DE29614823U1 - Locating device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a locating device with a transmitting device, a GPS receiver and a power supply.

After a robbery, be it of a bank, a gas station or a cash transport, etc., or e.g. after the handover of ransom in a kidnapping, the perpetrators flee with a large amount of money and it would be desirable to be able to follow them. The invention is based on the object of providing a tracking device of the type mentioned at the beginning, which effectively supports the tracking of perpetrators, for example after a bank robbery, without them noticing.

ah D1\D1594

Bremen: Munich: Berlin-Brandenburg: Düsseldorf:

Hollerallee 32, D-28209 Bremen
POB 10 71 27, D-28071 Bremen

Telephone (04 21) 3 40 90
Fax (04 21) 3 49 J 7 68
Telex 244 953 bopat d

Franz-Joseph-Straße 38 D-80801 Munich Telephone (0 89) 34 70 80 leiefex (0 S9) 34 70 10 Telex 524 282 forbo d

Helene-Lange-Strasse 3 Neßierstrasse

D-14469 Potsdam D-40593 Dusseldorf

Telephone (03 31) 27 54 30 Telephone (02 11) 71 89

Fax (03 31)2 75 43 21 Fax (02 11)7 18 27 50 Fax (03 41)3103 25

Leipzig:

Philipp-Rosenthai-Stiaße 21 D-04103 Leipzig

Telephone (03 41) 9 60 29 77

Kiel:

Niemannsweg D-24I05 Kiel

Telephone (04 31) 8 40 Fax (04 31)8 40

Alicante:

Plaza CalvoSotelo 1-2 ES-03001 Alicante (Spain)

Telephone +34-6-598 0038 Fax +34-6-598 0182

e-mail: Po5imaster@Boehmert.Boehmert.de

BOEHMERT &BÖEHKffikT· ···, * *

This task is solved by a tracking device with a transmitter, a GPS receiver and a power supply, which is integrated into a means of payment, a bundle of means of payment or a container for it. According to the invention, a miniature transmitter, a GPS receiver and a power supply are installed in a prepared banknote or a bundle of notes. This banknote or bundle of notes is mixed in with the other banknotes when the money is handed over to the perpetrator, so that it comes into his possession unnoticed. The tracking device can also be integrated into a container for the banknotes, e.g. in a secret compartment of a cash box.

The transmitting device should be designed in such a way that it either transmits the location data determined by the GPS receiver or, if the recipient of this data (e.g. the police) has determined an approximate location of the tracking device, it can be targeted, located and therefore found from a short distance.

The locating device can either be built very flat on a thin substrate, the top and bottom of which are covered with the front and back of a banknote, respectively, so that the locating device gives the external impression of a banknote that is stuck in a bundle of banknotes and can only be recognized as "counterfeit money" at second glance. Alternatively, a bundle of banknotes is prepared by forming a cavity in the bundle of banknotes in which the locating device can be accommodated.

BOEHMERT

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In another embodiment of the invention, the locating device is housed in a container for means of payment, such as banknotes, e.g. a cash box. The container should not be made of metal in order not to shield the signals to the receiver and from the transmitting device.

A miniature switch can be provided in the locating device, which is activated at appropriate times, in particular at times shortly before the handover, and connects the transmitter or the GPS receiver to the power supply.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. In the figures:

Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a locating device according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an external view of the locating device of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 shows a locating system which uses the locating device according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows the locating device according to the invention, which is integrated into a banknote, a bundle of banknotes or a container for it. The locating device, which is generally designated 10, has a transmitter 12, a GPS receiver 14, a transmitting antenna 16, a receiving antenna 18, a power supply 20, which in the embodiment shown comprises four batteries, and a magnetic switch 22. The locating device 10 can either be installed flat on a

BOHEMERT <8

very thin substrate, the top and bottom of which are laminated with the front and back of a banknote. Alternatively, the locating device 10 can be constructed in a block design and installed inside a prepared bundle of banknotes. Fig. 2 shows the locating device 10 according to the invention from the outside.

Referring again to Fig. 1, it can be seen that the magnetic switch 22 is connected to the transmitter 12 and the GPS receiver 14, and when the magnetic switch 22 is switched on, the transmitter 12 and the receiver 14 are activated and supplied with power from the batteries 20.

An overall system that uses the locating device 10 according to the invention is shown in Figure 3. The representation of the locating device 10 on the left side of Figure 3 corresponds, in a reduced form, to the representation in Figure 1. The GPS receiver 14 (GPS = Global Positioning System = system for determining the location above ground in geographical coordinates) receives location signals from GPS satellites 24, 26, 28, from which it determines location data for the current location of the bundle of money or banknote. This location data is transmitted to the transmitter 12, which transmits the location data, for example via the D-network 30, to a monitoring device 32 set to the transmitter 12, which can be installed stationary or in a police vehicle. The location data can be sent periodically, for example every 10 seconds. The monitoring device comprises an antenna 34 and a computer unit 13 6 with an integrated receiver (not shown) and with a display 38. The receiver 36 receives the location data 34 transmitted, for example, via the D-network 30 from the GPS receiver 14 via the transmitter 12. The most current status is then shown on the display 38.

BOEHMERT & · « j

location data in the form of coordinate information. This data can be transferred to a digitalized map of any scale that can be visualized on the display 38. The GPS data includes, for example, the current, maximum and average speed, the direction of movement and the like of the locating device. As soon as the monitoring device 32, which can be installed, for example, at the police station or a bank, etc., has determined an approximate location of the locating device, the transmitter 12 can be directly targeted at a shorter distance of, for example, less than 100 meters, preferably around 50 meters, and the exact position of the locating device can be located and found. A transmission signal for the targeting must be provided in the transmitter unit 12 for this purpose.

The prepared banknote or bundle of banknotes can be kept ready in any cash register of a bank or post office, a gas station, etc. and handed over together with the other bundles of money and banknotes in the event of a robbery. Alternatively, a prepared money case or money bag or the like containing the tracking device is used to hand over the money. Shortly before this handover, the built-in magnetic switch 22 is activated to supply the transmitter 12 and the receiver 14 with energy.

The features disclosed in the above description, the figures and the drawing can be important for the realization of the invention both individually and in any combination.

Claims (9)

1. Locating device with a transmitting device (12), a GPS receiver (14) and a power supply (20) which is integrated into a means of payment, a bundle of means of payment or a container therefor. 2. Locating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the means of payment are banknotes. 3. Locating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one antenna (16, 18). 4. Locating device according to claim 3, characterized in that the transmitting device (12) is designed to transmit the location data determined by the GPS receiver (14) and to locate it by means of a direction-finding device. 21 Bremen: Hollerallee 32, D-28209 Bremen
RO.B. 10 71 27. D-28071 Bremen Telephone (04 21) 3 40 90
Fax (04 2!) 3 49 17 68
Telex 244 953 bopal d Munich: Franz-Joseph-Straße 38 D-80801 Munich Telephone (0 89) 34 70 80 Fax (0 89)34 70 10 Telex 524 282forbod Berlin-Brandenburg: Heiene-Unge-Straffäe D-14469 Potsdam Telephone (03 31) 27 54 Fax (03 31)2 75 43 Dusseldorf: Neßlerstrasse 5
D-40593 Dusseldorf Telephone (02 11) 71 89 83
Fax (02 11)7 18 27 50 Leipzig: Phüipp-Rosenthal-Stiaße 21 D-04103 Leipzig Telephone (03 41) 9 60 29 77 Fax (03 41) 31 03 25 Kiel: Niemannsweg D-24105 Kiel Telephone (04 31) 8 40 Fax (0431)8 40 Alicante: Plaza CalvoSotelo 1-2 ES-03001 Alicante (Spain) Telephone +34-6-598 0038 Fax +34-6-598 0182 &Bgr;&Ogr;&Egr;&EEgr;&Mgr;&Egr;&Kgr;&Ggr; 5. Locating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is constructed flat on a thin substrate, the top and bottom of which are covered with the front and back of a banknote, respectively. 6. Locating device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the bundle is hollowed out and forms a housing for the locating device (10). 7. Locating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a switch (22) between the power supply (20) and the transmitting device (12) or the GPS receiver (14). 8. Locating device according to claim 7, characterized in that the switch (22) can be activated by remote control. 9. Locating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transmitting device (12) can be operated in a clocked manner.