GB2350151A

GB2350151A - Security device which destroys elecrical equipment in the event of theft

Info

Publication number: GB2350151A
Application number: GB9905060A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Samantha Jane Gore-Lyons
Original assignee: GORE ADAM PETER; GORE JAMES JUSTIN; GORE LYONS SAMANTHA JANE
Current assignee: GORE ADAM PETER; GORE JAMES JUSTIN; GORE LYONS SAMANTHA JANE
Priority date: 1999-03-05
Filing date: 1999-03-05
Publication date: 2000-11-22
Also published as: GB9905060D0

Abstract

The device may comprise a sequence of an oscillator, a transformer and electrolytic capacitor, activated by remote control 3,4: the destructive means can be fitted to existing electrical equipment and is inactive during the fitting process, and is then activated but remains dormant until external sensors 5 detect attempted interference, whereupon the device 6 acts to destroy components of the equipment to render it unsaleable. Battery back - up 2 is provided to maintain security in the event of mains failure or interruption. Visible evidence of the existence of the device is provided, e.g. by a blue LED or a visual warning on a car, house window, or casing of the equipment, e.g. a radio, television, VCR computer, hi-fi, microwave oven or mobile phone.

Description

1 2350151 A security device

Technicalfield

THIS INVENTION concerns security devices, particularly, though not exclusively, for electrical equipment such as vehicle radios, Hi-fi, computers, VCRs, television sets, microwave ovens and mobile telephones. The security arrangement includes a destructive element that has a protective effect as a function of the strongly branded warning on the point of entry to the unauthorised user e.g. the car or house window or on the equipment casing or housing. The expected result is that the fitting of the security device with its destructive element and the clear forewarning of its presence will be a strong deterrent to any unauthorised twnpering or intended removal of the equipment.

Description of the Background art.

In prior art there are a number of devices which employ destructive means as a theft deterrent however they appear orientated towards use in the military, high security or civil service industries. The proposed security device win be easily fitted, economical, reliable, controllable and practical for fitting to any household item and will be particularly useful in tackling the huge economic drain of the theft of small, easily disposable electrical items by eliminating the resale. Once the equipment is moved, removed or tampered with by an unauthorised user it will be totally useless. This will totally eliminate the demand for the equipment by the handler or buyer of stolen goods and by virtue of the fact that a thief will be unable to sell the equipment, so he will not attempt to remove it if he is clearly and effectively warned of its presence before he removes the equipment.

Many car stereos and videos systems have sophisticated security coding techniques but due to the fact they are m no way linked to a warning system they are not an efficient deterrent to the thief. The handler will not be deterred either. It is only when the equipment reaches the buyer that he will be able to recognise that the product is useless. The proposed security device offers a number of technological and functional innovations which in combination with the warning systems, such as window stickers, casings, protective shields and distinctive blue LEDs will effectively deter any thief.

Description

The security device comprises of destructive means connected to any electrical equipment and operational components thereof, said destructive means being adapted so that upon unauthorised tampering or use of the equipment it will be rendered inoperable.

2 The security device and aforementioned destructive means render the equipment inoperable using the method of high current discharge on to one or more sensitive and critical components within the equipment. The general technique of using high voltage has been. documented in the prior art, however the destructive means within the proposed security device are an innovative sequence of an oscillator, a transformer and an electrolytic capacitor which is separated from the host equipment by a point of high impedance. This will ensure that the there is no interference with the normal working of the equipment or hampering of the quality of efficiency until its attempted unauthorised removal.

The security device will normally be fitted outside the equipment in contrast to the prior art. This has the advantage that the equipment guarantees are not infringed and so the retro- fitting of the device is attractive even for new equipment. Because of the stability, reliability and controllability of the discharge it will be directed to a specific target and due to the fact that the security device can remain outside the equipment housing the destruction can be predicted and limited.

The sensors for detecting the removal of the equipment will be variable according to the site and type of electrical equipment. It will be possible to link a series of devices and corresponding sensors to the household, alarm system. and so there is no danger of. erroneous triggering until the household is uninhabited by authorised users/removers of the equipment. The destructive means will only be capable of being activated when the household alarm is armed.

The security device will be completely inert until it is correctly fitted to the host electrical equipment and in situ. This ensures there will be no risk of shock or damage during fitting. Once fitted the device will be activated by remote control but will remain latent until unauthorised removal of the equipment.

The essentiality to deactivated the device will vary but it will be possible by remote control or disarming the household alarm system. Once the device is fitted to a car stereo system there will be no need to deactivate the security device until such time as, for example, a repair is necessary.

The destructive means of the security device is controlled by software that is armed and disarmed by remote control. The incorporated software is programmed to learn one code only within its functioning life span. When coding is attempted to be broken, after a predetermined number of attempts the device will shut down for a pre-set length of time, if a second attempt is made, the amount of shut down time will double, and so on..

Due to the fact that the product will be set by remote control only once in its life span there will be no opportunity for scanning and solving the code during operational everyday use unlike, for example, remote control car alarms which can be scanned from a distance and once learned can be used to aid the theft of a vehicle.

3 The device's coding will have no need of a power source to retain its non volatile memory. During its latent state the device has very little current drain. However, power is needed to activate the destructive means of the device.

Normally the device will be attached to the primary power source of the equipment but in addition there will be a battery back up to protect against any earnest attempts of unauthorised removal. Thus creating an uninterruptable power source which ensures that down powering the equipment for a significant length of time will not give the opportunity of its easy removal.

Because the device needs only microamps to run in its latent state the battery back up will endure for several weeks without the primary power source. This would be a distinct advantage if, for example, a car battery was disconnected for the duration of a summer holiday. The car stereo would still be protected.

The security device's destructive means is a sequence of an oscillator, a transformer and an electrolytic capacitor. Alternative destructive elements of the device may be a piezoelectric crystal, a heat emitting device or a light emitting device.

At the joining point between the security device and the host electrical equipment there is such a high impedance that the said device is totally isolated from the host equipment until such time that there is unauthorised movement or removal of the appliance. Thus ensuring that there is no hampering or interference with the functioning and every day use of the aforementioned equipment.

The security device will be manufactured as a printed circuit board using surface mounted devices. This will ensure that it will be a small enough size to be easily manufactured in large quantities and easily fitted, by either a trained fitter or the consumer.

The device may be set into a specifically designed frame to ensure it can not be separated from the host equipment before it has completed its destructive fanction. The equipment will be clearly marked and branded as a strong deterrent using such features as a protective and shielding cover for, e.g. a car stereo that disguises the equipment revealing only that there is a security device fitted. Also being fitted is a distinctive blue light emitting diode which gives a strong warning to a potential thief that the device is fitted and his attempts to remove the equipment are futile and will go unrewarded.

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Claims

1. The application relates to a security device for electrical equipment. The said security device is effective through a destructive principle that is known and documented in the prior art but the aforementioned device is novel in its features, benefits and technology.

2. The security device according to claim 1 has been developed as a deterrent not as a protective feature. At the time of fitting the host equipment will be clearly modified in some way that it is immediately obvious to a potential thief or handler of stolen goods that the device has been fitted.

3. The security device according to claim 2 wherein the means of warning that the said device is fitted will be a distinctive blue LED or sequence of blue LEDs that may be linked directly to the security device or via some other point, for example, a car ignition.

4. The security device according to claim 2 wherein the additional means of warning that it is fitted will be a sticker marked with trademarked logo and/ or a protective distinctively marked shield.

5. The security device according to claim I consolidates a series of inventive steps that are not obvious and incorporates most recent technology and software design that has been developed specifically for use as a means of controlling the activation and deactivation of the destructive means.

6. The security device according to claim 2, as a function of the controlling software, is inactive throughout the fitting process so as to avert any destructive capacity until such time that the device is firmly and safely in place.

7. A security device according to any preceding claim including remote control means to activate the destructive means.

8. A security device according to any preceding claim including remote control means to deactivate or otherwise control the destructive means.

9. A security device according to any preceding claim in which the destructive means may be simply and reliably deactivated, thereby the said device, once fitted, will not hinder authorised removal or repair to the equipment.

10. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein the sensor for detecting the removal of the equipment win be variable according to the site and type of electrical equipment. It will be possible to link a series of devices and corresponding sensors to the household alarm system. The destructive means will probably only be capable of being activated when the household alarm is armed to ensure there will be no destruction as a result of authorised movement.

11. A security device according to any preceding claim that is coded at the time of fitting. The incorporated software is programmed to learn one code only. When coding is attempted to be broken, after a predetermined number of attempts the device will shut down for a given amount of time, if a second attempt is made, the amount of shut-out time will double. This method of deterrent will continue to run until the correct code is inputted.

12. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein the said destructive means are a sequence/ series of an oscillator, a transformer and an electrolytic capacitor.

13. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein components are arranged so that at the jommg point between the device and the electrical equipment there is such a high impedance that the said device is in effect totally isolated from the host equipment until such time that there is unauthorised movement or removal of the appliance. Thus ensuring that there is no hampering, impediment or interference with the normal functioning and every day use of the aforementioned equipment.

13. A security device according to any preceding claim that will be fitted with a primary power source allied to that of the host equipment but which will have additional battery back up to protect against any earnest attempts at unauthorised removal of the aforementioned equipment. Thus creating an uninteruptable power source which ensures that there is no opportunity to down power the equipment and subsequently easily remove it.

14. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein the said device's coding will have no need of a power source to retain its non volatile memory.

15. A security device according to any preceding claim that has a tiny current drain as a function of its latent state until such time that there is any attempt at unauthorised removal.

16. A security device according to any preceding claim wherein the destructive device is Piezo Electric Crystal.

Alternatively a heat emitting device or a light emitting device may be the destructive means.

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17. A security device according to any preceding claim that will be easily fitted to external port or attached to wiring outside and so no great interference with equipment or hampering of its normal use.

18. The security device will be manufactured as a printed circuit board using surface mounted devices. This will ensure that it will be a small enough size to be easily manufactured in large quantities and easily fitted, by either a trained fitter or the consumer.