System and method for vehicle theft prevention and recovery

• US 5,742,227 A
• Filed: 05/03/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joe Escareno, Manny Argomaniz
• Original Assignee: Joe Escareno, Manny Argomaniz
• Inventors: Escareno, Joe, Argomaniz, Manny
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/642,791
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/460, 340/430, 340/825.44, 340/539, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 340/426.21
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• 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 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data

Abstract

A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system is activated by a pager upon receiving a telephonic signal from a pager service, in response to a call from a vehicle owner or operator, to activate anti-theft means including a warning to a thief in the vehicle, means for disabling the vehicle engine, and visual and audible alarm signal devices to identify the vehicle as stolen.

Claims

1. A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system comprising:

pager means at the vehicle to receive a telephonic signal and to initiate a radio signal with digital modulation for digital data readout formatted to provide predetermined formats,

activator means for receiving said formatted digital data from the pager means and transmit respective digital formats to respective actuators to actuate at least means for providing a count-down warning of vehicle disablement to an occupant of the vehicle, and means for disabling the vehicle engine a predetermined time after the means for disabling is activated.

2. A theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 1, wherein:

said means for warning a vehicle occupant provides a voice warning of vehicle disablement within a specific time.

3. A theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 2, wherein:

said warning means provides a vocal audible count-down in seconds to vehicle engine disablement.

4. A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 1, wherein:

said means for disabling comprises killswitch means.

5. A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system comprising:

pager means at the vehicle to receive a telephonic signal and initiate a radio signal having digital modulation to provide predetermined digital data readout at the vehicle,

activator means connected with the pager means to receive said digital data readout from the pager means and transmit predetermined respective digital formats to respective devices to provide respective functions for vehicle theft prevention and recovery,

said activated devices and functions including at least means for warning an occupant in the vehicle of impending vehicle disablement, means for disabling the vehicle engine, and means to warn and alert persons outside the vehicle to avoid injury and damage.

6. A theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 5, wherein:

said means for warning a vehicle occupant comprises means providing a voice warning to the occupant of vehicle disablement within a specific time.

7. A theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 5, wherein:

said warning means comprises means for providing a vocal audible count-down in seconds to vehicle disablement.

8. A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 5, wherein:

said means for disabling the vehicle engine comprises killswitch means.

9. A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 5, wherein:

said means for warning persons outside the vehicle comprises means for energizing emergency flasher lights on the vehicle.

10. A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 5, wherein:

said means to warn and alert persons outside the vehicle comprise a light-emitting diode display on the exterior of the vehicle to identify it as stolen.

11. A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 5, wherein:

said means comprises means for activating and energizing a vehicle horn.

12. A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 5, wherein:

said means for alerting persons outside the vehicle comprises means for activating a siren.

13. A vehicle theft prevention and recovery system according to claim 5, wherein:

said means for alerting persons outside the vehicle comprises means for activating and energizing a radio beacon to enable police-tracking of the vehicle.

14. A method for vehicle theft prevention and recovery, comprising the steps of:

providing pager means at the vehicle to receive a telephonic signal from a pager service and produce a radio signal having digital modulation for digital readout formatted to provide respective digital format to respective activator means and transmit the digital formats to respective actuators,

calling by telephone a pager service to send a telephonic signal to the pager,

amplifying the telephonic pager signal to activate respective activator means for respective devices and functions comprising at least means for providing an alarm to a thief occupant of the vehicle warning by a count-down to impending vehicle disablement, means for disabling the vehicle engine, and means to warn and alert persons outside the vehicle to avoid injury and damage.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said activated functions include the energizing of emergency lights on the vehicle.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein said activated functions include audible alarm means on the vehicle.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein said activated functions include radio beacon means receivable by police.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein said activated functions include a light-emitting diode display on the exterior of the vehicle to identify it as stolen.