Container device provided with surveillance panels, surveillance method using the same device, and structure of the same device

• US 7,271,723 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2002
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Ando, Tanichi
• Primary Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US10/189,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20040046660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,898 Days
• Field of Search: 340/545.6, 340/568.1, 340/550, 340/555, 109/41
• US Class Current: 340/545.6
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/126 for a housing, e.g. a box, a safe, or a room
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/186 using light guides, e.g. optical fibres

Abstract

The objective is the provision of intrusion detection sensor panels, which when used to enclose a closed space as a closed space apparatus, protect against the unlawful intrusion into that closed space, as well as the removal or secretion of articles into that closed space. To achieve that objective, the present invention provides a closed space apparatus comprised of intrusion detection sensor panels that detect intrusions over their entire surface. The intrusion detection sensor panels are not merely ones which incorporate a plurality of wire or point sensors over their surface, but they are characterized by being panels in which the overall panel functions to detect intrusions across its entire surface without gaps or lapses. Specifically, these surface detection function panels can be structured so that the panel interior or the side facing the closed space has an embedded optical fiber or fine electric wire at a specific density, so that if a part of the panel is broken or there is an intrusion from the outside, the severance of the optical fiber or fine wire is detected, to thereby guard the closed space against unlawful intrusion.

Claims

1. A closed space apparatus comprising:

all of the constituent walls of the closed space provided with a plurality of intrusion detection sensor panels on all of the inner walls of said apparatus, each of said intrusion detection sensor panels having a panel surface to detect an intrusion from any portion of the constituent wall of said closed space apparatus,

wherein said plurality of said intrusion detection sensor panels are additionally attachable on all of the inner walls of existing conventional closed space apparatus having no intrusion detection sensor panels,

wherein each of the inner walls of said apparatus is provided with said intrusion detection sensor panel over the entire surface of the inner wall without any gaps or lapses,

wherein said intrusion detection sensor panel having an entire surface to detect said intrusion comprises;

an optical fiber or fine electric wire configured at a prescribed density that covers the entire surface of the inner wall;

a signal input unit that inputs a signal into one end of said optical fiber or fine electric wire; and

a signal receiving unit that receives said input signal at the other end of said optical fiber or fine electric wire,

wherein said intrusion is detected if said input signal is no longer received at the other end by said signal receiving unit in the event that said optical fiber or fine electric wire is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said wall of said closed space apparatus.

2. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said closed space apparatus is either a container, a building or a safe.

3. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said closed space apparatus is either a container, a building or a safe, and said intrusion detection sensor panels are sandwiched in the constituent walls of said closed space apparatus.

4. The closed space apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an intrusion recording unit which records an unlawful intrusion data detected by said intrusion detection sensor panels, and an ID data previously assigned for each apparatus, said intrusion recording unit further provided with an output means to output said recorded unlawful intrusion data from said closed space apparatus, and said intrusion recording unit being placed inside of said closed space apparatus or sandwiched in one of said constituent walls.

5. A surveillance method to perform surveillance for unlawful intrusion through constituent walls of a closed space apparatus, comprising the steps of:

detecting a normal signal of a normal status of said closed space apparatus by intrusion detection sensor panels installed inside of said apparatus, said intrusion detection sensor panels being additionally attachable on all of the inner walls of existing conventional closed space apparatus having no intrusion detection sensor panels, said panels having a detection means to detect said unlawful intrusion into said apparatus from any portion of the constituent walls of said closed space apparatus without any gaps or lapses, wherein each of said intrusion detection sensor panels includes an optical fiber or electric wire configured at a prescribed density that covers the entire surface of the constituent wall without any gaps or lapses;

outputting a real time surveillance signal which is detected by said intrusion detection sensor panels in a surveillance mode, or recording said real time surveillance signal in an intrusion recording unit being placed inside of said closed space apparatus or sandwiched in one of said constituent walls; and

comparing said surveillance signal which is output real time or output from said intrusion recording unit, and said normal signal for detecting said unlawful intrusion into said closed space apparatus.

6. An intrusion detection sensor panel comprising:

an intrusion detecting means over the entire surface of respective constituent walls of a closed space apparatus to detect an intrusion from any portion of said constituent walls without any gaps or lapses, said intrusion detecting means being provided inside of said constituent walls or sandwiched in said constituent walls of said closed space apparatus, said intrusion detection sensor panels being additionally attachable on all of the inner walls of existing conventional closed space apparatus having no intrusion detection sensor panels,

wherein said intrusion detection means comprises;

an optical fiber or fine electric wire configured at a prescribed density that covers the entire surface of the constituent wall;

a signal input unit that inputs a signal into one end of said optical fiber or fine electric wire; and

a signal receiving unit that receives said input signal at the other end of said optical fiber or fine electric wire,

wherein said intrusion is detected if said input signal is no longer received at the other end by said signal receiving unit in the event that said optical fiber or fine electric wire is broken by an unlawful intrusion through said wall of said closed space apparatus.