Vehicular anti-theft system capable of supplying images related to a vehicle status to an authorized driver

• US 20050275510A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Shih-Hsiung Li
• Original Assignee: Shih-Hsiung Li
• Inventors: Li, Shih-Hsiung
• Application Number:
  US10/865,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20050275510A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.100
• 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 25/305 using a camera

Abstract

A vehicular anti-theft system provides a control device as well as multiple cameras mounted inside or outside the vehicle to capture plural images of the vehicle status when an abnormal situation occurs. These captured images are further transmitted to the authorized driver'"'"'s mobile phone. Therefore, upon receiving of the images, the authorized driver can see who is driving and tracks where the vehicle is. After the confirming that the vehicle was stolen, these images sent to the mobile phone can be further supplied to the police as the important evidence when searching for the lost vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicular anti-theft system capable of supplying images showing a vehicle status, the system comprising:

a plurality of cameras mounted at positions inside or outside a vehicle to capture images showing a status near a driver'"'"'s seat and outside surroundings of the vehicle;

a control device coupled to the plurality of cameras, wherein the control device comprises;

a control unit coupled with a sensor that detects whether an abnormal situation occurs with the vehicle and coupled with an alarming unit that is capable of issuing an alarming signal;

a video signal switching unit coupled to the plurality of cameras and controlled by the control unit, wherein the video signal switching unit selects one image to be output from the plurality of cameras; and

an image transmitting unit coupled to the video signal switching unit and the control unit, wherein based on the control commands of the control unit, the image transmitting unit dials a number of a remote mobile phone and sends the image to the remote mobile phone.

2. The vehicular anti-theft system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control unit is a microprocessor.

3. The vehicular anti-theft system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image transmitting unit is composed of an image processing unit and a mobile phone.

4. The vehicular anti-theft system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the image transmitting unit is composed of an image processing unit and a mobile phone.

5. The vehicular anti-theft system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image the sensor is a vibration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor.

6. The vehicular anti-theft system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image the sensor is a vibration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor.

7. The vehicular anti-theft system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the image the sensor is a vibration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor.

8. The vehicular anti-theft system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the image the sensor is a vibration sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor.

9. The vehicular anti-theft system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cameras are respectively mounted at positions near a rear-view mirror, a side-view mirror and a rear portion of the vehicle.