Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-12
2002-01-08
Pope, Daryl (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
C340S426110, C340S531000, C340S870030, C340S870030, C307S010200, C307S010300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06337621
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system in which a vehicle-mounted security apparatus and an emergency communication service apparatus are coordinated. More particularly, the present invention relates to a security and emergency communication service coordination system which is capable of detecting an abnormal condition occurring in a vehicle, e.g., that a door is ajar, by a security apparatus, notifying a user of the detection of this state via an emergency communication service apparatus, or controlling the security of a vehicle from a location distant from the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, because of increasing crime, vandalism of vehicles and thefts occur frequently, and car security apparatuses for coping with this have rapidly become common.
FIG. 9
is a block diagram of a car security apparatus. Reference numeral
1
denotes a security apparatus, and reference numeral
2
denotes a remote controller. In the security apparatus
1
, reference numeral
3
denotes a security control section comprising a microcomputer, which performs control of starting/stopping (arming/disarming), etc., of security in accordance with a command from the remote controller
2
. Reference numeral
4
denotes a transmission and reception section which (1) performs high-frequency amplification, frequency conversion, digital demodulation, etc., in order to receive and demodulate data sent from the remote controller
2
, and (2) modulates a carrier wave into digital form by a predetermined modulation method, such as FSK (phase shift keying) modulation, in accordance with data input from the security control section
3
, and then performs frequency conversion and power amplification thereon and transmits it to the remote controller
2
.
Reference numeral
5
denotes a group of sensors;
5
a
denotes a door sensor for detecting the open and closed state of the door,
5
b
denotes a trunk sensor for detecting the opening or closing of a trunk, and
5
c
denotes a hood sensor for detecting the opening or closing of a hood (bonnet) of a vehicle. In addition to the sensors shown in the figure, motion sensors and other sensors are provided. Reference numeral
6
denotes an alarm unit for generating various alarms when an abnormal condition is detected;
6
a
denotes a siren driving circuit for sounding a siren,
6
b
denotes a headlight flashing circuit (flash) for flashing a head lamp, and
6
c
denotes a starter cut section for disabling engine ignition.
In such a car security system, when a driver exits a car and closes the door, after the driver presses a dual-purpose arming/disarming key of a remote controller, the remote controller emits radio waves such that a carrier wave is converted into digital form in accordance with transmission data (ID code, arming instruction code, etc.). The radio waves are received by an antenna of the security main unit disposed in the vehicle and are input to the transmission and reception section
4
whereby the radio waves are received and demodulated. Subsequently, the security control section
3
checks if the received ID code matches the ID code which has been pre-entered into a built-in memory (not shown). If they match each other, an arming operation (security operation) is started. When the security apparatus has been armed, outputs from various sensors, such as door sensors, hood (bonnet) sensors, trunk sensors, etc., are monitored, and when a predetermined sensor is triggered, an alarm is generated. For example, when a door sensor detects the opening of a door during arming, the security main unit drives the siren, performs flashing control of a head lamp, or disables (ignition cutoff) ignition of the engine in order to prevent theft.
Also, coming into common use recently is an emergency communication service system in which a connection is established with a specific location (response center) via a portable telephone network, and various services can be received from the response center during an emergency. This is called a “Mayday system” in the United States.
FIG. 10
is a block diagram of a Mayday system. Reference numeral
11
denotes a vehicle-mounted emergency communication service apparatus (Mayday unit). Reference numeral
12
denotes a response center which responds to a request from the emergency communication service apparatus (Mayday unit). Reference numeral
13
denotes an emergency center for dispatching an ambulance, etc., in accordance with an instruction from the response center. Reference numeral
14
denotes a road side assistance center (corresponding to JAF (Japan Automobile Federation)) which deals with car troubles, such as flat tires and running out of gasoline. In the emergency communication service apparatus (Mayday unit)
11
,
11
a
denotes a Mayday unit control section which comprises a car telephone transmission and reception section, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiving section for measuring the car position, an acoustic circuit, and a microcomputer for control;
11
b
denotes a cellular antenna (antenna for car telephone);
11
c
denotes a GPS antenna;
11
d
denotes a portable telephone terminal;
11
e
denotes an operation section (key/LED section),
11
f
denotes a microphone;
11
g
denotes a speaker;
11
h
denotes an automatic door lock unit; and
11
i
denotes an engine disabling unit.
Examples of services of the Mayday system include:
(
1
) notification of an accident,
(
2
) remote door unlock when locked with the key inside,
(
3
) roadside assistance,
(
4
) engine disable,
(
5
) navigation assistance, and
(
6
) search for stolen car.
The “notification of an accident” in service (
1
) is a service in which a user calls the response center
12
by operating a predetermined key of the operation section
11
e
so as to notify the response center of an accident from the portable telephone unit
11
d
. The response center
12
notifies the emergency center
13
and the police station so as to arrange for emergency and accident procedures. The “remote door unlock when a door is locked with the key inside” in service (
2
) is a service in which a notification is made to the response center
12
by telephone, and an unlock command is sent from the response center to the Mayday unit control section
11
a
in order to perform automatic unlock. The “roadside assistance” in service (
3
) is a service in which, when there is a flat tire, the user runs out of gasoline, etc., the response center
12
is called to notify of the necessity of road side assistance from the portable telephone unit
11
d
. The response center
12
notifies the road side assistance center
14
to arrange to send an assistance crew. The “engine disable” in service (
4
) is a service in which, when a car is carjacked, the response center
12
is notified by telephone, and an ignition cutoff command is sent to the Mayday unit control section
11
a
from the response center so that the ignition of the engine is disabled. The “navigation assistance” in service (
5
) is a service in which an operator of the response center
12
gives route guidance to a destination by voice. The “search for stolen car” in service (
6
) is a service in which, when a car is stolen, the response center
12
is notified by telephone, and a car position request command is sent from the response center to the Mayday unit control section
11
a
so that the car position is obtained by the Mayday unit control section
11
a
and provided to the user.
In the manner as described above, generally, the Mayday system makes it possible to receive various services when the user operates the operation section
11
e
inside the car in order to connect the Mayday unit
11
to the response center
12
or when the user communicates with the response center
12
by using an external telephone unit. However, since the construction of the system is such that the user makes a connection request to the response center regarding car security, as in the “search for stolen car” in service (
6
) after the damage ha
Diaz Melvin
Katayose Takahiro
Kobayashi Yoshihide
Ogawa Tsutomu
Ogino Takayuki
Alpine Electronics Inc.
Pope Daryl
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