THEFT DETECTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20130229274A1
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ohio State University, Regents of the University of California (University of California), University of Memphis Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: Ohio State University, Regents of the University of California (University of California), University of Memphis Research Foundation
• Inventors: Kumar, Santosh, Sinha, Prasun, Plarre, Kurt, Mitra, Somnath, Zheng, Zizhan, Guha, Santanu, Ghosh, Animikh, Dutta, Prabal, Krishna, Bhagavathy
• Application Number:
  US13/775,803
• Publication Number:
  US 20130229274A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/429
• 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 25/1025 preventing jamming or interference of said signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

One aspect of the invention provides a theft detection system including one or more tag nodes configured to detect movement and transmit a beacon message and one or more anchor nodes configured to receive the beacon message from the one or more tag nodes and alert a third party of the beacon message. Another aspect of the invention provides a theft detection node including a power source, a motion detector, a transmitter, and a microcontroller in communication with the power source, the motion detector, and the transmitter. The microcontroller is configured to determine whether the node is being transported and if the node is being transported, instructing the transmitter to transmit a beacon message. Another aspect of the invention provides a theft detection method including detecting motion in a motor vehicle and transmitting a beacon message to an anchor node.

Claims

1. A theft detection system comprising:

one or more tag nodes configured to detect movement and transmit a beacon message; and

one or more anchor nodes configured to;

receive the beacon message from the one or more tag nodes; and

alert a third party of the beacon message.

2. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the one or more tag nodes include:

a power source;

a motion detector;

a transmitter;

an accelerometer; and

a microcontroller.

3. The theft detection system of claim 2, wherein the power source is a battery.

4. The theft detection system of claim 2, wherein the motion detector is a vibration dosimeter.

5. The theft detection system of claim 2, wherein the motion detector is a piezoelectric vibratab.

6. The theft detection system of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is a transceiver.

7. The theft detection system of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is IEEE 802.15.4-compliant.

8. The theft detection system of claim 2, wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive a wake-up signal from the motion detector.

9. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the one or more anchor nodes include:

a power source;

an infrastructure interface;

an intra-anchor node interface;

a mote; and

a motherboard.

10. The theft detection system of claim 9, wherein the power source includes one or more cells.

11. The theft detection system of claim 9, wherein the infrastructure interface is an IEEE 802.11-compliant transceiver.

12. The theft detection system of claim 9, wherein the intra-anchor node interface is an IEEE 802.15.4-compliant transceiver.

13. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the tag node is configured for arming and disarming through a series of accelerations.

14. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the tag node is embedded in an electronic device.

15. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the tag node is configured to arm and disarm another tag node.

16. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the tag node is configured to detect movement in a motor vehicle.

17. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the tag node is configured to detect movement in a motor vehicle with a classification algorithm.

18. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the one or more anchor nodes are deployed to provide section coverage with diameter x with a region, wherein x is a positive number.

19. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the region is one selected from the group consisting of:

a precinct, a ward, a municipality, a county, a state, and a country.

20. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein a subset of the one or more anchor nodes are mounted within law enforcement vehicles.

21. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the one or more anchor nodes are configured to transmit an acknowledgment message to a subset of the one or more tag nodes.

22. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the acknowledgment message includes an estimated travel time to a nearest anchor node.

23. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement message includes instructions to enter a sleep state.

24. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement message includes instructions to not enter a sleep state.

25. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the acknowledgement message includes one or more group IDs pertaining to one or more subsets of the tag nodes.

26. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the third party is a computer.

27. The theft detection system of claim 1, wherein the third party is a law enforcement agency.

28. A theft detection node comprising:

a power source;

a motion detector;

a transmitter; and

a microcontroller in communication with the power source, the motion detector, and the transmitter;

wherein the microcontroller is configured to;

determine whether the node is being transported; and

if the node is being transported, instructing the transmitter to transmit a beacon message.

29. The theft detection node of claim 28, wherein the power source is a battery.

30. The theft detection node of claim 29, wherein the battery is a button cell.

31. The theft detection node of claim 29 wherein the battery is a lithium battery.

32. The theft detection node of claim 28, wherein the motion detector is a vibration dosimeter.

33. The theft detection node of claim 28, wherein the motion detector is a piezoelectric vibratab.

34. The theft detection node of claim 28, wherein the transmitter is a radio transmitter.

35. The theft detection system of claim 28, wherein the transmitter is a transceiver.

36. The theft detection system of claim 28, wherein the transmitter is IEEE 802.15.4-compliant.

37. The theft detection system of claim 28, wherein the microcontroller is configured to receive a wake-up signal from the motion detector.

38. The theft detection node of claim 28, wherein the microcontroller is configured to determine whether the theft detection node is being transported in motor vehicle.

39. The theft detection node of claim 38, wherein the microcontroller determines whether the node is being transported by a motor vehicle with a classification algorithm.

40. A theft detection method comprising:

detecting motion in a motor vehicle; and

transmitting a beacon message to an anchor node.

41. The theft detection method of claim 40, further comprising:

receiving a wake-up signal from a motion detector.

42. The theft detection method of claim 40, further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement message from the anchor node.

43. The theft detection method of claim 40, further comprising:

entering a sleep mode.

44. The theft detection method of claim 40, further comprising:

transmitting a second beacon message.

45. A theft detection method comprising:

receiving a beacon message from a tag node;

transmitting an acknowledgement message to the tag node; and

alerting a third party of the beacon message.

46. The theft detection method of claim 45, wherein the acknowledgment message includes a travel time to a nearest anchor node.