Tamper Detection

• US 20170057462A1
• Filed: 08/23/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Q-Free ASA
• Original Assignee: Q-Free ASA
• Inventors: Lykkja, Ola Martin, Hagen, Anders Ivar
• Granted Patent: US 9,840,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/34 of conditions of vehicle components, e.g. of windows, door locks or gear selectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1463 Physical arrangements, e.g. housings devices to prevent theft or loss of purses, luggage or hand carried bags A45C13/18
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0205 Specific application combined with child monitoring using a transmitter-receiver system

Abstract

A vehicle (18) having a license plate tamper detection system comprising: a first sensor (4) arranged to provide monitor data corresponding to presence of a first license plate (20) on the vehicle; and a second sensor (6) arranged to provide reference data. The license plate tamper detection system is arranged to compare the monitor data with the reference data and generate a tampering event if the comparison yields more than a predetermined difference between the monitor data and the reference data.

Claims

1. A license plate tamper detection system for installation on a vehicle, the system comprising:

a first sensor for providing monitor data corresponding to presence of a first license plate when installed on said vehicle; and

a second sensor for providing reference data when installed on said vehicle,

wherein the license plate tamper detection system is arranged to compare said monitor data with said reference data and generate a tampering event if there is more than a predetermined difference between the monitor data and the reference data.

2. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first sensor is embedded in or otherwise attached to the first license plate.

3. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second sensor is arranged to provide second monitor data corresponding to presence of a second license plate on the vehicle.

4. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second sensor is embedded in or otherwise attached to the second license plate.

5. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 4, arranged to provide information about a distance between the first and second sensors.

6. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors comprise respective local interface electronics to form sensor units which communicate directly with one another.

7. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 6, adapted for wireless communication between the first and second sensor units.

8. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 7, arranged to use ultra-wideband radar for both sensing presence of at least the first license plate and communication between said first and second sensor units.

9. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said sensors, sensor units or license plates are arranged to communicate with each other using encrypted communications.

10. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 9, comprising an encryption module.

11. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 1, comprising a microcontroller.

12. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 1, comprising an internal battery.

13. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 1 arranged to assess whether the vehicle is stationary and to disable the sensors if the vehicle is not stationary.

14. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second sensors comprise accelerometers.

15. A license plate tamper detection system having a first license plate comprising a first sensor arranged to provide first monitor data;

and a second license plate comprising a second sensor arranged to provide second monitor data, wherein the first and second license plates are arranged to;

exchange said first and second monitor data;

compare said first and second monitor data; and

generate a tampering event if more than a predetermined difference between the first monitor data and the second monitor data.

16. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 15, arranged to use ultra-wideband radar for communication between said license plates.

17. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 15, comprising a memory arranged to store tampering events in an event log.

18. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 17, wherein further comprising a communications system arranged to transmit data from said memory.

19. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 18, arranged to communicate with an enforcement device and provide tampering events from the event log to the enforcement device.

20. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 18, arranged to communicate with an automatic interrogation system and provide vehicle registration information to the automatic interrogation system.

21. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the communications system is arranged to implement dedicated short-range communications.

22. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the communications system is arranged to implement encrypted communications.

23. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 15, comprising a microcontroller.

24. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 15, comprising an internal battery.

25. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said sensors, sensor units or license plates are arranged to communicate with each other using encrypted communications.

26. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 22, comprising an encryption module.

27. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 15 arranged to assess whether the vehicle is stationary and to disable the sensors if the vehicle is not stationary.

28. The license plate tamper detection system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first and second sensors comprise accelerometers.

29. A vehicle having a license plate tamper detection system comprising:

a first sensor arranged to provide monitor data corresponding to presence of a first license plate on the vehicle; and

a second sensor arranged to provide reference data,

wherein the license plate tamper detection system is arranged to compare said monitor data with said reference data and generate a tampering event if said comparison yields more than a predetermined difference between the monitor data and the reference data.