TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention is related to the technical field concerning automatic supervision and security devices, that can be attached to transport means in general and to motor vehicles in particular.

More precisely, the present invention is concerned with a motor vehicle antitheft system integrated with functions of security, localisation and navigation of the same motor vehicle.

BACKGROUND .&RT

Nowadays, there are many types of antitheft systems for motor vehicles, but generally they can be subdivided in two categories: the antitheft systems acting in a limited range and the antitheft systems acting in a wider range.

The first group includes antitheft systems which signal automatically tampering or anomalous use of the motor vehicle in a limited environment surrounding the same motor vehicle.

In other words, these antitheft systems, attached to motor vehicles, signal either acoustic¬ ally or visually fraudulent use of motor vehicles by persons considered "unauthorised", because they have not deactivated the same antitheft system.

The main disadvantage of this type of anti¬ theft systems results just from their peculiar characteristic, i.e. their limited range of action, of dozens or hundreds metres, either for signalling

the tampering into the vehicle or the activation or deactivation of the same antitheft system.

Another disadvantage of this type of anti¬ theft systems is that, in order to function, they must be first activated by an "authorised" person.

The other group of antitheft system comprises the antitheft system for motor vehicle that signal

"unauthorised" tampering of the motor vehicle up to a distance of some kilometres from the same motor vehicle.

Such antitheft system are provided with a transmitter-receiver unit on radio frequency that can produce and transmit an alarm signal that can be received and recognised by an operative station, on the same radio frequency and designed to distant monitoring of possible thefts of the load stored in the motor vehicle or its part, or theft of the same motor vehicle.

Such alarm signal is transmitted by the antitheft system set up on the vehicle only if preestablished conditions for recognising the theft occur.

The most common conditions that activate the antitheft system for motor vehicle are first of all subjected to the previous voluntary activation by the motor vehicle driver's by means of a special key either mechanical or electronic (remote control key, magnetic card, and the like) .

Most often the antitheft system is activated when one of the motor vehicle doors is opened or when the same motor vehicle is started.

The biggest disadvantage of this type of antitheft system derives from its limited some kilometre dozens action range, therefore the motor vehicle can be monitored only in the city area or

anyway, in a limited zone of national territory.

Further disadvantage of this type of anti¬ theft system results from the necessity to prepare a stationary check room that is able to talk to the mobile unit of the antitheft system installed on the motor vehicle.

The management cost of such a stationary check room is high what, added to the initial cost and the management cost of this type of antitheft system, makes it extremely expensive.

Another disadvantage of "zone" covering antitheft systems of this type derives from the fact that they can be easily dodged, since the "author¬ ised" person could be forced by an ill-intentioned person to deactivate the antitheft system by insert¬ ing the proper mechanical or electronic key.

Still further inconvenience of both the above presented types of antitheft system lies in activa¬ tion and deactivation of the antitheft system. In fact, such an action must be always per¬ formed by a person authorised to use the motor vehicle who, moreover, must be always very near the same or, at most, some kilometres from the motor vehicle, for limited range antitheft systems and those wider range antitheft systems, respectively.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The main scope of the present invention is to provide an antitheft system for motor vehicles that recognises, independently or through a distant polling, the conditions determining the theft and that is capable to produce and transmit the alarm signal.

Further object of the present invention is to provide an antitheft system capable to signal alarm

either near the motor vehicle or within the range of some kilometres, or also in such a range that the antitheft system signal can be caught over the whole national territory. Another important object of the invention is to provide an antitheft system capable to signal alarm to the public security organisations, there¬ fore avoiding a stationary station dedicated thereto and on work the whole day long. Still further object of the present invention is to provide an antitheft system integrated with security functions either for the driver or for the same motor vehicle.

Next object of the present invention is to provide an "intelligent" antitheft system capable to issue, when requested, general and navigation infor¬ mation either to the driver or to a possible sta¬ tionary check station.

The above stated objects are obtained with an antitheft system that is integrated with functions of security, information and navigation based on electronic cartography, vocal synthesis and radio telecommunication, this system being partially placed in a box-shaped casing 12 and fastened to a motor vehicle 2.

The antitheft system according to the inven¬ tion comprises the following means:

- a localisation information detector provided with at least a first antenna* - a telephone apparatus provided with at least a second antenna,*

- a plurality of sensor equipped devices, subdivided in a first group of sensors, which are external to the said box-shaped casing, and a second group of sensors which are internal to the same box-shaped

casing, these sensor equipped devices having the task of detecting determined conditions,*

- a series of mass memory units*

- an electronic unit, connected functionally to said means, for controlling the latter as well as for controlling signals respectively received and sent;

- an independent power feeding section for feeding the electronic unit and said means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The characteristics of the present invention are pointed out in the following, with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

- figure 1 schematically represents, by means of a block diagram, of the operation of the antitheft system being the subject of the present invention,*

- figure 2 is a schematic view showing the disloca¬ tion of sensor means equipped devices of the anti¬ theft system, in a motor vehicle,* - figure 3 shows a cross section of the principal component of the antitheft system,*

- figure 4 shows a diagram representing functional connections between the different means forming the antitheft system.

BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to figure 1, the reference number 1 indicates an antitheft system integrated with functions of security, information and naviga- tion, and based on electronic cartography, vocal synthesis and radio telecommunication.

The system 1, partially housed in a box shaped casing 12, can be fastened to a motor vehicle 2, such as the lorry 2 shown in the figure 2 and provided with a driver cab 35 and a container body

33.

With reference to figures 1, 3 and 4, the system 1 basically consists of a localisation infor¬ mation detector, a telephone apparatus 8, a trans- mitter-receiver radio 9, a plurality of sensor means equipped devices 5, subdivided in a first group of sensors, which are external in respect to the men¬ tioned box-shaped casing 12, and in a second group 5b of sensors internal in respect to the same box- shaped casing 12, an independent feeding section 13 and an electronic unit 4 for control and management of all the above mentioned devices and respective received and transmitted signals.

The localisation information detector 3, commonly known as G.P.S. device, comprises a mechan¬ ism provided with a related first antenna 3a that receives information transmitted by more satellites 31.

This mechanism can also process and standar- dise the received information making them available on a serial line, in NMEA code.

The information codified in this way concern the terrestrial physical units relative to the position of the same G.P.S. device on the terraqu- eous globe, and in particular, they refer to the longitude, the latitude, the temperature, the pres¬ sure, the date, the hour, the speed and the course.

The telephone apparatus 8, provided with a related second antenna 8a, is composed of a cellular telephone, whose carrier is on the 900 MHz frequency and whose power is within some Watt.

The transmitter-receiver radio 9, provided with a related third antenna 9a, uses a transceiving carrier included in V.H.F. wave range that varies from 27 to 30 MHz and whose power varies from 30 to

300 Watt .

The first series of external sensors 5a, shown in the figure 2, includes a touch sensor 51, a weight sensor 52, an antenna sensor 53, a load monitoring circuit 55, at least one door opening- closing sensor 56, a volume monitoring circuit 57, an authorised presence checking circuit 58, and by a moving detecting circuit 59.

The touch sensor 51 is capable of detecting the touching of the motor vehicle 2 by at least one person.

Such a sensor is particularly sensible if attached to a motor vehicle 2 whose driving cab 35 and body 33 are made of metal. The weight sensor 52 is usually applied to the seat 34 of the motor vehicle 2 and is able to detect the driver's weight difference, with some kilograms tolerance.

The antenna sensor 53 can detect various types of intentionally provoked breakdown of the antennas, first 3a, second 8a and third 9a, respect¬ ively, such as cutting of the cables connecting said antennas with relative devices, short circuit and the like. The load monitoring circuit 55, by means of at least one load cell situated on the relative load platform 36 of the motor vehicle 2, can detect the load weight differences on the same load platform.

The door opening-closing sensor 56, usually situated in correspondence with hinge points between a door 32 of the motor vehicle and the relative doorpost, can detect the situation in which the relative door 32 is closed and/or opened.

The volume monitoring circuit 57, placed inside the container body 33, can detect the volume

changes of the load inside the same body, by means of the constant monitoring of the load set-up.

The authorised presence checking circuit 58, positioned inside the driving cab, can inform the system 1 that an authorised person uses the motor vehicle 2.

This is made possible because the circuit 58 reads a code, given to the circuit 58 by the same authorised person by means of an electronic key, e.g. a magnetic card.

Information concerning not only the authori¬ sation code, but e.g. also anagraphic data of the person authorised to use the motor vehicle 2, technical-physical characteristics of the same motor vehicle, fundamental trip data such as the places met on the route, the trip length and planned stops, have been previously recorded on such magnetic card. The moving detecting circuit 59, that is functionally connected to the touch sensor 51, to the weight sensor 52 and to the localisation infor¬ mation detector 3, compares the information received from the devices connected thereto in order to continuously check whether the motor vehicle 2 is moved in a regular authorised way. The second group of internal sensors 5b, shown in figure 3, includes a temperature sensor 61, an overturning sensor 62 and a push sensor 63.

The temperature sensor 61 is designed to detect abnormal temperature changes, provoked e.g. by a fire broken out in motor vehicle 2.

The overturning sensor 62 of the system 1 is designed to detect an abnormal position either of the box shaped casing 12 or of the motor vehicle 2.

The push sensor 63 of the system 1 is de- signed to detect the intensity of pushes received

either by the box shaped casing 12 or by the related motor vehicle 2.

With reference to figures 1 and 4, the group of memory units 6 and 7 is constituted by a first memory unit 6 and a second memory unit 7.

The first memory unit 6 is designed to regis¬ ter the data base for electronic cartography.

For example, such a data base contains terri¬ torial information concerning places, ways, motor- ways, crossings, tunnels, bridges, railways, har¬ bours and airports.

The second memory unit 7 has recorded thereon a data base for the production of synthetized voices. Such a data base contains information related to vocal synthesis of words and phrases concerning mainly the readings of the information contained in the first memory unit 6 for the electronic cartogra¬ phy. As shown in the figure 4, the electronic unit 4 consists of: an amplifier/regenerator 16 for amplifying and regenerating the information re¬ ceived from the above mentioned localisation infor¬ mation detector 3, a shift memory unit 18 for re- cording the last information received from the said detector 3, a comparator 19 for comparing two subse¬ quent pieces of information received from the detec¬ tor 3 by means of the memory unit 18, and a central processor 20. By carrying out a series of preestablished instructions, such processor 20 can interpret and process the information received from the comparator 19, the conditions detected by external and internal sensor equipped devices, respectively 5a and 5b, as well as the data recorded in the first memory unit 6

and the second memory unit 7.

By interposition of the input modem 22 and decoder 23, the central processor 20 can also con¬ trol the calls received either from the cellular telephone 8 or the transmitter-receiver radio 9.

A first timer 28 is also connected to the central processor.

By means of the timer, the central processor 20, on the basis of the data processed by it, can decide and activate either indirectly, through a decoder 25 and an output modem 24, or directly a calls control circuit 21 connected to both the telephone apparatus 8 and the transmitter-receiver radio 9. It is to be pointed out that the modems 22, 24, the encoder 25 and the decoder 25 are integral parts of the electronic unit 4.

The electronic unit 4 comprises also: a proper operation check circuit 26 for the central processor 20; a switch circuit 27, placed between the comparator 19 and the output modem 24, that can connect direct¬ ly the comparator 19 and the output modem 24 upon the consent received from the check circuit 26; a second timer 17 connected to the calls control circuit 21; a first socket 29 for input and output of a series of pre-established instructions and data destined to both the central processor 20 and the first and second memory units 6, 7, respectively; a second socket for input of information related to the central processor 20 activation and for the output of information related to the state of the said system 1. The independent feeding section 13, connected

to the electric feeding system (not shown) of the motor vehicle 2, includes a group of rechargeable, suitably dimensioned, batteries that can assure the system 1 independent operation for about six days in case of disconnection of the feeding section 13 from the same motor vehicle electric feeding.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, the system 1 is also provided with a portable transceiver radio 10 that can communicate radio-telephonically with the transmitter-receiver radio 9.

Such portable transceiver radio is also provided with a digital unit 71 that can exchange bidirectionally information with the central proces¬ sor 20 when the portable transceiver radio 10 is inserted in a special seat 70 (external sensor 5a) made in the driving cab 35.

In such a position, the digital unit 71 records automatically the information related to the date, hour, last three positions detected by the localisation information detector 3 and to the state of all the sensor equipped devices.

With reference to figure 2, externally to the box-shaped casing 12, the system 1 has also: a fourth antenna 3b connected to the G.P.S. device,* a fifth antenna 8b connected to the cellular tele¬ phone 8; a sixth antenna 9b connected to transmitter-receiv¬ er radio 9; an antenna switching circuit 54 designed to contin- uously switch respectively, from the first antenna 3a to the fourth antenna 3b of the G.P.S. device, from the second antenna 8a to the fifth antenna 8b of the cellular telephone 8 and from the third antenna 9a to the sixth antenna 9b of the transmit- ter-receiver radio 9.

It is to be pointed out that the antenna sensor 53 detects also possible intentional break down of the said first 3a, second 8a, third 9a, fourth 3b, fifth 8b and sixth 9b antennas. Still with reference to figure 2, the system

I is also provided with a display means 80 (external sensor 5a) , that is situated in the driving cab 35 and connected with the central processor 20, and that can display the main information processed by the central processor 20, such as the current date and hour, the speed of the motor vehicle, the pre¬ sent localisation, the last registered localisation data and the future positions, the expected arrival time, the information detected by the localisation information detector 3 during the last hours, and the state of all the sensor equipped devices 5. Such a display means 80 has also an acoustic device.

With reference to figure 3, a strengthening and protection structure 14 having an opening 15 in correspondence with the antenna 3a of the G.P.S. device, is attached to the internal walls of the box-shaped casing 12 of the system 1.

In embodiment, as illustrated in figures 3 and 4, the system 1 provides a second transmitter- receiver radio 11, equipped with at least one se¬ venth antenna 11a, said transmitter-receiver radio

II being connected to the calls control circuit 21 and designed to exchange bidirectionally the infor¬ mation with the central processor 20, by interposi- tion of the input modem 22 and the decoder 23, and of the output 24 and the coder 25.

Said second transmitter-receiver radio 11 uses a transceiving carrier included in the U.H.F. wave-range at about 400 MHz. in this embodiment the antenna 53 sensor can

detect possible voluntary breakdown also of the seventh antenna 11a.

Moreover, the system 1 provides an eighth antenna lib connected with the second transmitter- receiver radio 11.

Similarly to what has been already said, the switch circuit of the antenna 54 provides also for the continuous switching from the seventh antenna 11a to the eighth antenna lib. The antenna sensor 53 is also designed to detect possible voluntary breakdown of the last eighth antenna lib.

A further embodiment provides the use of a second weight sensor 52b that can detect the motor vehicle 2 weight.

When the motor vehicle is motionless and there is no wind, the sensor 52b detects also the same motor vehicle weight with a tolerance of 35 kilogramme. In another embodiment the system 1 provides at least one stationary control station, not illu¬ strated in any figure, that can exchange the infor¬ mation with either the cellular telephone 8, or with the first V.H.F transmitter-receiver radio 9, or with the second U.H.F. transmitter-receiver radio 11.

Figure 4 refers substantially the working of the system 1. Figure 4 shows the central processor 20 that is activated by a person authorised to use the motor vehicle, by means of reading a magnetic card, through the authorised presence check circuit 58 whose data are memorised in a non volatile memory unit (not shown) inside the central processor 20.

At that moment the system 1 is put into operation.

The G.P.S. device 3 begins to receive from the satellites 31 the localisation information that, amplified and/or regenerated by the amplifying/regenerating device 16, are interpreted and made sequentially available, in standardised NMEA code, to the memory unit 18 and to the compara¬ tor 19.

The comparator 19 filters the identical localisation information and sends to the central processor 20 only the different localisation infor¬ mation issued by the G.P.S device.

The central processor 20 begins to compare the values received from the sensor equipped devices 5 with the relative reference threshold values in order to establish possible alarm situations.

The central processor 20, carrying out its series of predetermined information, can start the alarm procedure when the precise combinations of alarm situations are determined. On that point, the central processor 20, on the basis of the localisation information received from the G.P.S. device, can read from the memory unit 6, that contains the electronic territorial cartography, the route of the motor vehicle 2 with about 30 metres approximation.

The central processor 20, by reading its not volatile memory unit and the memory unit 7 of syn- thetized voices, can therefore form a talked word message containing basic information related to the motor vehicle 2 and the route it is covering.

The central processor 20, while keeping on carrying out its preestablished commands, can choose the telephone number of the Public Security Authori¬ ties and/or Assistance, on the basis of the prede- termined priorities (e.g. if the motor vehicle is

going on a motorway, the sequence, in the decreasing order, of the telephone numbers will be as follows: Motorway (Traffic) Police, Motorway Company Direct Line, Automobile Association Assistance, Carabi- nieri, and stationary operative station, if the latter is provided) .

In this phase, the central processor 20 can activate the calls control circuit 21 and the cellu¬ lar telephone 8, and can also call, with cadences established by the first timer 28, the chosen tele¬ phone number and transmit a talked word message.

At the same time and in the way identical to the activation of the cellular telephone 8, the central processor 20 provides also for sending the word message also through the V.H.F. transmitter- receiver radio 9.

The message is received, in the range of some kilometres, by the portable V.H.F. transceiver radio (not shown) placed in a stationary operative sta- tion.

As results from the type of sensor equipped devices 5 as well as from the variety of telephone numbers correspondent to the Public Authorities, it is obvious that the talked word message is automa- tically formed by the central processor 20 according to the its destination.

There are provided the informative messages concerning navigation data or the security data and the alarm messages of the following types: alarm for the theft of the motor vehicle 2, alarm for the accident of the motor vehicle 2, alarm for voluntary breakdown of the system 1, and the like.

When the alarm situation occurs, the system 1 is also able to decide independently, on the basis of the alarm type, the activation of the light and

acoustic devices of the motor vehicle 2, or the devices (not shown) that can deactivate any leaving or movement of the same motor vehicle.

The latter devices comprise devices designed to stop the fuel delivery to the motor vehicle engine or devices activating the means stopping the same motor vehicle.

Information, adequately chosen and filtered, detected and processed by the central processor 20, are displayed by the display means 80 and are recor¬ ded on the digital unit 70 of the portable transcei¬ ver radio 10.

The key (identifying code) for the system 1 activation can be changed in any moment during operation of the system 1 by reception of a new key, in coded form, via the cellular telephone 8 and/or via the V.H.F. transmitter-receiver radio 9.

In fact, the codified key is read by the central processor 20 through the input modem 22 and the decoder 24.

When the central processor does not work perfectly, the decoder 23 sends automatically the decoded key to the calls control circuit 21.

Also the activation key is changeable by suitable devices that con be connected to the second socket 30 of the electronic unit 4.

In such a case the central processor 20 can transmit the codified activation key using the codifier 25, the output modem 24, the calls control circuit 21 and the cellular telephone 8 and/or the transmitter-receiver radio 9.

It is possible to exchange bidirectionally all types of data with the central processor 20 by the input 22 and output 24 modems. it is possible to exchange e.g. the data

related to the route the motor vehicle 2 must fol¬ low, data related to the information sequences performable by the same central processor 20, data related both to the data base of electronic carto- graphy and data base of synthetized voices and data related to the navigation during the last hour stored by the central processor 20.

It is also possible to exchange bidirection- ally the above mentioned data with special devices (not shown) and the central processor 20 through the first socket 29 and the second socket 30, respect¬ ively, with which the system 1 is provided.

In case of irregular operation of the central processor 20, detected by the good operation check circuit 26 for the same central processor 20, the system 1, by means of the switch circuit 27 inter¬ vention, can send, by the output modem 24, the information received and standardised by the G.P.S. device 3 and, directly, the states of the sensor equipped devices 5.

These data are sent to the calls control circuit 21 that provides, through to the second timer 17, for dialling a prefixed number with the circuit 8 and for transmitting a coded message through the circuit 8 and the V.H.F transmitter- receiver radio 9.

In the embodiment providing the second U.H.F. transmitter-receiver radio 11, the operative proce¬ dure of the whole system 1 is substantially the same, while the action range and the system 1 flex¬ ibility increase considerably.

In fact, by means of such a second transmit¬ ter-receiving radio 11, the system 1 can talk with a stationary operative station in the range of dozens of kilometres.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The industrial applicability of the claimed invention results well clear both from the need that today exists for antitheft systems, which must be reliable and effective, and from the advantages that the present invention brings about.

The main advantage of the present invention lies in providing an antitheft system for motor vehicle that is able to recognise independently abnormal conditions of the motor vehicle, and that accordingly produce a correspondent talked word message and, therefore, transmit it by a telephone apparatus and/or by a radio-frequency transmitter- receiver radio. Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides an antitheft system capable of sending the message near the motor vehicle or in the range of some kilometres as well as for the bigger distances so as to be picked up in the whole natio- nal territory.

Further important advantage of the present invention is that it provides an antitheft system that is capable to transmit talked word messages to the public security organisations, therefore avoi- ding a stationary station dedicated thereto and on work the whole day long.

Still further advantage of the present inven¬ tion lies in the fact that it provides an antitheft system integrated with security functions either for the driver or for the same motor vehicle due to the antitheft system possibility to furnish, when re¬ quested or continuously, general and navigation information either to the driver or to a possible stationary check station. From all what above it appears that this

antitheft system is destined to encounter great favour and to be produced on industrial basis.

Moreover the subject invention has been described, with reference to the enclosed drawings, only as a mere example, not limitative, therefore it is obvious that all the modifications o variants suggested either by practice or the activation and usage thereof are anyway within the following claims.