Theft deterrence security system

• US 7,701,335 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Evatayhow Holdings Pty Ltd
• Original Assignee: Evatayhow Holdings Pty Ltd
• Inventors: Champion, Lindsay A, Howard, Grover L III, Van Dongen, Charles C, Evans, Evan D, Evans, Stuart J
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland; Donnie L
• Application Number:
  US11/723,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20070247308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.19, 340/568.2, 340/506, 340/687
• US Class Current: 340/539.19
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1418 Removal detected by failure in electrical connection between the appliance and a control centre, home control panel or a power supply

Abstract

A security system for not enabling, enabling or disabling electrical devices for deterring theft, or preventing unauthorized use of such devices. The security system comprises a plurality of electrical devices which are operationally linked via a bi-directional communication medium, which may be via a mains power supply or a microwave or radiowave medium. Programmable means are provided for controlling operation of the operative parts of the electrical devices. The programmable means may have a signal transmitting and receiving means associated with it for transmitting and receiving control signals over the communication medium.

Claims

1. A security system for deterring theft, or preventing unauthorized use of electrical devices, the security system comprising a plurality of electrical devices which are operationally linked via a bi-directional communication medium,

each electrical device including a programmable component which is programmed for controlling operation of the electrical device and which is additionally programmed for providing security functions for the electrical device and for the security system,

each programmable component having a signal transmitter and receiver associated therewith for transmitting and receiving control signals for implementing said security functions over the bi-directional communication medium,

and a programmable controller which is programmed for providing security functions for all of the electrical devices of the security system, and which is operationally linked to each of the electrical devices via said bi-directional communication medium,

wherein the security functions of the programmable controller and of the programmable components of the electrical devices are such that if a change in the security system occurs, being one of either an electrical device being removed or another electrical device being connected to the security system, the programmable controller detects that the change has occurred and initiates a security action.

2. A security system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said security action is a warning of an unauthorized change, which warning includes a request for a response by a human.

3. A security system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said request for a response by a human to the security action is a request that a security code be entered.

4. A security system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said request for a response by a human to the security action includes as an option, in a case where another electrical device has been connected to the security system, a request that said another electrical device be disconnected from the security system.

5. A security system as claimed in claim 2, wherein in the event that a requested response by a human is not satisfied within a predetermined period of time, said security functions include the programmable controller sending a global disabling control signal to all the electrical devices and initiating a further request for response by a human.

6. A security system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the request for further response by a human includes, where another electrical device has been connected to the security system, disconnection of said another electrical device from the security system and entry of a security code.

7. A security system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security functions of the programmable controller and of the programmable components of the electrical devices include a roll-call control signal to be sent from the programmable controller to the electrical devices upon restoration of power to the programmable controller following interruption of power thereto, and for the programmable components of the electrical devices to respectively and in a predetermined sequence return a ‘

present’

control signal to the programmable controller in response to receipt of the roll-call control signal, and for the programmable controller to then send an enabling signal to all of the electrical devices only if none of the electrical devices are missing and none of the ‘

present’

control signals from the electrical devices was returned out of sequence.

8. A security system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the security functions of the programmable controller include the roll-call control signals to be repeatedly sent from the programmable controller to the electrical devices.

9. A security system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the roll-call control signals are repeatedly sent with random timing between each roll-call within a predetermined maximum time window.

10. A security system as claimed in claim 7, wherein if a ‘

present’

control signal is not returned by any electrical device, or is returned out of sequence, the programmable controller will detect that a system change has occurred and initiate said security action.

11. A security system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security functions of the programmable controller and of the programmable components of the electrical devices include polling control signals to be sent from the programmable controller to the electrical devices upon restoration of power to the programmable controller following a power interruption thereto, and for the electrical devices to return request-on control signals to the programmable controller in response to receipt of their respective polling control signals, and for the programmable controller to then send enabling control signals to the electrical devices only if none of the electrical devices are missing.

12. A security system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the security functions of the programmable controller include the polling control signals to be repeatedly sent from the programmable controller to the electrical devices.

13. A security system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the polling control signals are repeatedly sent with random timing between each poll within a predetermined maximum time window.

14. A security system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security functions of the programmable controller and of the programmable components of the electrical devices include a request-on control signal to be sent from an electrical device to the programmable controller upon restoration of power to that electrical device following a power interruption thereto, and for the programmable controller to return an enabling control signal only if power to the programmable controller has remained uninterrupted and the programmable controller recognises the electrical device, whereby that electrical device is enabled only if the programmable controller has remained enabled, and the electrical device is authorised to be connected to the security system.

15. A security system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the security functions include that if an electrical device to which power is restored sends a request-on control signal to the programmable controller and the programmable controller does not recognise the requesting electrical device, then the programmable controller initiates security action which includes a request that the electrical device be disconnected from the system or that a security code be entered.

16. A security system as claimed in claim 15, wherein if the requested action is not carried out in an allowable time period, the programmable controller sends a disabling control signal to all electrical devices on the system, whereby all the electrical devices of the system are disabled in the presence of one unauthorized electrical device.

17. A security system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the security functions include for all the electrical devices to remain inoperable until a security code for that unauthorized electrical device is provided through the programmable controller or the unauthorized electrical device is removed from the security system and a local security code for the security system is provided to the programmable controller.

18. A security system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security functions include the programmable controller sending disabling control signals to all the electrical devices after a predetermined period unless a security code is entered into the programmable controller prior to the end of the predetermined period.

19. A security system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security functions include for the programmable controller to randomly, within a predetermined maximum time window, send a stay-on control signal to at least one of the electrical devices, and for that electrical device to be disabled if the stay-on control signal is not received.

20. A security system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the stay-on control signal is randomly timed within a predetermined maximum time window.

21. A security system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bi-directional communication medium is a mains power supply system, whereby all necessary power for both the normal operation of an electrical device and for its operation in the security system is supplied from the mains, and whereby the control signals for determining said security functions are transmitted over the mains power supply system.

22. A security system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security system involves electrical devices that include their own dedicated power supplies (for example, from a battery or batteries incorporated in each device), and the bi-directional communication medium is a wireless communication medium (for example, radio or microwaves).

23. A security system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the security system is interfaced with a general alarm system such that said security action includes the general alarm system initiating an alarm.

24. A security system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the general alarm system is a remotely monitored system and following initiation of a general alarm the programmable controller of the security system initiates a check of electrical devices by roll-call or polling, and if any electrical devices are missing that were present before the alarm was initiated, transmits a signal to the general alarm system.

25. A security system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the programmable controller of the security system is a controller associated with the general alarm system which is programmed both to operate the general alarm system and to provide the programmable controller security functions for the security system.

26. A security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the security functions allow any of the electrical devices, other than the programmable controller, to operate as ‘

transitory’

devices wherein they may be removed from, and returned to, the security system without the programmable controller initiating said security action, and wherein said ‘

transitory’

devices are programmable to also operate in other compatible security systems.

27. A security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the security functions include allowing compatible electrical devices that are not part of the security system, to operate as ‘

guest’

devices on the system for a defined period of time without initiating a security action.

28. A security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein any of the electrical devices, other than the programmable controller, is programmable via the programmable controller to operate for a defined period of time in an environment where there is either no security system, or there is a security system in which the device is not programmed as either a ‘

transitory’

device or a ‘

guest’

device.

29. A security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the security functions include the programmable controller able to program operation of one or more of the electrical devices of the security system.

30. A security system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the programmable controller is provided by the programmable component of one of the electrical devices which incorporates a data entry facility associated with its programmable component.

31. A computer program for a security system, the computer program providing for operation of the security system as claimed in claim 1.

32. An electrical device for a security system as claimed in claim 1, the electrical device including

a programmable component programmed for controlling operation of the electrical device and which is additionally programmed for providing security functions for the electrical device and for the security system, the programmable component including a data entry facility,

a signal transmitter and a signal receiver associated with the programmable component for transmitting and receiving control signals for implementing said security functions over a bi-directional communication medium.

33. An electrical device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the security functions for the electrical device include a disabling control signal to be generated after a predetermined period unless a security code is entered into the programmable component prior to the end of the predetermined period.