Vehicle theft detection system

• US 20070080792A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Souda, Norifumi, Suzuki, Teruhito, Fukagawa, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,598,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/429
• 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 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates

Abstract

A tilt sensor, height sensors and tire pressure sensors sense a behavior of a parked vehicle and output an angle signal, a height signal and a pressure signal, respectively. These sensor signals are obtained by a sensor signal obtaining section. An initial value setting section sets an initial sensor signal of each of the tilt sensor, the height sensors and the tire pressure sensors as an initial value of that sensor. Then, a comparing section compares each initial value with the current sensor signal. Based on a result of the comparison, a determining section determines whether the vehicle is stolen.

Claims

1. A vehicle theft detection system that is provided in a vehicle, the vehicle theft detection system comprising:

at least two types of sensors, which sense a behavior of the vehicle in a parked state and outputs a corresponding sensor signal that indicates the sensed behavior of the vehicle in the parked state;

a sensor signal obtaining means for obtaining the sensor signal from each of the at least two types of sensors;

an initial value setting means for setting an initial sensor signal of each of the at least two types of sensors, which is initially obtained by the sensor signal obtaining means upon parking of the vehicle, as an initial value of the sensor;

a comparing means for comparing each initial value, which is set by the initial value setting means, with a current sensor signal of a corresponding one of the at least two types of sensors, which is currently obtained by the sensor signal obtaining means; and

a determining means for determining whether the vehicle is stolen based on a comparison result, which is made by the comparing means.

2. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 1, wherein the determining means determines that the vehicle is stolen when a difference between the initial value and the current sensor signal of each of the at least two types of sensors is larger than a corresponding predetermined threshold value.

3. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two types of sensors include:

a tilt sensor that senses a tilt of the vehicle and outputs an angle signal based on the sensed tilt of the vehicle; and

at least one height sensor that senses an amount of stroke of at least one of a piston rod and a spring of a shock absorber, which is provided in a corresponding one of a plurality of suspensions of the vehicle, wherein based on the sensed amount of stroke of the at least one of the piston rod and the spring, the at least one height sensor outputs a height signal, which corresponds to a distance between a vehicle body and a corresponding one of a plurality of tires of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two types of sensors include:

a tilt sensor that senses a tilt of the vehicle and outputs an angle signal based on the sensed tilt of the vehicle; and

a plurality of tire pressure sensors, each of which is provided to a corresponding one of a plurality of tires of the vehicle to sense an air pressure of the tire and outputs a pressure signal based on the sensed air pressure of the tire.

5. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two types of sensors include:

at least one height sensor that senses an amount of stroke of at least one of a piston rod and a spring of a shock absorber, which is provided in a corresponding one of a plurality of suspensions of the vehicle, wherein based on the sensed amount of stroke of the at least one of the piston rod and the spring, the at least one height sensor outputs a height signal, which corresponds to a distance between a vehicle body and a corresponding one of a plurality of tires of the vehicle; and

a plurality of tire pressure sensors, each of which is provided to a corresponding one of the plurality of tires of the vehicle to sense an air pressure of the tire and outputs a pressure signal based on the sensed air pressure of the tire.

6. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two types of sensors include:

a tilt sensor that senses a tilt of the vehicle and outputs an angle signal based on the sensed tilt of the vehicle;

at least one height sensor that senses an amount of stroke of at least one of a piston rod and a spring of a shock absorber, which is provided in a corresponding one of a plurality of suspensions of the vehicle, wherein based on the sensed amount of stroke of the at least one of the piston rod and the spring, the at least one height sensor outputs a height signal, which corresponds to a distance between a vehicle body and a corresponding one of a plurality of tires of the vehicle; and

a plurality of tire pressure sensors, each of which is provided to a corresponding one of the plurality of tires of the vehicle to sense an air pressure of the tire and outputs a pressure signal based on the sensed air pressure of the tire.

7. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of tires includes a front left tire, a front right tire, a rear left tire and a rear right tire;

the tilt sensor is provided around an intersection between a first diagonal line, which extends over the front left tire and the rear right tire, and a second diagonal line, which extends over the front right tire and the rear left tire.

8. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 3, wherein:

the plurality of tires includes a front left tire, a front right tire, a rear left tire and a rear right tire;

the plurality of suspensions includes at least two suspensions, which are associated with at least two, respectively, of the front left tire, the front right tire the rear left tire and the rear right tire; and

the at least one height sensor includes at least two height sensors, which are provided to the at least two suspensions, respectively.

9. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 4, wherein

the plurality of tires includes a front left tire, a front right tire, a rear left tire and a rear right tire;

and

the plurality of tire pressure sensors includes at least two tire pressure sensors, which are provided to at least two, respectively, of the front left tire, the front right tire, the rear left tire and the rear right tire.

10. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 1, wherein the at least two types of sensors are operated only for a predetermined time period to sense the behavior of the vehicle in the parked state and to output the corresponding sensor signal.

11. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 1, further comprising a vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor that senses an acceleration in a vertical direction of the vehicle, wherein:

the determining means receives a measurement output from the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor and senses a vertical movement of the vehicle based on the measurement output of the vertical acceleration sensor; and

the determining means determines that the vehicle is not stolen when the vertical movement of the vehicle is sensed through the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor.

12. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a lock state sensing means for sensing a locked state and an unlocked state of a door of the vehicle; and

a vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor that senses an acceleration in a vertical direction of the vehicle, wherein;

the determining means receives a measurement output from the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor; and

when the determining means senses the vertical movement of the vehicle based on the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor, the determining means does not determine that the vehicle is in a stolen state until the unlocked state of the door is sensed by the lock state sensing means.

13. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 12, wherein the determining means determines that the vehicle is in the stolen state when the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor does not sense the acceleration in the vertical direction of the vehicle for a predetermined time period even in a case where the lock state sensing means does not sense the unlocked state of the door.

14. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 11, further comprising at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor, which is provided to sense an acceleration in at least one of a plurality of horizontal directions of the vehicle, wherein:

the determining means, the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor, and the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor form a tilt sensor that senses a tilt of the vehicle;

the determining means determines that the vehicle is in the stolen state upon satisfaction of the following two conditions;

the determining means senses the tilt of the vehicle based on a measurement output of the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor; and

the determining means does not sense the vertical movement of the vehicle based on the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor; and

the determining means does not determine that the vehicle is in the stolen state when the determining means senses the vertical movement of the vehicle based on the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor even in a case where the determining means senses the tilt of the vehicle based on the measurement output of the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor.

15. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 11, further comprising at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor, which is provided to sense an acceleration in at least one of a plurality of horizontal directions of the vehicle, wherein:

the determining means includes a first control means and a second control means;

the first control means, the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor and the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor form a tilt sensor that senses a tilt of the vehicle;

the first control means supplies a signal, which indicates information of the acceleration in the at last one of the plurality of horizontal directions of the vehicle and the acceleration in the vertical direction of the vehicle, to the second control means based on the measurement output of the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor and the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor; and

the second control means determines whether the vehicle is in the stolen state based on the information of the acceleration in the at least one of the plurality of horizontal directions of the vehicle and the acceleration in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

16. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 11, further comprising at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor, which is provided to sense an acceleration in at least one of a plurality of horizontal directions of the vehicle, wherein:

the determining means includes a first control means and a second control means;

the first control means and the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor form a tilt sensor that senses a tilt of the vehicle;

the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor is provided outside of the tilt sensor;

the first control means supplies a signal, which indicates a relatively high possibility of stealing of the vehicle, to the second control means when the first control means senses the tilt of the vehicle based on a measurement output of the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor;

the second control means determines that the vehicle is in the stolen state when the second control means receives the signal, which indicates the relatively high possibility of stealing of the vehicle, from the second control means as long as the second control means does not sense the vertical movement of the vehicle based on the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor; and

the second control means determines that the vehicle is not in the stolen state when the second control means senses the vertical movement of the vehicle based on the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor even in a state where the second control means receives the signal, which indicates the relatively high possibility of stealing of the vehicle, from the first control means.

17. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 11, further comprising at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor, which is provided to sense an acceleration in at least one of a plurality of horizontal directions of the vehicle, wherein:

the determining means includes a first control means and a second control means;

the first control means and the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor form a tilt sensor that senses a tilt of the vehicle;

the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor is provided outside of the tilt sensor;

the first control means receives the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor;

the first control means outputs a signal, which indicates information of the acceleration in the at least one of the plurality of horizontal directions of the vehicle and the acceleration in the vertical direction of the vehicle, to the second control means based on the measurement output of the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor and the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor; and

the second control means determines whether the vehicle is in the stolen state based on the information of the acceleration in the at least one of the plurality of horizontal directions of the vehicle and the acceleration in the vertical direction of the vehicle.

18. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 15, further comprising a theft sensor, which is different from the tilt sensor, wherein:

the second control means receives a measurement output of the theft sensor; and

when the signal, which is received from the first control means, indicates that the vertical movement of the vehicle is sensed, the second control means does not determine that the vehicle is in the stolen state even in a case where the measurement output of the theft sensor indicates a relatively high possibility of stealing of the vehicle.

19. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 11, wherein:

the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor is connected to an in-vehicle LAN; and

the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor is supplied to the determining means through the in-vehicle LAN.

20. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 11, wherein the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor is provided to control a suspension of the vehicle.

21. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 3, further comprising:

a map information obtaining means for obtaining map information;

a coordinate information obtaining means for obtaining a current position of the vehicle as coordinate information;

a position recognizing means for recognizing the current position of the vehicle as a position of the vehicle on a map, which is generated based on the map information that is obtained by the map information obtaining means, wherein the position recognizing means recognizes the current position of the vehicle as the position of the vehicle on the map according to the map information, which is obtained by the map information obtaining means, and the coordinate information, which is obtained by the coordinate information obtaining means; and

a judging means for judging whether the position of the vehicle on the map recognized by the position recognizing means is in a predetermined position or range, wherein when the judging means judges that the position of the vehicle on the map is not in the predetermined position or area, the determining means determines whether the vehicle is stolen based on angle information, which is outputted from the tilt sensor.

22. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 21, further comprising a movement sensor, which senses movement of the vehicle in an upward direction or a downward direction of the vehicle and outputs movement information based on the sensed movement of the vehicle, wherein the judging means determines whether the position of the vehicle on the map is in the predetermined position or range based on the movement information received from the movement sensor.

23. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 21, wherein the coordinate information obtaining means obtains a current vertical position of the vehicle as the coordinate information.

24. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 21, wherein the map information obtaining means obtains the map information from a map database of a navigation apparatus.

25. The vehicle theft detection system according to claim 24, wherein the map information obtaining means, the coordinate information obtaining means and the position recognizing means are provided in the navigation apparatus.

26. A vehicle theft detection system comprising:

a tilt sensor that senses a tilt of a parked vehicle and outputs an angle information based on the sensed tilt of the vehicle;

a map information obtaining means for obtaining map information;

a coordinate information obtaining means for obtaining a current position of the vehicle as coordinate information;

a position recognizing means for recognizing the current position of the vehicle as a position of the vehicle on a map, which is generated based on the map information that is obtained by the map information obtaining means, wherein the position recognizing means recognizes the current position of the vehicle as the position of the vehicle on the map according to the map information, which is obtained by the map information obtaining means, and the coordinate information, which is obtained by the coordinate information obtaining means;

a judging means for judging whether the position of the vehicle on the map recognized by the position recognizing means is in a predetermined position or range; and

a determining means for determining whether the vehicle is stolen based on the angle information, which is outputted from the tilt sensor, when the judging means judges that the position of the vehicle on the map is not in the predetermined position or area.

27. A vehicle theft detection system comprising:

at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor, which is provided to sense an acceleration in at least one of a plurality of horizontal directions of a parked vehicle;

a vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor that senses an acceleration in a vertical direction of the vehicle; and

a determining means for determining whether the vehicle is stolen based on a measurement output of the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor and a measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor, wherein the determining means determines that the vehicle is stolen upon satisfaction of the following two conditions;

the measurement output of the at least one tilt sensing acceleration sensor indicates a tilt of the vehicle; and

the measurement output of the vertical movement sensing acceleration sensor does not indicate vertical movement of the vehicle.