GB2314659A

GB2314659A - Wireless alarm system

Info

Publication number: GB2314659A
Application number: GB9613396A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Bishop
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-06-26
Filing date: 1996-06-26
Publication date: 1998-01-07
Also published as: GB9613396D0

Abstract

A wireless alarm system comprises a detector, a receiver 6 and a transmitter 1 which when actuated may be put into wireless communication with the receiver 6, in which the transmitter and receiver are parts of a cellular telephone network 2,3,4. This enables an alerting signal to be sent from a detector to a distant receiver and uses as a car theft alarm, a burglar alarm and a portable security device for pedestrians and the elderly, have been proposed.

Description

WIRELESS ALARM SYSTEM This invention relates to a wireless alarm system. It relates particularly to a system which relies on a remote indication means to deliver an alerting signal from a detector to a distant receiver. A person in charge of the receiver can then make a decision as to what action is to be taken in response to the occurrence of the alerting signal.

Many alarm devices such as those used to protect the security of motor vehicles, depend on the use of switches which when actuated will sound off an alarm on the vehicle and thus warn any person close by that the vehicle is being tampered with. However, when the alarm is sounded, any reasonably proficient car thief will be able to break the alarm circuit within a few seconds and any passer by will then form the opinion that the legal car owner has inadvertently started the alarm or that an electrical fault has caused the alarm to sound. It is unlikely that it will be possible to take any action to notify the police or to prevent the car from being driven away or even to catch the thief before the car is moved. When many car alarms can additionally be set off by an external vibration of the car body this can lead to members of the public tending to ignore any alarm sound and this will lead, at least, to a delay in notifying the police that a theft of the car may be taking place.

The present invention was devised to provide an alarm system which avoids alerting the passing members of the public in the area where a crime incident may be taking place and it also avoids warning the potential thief that his/her entry action has been detected.

According to the invention, there is provided a wireless alarm system comprising a detector, a receiver and a transmitter which when actuated may be put into wireless communication with the receiver, in which the transmitter and receiver are parts of a cellular telephone network. The transmitter unit may include components of a cellular telephone handset which is arranged to call a particular telephone number when the detector of the alarm system has been actuated.

The receiver unit may be a cellular telephone handset at a remote location from the transmitter unit and which is kept in a switched-on condition to await any alarm call from the transmitter unit. The transmitter and receiver units must, of course, be kept within the service area of the telephone network operator.

When it is applied to a motor vehicle, the wireless alarm system may be arranged with the detector wired to the motor ignition circuit so that an alert signal will be sent whenever the engine is started by an unauthorised user. Different levels of alarm may be arranged so that a first alert would be sent upon the opening of any door of the vehicle, a second alert would be sent upon the starting of the vehicle engine. A further alert signal could be sent when a rotation of the vehicle wheels had been detected.

The wireless alarm system of the invention may additionally be applied as an intruder detector for residential or commercial property, for particular valuable items of residential or commercial property contents, for computers, computer systems and components, for marine craft and aircraft, and smoke detectors and fire alarms. It is also applicable to a portable security device for the elderly and infirm and further to protect a pedestrian against a violent criminal attack when out in the street.

By way of example, some particular embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 depicts the basic components of the wireless alarm system, Figure 2 shows the wireless alarm system installed on a motor vehicle, Figure 3 shows the slarm system installed in a private house, and, Figures 4 and 5 show portable forms of the system transmitter unit intended to be carried by elderly persons or pedestrians.

As seen particularly in Figure 1, the wireless alarm system comprises a combined detector and transmitter unit 1 which, when actuated, will send a predetermined telephone call signal through a cellular telephone network 2,3,4 to a mobile telephone handset 6. A person carrying the handset 6 will then be able to answer the call and will be made aware that the detector and transmitter unit 1 has signalled an alarm and the person will be able to take whatever further action is necessary. This action might involve reporting to the police or a private security service that an intrusion had been detected and investigation was needed. It might involve contacting a neighbour or a Neighbourhood Watch organisation for confirmation that the danger of a theft was imminent.

Figure 2 shows the wireless alarm system installed in a motor vehicle 7. The detector and transmitter unit 1 is provided :Jith input leads which are connected to a sensor 8 coupled to the ignition circuit of the vehicle and a switch 9 arranged to detect the opening of the vehicle door. As before, upon actuation of the transmitter unit 1 a telephone call signal will be sent through the telephone network 2,3,4 to a mobile telephone handset 6. If a break-in attack should be mede on the vehicle, the mobile phone user wherever he or she night be within the service area of the telephone network operator, will be made instantly aware of the actuation of the switch 9. If it is the intention of the prospective car thief to take goods from the vehicle, this is all that might happen, but if the thief starts the vehicle engine there will be a further signal from the sensor 8. The user of the handset 6 can thus make a decision as to what is to be done in response to the alarm signal and, if appropriate, a call for outside assistance can be made by telephone as indicated in the box 11.

The use of the wireless alarm system of the invention thus gives the mobile phone user the opportunity to instantly alert the police service giving the location and a description of the vehicle involved. The alerting of the police may be carried out within only a few seconds of the occurrence of the break-in so that there is a good chance that prompt action will prevent a total loss of the vehicle. The prompt action by the police might also lead to the catching of the thief whilst he/she was still inside the vehicle.

Figure 3 shows a further embodiment where the wireless alarm system is installed in a private house. Within the house 12, a detector and transmitter unit 1 is located with input leads connected to intruder detection devices (not shown) such as door switches, infrared sensors and sound detectors.

As before, when the presence of an intruder has been detected the transnitter unit 1 will send an alerting signal to the mobile telephone handset 6 so that appropriate action can be taken immediately. It is clear that the detector and transmitter unit 1 could readily be connected also to a fire alarm system and the unit 1 could be arranged to send a fire alert rather than an intruder alert signal to the handset 6 so that the handset user would have the information immediately that it would be necessary to call the fire service instead of the police. An appropriate call for assistance can then be made by the handset user as indicated by the box 11.

Figure 4 depicts a wireless alarm system which has been adapted for giving greater security to an elderly or infirm person 13. In this embodiment, the detector and transmitter unit 1 is made in the form of a pendant 1A for being supported on a necklace round the user's neck. In alternative constructions, the unit 1 may be made as a wrist band 1B for the user's wrist or as a wall-mountable 'alarm call' box 1C for location in the user's room. Since the transmitter unit 1 requires to include only part of the internal components of a mobile telephone handset, there is no particular problem in constructing this in a readily portable form such as a neck pendant.

Figure 5 depicts a wireless alarm system designed for giving pedestrians and children a greater security when out in the street or park. The detector and transmitter unit can be provided again as a pendant IA to be supported on a necklace or it can be a push button control 1B for a wrist band or for being carried in the user's pocket. When operated, the transmitter unit will be arranged to send an alarm signal to a particular telephone where there will be a parent or guardian who can take action to give whatever assistance is necessary.

The wireless alarm system of the invention has been found to offer a simple and reliable method of sending a single signal to one remote handset via the network to which that handset is connected. The signal would be inaudible at the site of the transmitter unit but audible at the receiver.

The foregoing description of embodiments of the invention has been given by way of example only and a number of modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For instance, t transmitter unit could be made capable of sending a series of signals differing in terms of the number of remote onsets or other destinations to which the same or different signal(s) were sent, the sequence in which they were sent, the frequency interval of signal, variation in ringing tones employed etc. The alarm signal could be made different in some way, from that of the normal handset ringing tone in order that 'alert' signals were iamediately identifiable and would not tend to be ignored or diverted. The audible alert signal could also be accompanied by an appropriate text message where the receiving handset was capable of displaying this.

Preferably, the alarm signal would bypass, but not necessarily interrupt, the usual call divert, answering service and normal telephone engaged modes. The transmitter unit would allow the user to activate and de-activate it, either at the device itself or from any circuitry to which it may be connected (eg a motor vehicle ignition system) and/or from the mobile hendset.

The transmitter unit may be arranged to draw its electrical power from any one of the electrical mains supply, a battery or small electrical generator and be able to switch itself as necessary between any of these electrical sources. The alarm system may be arranged to operate over one or more of the accepted telephone networks such as Cellular Digital GSiwl, Cellular Digital PCN, Cellular Analogue, Fixed Line or Satellite.

The transmitter unit could be programnable either manually or remotely from the handset/keypad of both mobile and fixed line telephones. Progralminn capability, manual or remote, could include - multiple telephone number storage, personalised text message input and storage capable of transmission upon activation of the device, multiple telephone number ringing, alert tone and nessage transmission sequencing, interrogation of some or all functions, alarm signals, text messages, activation and de-activation, timed operation of any or all functions.

The transmitter unit may additionally include the capability of being located and traced by means of a cellular telecommunications system or satellite positioning system (eg GPS).

The wireless alarm system may be used for applications such as motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories, residential property and particular items of residential property contents, commercial property and contents, computers and computer systems, computer components, boats and aircraft and parts and accessories of these articles, caravans and mobile homes with parts and accessories, to give remote warnings of the operation of smoke detectors, fire alarms and sprinkler systems, for the security of lockers and luggage, safes, animals and for the security of site perimeters and firearms cabinets.

Use of the wireless alarm system has also been proposed in the construction of a passenger lift where the device could be included in the circuitry within the lift shaft but outside the steel lift cage to alert the appropriate personnel/ emergency services when a lift or its doors had become jammed.

This could be extremely beneficial in service since many existing lift alarms are not capable of alerting emergency personnel outside the building in which the lift has been installed.

The wireless alarm system has additionally been proposed for use in personal security when sailing and boating. A transmitter unit fitted to a lifejacket could be actuated by the inflation of the lifejacket so that an alert signal would be sent to rescue services immediately a person became endangered in the water. A similar use of the device can also be employed in conjunction with a variety of safety harnesses and restraints where the device is actuated by the failure of a component crucial to an individual's safety.

Some examples of these uses are in safety harnesses for pylon maintenance, mountaineering and forestry work.

Claims

CLAINIS

1 A wireless alarm system comprising a detector, a receiver and a transmitter which when actuated may be put into wireless communication with the receiver, in which the transmitter and receiver are parts of a cellular telephone network.

2 An alarm system as claimed in Claim 1, in which the transmitter unit includes components of a cellular telephone handset which is arranged to call a particular telephone number when the detector of the alarm system has been actuated.

3 An alarm system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, in which the detector is arranged to receive signals from two or more sensors located where an alarm warning might be required.

4 A motor vehicle alarm,including an alarm system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3.

5 A building alarm, including an alarm system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3.

6 A personal alarm device, including an alarm system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3.

7 A wireless alarm system, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.