EP0358576B1 - Surveillance device for parked cars - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a surveillance device for vehicles parked in a car park, which comprises, for each parking place, a fixed post (1), a movable detector head (4) connected to the fixed post (1) by means of a flexible cable (3) and designed so that it can be temporarily fastened in a tamper-proof manner to a vehicle (2) to be monitored so as to detect possible acts of vandalism on the latter, an electronic circuit triggering the operation of alarm means (23) in response to detection signals emitted by the detector head (4) or if a cable (3) connecting the latter to the said post is severed, and a keypad (16) making it possible to enter a secret code in order to authorise and then to inhibit the triggering of the alarm means. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device for monitoring parked vehicles, in particular motor cars in a parking lot. More particularly, the object of the invention is to create a device capable of ensuring the automatic surveillance of vehicles whether or not provided with their own surveillance device, and of reporting any malicious act targeting the vehicle being monitored: attempted break-in, vehicle intrusion, theft, vandalism, etc.

Document FR-A- 2 560 624 discloses a monitoring device comprising for this purpose a fixed terminal disposed near a parking space, a movable detector head connected to the fixed terminal by a flexible cable and designed to be able to be temporarily attached to a vehicle to be monitored so as to detect any malicious acts of which it is the object, an electronic control circuit triggering the operation of alarm means in response to detection signals emitted by the detector head or in the event that the connecting cable is cut off from said terminal, and a confidential code device making it possible to authorize and inhibit the triggering of the alarm means.

Such a device allows each person coming to park their vehicle nearby to place it under surveillance during their absence. It is enough for him to subject the detector head of the device to his vehicle and to put the latter into activity (standby situation) by introducing a confidential code. To take back his vehicle, the person forms a second confidential code (preferably identical to the first) which puts the device in a situation of inactivity (or waiting); it can then detach the detector head from the vehicle without the device reacting, and the latter is available to monitor another vehicle.

Furthermore, an alarm device for a parked vehicle is known from document US-A-4 155 067, which comprises a detector suspended from a thin member pinched between the window and the frame of a door and not connected by a connecting cable to a fixed terminal.

In the monitoring device according to the invention, which includes the characteristics mentioned in the subject of FR-A-2 560 624, the detector head has in its structure two main parts joined together by a part of lesser thickness, so that the detector head can be fixed in a tamper-proof manner to the vehicle by pinching, at the level of said thin part, between a fixed element and a movable element of the vehicle, the operation of this movable element being able to be made impossible without intrusion by any person not authorized to enter vehicle, while the two main parts of the detector head attached to the vehicle are respectively outside and inside thereof, and the interior part contains at least one vehicle monitoring detector, which is connected electrically, via said thin part and said cable connected to the external part, to said alarm means, which are specific to the monitoring system.

The above-mentioned fixed element can be a door frame, the movable element being the door received in this frame, or even a window frame, the movable element being a sliding window in this frame. It is appropriate in the latter case that the lesser thickness of the detector head results from a deep slot that the latter comprises, this slot making it possible to mount the detector head by straddling the edge of the sliding glass.

The detector head may include at least one volumetric ultrasonic or microwave detector (to detect any abnormal movement or displacement inside the vehicle), a shock detector or a change of attitude detector (to detect acts of vandalism and vehicle theft attempts).

In a very simple manner, the device for authorizing and inhibiting the triggering of the alarm means can be constituted by a keyboard mounted on the terminal and making it possible to introduce into the electronic control circuit an authorization code and an inhibition code in order to place the device in an active standby situation or return it to a standby situation.

The fixed terminal may include a safety lock, the only operation of which, using a special key, makes it possible to stop the operation of the alarm means after they have been activated.

To apply the invention to a parking lot with several locations, for example a parking lot for motor cars, it is necessary to use several similar monitoring devices assigned respectively to the different parking spaces, the terminals of all these devices being electrically connected to a central station comprising an alarm means common to all the monitoring devices.

In order to eliminate any possibility of fraudulent decommissioning of the electrical connection of the terminals of the various devices at the central station, this is done by connecting said terminals at successive points of a single electric cable, which comprises a conductive loop which extends over its entire length and whose opening, revealing a sectioning of the cable, is detected by a control device which then triggers an alarm.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, of a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment.

Figure 1 shows schematically, in perspective, a monitoring device according to the invention in use.

2 shows in cross section, on a larger scale, the sensor head of the device of Figure 1, secured on the sliding glass of a door of the vehicle under surveillance.

FIG. 3 represents a simplified diagram of the electrical connection of several monitoring devices to a central station.

We see in Figure 1 a fixed terminal 1 with which a vehicle 2 (automobile) is parked. A terminal 4 is connected to terminal 1 by a twisted cable 3 which can be temporarily secured to the vehicle or, when not in use, placed at rest in 4 ′ on a support 5 secured to terminal 1.

In accordance with FIG. 2, the detector head 4 comprises a U-shaped part 6 on the branches 6a, b of which are fixed externally on the one hand a housing 10 containing a detector 7 and on the other hand a housing 8 of connection to cable 3 and, internally, a pair of blocks 9 of elastic foam offering between them a narrow gap forming a deep slot 24. The head 4 is thus composed of two relatively large parts, constituted by the housings 8, 10, which are connected by a thin part formed by the bottom 6c of the U-shaped part 6 This structure makes it possible to secure the detection head on the vehicle in an inviolable manner by pinching said thin part between the edge of the sliding glass 11 of one of the doors 14 of the vehicle and the corresponding seal 12 which runs the along the frame 13 of the glass in the door.

The detector 7 is housed in the housing 10 which is inside the vehicle when the detector head 4 is in place. This detector is intended to detect attempted break-ins or theft of which the parked vehicle 2 is likely to be the object. It can be a volumetric detector (with ultrasonic, infrared or microwave waves) sensitive to the presence of any moving object or person inside the vehicle, or a shock or attitude change detector , sensitive to the movements of the vehicle as a whole which would result from an attempt to tow or remove the vehicle. Optionally, several detectors of different types will be combined in the detector head 4.

The cable 3 ensures the electrical supply, from terminal 1, of the detector or detectors 7 of the head 4 and the routing towards the terminal 1 of the detection signals possibly emitted by the head 4.

Terminal 1 (Figure 1) consists of a barrel 21 anchored to the ground by a base 15. On the front face of the barrel 21 appear the support 5 already mentioned, a keyboard 16 with twelve keys, a lock 17 operating using a key, two indicator lights 18, 19 and an information plate 20 for users. At the top of the barrel 21 is mounted a mast 22 carrying at its end a visual alarm device 23 (flashing lamp for example). Terminal 1 also contains an audible alarm device, an electronic control circuit and means of electrical supply or connection to such a supply, not visible in the drawing.

The keyboard 16, connected to the electronic circuit, comprises ten keys marked 0, 1, ... 9 which allow each user to dial a digital code with several digits at the address of the electronic circuit, as well as a validation key V and a cancel key A for the code entered on the keyboard.

The two indicators 18 and 19 are also connected to the electronic circuit. The indicator 18 is a green indicator, the lighting of which indicates that the monitoring device is available; the indicator 19 is a red indicator which is lit for the entire duration of use of the device.

The electronic circuit can be a known type of circuit ordinarily used in home surveillance devices. It is designed to trigger the operation of the alarm means if the connecting cable 3 comes to be cut.

When a motorist wishes to use the monitoring device for his vehicle 2 parked nearby, he enters, after verifying that the green light 18 is on, the detector head 4 resting on the support 5 and subjects it to the vehicle. To do this, it lowers the glass 11 and straddles the head 4 thereon, which takes place in the slot 24 formed between the elastic blocks 9; then it raises the glass so that the thin part 6c of the head 4 is pinched between the edge of the glass and the seal 12. The detector head 4 is then firmly secured to the vehicle, and cannot be removed without it break-in once locked the vehicle doors.

The user then dials a secret code of his choice on the keyboard 16 and presses the validation key V. The green light 18 goes out and the red light 19 lights up, which indicates the activation of the surveillance. Consequently, any abnormal event affecting the monitored vehicle is detected by the head 4, which produces a detection signal transmitted via the cable 3 to the electronic control circuit, which triggers the operation of the audible and visual alarm means.

When the motorist wants to repossess his vehicle, he again dials the aforementioned code on the keyboard 16 (in the event of an error, he can start again after pressing the cancel key A), then validates it with using the V key. The red light 19 goes out, the green light comes on and the electronic circuit inhibits the operation of the alarm means. The motorist can then enter his vehicle without the monitoring device reacting; it lowers the window 11 to release the detector member 4 which it replaces on the support 5. As soon as the vehicle leaves, the monitoring device is available to monitor another vehicle.

If it is a question of monitoring vehicles in a car park, a monitoring device 1, 3, 4 as described above is installed near each parking space (Figure 3). The terminals 1 of these devices are electrically connected to a common cable 25 for connection to a central station 26. This comprises a supply device composed of a storage battery 27 and a charger 28 connected to the AC sector by a pair of terminals S and ensuring the charge of the battery 27, which supplies, via two wires 25a, 25b of the cable 25, the DC supply voltage necessary for each monitoring device. A third wire 25c of the cable 25 routes the alarm signal delivered by the electronic circuit of any of the monitoring devices to the central station 26 and applies this signal to the coil of a relay 29, a contact 29a of which then provides the excitation of an audible alarm means 30, while another contact 29b of this relay applies the voltage of the battery 27 to a pair of terminals P in order to trigger the taking of additional measures such as closing of the gate d access to the car park, switching on of its lighting system, automatic dialing of the telephone number of the nearest police station, etc.

The cable 25 comprises a fourth wire 25d which, with the supply wire 25a, forms a loop extending over the entire length of the cable. This loop, connected in series with the coil of a relay 31, a break contact 31a supplies the alarm means 30, ensures the integrity of the cable 25. In the event of sectioning of the latter, the loop 25a-25d is open, the relay 31 is no longer supplied and its contact 31a closes and controls the operation of the alarm means 30.

If one of the vehicles is the object of burglary or theft attempts, the parking manager is immediately notified by the audible alarm means 30 provided in the central station 26. In addition, the alarm means specific to each monitoring device, in particular the flashing light 23, immediately indicate to it which vehicle is the object of malicious maneuvers, so that it can take any appropriate measure to put an end to it. He can then stop the emission of alarm signals by actuating the lock 17 of the corresponding terminal 1 using the special key he has, valid for the locks of all the terminals in the car park. Apart from that, the monitoring devices do not require any intervention from the parking manager.

Claims (10)

1. Surveillance device for parked vehicles, especially cars in a car park, comprising a fixed post (1) disposed in the vicinity of a parking space, a movable detecting head (4) connected to the fixed post (1) by a flexible cable (3) and designed so that it can be fixed temporarily to a vehicle (2) to be monitored so as to detect any malicious acts to which it may be subject, an electronic control circuit triggering the operation of alarm means (23) in response to detection signals emitted by the detecting head (4) or in the event of disconnection of the cable (3) connecting the latter to the said post, and a device with a confidential code (16) for authorising and inhibiting the triggering of the alarm means, characterised in that the detecting head (4) has in its structure two main parts (8, 10) integrally connected by a part (6c) of smaller thickness, so that the detecting head (4) can be fixed in a tamper-proof manner to the vehicle (2) in that it is gripped between a fixed element (12, 13) and a movable element (11) of the vehicle at the said thin part, wherein the operation of this movable element can be rendered impossible, thereby not allowing any unauthorised person to enter into the vehicle without breaking into it, while the two main parts (8, 10) of the detecting head (4) fixed to the vehicle are situated respectively to the exterior and in the interior of the latter, and that the inner part (10) contains at least one detector for surveillance of the vehicle, which is electrically connected to the said alarm means (23) belonging to the surveillance device via the said thin part (6c) and the said cable (3) connected to the outer part (8).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the fixed element is a door frame and the movable element is the door received in this frame.
3. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the fixed element is a window frame (12, 13) and the movable element is a window (11) sliding in this frame.
4. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that the part (6c) of the detecting head (4) of smaller thickness is formed by a deep slot (24) in the latter, allowing the detecting head (4) to be mounted by a forked mortise joint on the edge of the sliding window (11).
5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the opposing faces of the slot (24) are provided with elastic foam.
6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the detecting head (4) comprises at least one ultrasonic, infrared or hyperfrequency volumetric detector, a shock detector or a position-change detector.
7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the device for authorising and inhibiting the triggering of the alarm means is a keyboard (16) mounted on the post (1) and allowing an authorisation code and an inhibition code to be introduced into the electronic control circuit.
8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the post comprises a safety lock (17), the operation of which alone, with the aid of a special key, allows the operation of the alarm means to be stopped once they have been activated.
9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that it is associated with a plurality of similar surveillance devices assigned to other parking spaces and that the posts (1) of all of these devices are electrically connected to an operator station (26) comprising an alarm means (30) common to all of the surveillance devices.
10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the electrical connection of its post (1) and those of the other devices to the operator station (26) is effected by connecting the latter to successive points of a single electric cable (25) comprising a conductive loop (25a, d) which extends over its entire length and the opening of which, disconnecting the cable, is detected by a control device (31).

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