Anti-theft vehicle system

• US 6,353,388 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2000
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gatekeeper Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Lace, Jeffrey J., Durban, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): MULLEN, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/488,060
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.5, 340/426, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 188/111, 280/33.994
• US Class Current: 340/568.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/09 by restraining wheel rotation, e.g. wheel clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 5/0423 braking or blocking when leaving a particular area
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/122 for a perimeter fence features peculiar to electrified fences A01K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/181 using active radiation detection systems

Abstract

An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle wheel having a rotational axis includes at least one inhibitor disposed within the vehicle wheel to selectively engage and disengage the vehicle wheel to resist and allow rotational movement of the vehicle wheel about its rotational axis. The anti-theft vehicle system also includes rotatable structure disposed within the vehicle wheel and cooperating with the at least one inhibitor for moving the at least one inhibitor between an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to the vehicle wheel. The anti-theft vehicle system further includes a receiver operatively associated with the vehicle wheel to receive a predetermined signal to activate the rotatable structure to move the at least one inhibitor between the engaged position and disengaged position.

Claims

1. An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one inhibitor operatively associated with the vehicle to resist and allow movement of the vehicle;

a receiving circuit operatively associated with the vehicle to receive a predetermined square wave signal having a frequency of less than nine kilohertz to activate and move said at least one inhibitor; and

at least one transmitter for transmitting the predetermined signal to define a predetermined spatial perimeter.

2. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 1 including a structure operatively associated with the vehicle and cooperating with said at least one inhibitor for moving said at least one inhibitor between an engaged position and a disengaged position.

3. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said structure is rotatable.

4. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 1 including a remotely transportable transmitter for transmitting the predetermined signal.

5. An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one vehicle wheel;

a structure operatively associated with said at least one vehicle wheel for moving between an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to said at least one vehicle wheel to resist and allow rotational movement of said at least one vehicle wheel;

a receiving circuit operatively associated with said at least one vehicle wheel to receive a predetermined signal having a frequency of less than nine kilohertz to activate and move said structure between said engaged position and said disengaged position; and

a remotely transportable transmitter for transmitting the predetermined signal.

6. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said remotely transportable transmitter is hand-held.

7. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 5 including at least one signal generator to generate the predetermined signal to define a predetermined spatial perimeter.

8. An anti-theft system for a shopping cart comprising:

at least one vehicle wheel;

at least one inhibitor operatively associated with said at least one vehicle wheel to engage and disengage said at least one vehicle wheel to resist and allow rotational movement of said at least one vehicle wheel;

a structure operatively associated with said at least one vehicle wheel and cooperating with said at least one inhibitor for moving said at least one inhibitor between an engaged position and a disengaged position with respect to said at least one vehicle wheel;

a receiving circuit operatively associated with said at least one vehicle wheel to receive a predetermined signal to activate said structure to move said at least one inhibitor between said engaged position and said disengaged position; and

a remotely transportable transmitter for transmitting the predetermined signal having a frequency of less than nine kilohertz.

9. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said remotely transportable transmitter is hand-held.

10. An anti-theft system for a shopping cart comprising:

at least one inhibitor operatively associated with the shopping cart to resist and allow movement of the shopping cart;

a receiving circuit operatively associated with the shopping cart to receive a predetermined square wave signal having a frequency of less than nine kilohertz to activate said at least one inhibitor; and

at least one transmitter to generate said predetermined signal to define a predetermined spatial perimeter.

11. An anti-theft system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said at least one transmitter comprises a signal generator and a buried wire cable.

12. An anti-theft system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said at least one transmitter includes an address set switch to identify said at least one transmitter.

13. An anti-theft system as set forth in claim 10 including a remotely transportable transmitter for transmitting said predetermined signal.

14. An anti-theft system as set forth in claim 13 wherein said remotely transportable transmitter is hand-held.

15. An anti-theft system for a shopping cart comprising:

at least one inhibitor operatively associated with the shopping cart to resist and allow movement of the shopping cart;

a receiver operatively associated with the shopping cart to receive a predetermined signal having a frequency of less than nine kilohertz to activate said at least one inhibitor; and

a hand-held transmitter for transmitting said predetermined signal.

16. An anti-theft vehicle system for a vehicle comprising:

at least one inhibitor operatively associated with the vehicle to resist and allow movement of the vehicle;

a receiving circuit operatively associated with the vehicle to receive a predetermined signal having a frequency of less than nine kilohertz to activate and move said at least one inhibitor; and

a remotely transportable transmitter for transmitting the predetermined signal.

17. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 16 wherein said remotely transportable transmitter is hand-held.

18. An anti-theft vehicle system as set forth in claim 16 including a structure operatively associated with the vehicle and cooperating with said at least one inhibitor for moving said at least one inhibitor between an engaged position and a disengaged position.