Stolen vehicle recovery support apparatus

• US 20060214779A1
• Filed: 03/21/2006
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Motohiro, Sawada, Junichi, Harumoto, Satoshi, Matsuda, Yuusaku, Nomori, Hironori, Maeno, Yoshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 7,646,286 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.110
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• 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 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics

Abstract

An apparatus for supporting recovery of the vehicle if the vehicle is stolen includes a determining unit that determines whether the vehicle is being stolen. A camera judges a state of the vehicle and an environment around the vehicle. When the determining unit determines that the vehicle is being stolen, a horn of the vehicle is automatically honked.

Claims

1. An apparatus provided in a vehicle for supporting recovery of the vehicle if the vehicle is stolen, the apparatus comprising:

a determining unit that determines whether the vehicle is being stolen;

a judging unit that judges a state of the vehicle and an environment around the vehicle;

a plurality of supporting units each capable of executing a support processes to prevent theft of the vehicle; and

a selecting unit that selects, when the determining unit determines that the vehicle is being stolen, at least one supporting unit among the supporting units to execute a corresponding support process according to a state of the vehicle judged by the judging unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supporting units include an informing unit that informs surroundings of the vehicle that the vehicle is stolen;

a drive-obstruction unit that provides control to enable driving of the vehicle;

a travel-stop unit that provides control to stop the vehicle if the vehicle is moving;

a travel-function stop unit that stops a travel function of the vehicle;

a notifying unit that sends a notification of a state of the vehicle to a predetermined contact point; and

a warning output unit that outputs a warning.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the informing unit executes at least one of honking a horn;

screeching a brake;

opening a window of the vehicle and outputting sound from a speaker at full volume; and

irregularly lighting a lamp system of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive-obstruction unit executes at least one of controlling a wiper of the vehicle to operate irregularly;

and

controlling an air-conditioner of the vehicle to operate irregularly.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive-obstruction unit executes at least one of refusing acceptance of a brake operation;

causing the vehicle to suddenly accelerate; and

discontinuing steering assistance, and

the selecting unit selects the drive-obstruction unit to interfere with traveling of the vehicle when the judging unit judges that the vehicle is traveling and that there is no risk of an accident.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the selecting unit selects the travel-stop unit to stop the vehicle from traveling when the judging unit judges that it is safe for the vehicle to stop, or when a thief stops driving the vehicle.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the selecting unit selects the travel-stop unit to stop the vehicle from traveling when the judging unit judges that the vehicle is near a police station or at a location where attention can be attracted.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the travel-function stop unit stops the travel function of the vehicle by disabling startup of a travel control device that controls travel of the vehicle.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the notifying unit sends at least one of an image of the surroundings of the vehicle and an image of an interior of the vehicle or both together with the notification.

10. The. apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined contact point includes a police station.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the warning unit warns the thief when there is a reply from the police station in response to the notification.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selecting unit selects a supporting unit in accordance with an instruction received from a user.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines that there is a high possibility that the vehicle is stolen when the judging unit judges that a communication terminal owned by a user of the vehicle is outside the vehicle and the vehicle is traveling.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit that determines that there is a high possibility that the vehicle is stolen when the judging unit detects vehicle transporting equipment near the vehicle.