Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Of burglary or unauthorized use
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-10
2001-01-30
Pope, Daryl (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Of burglary or unauthorized use
C340S430000, C340S539230, C340S870030, C307S010200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181238
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the art of vehicle monitoring and alarm systems. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements to a panic button actuator for use in such systems.
Various vehicle tracking systems have been developed to provide tracking of motor vehicles. One such system, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,285 (“the '285 patent”), incorporated herein by reference, advantageously provides a dual state vehicle alarm system which may serve as a defensive measure to car jacking and auto theft related crimes. The system described in the '285 patent contains at least one panic button actuator to trigger the alarm system into either a first silent state or a second conspicuous state. In the first silent state, selected status information is transmitted to a remote monitoring site without alarm indicator means being conspicuously activated. In the second conspicuous state, the alarm indicator means are conspicuously activated.
The panic button actuator may be implemented as a portable device, such as a key chain ornament, carried by a user. It is especially desirable that the portable device have excellent immunity to normal kinds of RFI interference and operate with a reasonable range.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved panic button apparatus suitable for use in various vehicle monitoring systems. For example, in addition to alarm systems for private vehicles, the apparatus may be utilized with communication systems installed in law enforcement vehicles.
The apparatus includes a portable transmitter in wireless communication with a receiver located onboard the vehicle. The transmitter includes a manual actuator, typically a button, functioning to selectively input a panic command from a user. The transmitter sends a coded signal to the receiver, preferably in the form of a frequency-varying spread spectrum signal. The particular code of the transmitted signal is decoded by the receiver, which informs the vehicle monitoring and alarm system through an appropriate output signal.
Various objects, features and aspects of the present invention are provided by various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed elements, as well as methods of utilizing same, which are discussed in greater detail below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5515285 (1996-05-01), Garrett, Sr. et al.
patent: 5557254 (1996-09-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5677664 (1997-10-01), Sawinski
Garrett, Sr. Charles N.
Reed Brent W.
Dority & Manning P.A.
Pope Daryl
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