GB2279793A

GB2279793A - Vehicle theft alerting apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2279793A
Application number: GB9313953A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bastian David Gomperts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-07-06
Filing date: 1993-07-06
Publication date: 1995-01-11
Anticipated expiration: 2013-07-06
Also published as: GB9313953D0; GB2279793B

Abstract

The apparatus includes electronic means for establishing unauthorised use of the vehicle including a keypad (1) linked through a control means (2) to inputs (20, 21, 22) linked in turn to means for monitoring use of the vehicle. The control means acts to cause random actuation of the vehicles visible rear lamps in response to the establishment of an unauthorised use. <IMAGE>

Description

THEFT ALERTING APPARATUS This invention relates to a theft alerting apparatus which intends to alert the police, passers by or the like that a vehicle has been stolen thereby acting as an antitheft device.

Theft of motor vehicles, in particular cars, is a common problem and results in considerable waste of police time and expense to consumers. Thus, there are currently available a variety of anti-theft devices varying from car alarms to disabling devices.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple easy and yet effective way of alerting the police, passers by or the like that a vehicle has been stolen.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for alerting the theft of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: electronic means for establishing unauthorised use of the vehicle; and means for causing random actuation of externally visible rear lamps of the vehicle in response to the establishment of unauthorised use of the vehicle.

The apparatus functions on the principle that when unauthorised use of a vehicle occurs, lamps on the vehicle are flashed in a random and hence unusual display unless a specific authorization is given permitting authorised use of the vehicle.

Preferably, the means for establishing unauthorised use of the vehicle comprises control means and a user operable means wherein the control means establishes unauthorised use of the vehicle in the absence of a predetermined user action of the user operable means after starting use of the vehicle.

Conveniently, the control means establishes unauthorised use if said predetermined user action is absent for longer than a predetermined input time interval. In this way, the user is given time to take the predetermined user action, for example when first entering the vehicle.

The means for establishing unauthorised use of the vehicle can comprise a user operable code input means and means for checking the validity of an input code, wherein an invalid input code establishes unauthorised use of the vehicle.

The control means can comprise means to monitor running of the engine as starting use of the vehicle or means to monitor opening of a vehicle door as starting use of the vehicle.

It is preferred that the means for establishing unauthorised use of the vehicle is reset after use of the vehicle has ceased for a reset time. In this way, if say the running of the engine is being monitored, the user is given some time to reestablish the monitored use in the event say of stalling the car.

The control means can conveniently take the form of a microprocessor.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle including apparatus as hereinabove defined wherein at least two of the indicator lamps, brake lamps and reversing lamps are randomly actuated by said random actuation means in response to the establishment of unauthorised use of the vehicle.

In this case, the control means is conveniently a vehicle control means for normally controlling lamps of the vehicle.

An example of the present invention will now be described below with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a theft alerting apparatus embodying the present invention for installation in a car.

Referring to the drawing, a theft alerting apparatus 5 comprises a user operable means in the form of a key pad 1 which is linked by a line 6 to a control unit 2.

The control unit 2 has six outputs 11 to 16 connected to drivers D1 to D6 respectively. The respective drivers are connected to terminals LB (left brake lamp), LI (left indicator lamp), LR (left rear lamp), RR (right rear lamp), RI (right indicator lamp), and RB (right brake lamp). Each driver D1 to D6 comprises a circuit connected to the car power supply so that when a respective terminal 11 to 16 goes HIGH, the power supply is connected to the appropriate terminal LB, LI, LR, RR, RI, and RB by the appropriate driver. The construction of the drivers D1 to D6 will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

The control unit 2 also has inputs 20 to 22 for connection to appropriate functions of.the car that indicate use thereof. In the present embodiment, input 20 is connected to an electronic ignition system so that the input goes HIGH when the ignition is functioning indicating that the engine is running. An EPROM 3 is connected to the control unit 2 via a bus 4. As is known in the art, the EPROM 3 stores program data for the control unit. A RAM 8 is connected to the control unit 2 via a bus 9 for storing changeable security code data. Conveniently, the control unit 2, the EPROM 3, the RAM 8, the drivers D1 to D6, and terminals LB, LI, LR, RR, RI, and RB are provided on a circuit board 7 together with necessary power supply circuitry for providing electrical power to the electronics on the board and power inputs for the drivers D1 to D6.

To install the apparatus 5, circuit board 7 is located at a suitable point in the car, preferably hidden. The terminals LB, LI, LR, RR, RI, and RB are connected to the appropriate lamps by known spade connectors and the necessary power supply connections are made for the drivers D1 to D6 and the other board circuitry. Then, keypad 1 is located in a suitable location for access by the driver of the vehicle and connected via line 6 to the control unit 2.

With authorised use of the car, the engine is initially not running and the input 20 is LOW so that the control unit 2 remains in a monitoring state ready to establish unauthorised or authorised use of the car. When a user wishes to use the car, either they get into the car and enter a security code via the keypad 1 before starting the engine or they start the engine and then'enter a security code via the keypad. If the code is entered before the input 20 goes HIGH, the control unit 2 compares the input code with a preset security code stored in the RAM 8 and the control unit takes no action if the code matches provided that the signal on input 20 goes HIGH (engine running) within say 5 minutes.

Otherwise, the apparatus is reset to the monitoring state. If instead the car is started before entering the code, the input 20 goes HIGH and an input time is allowed during which a correct security code must be entered via keypad 1. The control unit 2 then compares the code with the preset security code stored in the RAM 8 and take no action if the code matches. When the input 20 goes LOW again, the apparatus is reset to the monitoring state after a short reset delay of one minute. This short delay in resetting allows for the driver to accidentally stall the car and simply restart again.

With unauthorised use where the engine is not running or where the car is towed away, the input 20 is LOW so that the control unit 2 remains in a monitoring state. However, as soon as the car is used, unless the correct security code is entered within the input time, the control unit detects that the input code did not match that stored in the RAM 8 and establishes unauthorised use of the car. In this case, the control unit 2 activates drivers D1 to D6 in a random manner so that the lamps connected to terminals LB, LI, LR, RR, RI, and RB are also flashed in a random manner. Although the unauthorised user can drive the car away, the police and passers by would be alerted to the theft because the lamps are flashing in a random and hence unusual manner. With unauthorised use where the engine is already running, as soon as the engine is stopped for longer than the short reset delay, the apparatus is reset to the monitoring state so that with the next use will be established as unauthorised use and the lamps would again be flashed in a random manner.

In an attempt to circumvent the present apparatus, the thief could remove all the bulbs in the lamps. Nevertheless, this is time consuming and would in itself make the theft of the car more obvious. Furthermore, driving the car without any rear lamps would also alert the police or passers by.

The present invention is directed to flashing of the rear lamps because the thief driving the car would be unaware of the flashing. It is preferred that the lamps which are flashed comprise a random combination of the indicator lamps, stop lamps and reverse lamps, although other combinations or patterns can be employed.

The board 7 is preferably hidden at some location within the car rendering it tamper proof. In addition, the line 6 can be protected against physical tampering either by reinforcement or by suitable polling of the keypad 1 for communication breaks in known manner. The keypad 1 can be replaced, for example, by a sensor for picking up a coded signal from a remote control in known manner, by a simple hidden switch or by some other way of checking for authorised use compared with unauthorised use. Whilst only a single input 20 has been used above, it is apparent that the control unit 2 can be arranged to monitor for any of inputs 20 to 22 going HIGH, the inputs being connected for example to a detector circuit for door opening or lighting of an interior lamp, although the aforementioned input time may need alteration. The control unit 2 can comprise a microprocessor.

The embodiment described above concerns a kit to be fitted to existing cars. However, the present invention is ideally applied to a vehicle as it is being assembled. In this case, the control unit 2 can comprise the microprocessor that normally controls the car lamps. Each lamp on a modern car has an address, and it is a simple matter to program the microprocessor to interface with a keypad and, on establishment of unauthorised use of the car, to randomly actuate the lamps at certain addresses as necessary rather than have specific drivers D1 to D6. In this case, it would be extremely difficult for a thief to tamper with the apparatus of the present invention without substantial reprogramming of the microprocessor, even after completion of the theft, since to remove or inactivate the microprocessor would deactivate all the car lamps.

It will be apparent that the present invention can take many forms which will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. In particular, the present invention is not limited to cars.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An apparatus for alerting the theft of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:electronic means for establishing unauthorised use of the vehicle; and means for causing random actuation of externally visible rear lamps of the vehicle in response to the establishment of unauthorised use of the vehicle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the means for establishing unauthorised use of the vehicle comprises control means and a user operable means wherein the control means establishes unauthorised use of the vehicle in the absence of a predetermined user action of the user operable means after starting use of the vehicle.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the control means establishes unauthorised use if said predetermined user action is absent for longer thari a predetermined input time interval.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claims wherein the means for establishing unauthorised use of the vehicle comprises a user operable code input means and means for checking the validity of an input code, wherein an invalid input code establishes unauthorised use of the vehicle.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 4 wherein the control means comprises means to monitor running of the engine as starting use of the vehicle or means to monitor opening of a vehicle door as starting use of the vehicle.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the means for establishing unauthorised use of the vehicle is reset after use of the vehicle has ceased for a reset time.

7. Apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 6 wherein the control means can conveniently takes the form of a microprocessor.

8. Apparatus for alerting the theft of a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. A vehicle including the apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein at least two of the indicator lamps, brake lamps and reversing lamps are randomly actuated by said random actuation means in response to the establishment of unauthorised use of the vehicle.

10. A vehicle as claimed in claim 9 wherein the control means is conveniently a vehicle control means for normally controlling lamps of the vehicle.

11. A vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.