Secure communication and control system for monitoring, recording, reporting and/or restricting unauthorized use of vehicle.

• US 6,157,317 A
• Filed: 11/20/1997
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kline & Walker LLC
• Original Assignee: Kline & Walker LLC
• Inventors: Walker, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Howard L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JEANGLAUDE, JEAN BRUNER
• Application Number:
  US08/975,140
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/825.31, 340/825.34, 340/825.44, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/468, 340/425.5, 180/167, 180/287, 180/169, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.5, 307/10.6, 307/10, 455/31.2, 701/29, 701/35, 702/165, 123/327, 342/357
• US Class Current: 340/7.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• 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 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/252 Fingerprint recognition
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera

Abstract

A stop and control box houses the standard phone pager (a COTS APPLICATION--meaning commercial off the shelf) as a stimulating and communication device in either a secured and/or concealed mechanical lockup or in any protected area that employs any means to limit access. This protected area would also house control circuitry and could house monitoring circuitry to interface with and record the host machine'"'"'s functions and finally record the operator and occupant'"'"'s activities. The stop and control box accomplishes its remote capabilities in a number of ways from actually being wired directly to the pagers circuitry to merely sensing or reading the pager functions and numerical messages.

Claims

1. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle, comprising:

a pager having a receiver for receiving a page signal request initiated by a user and an output port for outputting an output signal indicative of the page signal request, the page signal request indicating that the vehicle is being used in an unauthorized manner; and

a controller responsively connected to said pager, receiving the output signal and, performing a real-time controlled operation while the vehicle is in operation, the real-time controlled operation including at least one of terminating power to the vehicle to bring the vehicle to a stop, terminating fuel to the vehicle to bring the vehicle to a stop, reducing fuel or energy to the vehicle to slow the vehicle down, and selectively at least one of terminating and reducing power to at least one energized system in the vehicle used to at least one of control, propel and drive the vehicle.

2. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said controller terminates or reduces the energy or the fuel to the vehicle responsive to detected movement of the vehicle.

3. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the detected movement of the vehicle is determined from at least one of the speedometer, odometer, rotation of one or more wheels, revolutions per minute meter, axle rotation, and vehicle movement.

4. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said pager is used to stop or control vehicle responsive to receipt of the page signal request initiated by the user by dialing a telephone number.

5. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said pager is disposed in a security box to prevent at least one of tampering and unauthorized access to said real-time vehicle recovery system.

6. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the output signal comprises at least one of light, vibration, sound, a display, and an electrical signal with a substantially unique signature.

7. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein said controller further comprises at least one of a light sensor, a vibration sensor, a sound sensor, an optical character recognizer, and an electrical signal recognizer to detect the at least one of light, vibration, sound, a displayed characters, and an electrical signal, respectively.

8. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said controller includes a memory, and wherein the output signal comprises an electrical signal with a substantially unique signature that is pre-stored in said memory as a reference signature, and when said controller receives the output signal, said controller compares the substantially unique signature with the reference signature to determine whether the user has initiated the page signal request.

9. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said pager includes a reset function, and wherein said controller resets said pager by initiating the reset functions.

10. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said pager includes a reset function implemented by activation of a reset mechanism, wherein said real-time vehicle recovery system further includes a plunger triggerable by said controller to activate the reset mechanism and the reset function.

11. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said pager includes a display and a reset function implemented by activation of a reset mechanism to rest the display, wherein said real-time vehicle recovery system further includes a plunger triggerable by said controller to activate the reset mechanism and the reset function to reset the display.

12. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energized system includes at least one of a fuel injector, a carburetor, an ignition, a door lock, a window, a generator, a battery, an accelerator, and a throttle.

13. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said real-time vehicle recovery system further includes at least one of a transmitter, a mobile phone, a digital phone, a cellular phone for tracking the vehicle.

14. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system responsively connectable to said controller, and proving tracking capability of the vehicle.

15. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said controller activates a vehicle alarm and vehicle lights responsive to receipt of the page signal request.

16. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said controller includes an output/input counter and switch relay system that performs one or more of the reducing and terminating functions of the controller.

17. A real-time vehicle recovery system including a stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a supplemental power supply to power said pager and said controller when the power to the vehicle is terminated.

18. A real-time vehicle recovery system including a stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said real-time vehicle recovery system is substantially stored in the stop and control box to prevent unauthorized access thereto and the vehicle.

19. A real-time vehicle recovery system including a stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the stop and control box is stored in or on the vehicle.

20. A real-time vehicle recovery method administered in a stop and control box, said method restricting unauthorized use of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a page signal request initiated by a user via a receiver of a pager, the page signal request indicating that the vehicle is being used in an unauthorized manner;

(b) outputting an output signal indicative of the page signal request from the pager;

(c) receiving the output signal via a controller; and

(d) performing a real-time controlled operation while the vehicle is in operation, the real-time controlled operation including at least one of terminating power to the vehicle to bring the vehicle to a stop, terminating fuel to the vehicle to bring the vehicle to a stop, reducing fuel or energy to the vehicle to slow the vehicle down, and selectively at least one of terminating and reducing power to at least one energized system in the vehicle used to at least one of control, propel and drive the vehicle, via the controller.

21. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto, comprising:

a pager having a receiver for receiving a page signal request initiated by a user and an output port for outputting an output signal indicative of the page signal request, the page signal request indicating that the vehicle is to be controlled or operations relating to the vehicle are to be recorded in a predetermined manner;

a controller responsively connected to said pager, receiving the output signal and performing a real-time controlled operation while the vehicle is in operation, the real-time controlled operation including at least one of controlling the vehicle and recording the operations of the vehicle responsive to the output signal.

22. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 21, wherein said real-time vehicle recovery system is substantially stored in the stop and control box to prevent unauthorized access thereto and the vehicle.

23. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 21, further comprising a multiple stage shut down valve operably connected to said controller, and at least one of decreasing flow of fuel to the engine and increasing flow of fuel to an engine return.

24. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 21, further comprising a multiple stage shut down valve operably connected to said controller, and at least one of incrementally decreasing flow of fuel to the engine and incrementally increasing flow of fuel to an engine return, to achieve at least two of controlled movement of the vehicle, engine idling, and engine shutdown.

25. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 24, wherein the multiple stage shut down valve is at least one of incrementally decreased and increased responsive to at least one separate page signal requests separately initiated by the user and a predetermined time interval.

26. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 24, wherein the multiple stage shut down valve includes a plurality of valve plugs in series configuration corresponding to the at least two of controlled movement of the vehicle, engine idling, and engine shutdown.

27. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 24, wherein the multiple stage shut down valve includes a plurality of valve plugs in parallel configuration corresponding to the at least two of controlled movement of the vehicle, engine idling, and engine shutdown.

28. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 21, further comprising a main power supply powering the vehicle and a supplemental power supply connected to said pager and said controller, wherein said main power supply is controllable by said controller such that said main power supply is selectively disconnected or regulated responsive to at least one of predetermined criteria and tampering of said real-time vehicle recovery system detected by sensors.

29. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 21, further comprising an input override device and a vehicle operator notification device responsively connected to said controller, and wherein when the page signal request is received by said controller, said controller transmits the page signal request to said vehicle operator notification device to notify the vehicle operator, and wherein the vehicle operator overrides said real-time vehicle recovery system using said input override device.

30. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 29, wherein the vehicle operator overrides said real-time vehicle recovery system using said input override device when the page signal request is incorrect.

31. A real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto according to claim 21, wherein the output port of said pager comprises a microjack output.

32. A real-time vehicle recovery system including stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle, comprising:

a pager having a reset function and a receiver for receiving a page signal request initiated by a user and an output port for outputting an output signal indicative of the page signal request, the page signal request indicating that the vehicle is being used in an unauthorized manner;

a memory storing a page signal reference;

a controller responsively connected to said pager and said memory, receiving the output signal and performing a real-time controlled operation while the vehicle is in operation, the real-time controlled operation including at least one of, responsive to detected movement of the vehicle and a comparison of the output signal with the page signal request, terminating power to the vehicle to bring the vehicle to a stop, terminating fuel to the vehicle to bring the vehicle to a stop, reducing fuel or energy to the vehicle to slow the vehicle down, selectively resetting said pager, and selectively at least one of terminating and reducing power to at least one energized system in the vehicle used to at least one of control, propel and drive the vehicle;

a main power supply supplying power to the vehicle; and

a supplemental power supply supplying power to said pager and said controller when said main power to the vehicle is terminated,

wherein said real-time vehicle recovery system is substantially stored in the stop and control box to prevent unauthorized access thereto and the vehicle, and the stop and control box is stored in or on the vehicle.

33. A real-time automobile recording system for an automobile, comprising:

at least one operation sensor recording the operations of the automobile as a recording signal;

a memory located in or on the automobile in a secure manner, storing the operations of the automobile;

at least one of a transmitting and receiving device, a processor and a transceiver responsively connected to said at least one operation sensor and said memory, receiving the recording signal from said operation sensor and transmitting the recording signal to said memory located in or on the automobile in a secure manner and providing a real-time automobile recording function for use in assessing automobile function including the operations of the automobile operation and simultaneous operator function and physical condition; and

a secure enclosure housing said memory and protecting said memory from unauthorized access thereto.

34. In a real-time vehicle management system including a security function that restricts unauthorized access thereto, including at least one of a transmitting and receiving device and a transceiver having a receiver for receiving a page signal request initiated by a user and an output port for outputting an output signal indicative of the page signal request, the page signal request indicating that the vehicle is to be controlled or operations relating to the vehicle are to be recorded in a predetermined manner, and a controller at least one of controlling the vehicle and recording the operations of the vehicle responsive to the output signal, a multiple stage shut down valve operably connected to said controller, comprising:

a plurality of valve plugs in at least one of series and parallel configuration corresponding to at least one of controlled movement of the vehicle, engine idling, and engine shutdown, said plurality of valve plugs performing controlled operation while the vehicle is in operation, the real-time controlled operation including at least one of incrementally decreasing flow of fuel to the engine and incrementally increasing flow of fuel to an engine return, to achieve the at least one of controlled movement of the vehicle, engine idling, and engine shutdown.

35. A real-time vehicle recovery system including a stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 34, further comprising a main power supply powering the vehicle and a supplemental power supply connected to said pager and said controller, wherein said main power supply is controllable by said controller such that said main power supply is selectively disconnected or regulated responsive to at least one of predetermined criteria and tampering of said real-time vehicle recovery system detected by sensors.

36. A real-time vehicle recovery system including a stop and control box that restricts unauthorized use of a vehicle according to claim 34, further comprising an input override device and a vehicle operator notification device responsively connected to said controller, and wherein when the page signal request is received by said controller, said controller transmits the page signal request to said vehicle operator notification device to notify the vehicle operator, and wherein the vehicle operator overrides said real-time vehicle recovery system using said input override device.

37. A real-time vehicle or equipment recording and optionally reporting system for a vehicle located on or remote from the vehicle, comprising:

at least one operation sensor recording the operations of the vehicle as a recording signal, the recording signal used to assist in providing accountable automated and remote control relating to usage of the vehicle or the equipment;

a memory located in or on the automobile/machinery in a secure manner, storing the operations of the automobile received from said operation sensor in a secure manner;

a secure enclosure housing said memory and protecting said memory from unauthorized access thereto, and protecting said memory from external elements and impact;

a processor responsively connectable to said memory, receiving the recording signal, and providing accountable automated remote control for use in assessing at least one of vehicle or equipment function while the vehicle or equipment is in operation and simultaneous operator function and physical condition,

at least one of a transmitting and receiving device and a transceiver including at least one of;

a pager, a wireless phone, a radio frequency equipment, a locating equipment system, and a mobile telephone, receiving the recording signal and transmitting the recording signal in real-time to a redundant remote storage unit in at least one remote location using at least one application specific industry standard protocol as determined by at least one of codes, specifications, rules, regulations, data handling procedures and laws for at least one of the vehicle and the equipment.

38. A real-time vehicle or equipment recording and optionally reporting system according to claim 37, wherein said secure enclosure further comprises an accountable stop and control box housing at least said memory, and wherein the accountable stop and control box is stored in or on the vehicle or the equipment in a secure manner.

39. A real-time automobile recording system for a vehicle or equipment, comprising:

at least one operation sensor recording the operations of the vehicle or the equipment as a recording signal;

a memory located in or on the vehicle or the equipment in a secure manner, storing the operations of the vehicle to the equipment;

at least one of a transmitting and receiving device and a transceiver responsively connected to said at least one operation sensor and said memory, receiving the recording signal from said operation sensor and transmitting the recording signal to said memory located in or on the vehicle to the equipment in a secure manner and providing a real-time vehicle recording function for use in assessing vehicle function including the operations of the vehicle; and

a secure enclosure housing said memory and protecting said memory from unauthorized access thereto, wherein said secure enclosure comprises an accountable stop and control box housing at least said memory, and wherein the accountable stop and control box is stored in or on the vehicle or the equipment in a secure manner.