Vehicle security system

• US 6,833,785 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Issued: 12/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Dutta, Rabindranath, Brown, Michael Wayne, Smith, Newton James Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAI, ANNE VIET NGA
• Application Number:
  US10/093,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20030169161A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,020 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.1, 340/426-1-4, 340/425.5, 340/5.31, 340/5.72, 307/10-- 1, 280/287, 342/357.07
• US Class Current: 340/426.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1003 Alarm systems characterised by arm or disarm features
• 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 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates

Abstract

A method, computer program product, and system for alerting authorities during a car theft. A personal identification number, either a normal code or a duress code, is received into an vehicle security system. If the duress code has been entered, then the security system is disarmed, wherein the vehicle may be entered and driven away without any indication of an alarm. However, the duress code triggers a process by which authorities are notified and the location of the vehicle may be provided. The vehicle is disabled upon a certain event or condition, such as a pre-determined amount of time passing or a pre-determined distance driven. The method may also require satisfying a second event or condition before disabling the vehicle, such as the vehicle traveling at a low speed, in order to avoid causing an unsafe condition. The duress code preferably has an identical number of alphanumeric characters as a normal personal identification number entered to disarm the security system.

Claims

1. A method of alerting authorities during a car theft comprising the steps:

receiving a personal identification number into a vehicle security system;

determining that the personal identification number is a duress code;

then

disarming the security system, wherein the vehicle maybe entered and driven away without any indication of an alarm; and

disabling the vehicle after one or more predetermined event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined event is selected from the passing of a pre-determined amount of time, the traveling of a pre-determined distance, or proximity of a police car.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the duress code has an identical number of alphanumeric characters as a normal personal identification number, wherein the normal personal identification number is the number entered to disarm the security system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining that the duress code has been entered further comprises:

reading the entered code;

retrieving the duress code from memory; and

comparing the entered code with the duress code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of disabling the vehicle is selected from shutting off a fuel line or opening a circuit breaker in an ignition power circuit.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the vehicle is in a safe condition for being disabled before disabling the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, after the vehicle has been disabled, further comprising:

sounding an alarm selected from sounding the horn, sounding an alarm siren, blinking the headlights, blinking the tail lights or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a mobile telephone is installed in the vehicle, the method further comprising:

retrieving a telephone number for authorities from a security system memory,

calling authorities at the telephone number; and

notifying the authorities of the car theft.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the authorities are selected from law enforcement, alarm system provider, private security provider or combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a Global Positioning System is mounted in the vehicle, further comprising:

reading the location of the vehicle from the global positioning system; and

notifying the authorities of the vehicle'"'"'s location.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of notifying is by means selected from a pre-recorded message or an interactive voice response system, or combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of calling authorities is done silently.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein a mobile telephone is installed in the vehicle, the method further comprising:

reading the location of the vehicle from a location system using the mobile telephone; and

notifying the authorities of the vehicle'"'"'s location.

14. A computer program product on a computer readable medium comprising:

receiving instructions for receiving a personal identification number into a vehicle security system;

determining instructions for determining that the personal identification number is a duress code;

then

disarming instructions for disarming the security system, wherein the vehicle may be entered and driven away without any indication of an alarm; and

disabling instructions for disabling the vehicle engine after a period selected from a pre-determined amount of time or a pro-determined distance.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the duress code has an identical number of alphanumeric characters as a normal personal identification number, and wherein the normal personal identification number is the number entered to disarm the security system.

16. The emptier program product of claim 14, wherein the determining instructions for determining that the duress code has been entered further comprises:

reading instructions for reading the entered code;

retrieving instructions for retrieving the duress code from memory; and

comparing instructions for comparing the entered code with the duress code.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the disabling instructions for disabling the vehicle is selected from closing instructions for closing a solenoid valve in a fuel line or opening instructions for opening a circuit breaker in an ignition power circuit.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

sounding instructions for sounding an alarm after the vehicle has been disabled, the alarm selected from sounding the horn, sounding an alarm siren, blinking the headlights, blinking the tail lights or combinations thereof.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

retrieving instructions for retrieving a telephone number for authorities from a security system memory,

calling instructions for calling authorities at the telephone number using a mobile telephone installed in the vehicle; and

notifying instructions for notifying the authorities of the car theft.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the notifying instruction provide for silently notifying the authorities.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the authorities are selected from law enforcement, alarm system provider, private security provider, or combinations thereof.

22. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

reading instructions for reading the vehicle'"'"'s location from a global positioning system within the vehicle; and

notifying instructions for notifying the authorities of the vehicle'"'"'s location.

23. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

reading instructions for reading the location of the vehicle from a telephone that is installed in the vehicle having a location determining system.

24. A system for alerting authorities during a car theft comprising:

means for receiving a personal identification number into a vehicle'"'"'s security system;

means for determining that the personal identification code is a duress code

means for disarming the security system after the duress code has been entered, wherein the vehicle may be entered and driven away without any indication of an alarm; and

means for disabling the vehicle after a period selected from a pre-determined amount of time or a pre-determined distance.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the duress code has an identical number of alphanumeric characters as a normal personal identification number, wherein the normal personal identification number is the number entered to disarm the security system.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the step of determining that the duress code has been entered further comprises:

means for reading the entered code;

means for retrieving the duress code from memory; and

means for comparing the entered code with the duress code.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein a mobile telephone is installed in the vehicle, further comprising:

means for retrieving a telephone number for authorities from a security system memory,

means for calling authorities at the telephone number; and

means for notifying the authorities of the car theft.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for notifying provides silent notification to the authorities.

29. The system of claim 24, wherein a Global Positioning System is installed in the vehicle, further comprising:

means for reading the vehicle'"'"'s location from the global positioning system; and

means for notifying the authorities of the vehicle'"'"'s location.

30. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

a mobile telephone installed in the vehicle,

means for reading the location of the vehicle from a location system using the mobile telephone; and

means for notifying the authorities of the vehicle'"'"'s location.