METHOD OF UNAUTHORIZED VEHICLE MOVEMENT DETECTION

• US 20110291823A1
• Filed: 05/26/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L., Carr, Daryl L., Christensen, Jeffrey P., Solomon, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,836,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• 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 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates

Abstract

A system and method for detecting unauthorized vehicle movement that includes measuring a resting angle of a vehicle using a vehicle sensor; thereafter, detecting a change in the measured resting angle of the vehicle; determining that the detected change is not authorized; and sending an alert message based on the determination via a vehicle telematics unit.

Claims

1. A method of detecting unauthorized vehicle movement, comprising the steps of:

(a) measuring a resting angle of a vehicle using a vehicle sensor;

(b) thereafter, detecting a change in the measured resting angle of the vehicle;

(c) determining that the detected change is not authorized; and

(d) sending an alert message based on the determination via a vehicle telematics unit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating global positioning system (GPS) coordinates corresponding to the location of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of communicating the GPS coordinates to a call center.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining that the vehicle has been stationary for a predetermined amount of time.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of using an accelerometer to determine that the vehicle has been stationary.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of measuring the resting angle using an inclinometer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the inclinometer measures the resting angle with respect to an artificial horizon or reference.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further comprises the step of determining that the change in the measured resting angle of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined angular amount.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining whether vehicle movement is authorized based on one or more vehicle variables monitored by the telematics unit.

10. A method of detecting unauthorized vehicle movement, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining that a vehicle has been stationary for a predetermined amount of time;

(b) measuring a resting angle of the vehicle using a vehicle sensor;

(c) monitoring the resting angle of the vehicle using a vehicle telematics unit to determine if the vehicle is moved;

(d) detecting a change in the resting angle based on the monitoring, wherein the change in the resting angle is greater than a predetermined threshold;

(e) determining that the change in the resting angle is;

(e1) present for longer than a predetermined time;

or

(e2) not authorized; and

(f) sending an alert message containing a notification of the detected change.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle sensor further comprises an inclinometer.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of measuring the resting angle using an artificial horizon.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of generating global positioning system (GPS) coordinates corresponding to the location of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of determining whether vehicle movement is authorized based on one or more vehicle variables monitored by the telematics unit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the vehicle variables further comprise one or more of:

the status of vehicle door locks, the presence of a vehicle key in the surrounding area of the vehicle, activation of the vehicle ignition, or a location of the vehicle.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor further comprises a mercury switch being operational to determine the angle of the vehicle

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) module for determining the location of the vehicle.

16. An apparatus for detecting unauthorized vehicle movement comprising:

a vehicle telematics unit having an electronic processing device and being operational to provide wireless voice communications, data communications, or both over a wireless carrier system; and

a sensor coupled to the vehicle telematics unit and operable to detect an angle of a vehicle with respect to a reference and send the detected angle to the vehicle telematics unit,

wherein the vehicle telematics unit operates to monitor the vehicle for changes in the resting angle after the vehicle has remained motionless for a predetermined amount of time and communicate with a call center if the resting angle changes more than a predetermined amount.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the sensor further comprises an inclinometer being operational to determine the angle of the vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the inclinometer is used to generate an artificial horizon.