identifying characteristic of the intruder. Such a communication can be received by private and government-run security centers. In some embodiments of the system, the identification sensor is a video camera that is used by an airbag deployment process.

Claims

1. A vehicle security system, comprising:

a intrusion subsystem, including an intrusion sensor and a intrusion determination, wherein said intrusion subsystem provides for generating said intrusion determination with said intrusion sensor;

an identification subsystem, including an identification sensor and an identifying characteristic, wherein said identification subsystem provides for capturing said identifying characteristic with said identification sensor and said intrusion determination.

2. The vehicle security system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

3. The vehicle security system of claim 1, wherein said identification sensor is an airbag sensor.

4. The vehicle security system of claim 3, wherein said airbag sensor is a video camera and said identifying characteristic is an image.

5. The vehicle security system of claim 1, wherein said intrusion sensor is a shock sensor.

6. The vehicle security system of claim 1, wherein said intrusion subsystem activates said identification subsystem with said intrusion determination.

7. The vehicle security system of claim 1, further comprising a response subsystem, said response subsystem including a communication comprising said identifying characteristic, wherein said response subsystem provides for generating said communication.

8. The vehicle security system of claim 7, wherein said communication is an automatically generated e-mail message.

9. The vehicle security system of claim 7, wherein said communication is an automatically generated cellular phone transmission.

10. The vehicle security system of claim 7, wherein said communication is received by a security center.

11. A vehicle security system, comprising:

a intrusion subsystem, including a shock sensor and a intrusion determination, wherein said intrusion subsystem provides for generating said intrusion determination with said shock sensor;

an identification subsystem, including a video camera and an intruder image, wherein said identification subsystem provides for capturing said intruder image with said video camera, wherein said identification subsystem is activated by said intrusion determination from said intrusion subsystem, wherein said intruder image is captured within an automobile, and wherein said video camera is an airbag sensor; and

a response subsystem, including an automatically generated communication comprising said intruder image, wherein said response subsystem provides for sending said automatically generated communication to a receiver outside of the automobile.

12. The vehicle security system of claim 11, wherein said automatically generated communication is an e-mail.

13. The vehicle security system of claim 11, wherein said video camera consumes no electricity until activated by said intrusion determination from said intrusion subsystem.

14. The vehicle security system of claim 11, wherein said intruder image is a segmented image.

15. A method of creating a vehicle security system, comprising:

installing a shock sensor to generate an intrusion determination after detecting an intruder; and

configuring an identification sensor to capture an intruder image after said shock sensor generates said intrusion determination, wherein said identification sensor is a video camera.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said identification sensor is an airbag sensor.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising connecting a transmission device to said identification sensor to transmit said intruder image to receiver outside of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said vehicle is an automobile.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said receiver is part of a private security center.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the identification sensor is configured to consume no power until said shock sensor generates said intrusion determination.