Security apparatus

• US 5,790,015 A
• Filed: 09/08/1995
• Issued: 08/04/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Iitsuka, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/525,445
• Time in Patent Office: 1,061 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/428, 340/429, 340/530, 340/541, 340/542, 340/825.32, 340/551, 340/552, 340/553, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/426.28
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1001 Alarm systems associated with another car fitting or mechanism, e.g. door lock or knob, pedals features related to the general power supply B60R25/1018
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/63 Comprising locating means for detecting the position of the data carrier, i.e. within the vehicle or within a certain distance from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks

Abstract

A security apparatus which automatically locks a door even though a door locking operation is not performed. A security controller drives a door lock device to automatically lock a door if the door is not locked even when a lapse of time exceeds a set time and if a detection signal is not output from a radar sensor after the door has been unlocked. With this arrangement, even when a driver unlocks the door intending to get in the vehicle, but decides not to do so, and also when he/she leaves the vehicle without performing an arming operation, the door can be automatically locked.

Claims

1. A security apparatus for automatically locking a door, comprising:

a door lock switch for generating a door-unlocked signal when the door changes from a locked state to an unlocked state;

a sensor for detecting movement within a monitored area adjacent the door and for generating one of a first detection signal in response to detected movement within the monitored area, and a second detection signal in the absence of detected movement within the monitored area;

a security controller for generating a door lock command signal when the sensor continuously generates the second detection signal for a predetermined time period following the generation of the door-unlocked signal by the door lock switch; and

door lock/unlock means for locking the door in response to the door lock command signal.

2. A security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a radar sensor.

3. A security apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the radar sensor comprises:

an electromagnetic wave radiating section for radiating an electromagnetic wave;

an electromagnetic wave agitation component extracting section for extracting a low-frequency agitation component signal from the radiated electromagnetic wave;

a reference level generating section for generating a reference level signal; and

a level comparing section for comparing the low-frequency agitation component signal with the reference level signal and for generating the first detection signal when the low-frequency agitation component signal exceeds the reference level for a predetermined time period.

4. A security apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the level comparing section comprises:

a first comparing portion for comparing the electromagnetic wave agitation component signal extracted in the agitation component extracting section with a first reference signal, and for generating first level signals whenever the low-level agitation component signal exceeds the first reference signal;

an integration circuit for integrating the first level signals generated by the first comparing means, and for generating an integrated signal;

a second comparing portion for comparing the integrated signal with a second reference signal;

wherein the level comparing section generates the first detection signal when the integrated signal is greater than the second reference signal, and the level comparing section generates the second detection signal when the integrated signal is less than the second reference signal.

5. A security apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the security apparatus receives a remote control signal from a remote control unit, the security apparatus further comprising a receiving circuit for receiving the remote control signal via an antenna and for transmitting the received remote control signal to the security controller, wherein the security controller generates one of a door unlock command signal and the door lock command signal in response to the received remote control signal.

6. A security apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the received remote control signal includes a received ID code and an arming/disarming code, wherein the security controller compares the received ID code with a preset ID code stored in the security apparatus, and when the received ID code coincides with the preset ID code, generating one of the door unlock command signal and the door lock command signal in response to the arming/disarming code.

7. A security apparatus according to claim 5, wherein security controller includes a timing circuit for measuring an amount of time following the generation of the door-unlocked signal by the door lock switch, and wherein the security controller resets the timing circuit and disables the sensor when the door is locked or the sensor generates the first detection signal before the measured amount of time exceeds the predetermined time period.

8. A security apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the security controller enters an armed state upon generation of the door lock command signal, wherein, in the armed state, the security controller is connected to receive detection signals from a plurality of sensors and generates an alarm signal in response to a detection signal transmitted from one of the plurality of sensors.

9. A security system comprising:

a remote control unit for transmitting a remote control signal; and

a security apparatus comprising;

a receiving circuit for receiving the remote control signal via an antenna;

a door lock switch for generating a door-unlocked signal when the door changes from a locked state to an unlocked state;

a sensor for detecting movement within a monitored area adjacent the door and for generating one of a first detection signal in response to detected movement within the monitored area, and a second detection signal in the absence of detected movement within the monitored area;

a security controller for receiving the remote control signal from the receiving circuit, for generating one of a door lock command signal and a door unlock command signal in response to the received remote control signal, and for generating a door lock command signal when the sensor continuously generates the second detection signal for a predetermined time period following the generation of the door-unlocked signal by the door lock switch; and

door lock/unlock means for locking the door in response to the door lock command signal and for unlocking the door in response to the door unlock command signal.

10. A security apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is a radar sensor.

11. A security apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the radar sensor comprises:

an electromagnetic wave radiating section for radiating an electromagnetic wave;

an electromagnetic wave agitation component extracting section for extracting a low-frequency agitation component signal from the radiated electromagnetic wave;

a reference level generating section for generating a reference level signal; and

a level comparing section for comparing the low-frequency agitation component signal with the reference level signal and for generating the first detection signal when the low-frequency agitation component signal exceeds the reference level for a predetermined time period.

12. A security apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the level comparing section comprises:

a first comparing portion for comparing the electromagnetic wave agitation component signal extracted in the agitation component extracting section with a first reference signal, and for generating first level signals whenever the low-level agitation component signal exceeds the first reference signal;

an integration circuit for integrating the first level signals generated by the first comparing means, and for generating an integrated signal;

a second comparing portion for comparing the integrated signal with a second reference signal;

wherein the level comparing section generates the first detection signal when the integrated signal is greater than the second reference signal, and the level comparing section generates the second detection signal when the integrated signal is less than the second reference signal.

13. A security apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the security controller includes a timing circuit for measuring an amount of time following the generation of the door-unlocked signal by the door lock switch, and wherein the security controller resets the timing circuit and disables the sensor when the door is locked or the sensor generates the first detection signal before the measured amount of time exceeds the predetermined time period.

14. A security apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the security controller enters an armed state upon generation of the door lock command signal, wherein, in the armed state, the security controller is connected to receive detection signals from a plurality of sensors and generates an alarm signal in response to a detection signal transmitted from one of the plurality of sensors.

15. A security system comprising:

a remote control unit for transmitting a remote control signal including an ID code and an arming/disarming code; and

a security apparatus comprising;

a receiving circuit for receiving the remote control signal via an antenna;

a door lock switch for generating a door-unlocked signal when the door changes from a locked state to an unlocked state;

a sensor for detecting movement within a monitored area adjacent the door and for generating one of a first detection signal in response to detected movement within the monitored area, and a second detection signal in the absence of detected movement within the monitored area;

a security controller for receiving the remote control signal from the receiving circuit, for comparing the ID code of the remote control signal with a preset ID code, and when the ID code of the remote control signal coincides with the preset ID code, for generating one of a door lock command signal and a door unlock command signal in response to the arming/disarming code, and for generating a door lock command signal when the sensor continuously generates the second detection signal for a predetermined time period following the generation of the door-unlocked signal by the door lock switch; and

door lock/unlock means for locking the door in response to the door lock command signal and for unlocking the door in response to the door unlock command signal.

16. A security apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the proximity sensor is a radar sensor.

17. A security apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the radar sensor comprises:

an electromagnetic wave radiating section for radiating an electromagnetic wave;

an electromagnetic wave agitation component extracting section for extracting a low-frequency agitation component signal from the radiated electromagnetic wave;

a reference level generating section for generating a reference level signal; and

a level comparing section for comparing the low-frequency agitation component signal with the reference level signal and for generating the first detection signal when the low-frequency agitation component signal exceeds the reference level for a predetermined time period.

18. A security apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the level comparing section comprises:

a first comparing portion for comparing the electromagnetic wave agitation component signal extracted in the agitation component extracting section with a first reference signal, and for generating first level signals whenever the low-level agitation component signal exceeds the first reference signal;

an integration circuit for integrating the first level signals generated by the first comparing means, and for generating an integrated signal;

a second comparing portion for comparing the integrated signal with a second reference signal;

wherein the level comparing section generates the first detection signal when the integrated signal is greater than the second reference signal, and the level comparing section generates the second detection signal when the integrated signal is less than the second reference signal.

19. A security apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the security controller includes a timing circuit for measuring an amount of time following the generation of the door-unlocked signal by the door lock switch, and wherein the security controller resets the timing circuit and disables the sensor when the door is locked or the sensor generates the first detection signal before the measured amount of time exceeds the predetermined time period.

20. A security apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the security controller enters an armed state upon generation of the door lock command signal, wherein, in the armed state, the security controller is connected to receive detection signals from a plurality of sensors and generates an alarm signal in response to a detection signal transmitted from one of the plurality of sensors.