TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a security system for secure delivery of valuable goods.

[0002] The present invention has particular, although not exclusive application to portable cashboxes transporting cash to or from armored vehicles.

BACKGROUND

[0003] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0004] Portable cashboxes are carried by armed guards when transporting cash between armored vehicles and companies.

[0005] Cash in transit (CIT) armed robbery can cause serious stress and danger to individuals who become victims while doing their job. To compound the emotional, psychological and physical damage CIT armed robbery can cause victims, it also often causes considerable financial loss to the companies targeted. CIT armed robberies have been increasing in recent years.

[0006] The preferred embodiment provides a security system to deter CIT armed robbery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a security system for secure delivery of valuable goods, the security system including:

an asset;

a portable container for transporting the valuable goods to or from the asset; and an alarm system for generating an alarm upon the portable container being stolen. [0008] Advantageously, the alarm system may reduce the likelihood of successful CIT armed robbery in which the portable container is stolen, thereby deterring the CIT armed robbery altogether.

[0009] The alarm may be a proximity alarm. The alarm system may be Bluetooth enabled.

[00010] The security system may include a smartphone (or other communications device) borne by a transporter (e.g. armed guard) of the container. The proximity alarm may be generated when the container is not proximal a smartphone borne by the transporter.

[00011] The proximity alarm may be actuated when the container is not proximal the asset. The proximity alarm may be generated responsive to the container not being proximal to the asset for a pre-determined period of time.

[00012] The security system may further include a security camera for capturing images. The security camera may be borne by the container.

[00013] The container may include a tracking device to facilitate tracking of the container. The tracking device may include a GPS.

[00014] The container may be internet enabled. The security system may further include a monitoring station for receiving information from the portable container, asset and/or smartphone.

[00015] The portable container may weight less than 20kg. The portable container may include a box weighing less than 7.5kg. The box may include ballistic shielding material.

[00016] The asset may include an armored vehicle. Alternatively, the may include a building (e.g. bank). The portable container may include a cashbox. The valuable goods may include cash.

[00017] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable container for a security system used in the secure delivery of valuable goods, the security system including an asset to or from which the portable container is used to transport the valuable goods; the container including:

an alarm system for generating an alarm upon the portable container being stolen.

[00018] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a security method for secure delivery of valuable goods, the security method including: transporting the valuable goods to or from an asset in a portable container; and generating an alarm upon the portable container being stolen.

[00019] Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00020] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a drawing as follows:

[00021] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a security system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[00022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a security system 100 for secure delivery of cash (i.e. valuable goods) between an armored vehicle 102 and a bank building 104 (i.e. assets).

[00023] The security system 100 includes a portable container 106 for manually transporting the cash to or from the armored vehicle 102. An alarm system 108 is provided for generating an alarm upon the portable container 106 being stolen. [00024] Advantageously, the alarm system 108 reduces the likelihood of successful CIT armed robbery in which the portable container 106 is stolen, thereby deterring the CIT armed robbery altogether.

[00025] The alarm 108 is a proximity alarm which is Bluetooth enabled. The security system 100 further includes a smartphone 110 (or other communications device) borne by an armed guard 112 (i.e. transporter) transporting the container 106. The proximity alarm is instantly generated when the container 106 is not proximal the guard’s smartphone 1 10, when the container 106 is stolen away and the Bluetooth connection is broken.

[00026] The proximity alarm 108 is also actuated when the container 106 is not proximal the armored vehicle 102 for a predetermined period of time. The

predetermined period of time would allow for the guard 1 12 to reasonably make the cash pickup or delivery out of Bluetooth range, but would not be longer.

[00027] The security system 100 further includes a security camera 1 14 for capturing video images. The security camera 1 14 is borne by the container 106 and captures images of the container surrounds.

[00028] The container 106 also includes a GPS tracker 1 16 to facilitate tracking of the container 106. The container 106 communicates with a monitoring station 1 18 via a network 120 including the internet (i.e. loT). The monitoring station 1 18 receives information from the portable container 106, armored vehicle 102 and/or guard’s smartphone 112. The information includes the alarm from the alarm system 108, GPS tracking information from the GPS tracker 1 16 and uploaded video from the camera 1 14.

[00029] The portable container 106 weighs less than 20kg for ease of manual handling. The portable container 106 includes a lockable cashbox 122, formed from ballistic shielding material, weighing less than 7.5kg.

[00030] A security method for secure delivery of the cash is provided. The security method involves transporting the cash to or from the armored vehicle 102 in the portable container 106. Further, the security method involves generating the alarm upon the portable container 106 being stolen. [00031] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

[00032] The preferred embodiment was described in relation to secure delivery of cash to a bank, but there are many other applications. For example, the present invention is suitable for secure delivery of other types of valuable goods such as jewelry, bullion, financial instruments or legal documents to companies and other institutions.

[00033] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.

[00034] Reference throughout this specification to‘one embodiment’ or‘an embodiment’ means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases‘in one embodiment’ or‘in an embodiment’ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.