Microsystem using magnetometer and inclinometer for anti-theft protection of valuables

• US 6,882,275 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2001
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (AES Corporation)
• Inventors: Blanpain, Roland, Delapierre, Gilles
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John
• Application Number:
  US10/220,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20030076229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/547, 340/637, 324/243, 324/244, 324/247
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1436 with motion detection

Abstract

A device for the detection of movement of a valuable object, for example in a museum in which a device for detecting at least a rotation of the object, and particularly magnetometers or inclinometers, are mechanically fixed to the object. These detecting devices are coupled to a message transmission device that sends a presence message as long as detection has not taken place and an alert type message when detection has taken place. A monitoring station processes these messages or the absence of these messages, to trigger an alert if necessary.

Claims

1. A device for triggering an alert or a pre-alert when a normally immobile object is detected to move, the device comprising:

measurement means for generating measured values;

transmission means receiving the values measured by the measurement means and for transmitting the values to processing means for processing the values, and for transmitting the measured values;

message transmission means controlled by the processing means; and

monitoring means comprising,

means for receiving the message sent by the message transmission means, and

means for triggering the alert,

wherein the measurement means comprises at least one magnetometer with at least one axis fixed to the object and for measuring a magnetic field along the at least one axis,

wherein the processing means accomplishes at least one of (a) calculating a vector magnitude representative of a movement and (b) generating a movement detection signal by comparing the calculated vector magnitude with a threshold vector magnitude, based on a series of measurements from the measurement means, and

wherein the means for triggering the alert is coupled to the processing means and sends an alert message on reception of the detection signal from the processing means.

2. An assembly for triggering an alert according to claim 1, wherein the threshold vector magnitude is a memorized magnitude.

3. An assembly for triggering an alert according to claim 1, wherein the threshold vector magnitude is a variable magnitude calculated by the processing means and is variable as a function of an adaptive value calculated from at least a most recently measured vector magnitude.

4. An alert assembly according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is located at a distance from the object.

5. An alert assembly according to claim 2, wherein the processing means is located at a distance from the object.

6. An alert assembly according to claim 3, wherein the processing means is located at a distance from the object.

7. An alert assembly according to claim 1, wherein the processing means is on the object.

8. An alert assembly according to claim 2, wherein the processing means is on the object.

9. An alert assembly according to claim 3, wherein the processing means is on the object.

10. An alert assembly according to claim 7, wherein the measurement means fixed to the object further comprises at least one inclinometer with at least one axis.

11. A measurement assembly according to claim 7, wherein the means for transmitting a message further periodically sends a presence message.

12. An alert assembly according to claim 1, wherein the processing means comprises a Kalman filter.

13. A monitored object, comprising:

at least one magnetometer with at least one axis fixed to the object;

means for processing measured values from the at least one magnetometer to detect a rotation movement of the object and to transmit a detection signal; and

message transmission means coupled to the processing means for sending an alert message on reception of the detection signal.

14. A process for monitoring at least one object in which each object communicates with a monitoring station,

wherein at an object end:

values of a magnetic field are measured on at least one axis related to the at least one object;

measurement results are transmitted to the monitoring station, the transmission including a presence message; and

at a monitoring station end;

a vector magnitude representative of a movement is calculated from a series of measurements;

a movement detection signal may be produced by comparison of the calculated vector magnitude with a threshold vector magnitude;

an absence message is sent if the presence message is not received during a time exceeding a given duration; and

an alert is triggered if an object movement detection signal is produced.

15. The process according to claim 14, wherein the calculation of the vector magnitude representative of a movement and the generation of a movement detection signal by comparison of the calculated vector magnitude with a threshold vector magnitude, starting from a set of measurements, are made at the object end instead of at the monitoring station end, and a presence message or alert message is sent periodically from the object end if a detection signal occurs, and

at the monitoring station end:

a particular message is sent if there is no presence message for a time exceeding the given duration, and

the alert is triggered if an alert message is received from the at least one object.