Lock box locator

• US 6,611,232 B1
• Filed: 07/27/2001
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Antec Incorporated, Eyemax, LLC, Electronic Systems Products, Inc. (Ligado Networks, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Robert L. Stanley
• Inventors: Wunderlich, Richard E., Stanley, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Dao
• Application Number:
  US09/917,229
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 342/387, 342/457, 342/465, 342/463
• US Class Current: 342/387
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/241 whereby access privileges are related to the identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 19/0005 Key safes E05B35/086 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass

Abstract

A system for locating a vehicle among a large number of vehicles. A lock box unit is mounted on a vehicle and includes a key box for storing a vehicle key and a locator unit. The locator unit receives a polling signal from a central base station which includes an address for the particular locator unit to be located. The locator unit decodes the polling signal to determine whether the signal is includes its unique address. If the polling signal is meant for the locator unit then the locator unit transmits a spread spectrum to at least three receiving antennas. The location of the locator unit and therefore the vehicle is determined based upon time arrival data generated by the receiving antennas. The lock box unit may also include an identification device which records who accesses the key box to retrieve the vehicle key. This information is stored in a memory device. A clock may also be used to record the time of access of the key box as well as to prevent access to the key box during certain predetermined time periods.

Claims

1. A method for locating a vehicle from among a plurality of vehicles within a predetermined area, comprising the steps of:

attaching a lock box unit to each of said plurality of vehicles, said lock box unit comprising a locator unit and a key box for storing a vehicle key;

transmitting a polling signal including a locator unit address for a desired locator unit to be located;

receiving the polling signal at said desired locator unit having said locator unit address;

transmitting a spread spectrum response signal from said desired locator unit to at least three receiving antennas; and

determining the location of the desired locator unit based on time of arrival data generated by the receiving antennas.

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of obtaining an identification code for tracking the access of said key box and storing said identification code in a memory.

3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of obtaining an identification code for tracking the access of said key box and transmitting said identification code to a computer for storage.

4. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of obtaining time of access information for tracking when said key box is accessed and storing said time of access information in a memory.

5. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of obtaining time of access information for tracking when said key box is accessed and transmitting said time of access information to a computer.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of providing a predetermined alarm condition and transmitting an alarm signal from said locator unit if said alarm condition occurs.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said alarm condition is a motion alarm condition.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein said alarm condition is a tamper alarm condition.

9. The method of claim 1 further including the step of preventing access to said key box during a,predetermined time period.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the polling signal is an FM signal.

10. A low power system for locating a vehicle among a plurality of vehicles within a predetermined area comprising:

a base station for transmitting a polling signal;

a lock box unit attached to a vehicle to be located, said lock box unit comprising a locator unit for receiving said polling signal and transmitting a spread spectrum response signal if said polling signal includes a unique address of said locator unit;

at least three receiving antennas for receiving said response signal from said locator unit; and

a computer for determining the location of said locator unit based on time of arrival data generated by the receiving antennas.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said lock box unit further comprises an identification device for obtaining an identification code for tracking accesses of the key box.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said lock box unit further comprises a memory for storing said identification code.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said lock box unit further comprises an alarm for signaling an alarm condition.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said alarm is a motion alarm.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said alarm is an anti-tamper alarm.

22. The system of claim 10 wherein the polling signal is an FM signal.

13. The system of 10 wherein said lock box unit further comprises a clock for determining time of access information for said key box.

17. A lock box unit for storing a vehicle key for access by a multitude of users, the lock box being used in a vehicle location system having a base station for emitting polling signals and receiving antennas for receiving spread spectrum signals, comprising:

a key box;

a locator unit attached to the key box, said locator unit comprising;

a paging receiver for receiving a polling signal, the signal including address information;

a spread spectrum transmitter for transmitting a signal in response to the polling signal if the address information matches the address of the lock box;

an antenna for receiving and transmitting the polling and response signals respectively; and

a self contained power supply for providing power to various components of the locator unit, the components including the receiver and the transmitter; and

an identification device for receiving and recording an identification code corresponding to a user accessing the lock box.

18. The lock box unit of claim 17 further comprising a memory for storing an identification code obtained by said identification device.

19. The lock box unit of claim 17 further comprising a clock for obtaining time of access information of said key box.

20. The lock box unit of claim 17 further comprising an alarm for signaling an alarm condition.