GB2402533A

GB2402533A - Vehicle number plate indicating vehicle theft

Info

Publication number: GB2402533A
Application number: GB0411967A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Colin Holmes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-06-07
Filing date: 2004-05-28
Publication date: 2004-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 2024-05-28
Also published as: GB0411967D0; GB2402533B

Abstract

A visual indication is provided on a vehicle licence plate 2 indicating that the vehicle is being or has been stolen by altering the appearance of the licence plate. Upon detection of vehicle theft (or damage, tampering etc.) by a convention car alarm system the alphanumeric indicia 2a on the number plate 2 are obliterated by changing the background colour 2b of the plate to match that of the alphanumeric indicia 2a. The numbers and letter may not be completely obscured so that the registration details remain recognisable. The colour change is effected by the thermal material or LCD from which the plate is constructed. The indication may alternatively or additionally include a flashing light on the plate.

Description

1 2402533

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO VEIIICLES

This invention relates to improvements in or relating to vehicles and is more particularly concerned with vehicle security.

The theft of vehicles is a well-known problem, and many proposals have been made to deter or prevent such theft taking place. Additionally, proposals have been made giving a visual indication on a vehicle that it has been stolen. However, such proposals have generally involved an electronic licence plate set up to receive information signals from a remote station that the vehicle has been stolen. On receipt of such information, status display mechanisms are able to display the fact that the vehicle has been stolen on the licence plate. A further problem is that often licence plates are removed from a stolen vehicle and utilised on another vehicle. In order to prevent this it is known for licence plate disabling mechanisms to be provided, whereby the removal of the housing of the licence plate from the vehicle will disable the memory chip and prevent future use of the electronic licence plate. Such proposals may work satisfactorily to indicate that a vehicle has been stolen, once this information has been received from a remote station, but this tends to be disadvantageous in that the vehicle may be stolen and driven around for some time before it is reported as being stolen and before a signal can be sent out from the remote station to the licence plate to provide a visual indication on the vehicle that it has been stolen. Furthermore, the design of the electronic licence plate itself may be more complex than need necessarily be the case and thus may be more expensive than need be.

It is an object of the present invention to at least alleviate the aforementioned, or other, problem or disadvantage associated with visual indications on vehicles that the vehicle and/or licence plate has been stolen.

According to the present invention there is provided a visual indication warning apparatus for a vehicle to provide a substantially immediate indication on the front and/or rear licence plate of the vehicle, that said vehicle has been or is in the process of being stolen.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a licence plate for a vehicle, said licence plate having visual indication warning means co-operable with sensing or alarm means on the vehicle to indicate substantially immediately that a vehicle has been stolen or is in the process of being stolen.

Preferably, the visual indication warning apparatus may serve a dual purpose and act to render the licence plate or plates unusable in the future. It is believed to be desirable to render the licence plate or plates unusable in the event of theft or an attempted theft of the vehicle in order to prevent the thief from reusing the number plate/e on another vehicle, which is a common occurrence.

Preferably, the visual indication apparatus will be set up to provide a clear indication that there is a serious problem with the vehicle, such as by the complete or partial obliteration of the licence plate number itself. Of course, the visual indication apparatus could, for example, have a red flashing light on the licence plate, but this may not possibly be a clear indication of a serious problem with the vehicle.

However, it is believed that where alphanumeric indicia of the licence plate is of one colour (for example black) and the background of the licence plate is changed completely or partially to the same background colour (for example black) to partially or completely obliterate the alphanumeric indicia, the resulting appearance of the licence plate would provide a much clearer warning to an observer that there is a serious problem.

Once again, the colour black in itself tends to be a foreboding colour and would perhaps make more of an impact to an observer than, for example, a flashing red or yellow light, which could simply indicate that the vehicle was rushing to an emergency in a similar manner to e.g. an ambulance.

Whilst it is believed to be advantageous to substantially obliterate the alphanumeric indicia by changing the background colour of the licence plate to the colour of the alphanumeric indicia, in some circumstances it may be advantageous for the alphanumeric indicia to be recognisable (although obviously distorted or partially obscured) for example by a police officer who may wish to report the number of the vehicle once he perceives that is has been stolen, by viewing the warning displayed on the licence platers.

The visual indication warning apparatus may be arranged to be activated by any particular act of violation on the vehicle. For example, the visual indication apparatus may be operatively connected to door sensors and/or ignition sensors and/or pressure sensors andlor window sensors and/or motion and tilt sensors or any other sensing means on the vehicle arranged, to detect that a violation of the vehicle, of some sort, is taking place and that theft is likely. Conversely, the visual indication warning apparatus may only be activated on theft of the vehicle, i.e. once the vehicle engine is started or e.g. if the car is moved or driven.

It is possible that the visual indication apparatus is connected or connectable to an existing car alarm system of the vehicle. Additionally, it is possible that the visual indication apparatus is arranged so that one or more functions of the car alarm system is/are disabled once the visual indication apparatus is activated. For example, in order that the thief is not alerted to the fact that the alarm system of the car has been initiated to activate the visual indication warning apparatus, an audible alarm warning of the car alarm system may be deactivated and/or delayed.

Once again, it is possible that the visual indication apparatus may be activated after a suitable very short time delay after the vehicle is broken into (for example to allow the thief time to access the vehicle and begin to drive away). In this way, it may be that the thief will believe that he is driving the vehicle away undetected, because the visual indication warning apparatus has only been activated once the car is driven away, so as not to inform the thief that the theft of the vehicle has in fact been detected. In this manner, it may be that there is an increased likelihood of apprehending the thief.

Preferably, the visual indication warning apparatus is activated if the licence plate or housing thereof is removed or attempted to be removed from the vehicle. In this scenario, it is envisaged that the visual indication warning apparatus will act to render the licence plate being tampered with unusable for reasons already mentioned.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the visual indication warning apparatus comprises a thermal medium such as a thermal paper arranged, in use, to represent the background colour for alphanumeric indicia of the licence plate. The thermal medium may be arranged to change colour in response to heat provided by an electrical current signal initiated by one or more sensing means sensing that the vehicle is being violated or in the process of being stolen. The thermal medium may be mounted on an aluminium back-plate or other heat conducting material electrically connected into an alarm warning system of the vehicle.

Where the visual indication apparatus is arranged to render the vehicle licence plate Unusable, a back-up power source such as a battery may be provided which is connected to the aluminium back-up plate whilst the licence plate is attached to the vehicle so that, once the licence plate is removed, the connection to the back-up power source is severed and the resulting change in temperatwe of the aluminium plate will affect the thermal medium, changing the colow completely or partially to

the background colow of the licence plate.

In an alternative embodiment, the visual indication apparatus includes an electrically sensitive medium, such as a crystal display, incorporated as the background for alphanumeric indicia. It is envisaged in such a scenario that the visual indication warning apparatus when activated will provide an electrical signal to said electrically sensitive medium in order to change the apparent colour of same (for example to a dark or black colour) effectively by blocking the transmission of light through the display, for example, in a similar manner to the way in which a liquid crystal display Further according to the present invention there is provided a method of indicating that a vehicle has been stolen, said method comprising providing a visual warning on a licence plate of the vehicle that the vehicle has been or is being stolen, and generating a visual warning signal to the licence plate from an alarm system on the vehicle.

Many other advantageous features of the present invention will be apparent from the

following description and drawings.

An embodiment of visual indication warning apparatus on a vehicle to indicate when a vehicle is being stolen, will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying much simplified, schematic drawings in which: FIGURE 1 illustrates a vehicle equipped with the visual indication warning apparatus connected to a warning alarm system of the vehicle, and FIGURE 2 shows component parts of the visual indication apparatus in the form of a vehicle licence plate.

Referring to the FIGURES of the drawings, a car 1 has a front, generally rectangular vehicle licence plate 2 connected via electrical connection line 3 to a main computer or processor 4 of a known car alarm system. The licence plate 2 is mounted to a licence plate support area S in generally known manner.

The car alarm system may be an existing or purpose made system that, in this embodiment, includes mercury tilt/shock sensors 5, 6 and 7, shown positioned at the front of the vehicle on the driver and passenger sides, and at the rear passenger side of the vehicle. Sensor 5 is connected to the computer or processor 4 via line 8 and sensors 6 and 7 are connected to the computer or processor 4 via line 9 or lines 9 and 10. Door sensor 11 near door handle 12 is connected to the computer or processor 4 via line 13 and the interior light 14 of the vehicle is connected to the computer or processor 4 via line 15. Headlights 16 and 17 are connected to the computer or processor 4 via line 18. Keycode receiver 19 is connected to the computer or processor 4 via line 20. Hom 21 is connected to the computer or processor via line 22. The car alarm system as shown also includes an interior pressure sensor 23 connected to the computer or processor 4 via line 24. The computer or processor may be powered by the main battery of the car (not shown) and an additional back-up power source (not shown) may also be provided for the computer or processor 4 of the car alarm system.

Vehicle intruder alarm systems which include a variety of sensors such as shock sensors 5, interior pressure sensors 23, and door sensors 11 are well known and may be arranged to convey or interrupt a signal to the main computer or processor 4 on sensing a violation of the vehicle in order to trigger an alarm. The alarm triggered may be the sounding of the horn 21 and/or flashing of the headlights 16 and 17. The alarm system may be activated or disabled via the keycode receiver 19 responsive to a radio wave signal emitted from a transmitter on a portable key chain. In this way, power door locks, for example, can be opened before the interior of the car can be accessed. Thus, the keycode receiver is responsive to a particular pulse modulated signal from the key chain transmitter and if the vehicle is accessed without using same or without using the key the alarm system is activated. The car alarm system is set up to utilise the known mechanism that controls the interior light 14. When the mechanism is closed (i.e. the door is closed) a small spring- activated button or lever (not shown) is pressed in to open the circuit. As the door is opened the button or lever is able to spring out, close the circuit, and switch on the interior light. With additional wiring in place, opening the door sends a current signal to the computer 4 (in addition to the interior light 4) to sound the alarm.

In accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, licence plate 2 is arranged to provide a visual indication that the vehicle has been stolen or is in the process of being stolen or violated.

As should be evident from FIGURE 1, the vehicle registration plate is connected via connector block 25 to line 3 which is connected to the computer or processor 4. Thus the visual indication warning apparatus is set up to respond directly to a signal delivered to the computer or processor 4 by any of the sensors 5, 6, 7, 11, 23 that would normally cause the horn 21 to sound and/or the headlights 16 and 17 to flash.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the licence plate 2 includes dark or black alphanumeric indicia 2a printed on a thermal medium 2b in the form of coloured thermal paper.

The colour of the alphanumeric indicia may be varied to suit particular state/country requirements. The colour of the thermal paper may be white for the front licence plate 2 as is usual for the background cover of a front licence plate.

Although not shown in FIGURE 1, visual indication apparatus may also be provided on the vehicle on the rear licence plate, in which case, the appropriate background colour for the thermal paper may be yellow.

The licence plate 2 includes an aluminium back plate 2c (or plate of other appropriate conductive material) connected via connection lines 2d and 2e to connect on block 25.

The registration plate 2 includes a transparent cover plate 2f that may be of perspex with lower panel 2g including an identification of the company supplying the licence plate etched in known manner.

The front licence plate 2 is connected to the computer or processor 4 in such manner that the aluminium back plate 2c will receive an electrical signal via line 3 and connection lines 2d and 2e from the computer or processor 4 if the vehicle is broken into or violated. The electrical signal thus generated will heat up the back plate 2c and hence the thermal paper 2b in contact with said plate in order to change the background colour of the thermal paper 2b to the same colour as the alphanumeric indicia 2b (i.e. a dark or black colour).

In this way, if the vehicle 1 is in the process of being stolen or violated, an immediate visual indication of same will be provided on the vehicle by the number appearing on the front and/or licence plate being substantially obliterated. Thus, the aluminium back plate will be powered via the connection block 25 and the licence plate 2 rendered unusable in the event of a theft of the vehicle, by the permanent discolouration of the background colour of the thermal paper 2b.

Additionally, the licence plate 2 is arranged on the vehicle I such that removal of the licence plate will automatically heat up the aluminium back plate 2c, thereby once again activating the background colour of the thermal paper 2b to change to substantially the same colour as the alphanumeric indicia 2a, rendering the licence plate unusable once again. To this end, the aluminium back plate 2c is connected to a separate battery or power source 26 activated on removal of the licence plate.

Additionally, the arrangement may be such that the normal audible alarm (sounding of the horn 21) and/or visual alarm (flashing of the headlights 16 and 17) is disabled in favour of the activation of the visual indication warning means on the vehicle licence plate or plates.

In this way, the thief may not in fact be alerted to the fact that a warning alarm has been triggered at all, which may increase the chances of apprehension of the thief.

Additionally or alternatively, the visual indication means on the licence plate 2 may be operatively connected to the ignition system of the vehicle and may possibly only be activated when the vehicle is driven away by the thief.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention (not shown) the thermal medium 2b may be replaced by an alternative electrically responsive medium, such as a liquid crystal display. The liquid crystal display may be arranged to be responsive to an input signal from the computer or processor 4 on detection of theft of the vehicle to substantially obliterate or partially obliterate or obscure the alphanumeric indicia present on the display. Thus, the electrically sensitive display may be arranged to operate, for example, in the manner of a calculator display, substantially blocking light to create a dark or black colour to the background of the display on the appropriate electrical energising signal.

Once again, the electrically sensitive medium may be arranged to be responsive to the licence plate being removed from the vehicle to obliterate or partially obliterate or obscure the alphanumeric indicia.

Advantageously, the visual indication warning means is responsive directly to alarm or sensing means on the vehicle to indicate that the vehicle has been stolen rather than, for example, being responsive to a signal generated from a remote station (once the vehicle has already been reported as stolen).

In another embodiment (not shown) a signal (e.g. radio signal) may also be sent from the alarm system or means on the licence plate to a remote receiving station that the vehicle has been stolen. This may enable the vehicle to be 'tracked' by indicating the position of the vehicle in a manner which is generally known per se.

Even so, although not shown, in accordance with the present invention it is possible that a vehicle licence plate is provided in which the alphanumeric indicia are obliterated or at least partially obscured to indicate that the vehicle has been or is being stolen in response to an alarm signal (which signal could in fact be from a remote location rather than directly from the vehicle). As a failsafe, the licence plate could be set up to respond to a signal from an alarm system of the vehicle itself in addition to a signal from a remote location.

It is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not to be unduly limited by the particular choice of terminology and that a specific term may be replaced or supplemented by an equivalent or generic term. For example, the term licence plate' could be replaced 'licence or registration or number display'. Further it is to be understood that individual features, method or functions relating to the visual indicator warning apparatus might be individually patentably inventive. The singular may include the plural and vice versa. Additionally, any range mentioned herein for any parameter or variable shall be taken to include a disclosure of any derivable sub-range within that range or of any particular value of the variable or parameter arranged within, or at an end of, the range or sub-range.

Claims

1. A visual indication warning apparatus for a vehicle to provide, in use, a substantially immediate indication on at least one licence plate of the vehicle that said vehicle has been or is in the process of being stolen.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 which is adapted to render said at least one licence plate unusable in the event of theft or attempted theft of the vehicle.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim I or Claim 2 adapted to provide the complete or partial obliteration of alphanumeric indicia on said at least one licence plate.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 in which the alphanumeric indicia of said licence plate is of one colour and the background of the licence plate is changeable completely or partially to the colour of the alphanumeric indcia to partially or completely obliterate the alphanumeric indicia.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 in which the colour of the alphanumeric indicia Is black.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 5 in which alphanumeric indicia of said licence plate is recognisable after said apparatus provides an indication that said vehicle has been or is in the process of being stolen. r

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which has a coloured flashing light on Me licence plate.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims arranged to be activated by an act of violation on the vehicle other than theft or attempted theft.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 which is operatively connected, in use, to vehicle door sensors and/or ignition sensors and/or pressure sensors and/or window sensors andfor Motion and tilt sensors.

10. Apparatus as clamed in any one of the preceding claims activatable on theft of the vehicle once the vehicle engine is started or if the car is moved or driven.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims which is connected or connectable to an existing vehicle alarm system of the vehicle.

12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 in which one or more functions of the vehicle alarm system isfare disabled once the visual indication apparatus is activated.

13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 adapted, in use, to deactivate or delay an audible alarm warning of the vehicle alarm system.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims arranged, in use, to be activated in a short time delay (e.g. one minute or the like) after the vehicle has been stolen.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims which can be activated if said at least one licence plate or housing thereof is removed or attempted to be removed from the vehicle.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims comprising a thermal medium arranged, in use, to represent the background calour for alphanumeric indicia of said at least one licence plate.

17. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 16 in which the thermal medium is arranged to change colour in response to heat provided by an electrical current signal initiated by one or more sensing means sensing that the vehicle is being violated and/or in the process of being stolen.

18. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 16 or Claim 17 in which the thermal medium is mounted on an aluminium back-plate or other heat conducting material electrically connected or connectable into an alarm warning system of the vehicle.

19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 or any Claim dependent therefrom having a back-up power source.

20. Apparatus as claimed in Claim]9 when dependent from Claim 18 in which the kac.k-up power source is a battery connected to the ah!rm:nim, backup plate whilst the licence plate is attached to the vehicle.

21. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims having an electrically sensitive medium, such as a crystal display, incorporated as the background for alphanumeric indicia.

22. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 21 adapted to provide an electrical signal to said electrically sensitive mewing in order to change the apparent colour of same (for example to a dark or black colour) effectively by blocking the transmission of light through the display.

23. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims which is responsive, in use, directly to alarm or sensing means on the vehicle.

24. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which a signal can be sent therefrom to a remote receiving station.

25. Apparatus as Claimed in any one of the preceding Claims substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings

26. A licence plate for a vehicle, said licence plate having visual indication warning means operable, in use, with sensing or alarm means on the vehicle to indicate substantially immediately that a vehicle has been stolen or is in the process of being stolen.

27. A licence plate as claimed in Claim 23 and substantially as herein described with reference to FIGURE] and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

28. A method of indicating that a vehicle has been stolen or is in the process of being stolen, said method comprising providing a visual warning on at least one licence plate of the vehicle that the vehicle has been or is being Solon, and gyrating a visual warning signal to said licence plate from an alarm system on the vehicle.

29. A method as claimed in Claim 28 and substantially as described.

30. A vehicle licence plate in which alphanumeric indicia are obliterated or at least partially obscured to indicate that the vehicle has been stolen or is being stolen, in response to an alarm sol.

31. A plate as claimed in Claim 30 in which the signal is from a remote location rather than directly from the vehicle.

32. A plate as claimed in Claim 30 or Claim 31 in which the licence plate can be set up respond to a spinal from an alann system of Me vehicle itself

33. A vehicle having a visual indication warning apparatus as claimed in any one of (: laims I to 25 or a lieence plate as claimed in any one of Claims to 27 or Claims 30to32.