METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLE THEFT DETECTION AND PREVENTION USING A SMARTPHONE AND VIDEO-BASED PARKING TECHNOLOGY

• US 20150022663A1
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conduent Business Services, LLC (Conduent, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Wang, Yao Rong, Furst, Michael, Chanawangsa, Panya
• Granted Patent: US 10,384,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• 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: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source

Abstract

Methods and systems for preventing vehicle theft. A video stream of a parking area wherein a vehicle is parked can be captured, the video stream provided by a theft notification service to which the vehicle is pre-registered. The vehicle in the video stream can be identified. The video stream is then analyzed to detect motion with respect to the vehicle. An alert can then be generated if motion is detected.

Claims

1. A method for preventing vehicle theft, said method comprising:

capturing a video stream of a parking area wherein a vehicle is parked, said video stream provided by a theft notification service to which said vehicle is pre-registered;

identifying said vehicle in said video stream;

analyzing said video stream to detect a motion with respect to said vehicle; and

generating an alert if said motion is detected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said vehicle comprises at least one of an automobile, motorcycle, a motorized scooter, and a bicycle.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering said vehicle with said theft notification service via a computing device.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising identifying said vehicle in said video stream using information provided by said registering of said vehicle with said theft notification service.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting said alert regarding said motion to a mobile communications device of a user associated with said vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising transmitting back a response from said user regarding said alert to indicate whether said user authorized said motion.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a link to a webpage associated with said theft notification service, wherein said webpage displays interactive data for verification, enforcement, and prosecution use by civil authorities.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said motion comprises an unauthorized movement of said vehicle.

9. A system for preventing vehicle theft, said system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to said processor; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, said computer-usable medium being coupled to said data bus, said computer program code comprising instructions executable by said processor and configured for;

capturing a video stream of a parking area wherein a vehicle is parked, said video stream provided by a theft notification service to which said vehicle is pre-registered;

identifying said vehicle in said video stream;

analyzing said video stream to detect a motion with respect to said vehicle; and

generating an alert if said motion is detected.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said vehicle comprises at least one of an automobile, motorcycle, a motorized scooter, and a bicycle.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for registering said vehicle with said theft notification service via a computing device.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said instructions are further configured for identifying said vehicle in said video stream using information provided by said registering of said vehicle with said theft notification service.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for transmitting said alert regarding said motion to a mobile communications device of a user associated with said vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said instructions are further configured for transmitting back a response from said user regarding said alert to indicate whether said user authorized said motion.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said instructions are further configured for providing a link to a webpage associated with said theft notification service, wherein said webpage displays interactive data for verification, enforcement, and prosecution use by civil authorities.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein said motion comprises an unauthorized movement of said vehicle.

17. A processor-readable medium storing computer code representing instructions to cause a process for preventing vehicle theft, said computer code further comprising code to:

capture a video stream of a parking area wherein a vehicle is parked, said video stream provided by a theft notification service to which said vehicle is pre-registered;

identify said vehicle in said video stream;

analyze said video stream to detect a motion with respect to said vehicle; and

generate an alert if said motion is detected.

18. The processor-readable medium of claim 17 wherein said vehicle comprises at least one of an automobile, motorcycle, a motorized scooter, and a bicycle.

19. The processor-readable of claim 17 wherein said code further comprises code to:

register said vehicle with said theft notification service via a computing device; and

identify said vehicle in said video stream using information provided by said registering of said vehicle with said theft notification service.

20. The processor-readable medium of claim 17 wherein said code further comprises code to;

transmit said alert regarding said motion to a mobile communications device of a user associated with said vehicle; and

transmit back a response from said user regarding said alert to indicate whether said user authorized said motion.