Emergency call system provided with theftproof function

• US 6,587,040 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Seto, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/760,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20010002815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/991, 340/992, 340/993, 340/995, 340/996, 340/428, 340/429, 340/430, 340/426.1, 701/1, 701/35, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• 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 25/33 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
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/49 whereby the further system is an inertial position system, e.g. loosely-coupled

Abstract

An emergency call system is provided in which an arithmetic and control unit sets a drive mode or a theft prevention mode in a vehicle, in accordance with an instruction provided from a HELP center or a portable phone of an authorized user via a data transmission unit, or provided locally via an operation interface, and in which a determination as to occurrence of a theft is made accurately under the control of the arithmetic and control unit on the basis of a current vehicle location obtained via a GPS reception/gyro sensor unit, verification of an ID of a user, frequency of trials for verification of the ID, status of a door of the vehicle, and time that elapses while the door remains closed.

Claims

1. A theft detection and reporting system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle interface unit;

a data transmission unit for receiving a control signal transmitted from a remote location and for transmitting data to a remote location;

a GPS unit for detecting a current vehicle location;

an operation interface for locally receiving the control signal from a user;

a display unit for displaying the status of the vehicle; and

an arithmetic and control unit connected to said vehicle interface unit, said data transmission unit, said operation interface, said display unit and said GPS unit, and provided with a memory for storing a program or data for controlling said vehicle interface unit, said data transmission unit, said operation interface, said display unit and said GPS unit,

wherein said arithmetic and control unit obtains vehicle status information via the vehicle interface unit;

wherein said arithmetic and control unit receives said control signal via one of said data transmission unit and said operation interface so as to set one of a normal driving mode and a theft prevention mode in the vehicle, and performs a check of one or more of an ID of a user, a number of ID verification attempts by the user, a current vehicle location and a status of a door of the vehicle based on the set mode, and generates information indicating a theft when it is determined that the vehicle is stolen using the results of the performed checks, said arithmetic control unit further operating to send said information to one of a HELP center and a pre-registered phone via said data transmission unit when it is determined that said vehicle is stolen;

wherein when in the normal driving mode;

said arithmetic and control unit verifies the user ID when the door of the vehicle has been opened;

said arithmetic and control unit detects a current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is successful so as to store the detected vehicle location;

said arithmetic and control unit detects the current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is not successful, thus determining, when there is a difference between a previous vehicle location stored in the memory, and the current vehicle location, that the vehicle is stolen, and stores, when there is no difference, the current vehicle location in the memory;

said arithmetic and control unit counts the number of ID verification attempts; and

said arithmetic and control unit determines, when said count of the number of ID verification attempts exceeds a predetermined level, that the vehicle is stolen; and

wherein when in the theft prevention mode;

said arithmetic and control unit verifies the ID when the door of the vehicle has been opened;

said arithmetic and control unit detects a current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is successful so as to store the detected vehicle location;

said arithmetic and control unit detects the current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is not successful, thus determining, when there is a difference between a previous vehicle location stored in the memory and the current vehicle location, that the vehicle is stolen, and stores, when there is no difference, the data relating to the current vehicle location in the memory;

said arithmetic and control unit counts the number of ID verification attempts; and

said arithmetic and control unit determines, when the count exceeds a predetermined level, that the vehicle is stolen.

2. A theft detection and reporting system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle interface unit;

a data transmission unit for receiving a control signal transmitted from a remote location and for transmitting data to a remote location;

a GPS unit for detecting a current vehicle location;

an operation interface for locally receiving the control signal from a user;

a display unit for displaying the status of the vehicle;

an arithmetic and control unit connected to said vehicle interface unit, said data transmission unit, said operation interface, said display unit and said GPS unit, and provided with a memory for storing a program or data for controlling said vehicle interface unit, said data transmission unit, said operation interface, said display unit and said GPS unit,

a verification means for verifying the user ID when the door of the vehicle has been opened;

a detection means;

a counter means for counting the number of ID verification attempts; and

a determination means for determining, when the count exceeds a predetermined level, that the vehicle is stolen,

wherein said arithmetic and control unit obtains vehicle status information via the vehicle interface unit;

wherein said arithmetic and control unit receives said control signal via one of said data transmission unit and said operation interface so as to set one of a normal driving mode and a theft prevention mode in the vehicle, and performs a check of one or more of an ID of a user, a number of ID verification attempts by the user, a current vehicle location and a status of a door of the vehicle based on the set mode, and generates information indicating a theft when it is determined that the vehicle is stolen using the results of the performed checks, said arithmetic control unit further operating to send said information to one of a HELP center and a pre-registered phone via said data transmission unit when it is determined that said vehicle is stolen;

wherein when in the normal driving mode, said detection means detects a current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is successful so as to store the detected vehicle location, and for detecting the current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is not successful, thus determining, when there is a difference between a previous vehicle location stored in the memory, and the current vehicle location, that the vehicle is stolen, and stores, when there is no difference, the current vehicle location in the memory; and

wherein when in the theft prevention mode, said detection means detects a current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is successful so as to store the detected vehicle location, and detects the current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is not successful or the door remains closed, thus determining, when there is a difference between a previous vehicle location stored in the memory and the current vehicle location, that the vehicle is stolen, and stores, when there is no difference, the data relating to the current vehicle location in the memory.

3. A theft detection and reporting system for a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle interface unit;

a data transmission unit for receiving a control signal transmitted from a remote location and for transmitting data to a remote location;

a GPS unit for detecting a current vehicle location;

an operation interface for locally receiving the control signal from a user;

a display unit for displaying the status of the vehicle; and

an arithmetic and control unit connected to said vehicle interface unit, said data transmission unit, said operation interface, said display unit and said GPS unit, and provided with a memory for storing a program or data for controlling said vehicle interface unit, said data transmission unit, said operation interface, said display unit and said GPS unit,

wherein said arithmetic and control unit obtains vehicle status information via the vehicle interface unit;

wherein said arithmetic and control unit receives said control signal via one of said data transmission unit and said operation interface so as to set one of a normal driving mode and a theft prevention mode in the vehicle, and performs a check of one or more of an ID of a user, a number of ID verification attempts by the user, a current vehicle location and a status of a door of the vehicle based on the set mode, and generates information indicating a theft when it is determined that the vehicle is stolen using the results of the performed checks, said arithmetic control unit further operating to send said information to one of a HELP center and a pre-registered phone via said data transmission unit when it is determined that said vehicle is stolen;

wherein when in the normal driving mode;

said arithmetic and control unit detects the current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the door of the vehicle has not been opened, thus determining, when there is a difference between a previous vehicle location stored in the memory and the current vehicle location, that the vehicle is stolen;

said arithmetic and control unit verifies the user ID when the door of the vehicle has been opened;

said arithmetic and control unit detects a current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is successful so as to store the detected vehicle location;

said arithmetic and control unit detects the current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is not successful, thus determining, when there is a difference between a previous vehicle location stored in the memory, and the current vehicle location, that the vehicle is stolen, and stores, when there is no difference, the current vehicle location in the memory;

said arithmetic and control unit counts the number of ID verification attempts; and

said arithmetic and control unit determines, when said count of the number of ID verification attempts exceeds a predetermined level, that the vehicle is stolen; and

wherein when in the theft prevention mode;

said arithmetic and control unit verifies the ID when the door of the vehicle has been opened;

said arithmetic and control unit detects a current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is successful so as to store the detected vehicle location;

said arithmetic and control unit detects the current vehicle location via said GPS unit when the ID verification is not successful, thus determining, when there is a difference between a previous vehicle location stored in the memory and the current vehicle location, that the vehicle is stolen, and stores, when there is no difference, the data relating to the current vehicle location in the memory;

said arithmetic and control unit counts the number of ID verification attempts; and

said arithmetic and control unit determines, when the count exceeds a predetermined level, that the vehicle is stolen.