Automobile security alarm systems

• US 6,611,742 B1
• Filed: 04/22/2002
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Ward, Kenneth, Zheng, Jan, Sand, Paul Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/128,017
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/35, 701/213, 342/357.07, 342/357.08, 342/357.09, 340/988, 340/991, 340/992, 340/993, 340/438, 340/426, 340/825.36, 340/825.69, 307/10-- 1, 307/10.6
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A method and apparatus for an automobile security system. A GPS Receiver is used to measure the location of an automobile, and after the user has left the car, to measure the location of the user. The location of the car when it is parked is recorded in the GPS Receiver System. When the user is more than a pre-determined distance from the car, as determined by a GPS location measurement that is compared with the stored GPS location, the security system is activated and the car is locked. Subsequently, when the user comes within a second pre-determined distance of the car, the security system is deactivated, and the car is unlocked. Advantageously, both the locking and unlocking is accomplished without forcing the user to perform any manual act. Advantageously, the user can get directions from the GPS Receiver to help locate the car.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an automobile security alarm system, comprising the steps of:

responsive to turning off the engine of the automobile, performing an initial location measurement;

recording an initial location obtained from said initial location measurement;

a user of said automobile leaving said automobile;

performing a series of subsequent location measurements for determining a present location of a user of said automobile, said user carrying a location device having the record of said initial location measurement;

if a difference between a present location of said user and said initial location exceeds a first pre-determined value, activating said security alarm system in said automobile.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing an initial location measurement comprises the steps of:

turning off an ignition system of said automobile;

responsive to turning off said ignition system, turning off

a radio-frequency signal; and

performing said initial location measurement in response to absence of said radio frequency channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing an initial location measurement comprises the step of performing said initial location measurement using a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing a series of subsequent location measurements comprises the step of performing a periodic series of subsequent location measurements.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a period of said periodic series of subsequent location measurements is increased if a distance between said initial location and a present location exceeds a second pre-determined value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

obtaining directions for moving from a present location to said initial location.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

if a difference between a present location of said user and said initial location is less than a third pre-determined value, deactivating said security system.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of deactivating said security system comprises the step of transmitting a Radio Frequency signal from a transmitter carried by said user.

9. Apparatus for controlling an automobile security alarm system comprising:

a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver; and

means for recording a location measured by said GPS receiver;

said apparatus carried by a user of the automobile when said user leaves said automobile;

said apparatus further comprising control means for performing the following steps;

responsive to receipt of an indication that the engine of said automobile has been turned off performing an initial location measurement;

recording an initial location obtained from said initial location measurement in said means for recording a location;

performing a series of subsequent location measurements for determining a present location of a user of said automobile;

if a difference between a present location of said user and said initial location exceeds a first pre-determined value, activating said security alarm system in said automobile.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

means responsive to detection that an ignition system of said automobile has been turned off for turning off a Radio Frequency signal; and

means for detecting that said Radio Frequency signal is no longer present;

wherein said controller is responsive to detection of an absence of said Radio Frequency signal for controlling the step of performing an initial location measurement.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said controller further controls the step of:

if a difference between a present location of said user and said initial location is less than a second pre-determined value, deactivating said security system.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said controller further comprises means for turning on a Radio Frequency signal for deactivating said security alarm system if a difference between a present location of said user and said initial location is less than a second pre-determined value.