WO2001007302A1

WO2001007302A1 - Active monitoring security system

Info

Publication number: WO2001007302A1
Application number: PCT/ZA1999/000052
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johann Weidemann
Original assignee: Johann Weidemann
Priority date: 1999-07-23
Filing date: 1999-07-23
Publication date: 2001-02-01
Also published as: AU5591099A

Abstract

The invention provides an active security monitoring system (10) for an article (14), said system including a transmitter (12) configured for concealment in or on the article (14) and a monitoring receiver (16) configured for receiving a signal from the transmitter (12), the receiver (16) being located at a location remote the article (14). An activation means for activating a communication link between the transmitter and the monitoring receiver, such that a signal transmitted by the transmitter is receivable by the receiver. The system includes a processor means responsive to the signal and configured to determine the displacement of the transmitter from the receiver and alarm means for alarming a response party, the alarm means being responsive to a change in the displacement of the transmitter from the receiver and/or to a change in the signal being transmitted from when the transmitter was activated by the activation means. The system further includes a database and payment means.

Description

ACTIVE MONITORING SECURITY SYSTEM

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the field of active monitoring systems In particular,

this invention relates to an active monitoring system for an article useful in reducing the risk of loss of said article due to unauthorised removal thereof

Background to the Invention

The inventor is aware that presently loss of articles due to unauthorised removal thereof is a major problem in all societies This problem is particularly acute with respect to vehicles, household goods, such as computers, televisions, video recorders, and the like

As far as the inventor is aware, present security systems intended to reduce the risk of unauthorised removal of said articles fall short of the mark in several respects, for example, ability of perpetrators to move said article without triggering the security system, inability to notify a response party that said article is being removed without authorisation, ability of perpetrators to

neutralise the communication of the security system thereby preventing notification to the response party, ability of perpetrators to neutralise the communication of the security system thereby preventing the position of said article to be established i e it merely disappears from the security system, and the ability of perpetrators to overcome mechanical obstruction type security systems by brute force or other means The inventor has thus identified a need for a security system which will either exclude or reduce the risk of unauthorised removal of an article, the security system having reduced disadvantages when compared to the prior art and the advantage that unauthorised removal, or attempted unauthorised removal, is detected and alarmed at the time that the removal or attempted removal is taking place.

Summary of the Invention

Thus, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an active security monitoring system for an article, said system including: a transmitter configured for concealment in or on the article; a monitoring receiver configured for receiving a signal from the transmitter, the receiver being located at a location remote the article; - an activation means for activating a communication link between the transmitter and the monitoring receiver, such that a signal transmitted by the transmitter is receivable by the receiver; processor means responsive to the signal and configured to determine the displacement of the transmitter from the receiver; and - alarm means for alarming a response party, the alarm means being responsive to a change in the displacement of the transmitter from the receiver and/or to a change in the signal being transmitted from when the transmitter was activated by the activation means. The above system therefor establishes what may be termed an electronic chain of fixed length between the article being monitored and the monitoring receiver. Said chain is put in place by the activation of the transmitter to receiver link by the activation means, which logs the article into the system, and any unauthorised displacement of the article, i.e. attempt to lengthen the chain, or unauthorised deactivation of the transmitter or interference with the transmitter signal will result in an alarm condition, with the relevant response party being alarmed and requested to respond. An authorised party may terminate the transmitter to receiver link thereby logging the article out of the system.

The active monitoring security system may include additional motion sensing means responsive to motion of the transmitter.

In one embodiment, the transmitter and receiver are in a direct line of sight of each other, such that the displacement between them may be determined by the relationship between the velocity of the signal and the time taken to receive the signal.

The transmitter may be the transmitter portion of a transceiver.

The monitoring receiver may be the receiver portion of a transceiver.

The transmitter may be a component of a cellular telephone type apparatus and the receiver may be a cellular phone system type receiver. The transmitter and monitoring receiver may communicate by any form of electromagnetic signal, such as light, for example infra-red, laser, and the like,

radio frequencies, UHF, and the like.

Other suitable communication possibilities include any point to multi point system, for example, of the type accessible by TDMA, FDMA, or CDMA technology.

The monitoring receiver may be terrestrially based or satellite based.

The monitoring receiver may be configured to monitor articles having the transmitter and which are located within a predefined region, for example, a parking lot, a domestic yard, an office park, a warehouse, a train station, a train, a street, or the like.

The monitoring receiver may be located on a structure such as a tower, a building, a steel structure, a natural formation, or the like.

The system may include payment means to permit payment to be made for use of the active security monitoring system.

Typically, the payment means is configured such that a predetermined amount is pre-payable for a predetermined period of monitoring. In one embodiment, the payment means is configured such that a predetermined amount is billed to an account of a customer in relation to the monitoring period Typically, the billing system is such as that employed by telephone companies, including cellular telephone companies, where the time for which the transmitter signal is received by the receiver is used as a basis for billing

In other embodiments, prepayment means such as coin feed apparatus banknote readers token readers, card readers, and the like, are employed as the payment means

In one active monitoring system configuration, a predetermined period of free monitoring is provided to a customer, before the expiry of which a further

period of monitoring must be pre-paid or else the monitoring will cease at the end of the free period

The transmitter is typically located on a vehicle, however, the transmitter may be located on any article, such as household goods, gates, and the like, where the unauthorised displacement thereof may indicate an alarmable condition

In one embodiment, a container is designated a secure container with only the sender and the recipient thereof being authorised by the system to activate and deactivate the system The activation means may be in the form of a remote control, an electronic key, a key-switch, a data carrier and reader, a passive or active chip card, or the like The activation means may be automatic under predetermined conditions, for example, when entering a regular parking bay or when locking a vehicle.

The activation means may be a cellular telephone configured to transmit an activation signal to the system. In such a case, the payment means may be linked to the cellular telephone account of the customer.

The active monitoring security system may include a database. The database may include information on the article being monitored, such as a description, colour, size, registration details, and of the authorised possessor or owner, such as identification number, description, and the like, and the identity of the response party to be contacted in case of an alarmable condition.

The database may be accessible by the processor means for verification

purposes to assist in determining if displacement of the article is authorised or unauthoπsed.

The database may also be accessible by the alarm means in order to determine the response party to be contacted and the contact details Typically, the alarm means would transmit a signal to the response party in order to alert the response party of the alarm condition. The active monitoring security system may be used together with or separately from existing security systems

The invention extends to a method of reducing the risk of unauthorised removal of an article, the method including establishing a communication signal between a transmitter on the article and a receiver, determining the displacement of the transmitter from the receiver, monitoring the transmitter and receiver combination for changes in displacement between them and/or changes to the communication signal between them, alarming a response party in response to the changes.

The method may include the collecting of payment for reducing the risk of unauthorised removal of the article

The collecting of the payment may be by pre-payment for a predetermined period of reducing the risk of unauthorised removal of the article

The collecting of payment may be by billing a customer for the period for which the communication signal is established between the transmitter and the receiver, or for the period of monitoring

The alarming may be by means of a transmitted alarm signal receivable by the response party, for example, on a cellular telephone Description of the Drawing

The invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing

In the drawing reference numeral 10 generally indicates an active security monitoring system for an article broadly in accordance with the invention

The system 10 includes a transmitter, which is included in a transceiver 12, concealed on the article, in the form of a vehicle 14 A monitoring receiver included in a transceiver 16, and configured for receiving a signal from the transmitter, the transceiver 16 being located on a mast 18 at a location remote the vehicle 14 The transceiver 16 is also in communication with a wireless

data network 17, for example a cellular phone network

The system 10 includes an activation means, in the form of a hand held remote control 20 and a corresponding electronic receiver 22 on the vehicle for activating a communication link between the transmitter of the transceiver 12 and the monitoring receiver of the transceiver 16, such that a signal transmitted by the transmitter is receivable by the receiver A data processor 24 is located on the wireless data network 17 and is responsive to the signal

between the transceiver 12 and the transceiver 16 The processor 24 is configured to determine the displacement of the transceiver 12 on the vehicle 14 from the transceiver 16 on the mast 18 The system further includes alarm means for alarming a response party (not shown) the alarm means being responsive to a change in the displacement of the transceiver 12 from the transceiver 16 i e the vehicle 14 from the mast 18 and/or to a change in the signal being transmitted from the transceiver 12 from when the transceiver 12 first established a communication link with the transceiver 16 The alarm means uses the wireless data network 17 to communicate the alarm condition to the response party by, for example an

SMS message on a cellular phone

The system 10 therefor establishes what may be termed an electronic chain of fixed length between the vehicle 14 article being monitored and the monitoring receiver on the mast 18 Said chain is put in place by the activation of the transceiver 12 to transceiver 16 link by the activation means, which logs the vehicle 14 into the system 10, and any unauthorised displacement of the vehicle 14, i e attempt to lengthen the chain, or unauthorised deactivation of the transceivers 12 or 16, or interference with the transmitter signal will result in an alarm condition arising, with the relevant response party being alarmed and requested to respond An authorised party may terminate the transceiver

12 to transceiver 16 link thereby logging the article out of the system

The system 10, as illustrated, includes an additional motion sensor 30 responsive to motion of the transceiver 12 Thus any attempt to move the vehicle 14 will trigger the motion sensor 30 thereby creating an alarm

condition The motion sensor 30 is activated at the same time as the rest of the system is activated, or after a short time delay to enable the driver to leave the vehicle 14 and lock it up

In one embodiment, where the mast 18 is located in a parking lot (not shown) the transceiver 12 on the vehicle 14 and the transceiver 16 on the mast 18 are in a direct line of sight of each other, such that the displacement between them may be determined by the relationship between the velocity of the signal and the time taken to receive the signal

The system 10 includes payment means to permit payment to be made for use of the active security monitoring system 10 The payment means is configured such that a predetermined amount is pre-payable for a predetermined period of monitoring The payment means is configured such that a predetermined amount is billed to an account of a customer in relation to the monitoring period The billing system is such as that employed by telephone companies, including cellular telephone companies, where the time for which the transceiver 12 signal is received by the transceiver 16 is used as a basis for billing.

In other embodiments, prepayment means 19 such as coin feed apparatus, banknote readers, token readers, card readers, and the like, are employed as the payment means The payment means 19 may be located at the base of

mast 18 for easy access by customers In a parking lot situation, a predetermined period of free monitoring, for example 10 minutes, is provided to a customer, before the expiry of which a further period of monitoring must be pre-paid or else the monitoring will cease at the end of the free period

The activation means may be a cellular telephone configured to transmit an activation signal to the system 10 In such a case, the payment means may be linked to the cellular telephone account of the customer

The active monitoring security system 10 includes a database 32 having thereon information on the vehicle 14 being monitored, such as a description, colour, size, registration details, and of the authorised possessor or owner, such as identification number, description, and the like, and the identity of the response party to be contacted in case of an alarmable condition

The database 32 is linked to the wireless data network 17 and is accessible by the processor 24 for verification purposes to assist in determining if displacement of the vehicle 14 is authorised or unauthorised

The database is also accessible by the alarm means in order to determine the response party to be contacted and the contact details The alarm means

transmits a signal to the response party by use of the wireless data network 17 in order to alert the response party of the alarm condition

Claims

1. An active security monitoring system for an article, said system including: - a transmitter configured for concealment in or on the article; a monitoring receiver configured for receiving a signal from the transmitter, the receiver being located at a location remote the article: an activation means for activating a communication link between the transmitter and the monitoring receiver, such that a signal transmitted by the transmitter is receivable by the receiver; processor means responsive to the signal and configured to determine the displacement of the transmitter from the receiver; and alarm means for alarming a response party, the alarm means being responsive to a change in the displacement of the transmitter from the receiver and/or to a change in the signal being transmitted from when the transmitter was activated by the activation means.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 , including additional motion sensing means responsive to motion of the transmitter.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2. wherein the transmitter and

receiver are in a direct line of sight of each other, such that the

displacement between them is determinable by the relationship

between the velocity of the signal and the time taken to receive the

signal. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmitter is the transmitter portion of a transceiver

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring receiver is the receiver portion of a transceiver

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmitter is a component of a cellular telephone type apparatus and the receiver is a cellular phone system type receiver

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the communication link between the transmitter and monitoring receiver being by means of any form of electromagnetic signal

A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic signal is

selected from the group including visible light, infra-red light, laser light

radio frequencies, UHF VHF, and microwaves

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the

communication link between the transmitter and the receiver is by

means of a point to multi point system

A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the point to multi-point system

is of the type accessible by TDMA, FDMA, or CDMA technology

1 1. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the monitoring receiver is terrestrially based.

12. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring receiver is satellite based.

13. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring receiver is configured to monitor articles having the transmitter and which are located within a predefined region.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the predefined region is selected from the group including a parking lot, a domestic yard, an office park, a warehouse, a train station, a train, and a street.

15. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring receiver is located on a structure selected from the group including a tower, a building, a steel structure, or a natural formation.

16. A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including payment means to permit payment to be made for use of the active secuπty monitoring system. A system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the payment means is configured such that a predetermined amount is pre-payable for a predetermined period of monitoring

A system as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the payment means is configured such that a predetermined amount is billed to an account of a customer in relation to the monitoring period

A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, including a billing system such as that employed by telephone companies, including cellular telephone companies, where the time for which the transmitter signal is received by the receiver is used as a basis for billing

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, including pre- payment means selected from the group including coin feed apparatus, banknote readers, token readers, and card readers

A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein the payment or pre-payment means is combined with the activation means

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmitter is located on a vehicle

A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21 , wherein the

transmitter is located on an article selected from the group including household goods, gates, electronic equipment, electrical equipment, and tools, where the unauthorised displacement thereof may indicate an alarmable condition

A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21 , wherein the transmitter is located on a container, with only the sender and the recipient thereof being authorised by the system to activate and deactivate the system

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the activation means is in a form selected from the group including a

remote control, a cellular telephone, a radio transmitter, an electronic key, a key-switch, a data carrier and reader, and a passive or active

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the activation means is automatic under predetermined conditions

A system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the predetermined conditions

include the entering of a regular parking bay and the locking of a

vehicle

A system as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 27, wherein the activation means is a cellular telephone configured to transmit an activation signal to the system and the payment means is linked to the

cellular telephone account of the customer

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the

active monitoring security system includes a database having therein

information on the article being monitored, the authorised possessor or

owner, and the identity of the response party to be contacted in case of

an alarmable condition

A system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the database may be

accessible by the processor means for verification purposes to assist in

determining if displacement of the article is authorised or unauthorised

A system as claimed in claim 29 or claim 30, wherein the database is

accessible by the alarm means in order to determine the response

party to be contacted and the contact details

A system as claimed in claim 31 , wherein the alarm means transmits a

signal to the response party in order to alert the response party of the

alarm condition

A system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a n

existing security system

4. A method of reducing the risk of unauthorised removal of an article, the method including: establishing a communication signal between a transmitter on the article and a receiver; determining the displacement of the transmitter from the receiver; monitoring the transmitter and receiver combination for changes in displacement between them and/or changes to the communication signal between them; alarming a response party in response to the changes.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34, including the collecting of payment for reducing the risk of unauthorised removal of the article.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the collecting of the payment is by pre-payment for a predetermined period of reducing the risk of unauthorised removal of the article.

37. A method as claimed in claim 35 or claim 36, wherein the collecting of payment is by billing a customer for the period for which the communication signal is established between the transmitter and the receiver, or for the period of monitoring.

38. A method as claimed in any one of claims 34 to 37, wherein the alarming is by means of a transmitted alarm signal receivable by the response party.

9. A method as claimed in claim 38, wherein the alarming is by means of a cellular telephone.