Vehicle theft prevention apparatus

• US 7,777,614 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Hayashi, Michitaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/010,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 340/429, 340/426.15, 340/937, 340/426.1, 340/438, 340/440, 340/463
• US Class Current: 340/429
• 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 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics

Abstract

A vehicle theft prevention apparatus has a gyro, a G sensor, and a microcomputer in a case, thereby being capable of detecting a tilt of a vehicle and of detecting inertia applied to the vehicle. An outer surface of the case has a light detector that detects an approach of a suspicious person toward the vehicle. The vehicle theft prevention apparatus has an improved characteristic in terms of ease of installation in the vehicle and cost effectiveness.

Claims

1. A vehicle theft prevention apparatus for use in a vehicle comprising:

a case in a shape of a hexahedron and including a top side, a bottom side and four outer edge sides,

the top side of the case is used for installation of the case to the vehicle,

a sensor capable of sensing a tilt of the vehicle and inertia applied to the vehicle, wherein the sensor is disposed in the case; and

a plurality of detectors each being one of an optical detector and an ultrasonic sensor, wherein the detectors are arranged in a polygonal configuration disposed on a bottom side of the case to detect an approach of a suspicious person within a suspicious person detection area around the vehicle.

2. The vehicle theft prevention apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the detectors includes a light sensor, and the light sensor is at least one of an infrared sensor, an image sensor and a camera.