Anti-vandalism detector and alarm system

• US 6,150,927 A
• Filed: 03/30/1998
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nextbus Information Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Nextbus Information Systems LLC
• Inventors: Nesbitt, Bryce
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LA, ANH V
• Application Number:
  US09/050,774
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/429, 340/545.4, 340/545.9, 340/545.1, 340/566, 307/10.2, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/426.25
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/04 by breaking of glass

Abstract

An anti-vandalism detection and alarm system is disclosed for detecting and reporting the scratching of relatively hard materials such as glass and plastic which generate characteristic sound or vibration frequencies during scratching, and for detecting and reporting the cutting and slashing of relatively soft materials such as fabric, leather and plastic.

Claims

1. An anti-vandalism system for protecting a vehicle from window scratching and seat slashing, comprising:

a plurality of first, microphone sensors attached to selected windows of the vehicle and, responsive to vibrations in a window when the window is scratched, generating an output signal characteristic of the vibrations;

a plurality of digital signal processing circuits connected to the first sensors and, responsive to the characteristic output signal of the first sensors, generating a corresponding digital signal characteristic of the vibrations;

a plurality of second sensors, each second sensor comprising a conductor layer mounted in a vehicle seat adjacent a selected surface of the seat and having resistance which changes when the conductor layer is cut;

a plurality of analog signal analyzing circuits connected to the second sensors and, responsive to the change in resistance when a conductor layer is cut, generating an output signal characteristic of the change in resistance;

a reporting device system comprising at least one reporting device; and

a computer connected to the digital signal processing circuits and, responsive to the signal characteristic of the vibrations, activating the reporting device system, and the computer further being connected to the analog signal analyzing circuits and, responsive to the signal characteristic of the change in resistance, activating the reporting device system.

2. The anti-vandalism system of claim 1, wherein the reporting device system comprises at least one reporting device on board the vehicle.

3. The anti-vandalism system of claim 1, wherein the reporting device system comprises at least one reporting device remote from the vehicle;

and radio means on the vehicle in communication with the remote reporting device for activating the remote reporting device.

4. The anti-vandalism system of claim 1, wherein the reporting device system comprises at least one reporting device on board the vehicle and at least one reporting device remote from the vehicle;

and radio means on the vehicle in communication with the remote reporting device for activating the remote reporting device.

5. The anti-vandalism system of claim 1, wherein the reporting device system further comprises a paging system.

6. The anti-vandalism system of claim 2, wherein the reporting device system further comprises a paging system.

7. The anti-vandalism system of claim 3, wherein the reporting device system further comprises a paging system.

8. The anti-vandalism system of claim 4, wherein the reporting device system further comprises a paging system.