GB2246890A

GB2246890A - Remote controlled security devices

Info

Publication number: GB2246890A
Application number: GB9017412A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Umberto Cardini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-07-25
Filing date: 1990-08-08
Publication date: 1992-02-12
Also published as: GB9017412D0; FR2650420A3; FR2650420B3; IT218519Z2; IT8960928V0

Abstract

A security device comprises a remote control unit and an alarm unit (1) incorporating a circuit part (4) to receive the signals emitted by said remote control unit and decode them and a circuit part (2) to process said decoded signals and effect the security operations, e.g. provide visual and acoustic signals, close locks, raise vehicle door windows, generate a radio alarm signal. The two circuit parts (4, 2) are separate from each other and are inserted into their own respective casings (10, 2A), able to be fixed together, by which said circuit parts (4, 2) become connected together to allow usual operation. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN REMOTE CONTROLLED SECURITY DEVICES This invention relates to a remote controlled security device, such as an antitheft device for motor vehicles or dwellings, a gate opening device or the like.

The increasingly widespread requirement for such security devices has up to the present time been satisfied by manufacturers offering a wide range of alarms comprising a radio control or infrared remote control unit plus a part which incorporates the devices for receiving the signal emitted by said remote control unit, the actual-alarm device and the circuit parts (electrical and/or electronic) connected to them.

For reasons relating to the cost of the overall security device, the usual radio receiver part and the part for decoding the signal emitted by the radio control device are always included on the card which carries the electrical or electronic circuit for the actual alarm. This arrangement is economical but has the drawback of involving a very diversified production of the overall circuit comprising the radio receiver, decoding and alarm parts.

This diversification arises from the fact that the frequency on which radio control units (and the related radio receiver and decoding parts! operate differ from country to country and are regulated in most countries by precise rules.

Thus a producer who operates in various world markets must provide radio control units operating at different frequencies and alarm circuit cards provided with the appropriate radio receiver and decoding parts.

As such parts are permanently connected to the remainder of the antitheft circuit, the producer requires different production lines to manufacture antitheft devices for different countries.

To this must be added the fact that radio control units can assume many forms and many general appearance characteristics, in that they are required to satisfy the different requirements of users and of automobile companies who install an antitheft device on their products directly as they leave their assembly line. As a result of this, the security device producer has to further diversify his production lines.

From the aforegoing it is apparent that said producers cannot satisfy all the functional and aesthetic requirements of the different markets, and at most are able to diversify their antitheft device production in accordance with the requirements of only certain countries, on which to focus their promotional and sales activity.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a security device of the aforesaid type which obviates the drawbacks of the state of the art.

A particular object of the invention is to enable the production lines for such security devices to be unified as far as possible, even if the devices are intended for markets in which the user specifications and requirements are very different.

A further object is to provide an antitheft device which is simple to install and apply, is of low production cost and consequently has a cost to the public which is competitive with if not lower than that of analogous known devices.

According to the present invention there is provided a security device comprising a remote control unit and an alarm unit, the said alarm unit including a circuit part for receiving signals emitted by said remote control unit and decoding the said signals, and a circuit part for processing the decoded signals and effecting security operations, characterised in that the reception and decoding circuit part (4) and the signal processing circuit part (2) are formed separately from each other and are located in their own respective casings (2A, 10), said casings (2A, 10) being adapted for fixing together, whereupon said circuit parts (2, 4) become connected together to allow operation of the alarm unit which controls an alarm or alarms and any accessory functions connected with said alarms.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a security device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a part of the alarm portion of the device of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a schematic section through the alarm portion during its installation.

With reference to said figures, the present device includes an alarm portion 1 having two separate functional parts which can be easily connected together at the moment of use.

A first part 2, known hereafter as the control centre, incorporates the devices for controlling the possible alarms and the ancillary functions used in the known art in association with security systems, and all the interfaces designed to determine the state of the protected item 3 or to perform certain functions on it.

By uay of example, such functions can include switching off a vehicle engine, closing locks and automatically raising the vehicle door windows, operating the acoustic signal, causing the direction indicators or position lamps of said vehicle to flash, and remotely indicating vehicle intrusion by radio transmitter (this latter indication can also be applied to alarm devices for dwellings).

Interface examples also include the connection to the vehicle door, hood and luggage compartment pushbuttons and the connections to the intrusion sensors in the vehicle or duelling.

This first part 2 represents the control centre, to be connected electrically and/or mechanically to the protected item, this connection being done by usual methods and including the usual manual operations required to effect the connection.

A second part 4, known hereafter as the decoding part or decoder, combines all the functions concerned with the reception of the signal emitted by a remote radio control unit (not shown) or a similar member, and its conversion into one or more decoded signals which are then feed to the control centre 2 without further codes related to the transmitter.

The decoder 4 comprises (visible schematically in Figure 3) a usual radio or infrared receiver 5, a known decoder member 6 which "verifies" the transmitted code, and interfaces 7 which feed the decoded commands to the control centre 2 via electrical connections in the simplest form, or as digital signals with codes different from that of the transmitter and fed via conveyed or radio waves in the more complex form.

The components 5, 6 and 7 of the decoder 4 are incorporated into a single circuit 13 on a single card 13A.

In its known form the decoder 4 is an independent part which is fixed to the protected item already electrically connected to the control centre 2. In contrast, in the form according to the present invention the decoder 4, ie the part 4 provided with its own feed lines (not shown), is contained in its own container 10.

This latter is fixed mechanically to the control centre 2 by plugging-in, ly screws or by other means known to the art. For example the container or casing 10 can be connected to said control centre by connectors 11 positioned to plug into corresponding seats 12 in the casing 10. Thus the electrical connections between the electrical and electronic circuit 13 of the part 4 and the circuit 14 of the control centre 2 are advantageously made simultaneously with the mechanical connection, said connectors 11 being used for both.

It should also be noted that projections 20 are provided on the casing of the control centre 2 above the seat 21 into which the decoder 4 is fixed. Said projections 20 prevent separation of the parts 2 and 4 after they have been connected together by the plugin or general fixing means 11.

The advantages over the known art are firstly productive, in that it is no longer necessary to produce alarm devices which differ according to their country of destination. In this respect, the control centre 2 is always the same and only the decoder 4 needs to be replaced as the country of destination or the regulations change.

There is also the advantage of storage economy both for the manufacturer and for the installer as it is no longer necessary to tie up considerable capital by carrying a stock comprising all the different radio controlled and infrared versions, and instead it is sufficient to carry separate stocks of control centres 2 and radio or infrared decoders 4.

The commercial advantage of this is also apparent, in that at low cost to himself the manufacturer is able to offer a whole range of remote control units which differ: A) in appearance by being coloured in bright or fashionable colours for the young person, in black or sober colours for the elderly, of small size for ladies or of large size or the large-fingered person; B) in terms of cost and available functions: by offering both a low-cost single-button single-code radio-control unit for the practical person with few requirements, and a multifunctional computerized infrared remote control unlit, and every other intermediate type of variable or non-variable code control unit;C) in terms of transmitting range in that some customers require a long range whereas others prefer a short range, and in the case of a dvelling infrared is preferred for security whereas radio control is preferred for comfort With the present invention all this can be achieved by simply preparing the transmitter and relative decoder 4 without altering the programming of the production line for the control centre 2, which can be produced in large quantity to profit from economy of scale.

At the moment of sale the customer chooses the remote control unit which he prefers, ie radio or infrared, single or multiple pushbutton, coloured or black, or large or small.

On installation, the installer connects the decoder 4 and control centre 2 together electrically and mechanically, after which he locks them together permanently and the system becomes operative.

In the case of antitheft devices for dwellings, the dimensions being such as to allow the two parts to be fitted together within the control centre, which is usually of large size, the decoder part can be without a cover and its circuit 13 can be exposed.

In this case, suitable commercially available card guides and the card electrical connectors can be used for connecting the two parts together.

In some cases the decoder may include certain particularly simpleto-make connections which differ from country to country, a typical example of which are the connections required for the visual signals, ie direction indicators, position lights or supplementary lights for pleasure boats. These connections can also be used for supplementary acoustic signals required to know whether the security device is switched on or off, or whether a gate is about to open or close.

In other cases, such as radio-controlled alarms for duellings (or buildings in general), it is advantageous to insert into the decoder a known supplementary radio transmitter to remotely transmit information regarding the state of the alarm. The radio control units for opening or closing door locks are in a similar situation.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A security device comprising a remote control unit and an alarm unit, the said alarm unit including a circuit part for receiving signals emitted by said remote control unit and decoding the said signals, and a circuit part for processing the decoded signals and effecting security operations, characterised in that the reception and decoding circuit part (4) and the signal processing circuit part (2) are formed separately from each other and are located in their own respective casings (2A, 10), said casings (2A, 10) being adapted for fixing together, whereupon said circuit parts (2, 4) become connected together to allow operation of the alarm unit which controls an alarm or alarms and any accessory functions connected with said alarms.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, charactersed in that the casing (10) for the receiving and decoding circuit part (4) is fixed by plugging-in, by screws or by other known means to the casing (2A) for the signal processing circuit part (2).

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that connectors (11) extend from the casing (2A) for the signal processing circuit part (2) for plugging into corresponding seats (12) provided in the casing (10) containing the signal receiving and decoding circuit part (4).

4. A device as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the connectors (11) electrically connect a circuit (13) of the signal receiving and decoding part (4) to a circuit (14) of the signal processing part (2).

5. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterised by electrical connectors arranged in such a manner as to automatically make an electrical connection simultaneously with the mechanical fixing operation.

6. A device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised by mechanical retention members (20) which prevent separation of the two circuit parts (2, 4) after they have been joined together.

7. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the casing (2A) for the circuit part (2) for processing the decoded signals and the security services is the only one to be electrically connected to the protected item.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the circuit part (4) for receiving and decoding the signal from the remote control unit is provided with its own power lines.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the circuit part (4) for receiving and decoding the signal from the remote control unit is provided with its own connections for visual and/or acoustic signals.

10. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the circuit part (4) for receiving and decoding the signal from the remote control unit is located within the circuit part (2) processing the decoded signals.

11. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the circuit part (4) for receiving and decoding the signals emitted by the remote control unit is provided on a single card (13A), said card (13A) being connected electrically and mechanically to the part which processes the decoded signals.

12. A device as claimed in any one the preceding claims, characterised by being provided with a coded ratio transmitter for remotely transmitting a signal denoting reception and indicating the state of the security system.

13. A device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the security operations effected by the signal processing circuit part (2) are such as to provide visual and/or acoustic signals, close windows and doors of a vehicle, generate a radio alarm signal and similar operations.

14. A security device constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.