System and method for self-detecting vehicle theft

• US 8,798,855 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Seymour, Shafer, Saladin, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US13/767,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20130158746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.1, 340/426.11, 340/426.12, 340/428, 340/568.1, 340/568.2, 701/33.6
• US Class Current: 701/33.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/01 operating on vehicle systems or fittings, e.g. on doors, seats or windscreens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1025 preventing jamming or interference of said signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/22 for communication related to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/22 including jamming detection and monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/222 wherein jamming detection includes detecting the absence or impossibility of intelligible communication on at least one channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/226 Selection of non-jammed channel for communication spectrum sharing arrangements H04W16/14; selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/88 related to allowing or preventing alarm transmission

Abstract

A system and method for self-detecting vehicle theft is provided that includes a first antenna and a second antenna, both located on a vehicle. The first antenna transmits the signal and the second antenna receives the signal. A monitoring module in communication with the second antenna is configured to determine whether the signal has changed. A vehicle security system is configured to activate based on a change in the signal.

Claims

1. A method for self-detecting vehicle theft in a vehicle, comprising the following steps:

transmitting a signal from a first location on the vehicle;

attempting to receive the signal at a second location on the vehicle;

determining whether the signal was changed, wherein determining whether the signal has changed comprises determining whether a measured magnitude of the signal is higher than a predetermined baseline magnitude; and

activating a vehicle security system based on the change in the signal, wherein activating the vehicle security system is further based on whether the measured magnitude of the signal is higher than the predetermined baseline magnitude.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying whether the signal is being transmitted from a transmission source;

wherein activating the vehicle security system is based on both the change in the signal and the verification of whether the signal is being transmitted from the transmission source.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the signal has changed further comprises detecting whether the signal reception is interrupted, and wherein activating the vehicle security system is further based on whether the signal reception is interrupted.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the signal has changed further comprises determining whether a measured magnitude of the signal is lower than a second predetermined baseline magnitude, wherein activating the vehicle security system is further based on whether the measured magnitude of the signal is lower than the second predetermined baseline magnitude.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

inserting a pattern into the signal at the transmission source; and

detecting the pattern in the signal, wherein activating the vehicle security system is further based on the detection of the pattern in the signal.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the pattern comprises a cyclic pattern of transmitting the signal and not transmitting the signal.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring data in the signal;

determining authenticity of the signal based on the data, wherein activating the vehicle security system is further based on the authenticity of the signal.