WO2009010065A2

WO2009010065A2 - Tracking unit

Info

Publication number: WO2009010065A2
Application number: PCT/DK2008/000271
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christoffer Tellefsen
Original assignee: Ct Tracking Systems Aps
Priority date: 2007-07-19
Filing date: 2008-07-17
Publication date: 2009-01-22
Also published as: WO2009010065A3

Abstract

The present invention concerns a tracking unit, such as a transmitter for mounting in connection with an object, preferably a frame or a handlebar for a bicycle, a motorcycle or a moped, where the tracking unit communicates with a central positioning system, and a mounting tool for use in connection with mounting such a tracking unit. Such a tracking unit may be adapted for invisible mounting on or in a body, e.g. in a frame under the saddle or in a handlebar, where the tracking unit is encapsulated in a tamper-free enclosure.

Description

Tracking Unit

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a tracking unit with a transmitter for mounting in connection with an object, e.g. in a frame or a handlebar for a bicycle, a motorcycle or a moped, where the tracking unit communicates with a central positioning system, where the tracking unit is preferably adapted for invisible mounting on or in a body, e.g. in a frame or a handlebar, where the tracking unit is encapsulated in a tamper-free enclosure, and a mounting tool for use in connection with mounting such a tracking unit.

Background of the Invention

It is commonly known to equip expensive machines, such as contractor's machines and cars, with a GPS (Global Positioning System) transmitter such that it is possible to recover them if they should disappear by theft. Mounting of such a GPS transmitter is often in the interest of insurance companies, as hereby is achieved an appreciably greater chance of retrieving the stolen objects and thereby avoid paying compensation.

Such a GPS transmitter on contractor's machines and in cars may be hidden at numerous locations, which obviously is an advantage since then thieves cannot just dismount or sabotage a GPS transmitter and thereby prevent giving themselves away. It is therefore a necessity that a GPS transmitter is mounted at a location where it is not readily found and where it is inaccessible. A GPS transmitter in cars and contractor's machines may be supplied with power from the vehicle and from a built- in battery if the supply from the vehicle itself is disconnected. Thus it is possible to achieve long time operation of such a transmitter.

By applying such equipment on machines or other equipment where a permanent power source is not present, the equipment may thus only have a working time corresponding to the working time of a built-in battery. Moreover, it is not easy to mount a GPS transmitter on many machines or other equipment such that it is concealed and protected against tampering. Object of the Invention

It is the object of the invention to indicate a solution to a sabotage-proof or tamper- proof tracking unit and a mounting method for secure and hidden mounting of the tracking unit wherein the tracking unit can be used for many different types of objects.

Description of the Invention

As mentioned in the introduction, the invention concerns a tracking unit, such as a transmitter, which can be adapted for non-visible mounting on or in a body, e.g. in a furniture frame, in a bicycle frame under the saddle or in a handlebar, where the tracking unit is encapsulated in a tamper-proof enclosure. The transmitter and receiver system may be based on various systems and combinations thereof. For example, systems like GPS, GSM and wireless WAN can be mentioned.

A tracking unit according to the invention is particularly suited for mounting in e.g. a bicycle frame or in a bicycle handlebar. By a car or a contractor's machine it is a problem to retrieve a bicycle, moped or motorcycle if it has been stolen. Bicycles, for example, are often stolen because a thief has a pressing need of transport, after which the bicycle is often left on the street or in a ditch. Other bicycles are stolen because of their value and many times they disappear completely and are never found again. In order to prevent e.g. bicycles from being stolen, or just to enable retrieval of a stolen bicycle, a tracking unit according to the invention may advantageously be fitted. By making the tracking unit with a tamper-proof and sabotage-proof enclosure, it cannot readily be put out of action. Moreover, it cannot be seen where it hast been mounted without disassembling the bicycle or the object, and therefore it is more difficult to put the tracking unit out of action without destroying the bicycle or the object such that it loses its value. Another application of a tracking unit according to the invention is for special items, as e.g. designer furniture, where a tracking unit according to the invention may e.g. be used in chair legs or in other cavities of valuable or rare items. Besides, the invention is suited for many other purposes. A tracking unit according to the invention may e.g. be used for locating various transport vehicles or pallets internally of a company, or even globally in connection with missing return of various transport equipment or stolen goods on pallets. A tracking unit according to the invention may also be used for registering rented equipment, for example contractor's machines. In that connection, the tracking unit may be adapted to electronic reading of a log incorporated in the tracking unit. By such a log it may be easily and accurately be determined where the machine has been at a given time, and it may furthermore readily be determined how many hours the machine has been used. A typical procedure is that when a machine is hired out, the log is zeroed or a mark is made in the log indicating start of the hiring time. At the return of the machine, the log is read and billing is performed according to the log. Such a log may of course be used in many ways, and the way mentioned here is only an example.

In a variant of the invention, the tracking unit at least includes at least one tamper- proof transmitter unit with battery, wherein the transmitter unit is enclosed by one or more layers of fibre material, wherein the fibre material for example contains glass fibres, carbon fibres or aramide fibres, or combinations thereof. These fibres protect the transmitter unit by constituting a shock-absorbing layer, but also and not the least providing a safeguard as well against intrusion by drilling with the purpose of destroying a located tracking unit. In a preferred embodiment, the fibres are dry, and when attempting to drill into the bicycle frame and into the tracking unit, the fibres will be wound around the drill and prevent the drilling from being continued. In principle, the dry fibres on a rotating drill act in the same way as inserted liners in protective trousers used when working with a chain saw. The fibres are entrained by contact with the cutting tool and pack tightly about it, thereby locking the tool extremely fast.

The tracking unit may, however, be made with fibres which are entirely or partly saturated by and embedded in a plastic material, such as polyester, vinylester, epoxy or other suitable material.

According to a variant of the invention, the tracking unit is with a fibre material which includes fibre rovings arranged around the transmitter unit. The rovings may be wound around the transmitter unit, or they may be arranged in its longitudinal direction. By winding is achieved the advantage of working with long fibres, while there is not such a long fibre length by longitudinal fibres. Both have their respective advantages, and a combination of longitudinal fibres and wound fibres provides a good and safe solution.

Another variant of a tracking unit according to the invention is with a fibre material which includes woven fibre mats arranged around the transmitter unit. In that way, fibres may be arranged according to need in several layers and in different directions. Fibre mats may be designed in many variants and with combinations of various fibre types as well as with different thicknesses and fibre directions in the individual fibre mat.

In a preferred variant of the invention, the tracking unit is provided with a hard external jacket, e.g. of plastic, metal or fibre reinforced plastic. This jacket also contributes to secure the tracking unit against sabotage, but is also providing protection against moisture.

hi order to enable good contact with the tracking unit, a preferred embodiment of the invention is provided with an internal antenna, where the internal antenna is electrically connected to the external or internal surface of the body via one or more contact faces or contact points. In that way, an electric connection may be provided to e.g. the internal surface of a bicycle frame or similar, and the entire frame will thus function as an antenna.

The connection between the internal antenna and the body may advantageously be established by mounting the tracking unit to the body by one or more electrically conducting fastening means, e.g. screws or rivets. By being in contact with the body and with an electric conducting connection in the tracking unit, these fastening means may ensure a good electric connection. There may e.g. be mounting holes in the tracking unit through a printed circuit board, where the tracking unit is activated by establishing electric connection to a body on which the tracking unit is mounted. The tracking unit may also be secured to the body by a magnet, e.g. an electromagnet. Irrespective of how the tracking unit is fixed to the body, it may be the established antenna connection which provides for making the tracking unit active. This is an advantages as it may then be possible to make the tracking unit in a closed and watertight embodiment without any on-off button, since switching on and off is controlled by the presence or absence of an antenna connection.

In a variant of a tracking unit, at least one of these contact faces or contact points is spring biased for contact with the surface of the body, e.g. the internal surface of a hollow item, whereby a good connection is achieved.

A tracking unit according to the invention may be such that the electric connection between the tracking unit and the body is further arranged with means for transmitting data communication signals. The tracking unit may thus be connected to equipment for local navigation and for telecommunication via the said means for transmitting data communication signals. This is e.g. advantageous on small fishing vessels on which only a single person is working. This fisherman may then use the tracking unit coupled to a display and other equipment on the boat, and he may then use his equipment both for determining his position and for telecommunication, for example. It is therefor no longer required with more expensive installations on the boat, as the tracking unit is used not only for tracking, but also in connection with the daily work.

The tracking unit according to the invention may further include an alarm trigger, preferably a portable alarm trigger, where the tracking unit is preferably activated at a given distance between the alarm trigger and the permanently fitted tracking unit.

Advantageously, tracking equipment may be provided in the alarm trigger as well as in the tracking unit itself. This has the advantage that when the alarm trigger, which may be fastened to a fisherman who has fallen into the water, is removed from the tracking unit, an alarm can automatically be transmitted to e.g. an emergency service or to any other phone number or to another receiver. By such a system, easy and rapid recovery of the fisherman as well as his boat is provided for.

In order to ensure good and tamper-proof mounting of a tracking unit according to the invention, it may be mounted inside a frame or in a handlebar with expanding glue. Thus it cannot be removed readily as it is entirely or partly embedded in the expanded and hardened glue. Gluing of such a tracking unit according to the invention may advantageously be effected in that the tracking unit is provided with at least one glue depot, where the at least one glue depot is constituted by one or more bags arranged at the surface of the tracking unit, and which immediately before mounting is/are punctured and subsequently expanded, retaining the tracking unit in the desired position.

In an embodiment of the invention, there is used a special mounting tool in connection with mounting a tracking unit, where the tool includes a inserting casing with an internal cross-section which substantially corresponds to the external cross-section of the tracking unit, where inside the mounting tool there are means for puncturing one or more glue depots during the pushing out of the tracking unit from the inserting casing and into a hollow object.

By disposing the inserting casing opposite the opening in the frame of a bicycle - e.g. at the opening for the saddle post - a tracking unit may be pressed out of the inserting casing with a rod or the like and into the frame. By this pressing out of the tracking unit, the glue depots are torn or punctured by a number of spikes or teeth provided at the opening of the insertion casing, and the outflowing glue will subsequently react with the atmospheric air, expand and finally harden to a solid, hard mass. Thus is achieved a good and efficient mounting of the tracking unit.

In yet a preferred variant of a tracking unit according to the invention, this is adapted for charging the battery without any direct electric connection, e.g. by induction or radio waves. Thus it is possible to supply energy to the battery without having a plug to which a charger can be connected. By a solution as described here, there is possibility of charging without revealing the location of the tracking unit by an unsightly plug for a charger. The tracking unit may e.g. be adapted for transmitting an SMS to the owner's mobile phone or for providing another kind of signal by low battery level, such that charging may take place in good time. Charging may either be effected by the owner's own charger or at a provider of this service. A tracking unit according to the invention may thus be provided at innumerable positions and it will be almost impossible to guess where it is located. Moreover, it is not possible to neutralise the tracking unit without destroying e.g. the bicycle or the furniture in which it is mounted as well. If one tries to do it anyway with a drill tool, destruction of the tracking unit is not achieved either, but only of the object in which it is mounted.

A tracking unit according to the invention may be part of a security system including a service where by searching after e.g. one's bicycle, you receive a message about the position of the bicycle/object. For example, a search via mobile phone is activated by sending a code or similar, and then you receive a set of coordinates, an address or an excerpt of a map with the precise position of the object via your mobile phone, or in other ways. Such a message may e.g. be received as an SMS, MMS or as a GPS signal to a navigator unit.

The service may e.g. take place via a mobile phone where the signal goes through a telephone company to an exchange at the service provider and on to a GPS satellite intermediary which is connected to GPS satellites. The GPS signal is returned to the service provider who communicates it to the customer in the form of a user-friendly SMS, an excerpt of a map or an address which is received by the customer shortly after.

Another way of operating the security system is via the internet, where the customer logs on to the provider's website for activating his tracking unit. The customer keys in personal data, for example, and may also configure the tracking unit and how a possible search is to be conducted. For example, email or common letter mail can be used in connection with tracking a stolen bicycle.

By modern technology it is even possible to follow the immediate position and movement of a stolen object. Such a system may alternatively be administered by insurance companies and/or the police. Description of the Drawing

The invention is described in the following with reference to the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a cross-section of a tracking unit; Fig. 2 shows a tracking unit with glue depot; and Fig. 3 shows a mounting tool as seen from the end.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In fig. 1 appears a tracking unit 1 in cross-section. The transmitter unit 2 itself, which is embedded in plastic, is seen innermost at the centre. Around the transmitter unit 2 is shown an inner fibre layer 3 and an outer fibre layer 4. Around these layers 3, 4 there is provided a tube 5 made of fibre reinforced plastic. The shown tracking unit 1 is shown in oval cross-section which is adapted to a special frame geometry. Typically, however, the tracking unit 1 will be cylindric and may be provided in various diameters. In Fig. 1 is moreover seen an antenna consisting of a contact surface 6 which via a spring 7 is pressed against the internal surface when mounted. A bicycle frame, for example, hereby acts as antenna.

In Fig. 2 a tracking unit 1 is seen from the side, and with the end "cut up" such that the design mentioned in Fig. 1 appears. In addition is seen a glue depot 8 which is a bag enclosing part of the cylindric part 9 of the tracking unit 1. The glue depot 8 contains an expanding glue which by reaction with air and moisture in the atmosphere expands and eventually hardens.

Finally, in Fig. 3 is seen an inserting casing 10 for inserting the tracking unit 1 in a hollow body, e.g. a bicycle frame. The inserting frame 10 is placed opposite the opening of the hollow body, and the tracking unit 1 is pressed with a rod or a finger into the opening, while the teeth 11 tear the glue depot 8 open, whereby glue flows out and comes into contact with the atmospheric air, expanding and filling up the cavity between the tracking unit 1 and the inner wall of the hollow body and subsequently hardening. Moreover, the inserting casing 10 also acts as a guide where the contact face 6 and the spring 7 are held back and in that way guided into the hollow body.

Claims

1. A tracking unit with a transmitter for mounting in connection with an object, e.g. in a frame or a handlebar for a bicycle, a motorcycle or a moped, where the tracking unit communicates with a central positioning system, where the tracking unit is preferably adapted for invisible mounting on or in a body, e.g. in a frame or a handlebar, where the tracking unit is encapsulated in a tamper-free enclosure, characterised in that the tracking unit at least includes a tamper-free transmitter unit with battery, wherein the transmitter unit is enclosed by one or more layers of fibre material, wherein the fibre material for example contains glass fibres, carbon fibres or aramide fibres, or combinations thereof.

2. Tracking unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the fibre material includes fibre rovings arranged around the transmitter unit.

3. Tracking unit according to claim 1, characterised in that the fibre material includes woven fibre mats arranged around the transmitter unit.

4. Tracking unit according to any of claims 1 -3, characterised in that the tracking unit further includes a hard external jacket, e.g. of plastic, metal or fibre reinforced plastic.

5. Tracking unit according to any of claims 1 -4, characterised in that the tracking unit includes an internal antenna, where the internal antenna is electrically connected to the external or internal surface of the body via one or more contact faces or contact points.

6. Tracking unit according to claim 5, characterised in that the connection between the internal antenna and the body is established by mounting the tracking unit to the body by one or more electrically conducting fastening means, e.g. screws or rivets.

7. Tracking unit according to claim 5, characterised in that at least one of these contact faces or contact points is spring biased for contact with the surface of the body.

8. Tracking unit according to any of claims 5 -7, characterised in that the electric connection between the tracking unit and the body is further arranged with means for transmitting data communication signals.

10. Tracking unit according to claim 8, characterised in that the tracking unit is connected to equipment for local navigation and for telecommunication via the said means for transmitting data communication signals.

11. Tracking unit according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the tracking unit further includes an alarm trigger, preferably a portable alarm trigger, where the tracking unit is preferably activated at a given distance between the alarm trigger and the permanently fitted tracking unit.

12. Tracking unit according to any of claims 1 -11, characterised in that the tracking unit is mounted inside a frame or in a handlebar by expanding glue.

13. Tracking unit according to any of claims 1 -12, characterised in that the tracking unit is provided with at least one glue depot, where the at least one glue depot is constituted by one or more bags arranged at the surface of the tracking unit.

14. Tracking unit according to any of claims 1 -13, characterised in that the tracking unit is adapted for charging an internal battery without any direct electric connection, e.g. by induction or radio waves.

15. A mounting tool for use in connection with mounting a tracking unit according to any of claims 1 - 14, characterised in that the tool includes a inserting casing with an internal cross-section which substantially corresponds to the external cross-section of the tracking unit, where inside the mounting tool there are means for puncturing one or more glue depots during the pushing out of the tracking unit from the inserting casing and into a hollow object.