System and methods for triggering and transmitting vehicle alarms to a central monitoring station

• US 5,874,889 A
• Filed: 05/30/1997
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roadtrac LLC
• Original Assignee: Roadtrac LLC
• Inventors: Higdon, Ray, Borbi, Matt, Hamburg, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullen, Jr., Thomas J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trieu, Van T.
• Application Number:
  US08/866,684
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/428, 340/429, 340/430, 340/989, 340/991, 340/993, 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.5, 307/10.6, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/426.36
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station

Abstract

A vehicle security system and methods for triggering alarms, including a controller responsive to entry of a security code via the keypad which matches a particular security code to disengage an starter blocking relay. The controller is further responsive to determining that the ignition switch is turned to the "on" position without prior entry of a matching security code to start a timer which times out after a predetermined period of time, whereby in response to non-entry of a matching security code before expiration of the predetermined period of time, the controller generates an alarm signal for transmission via the wireless transceiver to a central monitoring station. If the controller determines that the ignition switch is turned to its off position after the timer is started, it disengages the starter blocking relay so as to enable ignition of the vehicle. Consequently, an attacker will believe he has successfully started the ignition of the car, while the central monitoring station will have been alerted of the intrusion and notified the police authorities.

Claims

1. A vehicle security system, comprising:

an ignition switch sensor for detecting when an ignition switch of a vehicle is turned to on and off positions;

a keypad having buttons for entering alphanumeric data;

a memory for storing information including a predetermined security code;

a wireless transceiver for transmitting signals to a central monitoring station;

a starter blocking relay suitable for connection to an ignition switch of a vehicle for enabling and disabling ignition of an engine of a vehicle;

a controller for controlling the vehicle security system, the controller coupled to the ignition switch sensor, to the starter blocking relay, to the keypad, to the memory and to the wireless transceiver, the controller being responsive to entry of a security code via the keypad which matches the particular security code to disengage the starter blocking relay and thereby enable ignition of a vehicle, and responsive to the ignition switch sensor determining that the ignition switch is turned to the on position without prior entry of a matching security code to start a timer which times out after a predetermined period of time, whereby the controller is responsive to non-entry of a matching security code before expiration of the predetermined period of time to generate an alarm signal for transmission via the wireless transceiver to a central monitoring station, and is further responsive to the ignition switch sensor determining that the ignition switch is turned to the off position after the timer is started to disengage the starter blocking relay so as to enable ignition of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle security system of claim 1, and further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) receiver connected to the controller, the GPS receiver generating a signal indicating a position of the vehicle, wherein the controller is responsive to the GPS receiver for generating a location signal which is transmitted via the wireless transceiver to the central monitoring station.

3. The vehicle security system of claim 1, wherein the starter blocking relay comprises a controllable switch suitable for connection between a start position of the ignition switch of a vehicle and a starter of a vehicle, the controller generating an ignition enable signal for disengaging the starter blocking relay whereby the switch is responsive to the ignition enable signal to close and complete a circuit between a vehicle battery and the starter of the vehicle when the ignition switch is turned to the start position, and the controller generating an ignition disable signal for engaging the starter blocking relay whereby the switch is responsive to the ignition disable signal to open and disconnect the starter from the start position of the ignition switch.

4. The vehicle security system of claim 1, wherein the ignition switch sensor comprises an electrical wire connected to the on position of the ignition switch to detect a voltage thereon, wherein presence of voltage indicates that the ignition switch is turned to the on position and absence of voltage indicates that the ignition switch is turned to the off position.

5. The vehicle security system of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver is a cellular telephone transceiver.

6. The vehicle security system of claim 5, wherein the controller is responsive to the alarm signal to cause a cellular telephone link to be made with the central monitoring station to transmit voice and other sounds detected by a speakerphone associated with the cellular transceiver mounted within the vehicle.

7. The vehicle security system of claim 1, and further comprising a remote device having a transmitter for transmitting signals to the controller, and a remote receiver coupled to the controller for receiving signals transmitted by the remote device, wherein the remote device generates a panic alarm signal in response to actuation of a button thereon, the controller being responsive to the panic alarm signal to transmit an alarm signal via the wireless transceiver to a central monitoring station.

8. A method for triggering alarms in a vehicle security system comprising steps of:

receiving a security code and comparing it with a predetermined security code;

enabling ignition of the vehicle if the security code matches the particular security code, and if not, maintaining the ignition disabled;

detecting when an ignition switch of a vehicle has been turned to an on position prior to entry of a security code which matches the predetermined security code;

if the ignition switch of a vehicle has been turned to an on position prior to entry of a matching security code, then starting a timer which times out a predetermined period of time after detecting that the ignition switch has been turned to the on position;

enabling ignition of the vehicle if a security code which matches the predetermined security code is received within the predetermined period of time;

transmitting an alarm signal to the central monitoring station if a matching security code is not received within the predetermined period of time,

detecting when the ignition switch is turned to an off position after the timer is started; and

enabling ignition of the vehicle in response to detecting that the ignition switch is turned to the off position.

9. The method of claim 8, and further comprising the step of transmitting a location information signal to the central monitoring station to enable tracking of a vehicle that has transmitted an alarm signal.

10. The method of claim 8, and further comprising the step of transmitting over a cellular telephone link to the central monitoring station voices and/or sounds detected in the vehicle.

11. A method for triggering alarms in a vehicle security system comprising steps of:

receiving a security code and comparing it with a predetermined security code;

enabling ignition of the vehicle if the security code matches the particular security code, and if not, maintaining the ignition disabled;

detecting when an ignition switch of a vehicle has been turned to an on position prior to entry of a security code which matches the predetermined security code;

enabling ignition of the vehicle if a security code which matches the predetermined security code is received within a predetermined period of time after detecting that the ignition is turned to the on position;

detecting when the ignition switch is turned to an off position after the ignition switch has been turned to the on position without prior entry of a matching security code;

enabling ignition of the vehicle in response to the ignition switch being turned to the off position; and

transmitting an alarm signal to the central monitoring station if a matching security code is not received within the predetermined period of time.

12. The method of claim 11, and further comprising the step of transmitting a location information signal to the central monitoring station to enable tracking of a vehicle that has transmitted an alarm signal.

13. The method of claim 11, and further comprising the step of transmitting over a cellular telephone link to the central monitoring station voices and/or sounds detected in the vehicle.