Antitheft device, monitoring device and antitheft system

• US 7,391,301 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2004
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Kishimoto, Satoru, Maeno, Yoshihiko, Sakai, Naoki, Seike, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US10/819,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.1, 340/428, 340/429, 340/937, 340/426.26, 340/5.1, 340/5.2, 340/5.52, 340/5.53, 340/5.72, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.82
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• 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 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/305 using a camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates

Abstract

The present invention teaches an antitheft device whereby the detection accuracy of an unauthorized intruder into a vehicle can be improved, comprising a section for judging whether or not there is an approaching object T toward a vehicle M based on information obtained from a surround monitoring sensor for monitoring the surround of the vehicle M, a section for judging whether or not the approaching object T toward the vehicle M is a suspicious person based on information obtained from a motion sensor for monitoring the periphery and/or the inside of the vehicle M when it is judged that there is an approaching object T toward the vehicle M, and a section for conducting processing such as lighting-on of an indicator when the approaching object T toward the vehicle M is judged to be a suspicious person.

Claims

1. An antitheft device for protecting a vehicle from theft, comprising:

a first approaching object judgment section for judging whether or not there is an approaching object toward the vehicle based on information obtained from a surround monitoring unit for monitoring the surround of the vehicle;

a first suspicious person judgment section for judging whether or not the approaching object toward the vehicle is a suspicious person based on information obtained from a periphery monitoring unit for monitoring the periphery and/or the inside of the vehicle when it is judged that there is an approaching object toward the vehicle by the first approaching object judgment section; and

a first processing section for conducting a first predetermined processing when the approaching object toward the vehicle is judged to be a suspicious person by the first suspicious person judgment section.

2. An antitheft device according to claim 1, comprising a monitoring start controller for allowing the periphery monitoring unit to start monitoring when it is judged that there is an approaching object toward the vehicle by the first approaching object judgment section.

3. An antitheft device according to claim 1, comprising:

a first stolen state judgment section for judging whether or not the vehicle has been in a stolen state based on the judgment result by the first suspicious person judgment section and information obtained from a theft detector for detecting a theft of the vehicle; and

a second processing section for conducting a second predetermined processing when it is judged that the vehicle has been in a stolen state by the first stolen state judgment section.

4. An antitheft device for protecting a vehicle from theft, comprising:

an approaching object judgment section for judging whether or not there is an approaching object toward the vehicle based on information obtained from a periphery monitoring unit for monitoring the periphery and/or the inside of the vehicle;

a monitored subject controller which allows detection of the presence or absence of a possibility that the approaching object is a human to be included in subjects to be monitored by the periphery monitoring unit when it is judged that there is an approaching object toward the vehicle by the approaching object judgment section;

a suspicious person judgment section for judging whether or not the approaching object is a suspicious person based on the judgment result by the approaching object judgment section and information obtained from the periphery monitoring unit whose subjects to monitor include the detection of the presence or absence of a possibility that the approaching object is a human; and

a processing section for conducting a predetermined processing when the approaching object toward the vehicle is judged to be a suspicious person by the suspicious person judgment section.

5. An antitheft device according to claim 4, wherein the monitored subject controller controls the periphery monitoring unit so as to be able to detect whether or not the approaching object is breathing.

6. An antitheft device according to claim 4, wherein:

the periphery monitoring unit is a body temperature detector;

the approaching object judgment section judges whether or not there is an approaching object toward the vehicle from the temperature conditions around and/or inside the vehicle based on information obtained from the body temperature detector being the periphery monitoring unit; and

the monitored subject controller controls the periphery monitoring unit so as to be able to detect whether or not the approaching object is producing motions specific to a suspicious person.

7. An antitheft device for protecting a vehicle from theft, comprising:

a suspicious person judgment section for judging whether or not an approaching object toward the vehicle is a suspicious person from judging whether or not the motions of the approaching object are motions specific to a suspicious person based on pictorial data obtained from a picture-taking unit for taking pictures of the periphery of the vehicle; and

a processing section for conducting a predetermined processing when the approaching object toward the vehicle is judged to be a suspicious person by the suspicious person judgment section.

8. An antitheft device for protecting a vehicle from theft, comprising:

a stolen state judgment section for judging whether or not the vehicle has been in a stolen state; and

a processing section for conducting a predetermined processing when it is judged that the vehicle has been in a stolen state by the stolen state judgment section, wherein;

the stolen state judgment section judges whether or not the vehicle has been in a stolen state based on information obtained from a tilting detector for detecting the degree of tilt of the vehicle.

10. An antitheft device according to claim 8, wherein the stolen state judgment section judges whether or not the vehicle has been in a stolen state based on information obtained from the tilting detector or the impact detector and information about the velocity of the vehicle.

9. An antitheft device for protecting a vehicle from theft, comprising:

a stolen state judgment section for judging whether or not the vehicle has been in a stolen state; and

a processing section for conducting a predetermined processing when it is judged that the vehicle has been in a stolen state by the stolen state judgment section, wherein;

the stolen state judgment section judges whether or not the vehicle has been in a stolen state based on information obtained from an impact detector for detecting the degree of an impact applied to the vehicle.

11. An antitheft device for protecting a vehicle from theft, comprising:

a biometric information storage section for storing biometric information about the body of an authorized user of the vehicle;

a first authorized user judgment section for judging whether or not a person desiring to use the vehicle is the authorized user of the vehicle based on information obtained from a biometric information acquisition unit for acquiring information about the body of the person desiring to use the vehicle and the biometric information stored in the biometric information storage section; and

a processing section for conducting a predetermined processing based on the judgment result by the first authorized user judgment section.

12. An antitheft device according to claim 11, comprising:

an approaching object judgment section for judging whether or not there is an approaching object toward the vehicle based on information obtained from a periphery monitoring unit for monitoring the periphery and/or the inside of the vehicle; and

a unit starting controller for starting a unit used for biometric authentication based on the judgment result by the approaching object judgment section.

13. An antitheft device according to claim 11, wherein the processing section cancels an arming mode for being on the alert for vehicle theft and/or at least unlocks a driver'"'"'s seat side door when the person desiring to use the vehicle is judged to be the authorized user of the vehicle by the first authorized user judgment section.

14. An antitheft device according to claim 11, wherein the processing section inhibits the use of all of or part of units mounted on the vehicle, or all of or part of functions of the units when the person desiring to use the vehicle is judged not to be the authorized user of the vehicle by the first authorized user judgment section.

15. An antitheft device according to claim 11, wherein:

the first authorized user judgment section judges whether or not the person desiring to use the vehicle is the authorized user of the vehicle based on at least one item of two or more items of biometric information about the body; and

the processing section permits the use of all of or part of units mounted on the vehicle, or all of or part of functions of the units when the person desiring to use the vehicle is judged to be the authorized user of the vehicle by the first authorized user judgment section.

16. A monitoring device for monitoring a vehicle to detect the occurrence of abnormal conditions of the vehicle, comprising:

an approaching object judgment section for judging whether or not there is an approaching object toward the vehicle based on information obtained from a surround monitoring unit for monitoring the surround of the vehicle; and

a picture-taking start controller for allowing a picture-taking unit for taking pictures of the surround of the vehicle to start taking pictures based on the judgment result by the approaching object judgment section.

17. A monitoring device according to 16, comprising:

an another vehicle judgment section for judging whether or not the approaching object is another vehicle, wherein;

the picture-taking start controller allows the taking-picture unit to start taking pictures when the approaching object is judged to be another vehicle by the another vehicle judgment section.

18. A monitoring device according to claim 16, comprising:

a first approaching situation calculation section for finding the approaching situation of the approaching object toward the vehicle based on information obtained from the surround monitoring unit and/or information obtained from pictorial data taken by the picture-taking unit; and

a picture-taking frequency controller for controlling the frequency of picture taking by the picture-taking unit based on the approaching situation of the approaching object toward the vehicle found by the first approaching situation calculation section.

19. A monitoring device according to claim 18, wherein:

the first approaching situation calculation section judges whether or not the approaching object has been within a prescribed area of the surround of the vehicle based on the information obtained from the surround monitoring unit and/or the information obtained from pictorial data taken by the picture-taking unit; and

the picture-taking frequency controller controls the picture-taking unit so that the frequency of picture taking becomes higher when it is judged that the approaching object has been within the prescribed area by the first approaching situation calculation section.

20. A monitoring device for monitoring a vehicle to detect the occurrence of abnormal conditions of the vehicle, comprising:

an approaching object judgment section for judging whether or not there is an approaching object toward the vehicle based on information obtained from a periphery monitoring unit for monitoring the periphery and/or the inside of the vehicle; and

a picture-taking start controller for allowing a picture-taking unit for taking pictures of the periphery of the vehicle to start taking pictures based on the judgment result by the approaching object judgment section.

21. A monitoring device according to claim 20, comprising:

a pictorial information storage section for storing information about a picture showing a physical characteristic such as a face of an authorized user of the vehicle;

an authorized user judgment section for judging whether or not the approaching object is the authorized user of the vehicle based on pictorial information about the approaching object toward the vehicle obtained from the picture-taking unit and the pictorial information stored in the pictorial information storage section; and

a processing section for conducting a seventh predetermined processing based on the judgment result by the authorized user judgment section.

22. A monitoring device according to claim 21, wherein the processing section cancels an arming mode for being on the alert for vehicle theft and/or at least unlocks a driver'"'"'s seat side door when the approaching object is judged to be the authorized user of the vehicle by the authorized user judgment section.

23. A monitoring device according to claim 21, comprising:

a first at-work judgment section for judging whether or not the approaching object is working around the vehicle based on information obtained from the periphery monitoring unit, wherein;

the processing section conducts processing to be conducted in the case of a suspicious person being present around the vehicle, when the approaching object is judged not to be the authorized user by the authorized user judgment section and it is judged that the approaching object is working around the vehicle by the first at-work judgment section.

24. A monitoring device according to claim 21, comprising:

an at-work judgment section for judging whether or not the approaching object is working around the vehicle based on pictorial information about the approaching object toward the vehicle obtained from the picture-taking unit, wherein;

the processing section conducts processing to be conducted in the case of a suspicious person being present around the vehicle, when the approaching object is judged not to be the authorized user by the authorized user judgment section and it is judged that the approaching object is working around the vehicle by the at-work judgment section.

25. A monitoring device for monitoring a vehicle to detect the occurrence of abnormal conditions of the vehicle, comprising:

an approaching situation calculation section for finding the approaching situation of the approaching object toward the vehicle based on information obtained from a surround monitoring unit for monitoring the surround of the vehicle; and

a monitoring frequency controller for controlling the frequency of monitoring by the surround monitoring unit based on the approaching situation of the approaching object toward the vehicle found by the approaching situation calculation section.

26. A monitoring device according to claim 25, wherein:

the approaching situation calculation section judges whether or not the approaching object has been within a prescribed area of the surround of the vehicle based on the information obtained from the surround monitoring unit; and

the monitoring frequency controller controls the surround monitoring unit so that the frequency of monitoring becomes higher when it is judged that the approaching object has been within the prescribed area by the approaching situation calculation section.

27. A monitoring device for monitoring a vehicle to detect the occurrence of abnormal conditions of the vehicle, comprising:

a risk level calculation section for calculating the risk level of an approaching object toward the vehicle; and

a monitoring priority controller for controlling a surround monitoring unit so as to monitor an approaching object at a higher risk level with priority given based on the risk levels calculated by the risk level calculation section when there are multiple approaching objects toward the vehicle.

28. A monitoring device according to claim 27, wherein the risk level calculation section calculates the risk level of the approaching object based on at least one or more parameters from among the distance from the vehicle, the type of the approaching object and the approaching situation of the approaching object.

29. A monitoring device according to claim 27, wherein the monitoring priority controller controls the surround monitoring unit so that approaching objects at a first prescribed risk level or higher are included in subjects to be monitored.

30. A monitoring device according to claim 27, wherein the monitoring priority controller controls the surround monitoring unit so that an approaching object at a maximum risk level is given top priority to be monitored when the risk level of the approaching object is a prescribed risk level or higher.

31. An antitheft system, comprising:

an antitheft device, having;

a stolen state judgment section for judging whether or not a vehicle has been in a stolen state; and

an processing section for conducting an predetermined processing when it is judged that the vehicle has been in a stolen state by the stolen state judgment section; and

a controller for controlling electronic equipment mounted on the vehicle, wherein;

the processing section conducts processing including outputting of a theft signal to the controller; and

the controller sets the electronic equipment to be in abnormal conditions when receiving the theft signal.

32. An antitheft system according to claim 31, wherein the controller controls the switch-on/-off of lamps, the controller prohibiting the switch-on of the lamps when receiving the theft signal.

33. An antitheft system according to claim 31, wherein the controller controls the operation of meters, the controller prohibiting the operation of the meters when receiving the theft signal.

34. An antitheft system, comprising:

an antitheft device, having;

an arming mode setting section for setting an arming mode for being on the alert for vehicle theft;

an arming mode canceling section for canceling the arming mode;

a stolen state judgment section for judging whether or not the vehicle has been in a stolen state while the arming mode has been set; and

a processing section for conducting a predetermined processing when it is judged that the vehicle has been in a stolen state by the stolen state judgment section; and

a controller for controlling electronic equipment mounted on the vehicle, wherein;

the antitheft device comprises an arming signal output section for outputting an arming signal to the controller when predetermined conditions are met;

the controller controls the electronic equipment so as to realize a state of inconvenience for driving the vehicle when receiving the arming signal; and

the predetermined conditions include that the arming mode has been set by the arming mode setting section.

35. An antitheft system according to claim 34, wherein the predetermined conditions include that a prescribed time has elapsed after setting of the arming mode.

36. An antitheft system according to claim 34, wherein:

the antitheft device comprises a cancel signal output section for outputting a cancel signal to the controller when the arming mode is canceled by the arming mode canceling section; and

the controller controls the electronic equipment so as to clear the state of inconvenience for driving the vehicle when receiving the cancel signal.

37. An antitheft system according to claim 34, wherein the controller controls seats, the controller moving a seat position forward or tilting a backrest of a seat toward the front when receiving the arming signal.

38. An antitheft system according to claim 34, wherein the controller smokes windows, the controller smoking the windows when receiving the arming signal.

39. An antitheft system according to claim 34, wherein the controller controls an engine or a transmission, the controller locking a gear or restricting gear shifting when receiving the arming signal.

40. An antitheft system according to claim 34, wherein the controller controls the locked state or free state of a steering wheel, the controller making the steering wheel in the locked state or free state when receiving the arming signal.

41. An antitheft system according to claim 34, wherein the controller controls the opening/closing of door mirrors, the controller prohibiting the opening operation of the door mirrors when receiving the arming signal.

42. An antitheft system according to claim 34, wherein the controller controls battery charging, the controller prohibiting the battery charging when receiving the arming signal.