Apparatus And Method For Compromised Vehicle Tracking

• US 20110148610A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: D'Avello, Robert F., Snider, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,896,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.22
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2072 with means for preventing jamming or interference of a remote switch control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/12 Detection or prevention of fraud
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Before a vehicle is parked, a signal is received from at least one of a base station and a location determination system. It is determined when the signal fails to meet at least one predetermined criteria. When the signal fails to meet the at least one predetermined criteria, a warning message is formed and presented to an operator of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of warning of impaired performance of a stolen vehicle tracking system, the method comprising:

before a vehicle is parked;

receiving a signal from at least one of a location determination system and a base station;

determining when the signal fails to meet at least one predetermined criteria;

when the signal fails to meet the at least one predetermined criteria, forming and presenting an emergency message to an operator of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the signal fails to meet at least one predetermined criteria comprises determining when a received signal strength is below a predetermined level.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the signal fails to meet at least one predetermined criteria comprises determining when a received signal quality fails to meet a predetermined quality level.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the signal fails to meet at least one predetermined criteria comprises determining an existence of interference in the received signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal is detected in a frequency band selected from the group consisting of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) band and the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) band.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising instructing a user to move the vehicle to a second location with an improved signal quality.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the emergency message is selected from the group consisting of an audio message and a visual message.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal is monitored after the vehicle is parked and further comprising, when the signal fails to meet the at last one predetermined criteria, transmitting an alert to an external entity.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the alert is selected from the group consisting of a visual alert and an audio alert.

10. An apparatus for detecting a theft or attempted theft of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an antenna configured to receive a signal from at least one of a base station and a location determination system before the vehicle is parked;

an interface coupled to the antenna and an external presentation device; and

a controller coupled to the interface, the controller configured to determine when the signal received at the antenna fails to meet at least one predetermined criteria and, when the signal fails to meet the at least one predetermined criteria, form and present an emergency message to an operator of the vehicle at a presentation device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to determine when a received signal strength is below a predetermined level.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to determine when a received signal quality fails to meet a predetermined quality level.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to determine an existence of interference in the received signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the signal is detected in a frequency band selected from the group consisting of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) band and the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) band.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the emergency message is selected from the group consisting of an audio message and a visual message.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the controller is configured to monitor the signal after the vehicle is parked and, when the signal fails to meet the at least one predetermined criteria, transmit an alert to an external entity via the antenna.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the alert is selected from the group consisting of a visual alert and an audio alert.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the external presentation device is selected from the group consisting of an audio speaker, at least one light emitting diode (LED), and a display screen.

19. A computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, said computer readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method of warning of impaired performance of a stolen vehicle tracking system, the method comprising:

before a vehicle is parked;

receiving a signal from at least one of a location determination system and a base station;

determining when the signal fails to meet at least one predetermined criteria;

when the signal fails to meet the at least one predetermined criteria, forming and presenting an emergency message to an operator of the vehicle.

20. The computer usable medium of claim 19 wherein determining whether the signal fails to meet at least one predetermined criteria comprises determining when a received signal strength is below a predetermined level.