WO1999021742A1

WO1999021742A1 - Method and system for remote monitoring and controlling of an object, preferably vehicle to be protected

Info

Publication number: WO1999021742A1
Application number: PCT/HU1997/000070
Authority: WO
Inventors: László SZÉKELY
Original assignee: Szekely Laszlo
Priority date: 1997-10-28
Filing date: 1997-10-28
Publication date: 1999-05-06
Also published as: EP0954462A1; SK98599A3; AU4962197A; BG103613A; CA2276174A1; IL130676A0

Abstract

A method for remote controlling an object to be protected comprising steps of leaving the object to be protected, introducing at least one malfunction of the object by disconnecting operational connections between several parts of the electrical, electronic or electromechanical network of the object via means inserted in a hidden manner into said network, and preferably remote activating said means; on returning to said object, canceling said introduced state; inserting a control means into the canceling path of said means introducing at least one malfunction of the object to be protected, said control means being activable and de-activable by a unique secret owner code; activating said control means before leaving said object to be protected and after introducing at least one malfunction of the object; de-activating said control means on returning to and before the access to the protected object, well before canceling said introduced state of said means for introducing at least one malfunction of the object; locally and/or remotely signaling to the owner any unauthorized attempt for de-activating said control means. Anti-theft apparatus comprising user activated and deactivated means for causing malfunction of a protected object, said means are inserted preferred in the electrical system of said object and comprising enabling/disabling means, being in communication with remote means for activating and de-activating said means for causing, transmitting a unique secret user code upon activation to the enabling/disabling means, wherein said apparatus further comprising means for enabling or interrupting the connection between said means for causing and the enabling/disabling means; said means for enabling or interrupting is arranged in a hidden manner in or at the protected object and in communication with a further remote control held by the user and operable with at least one changeable secret user code, said means for enabling or interrupting transmits a signal to the user each time when the means for causing receives a deactivating signal. The invention pertains generally to the field of security services, more particularly for protecting buildings, country houses, and for tracking of stolen vehicles, with or without installed alarm system.

Description

Method and system for remote monitoring and controlling of an object, preferably vehicle to be protected

Field of the Invention

The invention pertains generally to a method and a system for remote monitoring and controlling of an object to be protected, more particularly to a method and system for the protection of buildings, country houses, and for tracking of stolen vehicles.

Background of the Invention

Remote monitoring and controlling means monitoring an event and acts of intervention of a defined extent. The object to be protected may be movable or immovable objects, equally characterized by constituting pieces of property of some value that can become subjects of wrongful behavior of unauthorized persons, i.e. vehicles may be unlawfully appropriated, unwarrantably used, burglars may break into buildings, etc.

Several different protective systems have been developed in practice to prevent, but at least to encumber such unlawful actions, by adopting most up-to-date engineering achievements to spoil the expeditiousness of the different, ever newer and more and more sophisticated wrongful acts.

Beyond the measures commonly termed burglar protection, monitoring of different other events of catastrophic character has gained ground due to its great importance, together with providing the possibility of making effective counteractions against such events, these being done in the majority of cases by expanding, partly understandably, the systems performing primarily the task of "simple" burglar protection.

Due to growing intensity of violent actions, one can hardly rely upon active effective intervention of outsiders present as eye witnesses at such wrongful acts, further, due to the working methods of professional protective organizations having come into being with such aim, the remote surveillance of protected objects utilizing for this purpose primarily the existing communication systems corre- sponding to the objectives considered as being of primary importance have become predominant.

EP 0 366 378 A2 and US 5 276 728 show a long-distance connection provided by cellular telephone or other telecommunication means between the vehicle' sensor and an alarm device. On intrusion into the vehicle, protection is provided not only by the emission of usual acoustic and optical signals and by ignition blocking but further informative-operative protection is ensured also by the cellular tele- phone set located in the vehicle by dialing pre-determined telephone numbers. The owner or operator or other monitoring or protective dispatch center may get information of the intrusion, listen to the intruder, and send deterrent massages, or may even decide to stop the stolen and moving vehicle by interrupting its ignition circuit or other electronic control unit. Deficiency of all these actions is that such relatively simple defects can just as easily and quickly be eliminated with more or less skill, the vehicle thieves of our days usually being -unfortunately - in the possession of rather broad technical professional knowledge.

With all solutions linked up with a public telecommunication system serious difficulty is imposed on the functioning or operating such a system that in peak-time periods undisturbed and immediate communication is not always possible. Such possible and momentary blackouts cause serious diffi- cuities both in remote monitoring and controlling, i.e. disabling the vehicle and, depending on the protective system applied, it may temporarily obstruct the owner as well in getting into his vehicle.

EP 0 242 099 A2 describes a theft-prevention and site-identification system, in which the current location of the protected object, in particular, of a vehicle or person is defined by the coordinates provided by a microprocessor system, named Navstar Global Positioning System, GPS. On its activa- tion caused e.g. by unauthorized opening or starting or change of location of a vehicle, the microprocessor identifies itself at a central dispatch office, alarming the latter and indicating the reason of alarm. Information of momentary site of the protected object is periodically actualized by sending from time to time a train of digital signals to the central dispatch office by means of cellular telephone. The central dispatch office is also capable of calling the microprocessor by addressing its in- dividual identification number, and the central dispatch office is able to determine the site of the vehicle if the latter has been displaced without activating the microprocessor protective system. The system is, of course, provided with several logic inputs and outputs to which input signal transmitters and sensors and acoustic and optical alarm output devices known from the field of alarm techniques can be connected, and contains such actuating devices that can be activated by being ad- dressed by the protected vehicle also through the use of the cellular telephone system, causing thereby obstruction of operation of the protected object or rendering it inoperative, simply by producing defects in the functioning of the vehicle or bringing it to be halt while observing the requirements of traffic safety. This arrangement neither excludes the possibility of using, instead of a so- called normal telephone available on the market, a so-called purpose-oriented device suitable only for performing the required functions.

In EP 0 449 471 A2, the integration of cellular telephone sets into the vehicle safety system is proposed whereby interfacing means are used by means of which a plurality of different commercially available cellular telephone sets and different vehicle alarm systems may be interconnected. T e interfacing means comprise a control means and a coupling means to connect the cellular telephone sets to the control means. This coupling means contains a data library stored in a memory for storing the individual protocols required by the communication carried on with the different cellular tele- phones, and the system operator performs the adopting of die cellular telephone and the alarm system to each other in the course of activating the system. Primary aim of that system is to utilize the cellular telephone set of the vehicle for remote surveillance of the vehicle, indicating the unauthorized events or those causing damage, and providing for the owner or for the person performing the task of surveillance the possibility of getting into contact via ώe telephone connection with the intruder or, in case of failure of such an attempt, with the help of the various actuating means, of drawing the attention of near- by outsiders to the prevailing abnormal state of the vehicle, as well as of rendering the unauthorized use of the vehicle impossible.

In both cited documents die methods proposed for remote surveillance of an object or objects consist of keeping specific domains of a protected object - movable property or real estate - under observa- tion, either continuously or periodically, and on detecting a change of predetermined character or extent - i.e. in me case of unauthorized intrusion - a local alarm is initiated and a remote alarm signal or an informative massage is transmitted through telecommunication means, to a predetermined address, or the location of the object given its by coordinates obtained from a reference system, and after transmission of local alarm, malfunction or inoperability of the protected object expediently by means of built-in and concealed actuators, further, by way of remote control issued by the alarmed address, the protected object is set, or can be set, into the state of partial or total inoperability.

Although neither of said documents emphasizes, said operating steps initiated by unauthorized intrusion give not even one percent of total operation of protective systems. In overwhelming majority of cases, the alert state is deliberately disarmed also by remote control, e.g. when the owner returns to the vehicle. This feature constitutes, at the same time, the Achilles heel of the system, namely, the techniques available today permit persons - without causing considerable expenditure for them, having once specialized themselves in that kind of money-making having got hold of the code of remote control or generating in series the known remote control code sequences, - to disarming the armed system and to render it thereby ineffective. Though not representing a substantial item of expenditure compared to the value of the protected object, die use of commercial cellular telephone system will anyhow impose an additional financial burden on the owner and, if the alarm is not received in an anti-theft dispatch center specially serving for that purpose, a further cellular telephone is required at the owner. It may be regarded as a further practical drawback that a cellular telephone can not always be used any time and anywhere, partly for technical partly for safety and partly for courtesy reasons, so neither the commands sent by the owner to the object through telecommunication means affecting operation of the object can always and under all circumstances be issued.

Summary of the Invention

Also, an object of the invention is to propose a method and system which does not necessitates any installed alarm system, which can be disarmed almost exclusively only by the owner or a person authorized by him, and which is capable of ensuring tracking, without requiring necessarily a further cellular telephone for forwarding signals and control commands ύirough telecommunication links, having at the same time a long transmission range, and even if getting out of the area covered by the telecommunication system, it remains capable of maintaining automatically the inoperative and disabled state brought about by the issued alarm signal.

One further object is to make the invention suitable for ensuring effective use of modern site- detection means applicable to tracing the vehicle also in the course of its transportation while moving, without its engine being kept running, e.g. when being transported by another vehicle, and for connecting said means to the system complying with the invention.

A further object is to permit repairing an artificially produced defect (including blocking of restarting) of a vehicle even for a highly skilled technician only if being in the possession of information linked up with some identification data of die vehicle known only by the owner (or rightful user) or his representative.

The invention is based on the recognition that a conventional alarm system can though be disarmed with the use of s own means at any time, but this blocking can automatically be re-activated as long as it is not prevented by means of a separate individual and specific code issued by a person author- ized to do so, and this code may be issued either through telecommunication means (e.g. by making use of die cellular telephone system), or at the site of the object. It has been recognized further that the multi-level arming/disarming operations of the system serving for guarding the protected object can be integrated with the control performed through telecommunication, considering the aspects of convenience as well. A much safer and quicker communication link can be achieved in the data transmission by utilizing SMS (Short Message Service). The GSM 900 system renders possible to ^■ 3 -

localize (identify the site of) a given cellular telephone and tracing its movements, when keeping it concealed in the vehicle and coupled with a site-identification unit.

It has also been recognized that in order to improve the level of safety - e.g. to eliminate code cracking - two remote control sets may be used, one of which is concealed in die object and re-activates the alarm system immediately after the latter has been disarmed. Thereby an effective disarming is only possible uirough a message transmitted to die cellular telephone arranged hidden in the vehicle.

Further, it has been realized that in the vehicle such an artificial defect may be produced which is "life-like", not causing sudden stopping, and which can be repaired even by a skilled technician only if being in possession of information stored in the data base of the computer concerning actual loca- tion of a specific fuse or some other disconnecting device (e.g. relay) hidden elsewhere in every case.

It has also been realized that arming/disarming may take place directly from the cellular telephone and, in die peak periods of telephone traffic, disarming, i.e. opening of the vehicle, may be emitted by an acoustic transmitter generating DTMF sounds or by the cellular telephone acoustically, i.e. without resorting to the GSM central dispatch office. It has been recognized as well that the task of forwarding information concerning property protection can be provided also by a single-purpose communication apparatus of some design simpler than a cellular telephone of general purpose, also operating at the frequency range of the cellular telephone, but owing to its simple setup, it can be produced cheaper and installed simpler, and the number of external auxiliary elements required for its application is also lower. In order to accomplish die set aim, on the one hand, a method suitable for remote surveillance of protected objects without built-in alarm system is proposed comprising the steps of on leaving the object to be protected introducing at least one malfunction of the object by disconnecting operational connections between several parts of the electrical, electronic or electromechanical network of die object via means inserted in a hidden manner into said network, and preferably remote activating said means; on returning to said object, canceling said introduced state; inserting a control means into the canceling paώ of said means introducing at least one malfunction of die object to be protected, said control means being activable and de-activable by an unique secret owner code; activating said control means before leaving said object to be protected and after introducing at least one malfunction of the object; de-activating said control means on returning to and before the access to the protected object, well before canceling said introduced state of said means for introducing at least one malfunction of me object; locally and/or remotely signaling to the owner any unaud orized attempt for de-activating said control means.

In cases where die object to be protected is associated widi an alarm system, the proposed meΛod comprising die steps of activating the monitoring continuously or periodically of selected regions of d e object to be protected; at d e same time introducing at least one malfunction of the object; on own demand deactivating the monitoring and malfunctioning; in odier cases, initializing a local alarm in cases of changes in levels of one or more predetermined monitored values; simultaneously transmitting an alarm signal to at least one predetermined remote address, widi declaring d e current position of die object in certain cases; controlling further malfunction of d e object from said remote address; maintaining die state of local and remote alarm in an unchangeable and uncancelable manner, and; under proper conditions canceling said state dirough local and/or remote entering and validating a personal canceling code.

In die course of achieving the aim an anti-dieft apparatus has been developed comprising user activated and deactivated means for causing malfunction of a protected object wid out any installed alarm system, said means are inserted preferred in die electrical system of said object and comprising enabling/ disabling means, being in communication widi remote means for activating and deactivating said means for causing, transmitting a unique secret user code upon activation to die enabling/ disabling means, wherein said apparatus further comprising means for enabling or interrupting die connection between said means for causing and die enabling/disabling means; said means for ena- bling or interrupting is arranged in a hidden manner in or at die protected object and in communication widi a further remote control held by die user and operable with at least one changeable secret user code, said means for enabling or interrupting transmits a signal to the user each time when the means for causing receives a deactivating signal.

In cases where die object to be protected is associated with an alarm system, die system for remote controlling an object to be protected, comprising a hidden alarm center widi remote control; one or more sensor means connected to input means of said alarm center; one or more optical and/or acoustical signaling means connected to output means of said alarm center; one or more operating means causing at least malfunction in the normal operation of said object; communicating means for bidirectional communication widi a cellular telephone means; interface means connected to die alarm center and die communicating means; uninterruptible power supply means, wherein the interface means having a remote control which transmits a secret personal code upon activation, is in opera- tional connection widi said alarm center, continuously maintaining the activated monitoring state of said alarm center.

Further substantial and advantageous features of the invention are detailed in die subclaims.

Brief Description of die Drawings The invention is described more detailed widi reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 is the block diagram of a first embodiment of die system according to die invention,

Figure 2 shows a possible arrangement of die interface unit of die embodiment shown in

Fig. 1 and its system connections, Figures 3 to 5 illustrate in simplified form further possible arrangements of functional connections between interface unit and alarm center unit.

Detailed Description of die Preferred Embodiment

The invention is described widi reference to its application accomplishing remote monitoring and controlling of a vehicle and an apartment, but it can be adopted and applied widiout restriction widiin the claimed scope of protection.

The embodiment of Figure 1 presenting only an advantageous example for accomplishing remote surveillance of a vehicle constituting die object to be protected, contains an uninterrupted power supply 1 linked up widi an alarm center unit 2 of an alarm system built into die vehicle in known manner. Said alarm center unit 2 (e.g. of type Enforcer 100 B-4 manufactured by SECO-ALARM Inc., USA) incorporates a radio-frequency receiver stage 3 which is in functional connection with a part of die alarm system, i.e. widi remote control 4 serving, in a known way, for arming and disarming of the alarm center unit 2. To inputs of die alarm center unit 2 sensor means 5 shown only by symbols, and to outputs of die alarm center unit 2 acoustic and/or optical signaling means 6 and actuating means 7 are connected. Sensor means 5 may be sensors responsive to die opening of vehicle doors, trunk and hood, impact sensors, wheel lifting sensors, ultrasonic or radar type space sensors, while as acoustic and or optical signaling means 6 several lamps, the horn of die vehicle, or a separate siren may be used. Actuating means 7 are usually relays or magnet valves inserted into the electric or electronic system, fuel supply etc. of the vehicle. The design, circuitry and operation of die listed means are well disclosed in die related literature, e.g. Odόn Ferenczi: "Rudiments of Protection Against Car Thieves" (Technical Publishing Co., Budapest, 1994) or on page 14 of the booklet "Safety and Comfort Electronics of Vehicles" published by Bosch A.G., Germany, in "Series of Technical Information Booklets" (OMIKK, Budapest, 1994), hereby incorporated by reference. To one of the outputs of die alarm center unit 2 linked up with die acoustic and/or optical signaling means 6 or widi one of die actuating means 7 a starting input 81 of a logical interface unit 8 is con- nected. Alternative connections are is indicated in Figure 1 by a broken lines.

The logical interface unit 8 - though not specifically shown in die figure for die sake of better intelligibility - is also linked up with power supply 1. Structural details of die logical interface 8 are shown also by an example of Figure 2, in d e block diagram of Figure 1 only die connection of bus 82 of logical interface 8 to bus 91 of a telephone interface 9 is indicated. Since widi die presented em- bodiment a cellular telephone 10 available on the market is used as telecommunication means performing two-way communication, as a preferred solution, die telephone interface 9 is constituted by a kit serving for installing cellular telephone 10 into die vehicle. Accordingly, die telephone interface 9 is linked up through its high-frequency output to an external aerial 11, through its first audiofrequency input 93 to a microphone 12 accommodated in die vehicle, dirough its second audio- frequency output 94 to a speaker 13 also located in die vehicle, and dirough its connector 95 to die cellular telephone 10. This embodiment can be realized e.g. by any of the cellular telephones and car- speakerphone sets of the Nokia Oy. (Finland) commercially available, the relevant detailed technical information being accessible e.g. via Internet on address http. www. club.nokia.com, but of course any assembly capable of performing the outlined task and made by any otiier manufacturer can also be used. First output 83 of logical interface 8 is led to a group of further actuating means 14, its second output 84 is suitable for arming and disarming die alarm center unit 2, said second output being connected parallel with die arming push-button of a further remote control 15 identical with die remote control 4. The remote control 15 is installed hidden at different places of ie various vehicles, of which records, kept togedier widi d e identification number of each vehicle are stored in computer memory by die special workshop performing installation of die system.

The actuating means 14 consists of relays 141 to 145 in the present case. The first relay 141 is connected to the starting circuit of the engine, to which also die heating circuit of die passenger space is attached. To die second relay 142 die engine disabling setup is connected, causing - dirough releasing a hidden relay - e.g. in die circuit of die electric fuel pump - a "life-like" defect , which can be repaired in a vehicle repair workshop only, die defect showing itself by skipping of die vehicle, d en by its coming to a halt, and since die relay is hidden to different places in each vehicle as stored in die computer memory, die "defect" cannot be repaired at die site. The third relay 143 is in functional connection with die air-conditioning system. The fourth relay 144 is a switching device, while die fifth relay 145 is functionally linked up widi a servomotor driving an atomizer-type tracer.

In another embodiment instead of cellular telephone 10 a purpose-oriented transceiver unit, e.g. d e type marking GSM Modul Ml manufactured by Siemens GmbH, operating in die GSM 900/DCS 1850 system is installed.

In Figure 2 die logical interface 8 is shown more detailed. Main constituent of said logical interface unit 8 is a logic circuitry capable of controlling die reception and emission of acoustic signals, and controlling, as required, die cellular telephone 10, die alarm center unit 2 and die actuating means 14, respectively and ensure co-operation widi external supplementary units. In die preferred case die logical interface 8 comprises a microcontroller 85, e.g. the microcontroller type PIG 16C 65 manufactured by Microchip Inc., USA. This eight-bit microcontroller 85 being in digital data-transmitting coupling widi a DTMF decoder 86, widi a driver 87 and a voice recorder 88. The logical interface 8, in addition to diose listed, contains an audio amplifier 89 performing amplification of analog signals in a way to be detailed later. The DTMF decoder 86 can be realized widi die MT8870D of MITEL Inc., and is coupled to die microcontroller 85 as a four-bit decoder. The driver 86 amplifies die control signals issued by die microcontroller 85 to make diem suitable for operating die actuating means 14, i.e. die relays 141 to 145 in the present example, and is realized by die integrated circuit type ULN 2003. The voice recorder 88 is realized by die chip ISD 1016 of die firm Information Storage Devices, operating as a dictaphone, performing analog recording and playback of audio-frequency signals fed to its input, in a duration of 16 seconds per chip. The audio amplifier 89 fulfils die role of a voltage amplifier and can be realized widi any discrete component or integrated circuit available on the market. Flints on concrete dimensioning and connection of said circuits can be found in the data sheets of components or in application papers issued by die manufacturers or in the following items of informative technical literature: H. Lohninger: "Angewandte Mikroelektronik" Vo. 2, F T Ver- lag, DE; Klasche: "Professionelle Schaltungstechnik" Vol.3, Franzis Verlag, DE. To realize die microcontroller 85 further assistance may be acquired from die development system of type marking PIC-Start 16 B 1 issued by die firm Conrad Elektronic, Hirschau, DE. The standard protocol RS 232 series communication port of die microcontroller 85 forms also die communication connection 851 of die logical interface 8 so diat it is suitable for connecting a site-locating unit known per se, such as e.g. a GPS signal transmitter.

To a first input 891 of the audio amplifier 89 a microphone 12 installed in die vehicle is connected, said microphone 12 being preferably a condenser-type ei ier forming part of a speakerphone set as described in connection widi Figure 1 or constitutes a separate demand installed specifically for diat puφose. To a second input 892 of the audio amplifier 89 a signal output of a DTMF transmitter 17 is galvanic connected. The DTMF transmitter 17 is a commercially available device, but it may be substituted by die DTMF coder circuit type MT8880 of the firm MITEL and by a keypad linked up widi it. To die output 893 of die audio amplifier 89 also an analog input 861 of die DTMF decoder 86 is connected.

Also die input/output terminal of die voice recorder 88 is connected to an output 893 of die audio amplifier 89 and respectively to die analog audio-frequency signal input of cellular telephone 10. This latter is not shown in detail in die drawing since die allocation of terminals of cellular tele- phones 10 are product-dependent. The input/output terminal of the voice recorder 88 serves for forwarding analog signals, whereas its input 882 is linked up with output 852 of die microcontroller 85 and receives the digital signals selecting between recording and playback modes and serving for start/stop of the operation. In Figure 2 a further cellular telephone 18 is shown at the notified remote address but, according to die reasons explained, diis control means need not necessarily be suitable for wireless operation. Thus, as shown by die figure, die controller cellular telephone 18 is in connection with die logical interface 8 either dirough die GSM center 18 or dirough die microphone 12. By this arrangement die possible difficulty of disarming die alarm center unit 2 in peak periods by means of die cellular telephone 18 is prevented. In such cases by simply holding die speaker of die cellular telephone 18 near to the microphone 12, die latter will receive acoustically the emitted DTMF sounds and die proper code, disarming diereby die alarm center unit 2.

In Figures 3, 4 and 5 diree further embodiments of anti-sabotage protection are shown which belongs to the fundamental objectives of the invention, namely die prevention of disarming the alarm center unit 2. In a possible arrangement shown in Figure 3 die enabling output 853 of die microcontroller 85 of d e logical interface 8 is galvanic connected to die enabling input of a microcontroller 21 of die alarm center unit 2. Though not shown in the Figure, also die output of the radio-frequency receiver stage 3 of die alarm center unit 2 is linked up in die factory with said enabling input 211 of the microcontroller 21.

In Figure 4 a variant is shown wherein dirough driver 87 of the microcontroller 85 one of die actuating means 14, e.g. die relay 141 is used for switching the power of die alarm center unit 2, said relay 141 being inserted into die supply line of die alarm center unit 2. Different from the previous variant, wherein instead of issuing the enabling/disabling signal by die radio-frequency receiver stage 3 for the microcontroller 21 said enabling/disabling signal is issued by die microcontroller 85, here the unchangeable basic setting of alarm center unit 2 is utilized emitting an alarm signal immediately when powered on, independentiy of any odier settings.

The arrangement mentioned in conjunction with Figure 1 is shown more detailed in Figure 5 wherein a further remote control 15 hidden in die vehicle is operated expediently from die enabling output 853 of die microcontroller 85.

In a further possible embodiment at least one of die sensors 5 is directiy connected to the logical interface 8.

In operation, on leaving the vehicle, die alarm center unit 2 is armed by means of the remote control 4 forming part of the alarm system installed concealed in die vehicle, at die same time die actuating means 14 become activated ensuring diereby inoperability or at least malfunction of the protected object (vehicle) by means of performing die measures listed in die introduction.

In die case of normal, usual course of events, when die owner returns to the vehicle, two possibilities are available him to disarm die protected status:

According to one possibility die alarm center unit 2 is disarmed by its own remote control 4 in die usual way, dien entering the vehicle widiin a preset period of time monitored by the microcontroller 85 of die logical interface 8, and inputting die individual and unique code, deactivating diereby d e actuating means 14, and restoring die vehicle into operative and functioning state. Said code may be fed into die microphone 12 dirough die keypad linked up wiώ die audio amplifier 89 of the logical interface 8 with said DTMF transmitter or, in lack of said keypad, widi a DTMF acoustic device being available, dirough die latter, or in die possession of a suitable controller-type cellular telephone 18 (e.g. NOKIA 2110), in die course of entering die code witiiout radio-frequency connection, the cellular telephone 18 is used for feeding die code into microphone 12.

According to die anotiier more elegant and convenient but more expensive possibility, instead of using die remote control 4 for disarming die alarm center unit 2 and entering die disarming code sepa- rately, the cellular telephone 10 hidden in die vehicle and forming part of die proposed system is called up by means of die controller cellular telephone 18 and, having established die connection, die DTMF code is entered. BoΛ in tiiis case and in die case outlined before the DTMF code entered into DTMF decoder 86 is translated into a four-bit signal and transferred to die input 854 of die microcontroller circuit 85. By means of a program stored in die microcontroller 85 the identity widi die pre-set code is checked and, in case of identity, die relays 141 to 145 of the actuating means 14 are powered off by micro-controller circuit 85 dirough its output 855 widi die intervention of driver 87. In abnormal i.e. alarm case, die acoustic and/or optical signaling means 6 of die alarm center unit 2 are activated, simultaneously triggering the logical interface 8 coupled to it, by which a calling instruction is issued to die associated cellular telephone 10. At least one time before leaving die vehicle, an actual call number is dialed into die memory of cellular telephone 10, e.g. in die following way: die acoustic and/or optical means 6 is forced to operate by die user after which - in accordance widi die foregoing - die cellular telephone 10 gets into service state. Now, the alarm message (e.g. "INTRUSION TOOK PLACE") to be stored is entered and the actual call number is dialed, after which, by switching off said acoustic and/or optical means 6 die cellular telephone 10 will be disconnected automatically, but retains said call number for unrestricted period. On an alarm event the cellular telephone 10 switches on as before, then it automatically dials die entered call number and transmits the message. Should die called number be busy, or in the case of ineffective call due to some otiier reason, for the sake of sure transfer of die message, tiiis call is automatically repeated by die cellular telephone 10 at preset intervals (say after every minute) as preset on die scale of die microcontroller 85, as long as the owner of die telephone 10 does not stop these calls manually. Further, by means of die locating adapter (e.g. by a GPS signal transmitter) coupled to the communication coupler 851 die location of die vehicle can be quickly and accurately determined, even if it was taken widiout starting of its engine, by lifting it with a winch onto a transport vehicle used by die thieves.

However, further alternative uses of die system according to die invention are also possible. If a fixed telephone set (connected to a digital telephone exchange) widi DTMF capability is available, or the owner of the protected object has a second cellular telephone 18 of type GSM 900 (or perhaps DCS 1800), further DTMF codes may be added to die call number of die concealed cellular telephone 10. If an alarm message is sent by die concealed cellular telephone 10 die owner of the second cellular telephone may temporarily shut off the alarm call. Then, after a preset period of time, e.g. after 5 minutes, by sending anodier DTMF codes also stored in die cellular telephone set 18, die telecommunication link may be restored. So, he can decide (if die alarm signal of the cellular telephone 10 have ceased in the meantime) whetiier die alarm call was caused by an incidental interference (issued by one of die signal transmitters of die building), or the alarm continues to prevail on die cellular telephone 1 , ronfirming diereby die unautiiorized access. So, a needless hurry to get to die protected remote object can be avoided. Alternatively, the system can be operated by means of said DTMF codes so tiiat die issued decoded signals carry control information to die starting circuit of the engine. Or. the owner may switch on by means of such infor- mation e.g. die air-conditioning system or sprinkler system of his country house situated many miles away, saving diereby considerable sum of money and time.

But, by means of a series of DTMF information, die owner can disable die alarm center unit 2 of his vehicle, since die second remote control 15 hidden in the vehicle re-arms die alarm system if it was previously disabled by die first remote control 4. Namely, the opening pulse is led also to die actuating push-button of die remote control 15 arranged hidden in the vehicle, preventing diereby die intrusion into die vehicle by die immediate re-arming of die alarm system. By this metiiod, code catching can also be prevented, to which many alarm systems are exposed at present. The effective de-activating signal can be issued by the owner himself only via his second controlling cellular tele- phone 18 to the cellular telephone 10 concealed in the vehicle. The decoded signal disconnects die closed protective circuit of the alarm center unit 2 and disconnects die cellular telephone 10.

The benefits of die invention are outstanding - including also its practicality - when comparing it widi die present state of die art. Even in comparison with die protective systems of buildings making use of utilizing die most up-to-date wired telephone networks, any transmission system of informa- tion relating to unaudiorized intrusion can easily be made ineffective by severing the telephone lines or by incidental line faults, all these being of utmost importance especially in the case of property protecting surveillance systems or banking institutions.

In die case of vehicles, safety is improved by die invention by preventing die possibility of putting the vehicle in operation, so it can only be taken away by winching it onto anotiier vehicle. In tiiis case, however, by connecting to die controller an adapter available on die market, die route of the diieves can be followed. The special arrangement of aerial of the cellular telephone proposed may reveal the kind of protection as the proposed system will more and more become known. Therefore, it will be expedient to use concealed sheet aerials or hybrid aerials having an appearance similar to that of conventional antenna suitable for operating both a radio and a cellular telephone. By the use of a microphone 12 mentioned for conveyance of information, die immediate disarming of die alarm center unit 2 is rendered possible even during busy hours.

In case of coupling sensors 5 of die alarm system to parts of the vehicle unavoidable generating some kind of signal upon direct or indirect movement of the vehicle, e.g. to die chassis, crank, said sensors 5 will sensing the rotation of wheels or a mechanical fuel pump, then in die case of any displacement or shifting of die vehicle or priming of die engine by any means, information will be sent to the alarm center unit 2 and, in a way already described, to d e owner or to the security organization performing the duty of remote surveillance. In die foregoing die invention has been described in connection widi the remote surveillance of vehicles. Our proposal, however, can be applied not only to die protection and remote surveillance of mobile objects but also to tiiat of real assets as well. So, hereinafter, with reference to die statements made in conjunction widi remote surveillance of vehicles, die functional discrepancies and those as- sociated widi the arrangement of circuits and components presenting themselves in die case of remote surveillance of buildings will be briefly described.

Among die sensors 5 of die alarm system obviously developed for building protecting, a sensor 5 can also be found by which die undisturbed connection widi the alarm center unit is continuously monitored dirough a built-in permanent link and, in die case of line interruption, overload, intentional line breakage, etc., the logical interface 8 is set into operation and a telephone is activated. In buildings said actuating means 14 are installed to initiate interventions affecting the use of die building, so interrupting the supply of electric power, water, gas and heating of die building, or of blocking die operation of automatic electric locking devices of doors and windows, etc. Miniature TV-cameras can also be expediently included in die list of actuating means, informing dirough wired or wireless communication links die security dispatch center also by means of moving pictures of current events at die site, following die activation of die alarm center unit 2.

Of course, the same cellular telephone system located in die protected area can be utilized for informing the owner by incoming written or verbal messages by a terminal connected to die wired telecommunication network, and connection can be established dirough a door-speakerphone system between a visitor calling from the door and die owner of die protected object, witiiout letting die visitor know tiiat die called person is momentarily not at home. The system proposed can easily be completed dirough addition of a few items of system installed by a person skilled in die art, rendering die system capable of informing the security dispatch center of damages caused by die forces of nature immediately after their occurrence. Anti-sabotage protection of the system according to die invention and used in remote surveillance of buildings can be provided by coupling a self-sealing relay stage to the switching means (not shown in die drawings) for arming die remote alarm center unit 2. The self-sealing of die relay stage can be deactivated by means of die logical interface 8, by transmitting an individual and unique code via d e cellular telephone 18. The alarm center unit 2 will be armed in conventional way by means of a switch.

Utilizing d e intrinsically intelligence of the proposed system, automatic indication of sabotage acts e.g. disconnection of supply voltage, destruction of electronic components by high-voltage pulses, intentional damaging of system and causing short-circuits can be accomplished. In such cases a short sabotage-signaling message is sent by the microcontroller 85 dirough the cellular telephone set 10 to die owner widiout enabling for die intruder to disabling die telephone connection, while d e route of die intruder can be displayed on a display means of die supervisory system. The frequency coupling of the cellular telephone prevents die possibility of severing any connections.

Through microphone 12 die owner may receive e.g. acknowledgement of execution of his command signals issued in DTMF mode. Such command signals may be issued e.g. to reconnect die boilers installed in die building after several days of absence before starting home, switching on and off air conditioning, electric heating and numerous odier applications, such as e.g. constituting part of die admission system of department stores.

Both in die case of mobile and immobile assets an aerial not shown in die drawings may be installed to starts operation when die normal aerial of the system is damaged, broken off, etc.

Of course, it is also possible to install in die presented embodiment two alarm center units 2 and two logical interfaces 8 constituting different units combined widi a single purpose-oriented circuit and witi . a single common microcontroller 85. In die areas lying outside die region covered by die cellular telecommunication service, calls received by die controlling cellular telephone 18 may be diverted to a paging system, providing information of hazardous lack of power supply of the system, e.g. due to excessive exhaustion of storage batteries - yet while die system is still capable of operating - by forwarding brief messages or telegrams, or dirough sensors 5 of the alarm center unit 2 adjustments can be made to distinguish between minor impacts (indicating authorized or unaudiorized taking of die vehicle) and stronger impacts occurring at bumps or major collisions. Instead of DTMF codes verbal messages or otiier known standard protocols may also be used, e.g. die G3 standard used for facsimile messages, ensuring quicker data transmission.

While die invention has been particularly shown and described widi reference to preferred embodi- ments tiiereof originally equipped widi an alarm system, it will be understood by tiiose skilled in die art diat various changes in detail and operation may be made tiierein widiout departing from die spirit and scope of the invention. List of reference numerals

1 power supply

2 alarm center unit

21 micro-controller circuit

211 input

214 input

3 receiver stage

4 remote control

5 signal transmitter

6 acoustic and/or optical signaling means

7 actuator means

8 logical interface

81 starting input

82 bus

83 output

84 output

85 microcontroller

851 communication connection

852 output

853 output

854 input

855 output

86 DTMF decoder

861 input

862 output

87 driver

88 voice recorder

881 input

882 input

883 output

89 audio amplifier

891 input

892 input

893 output

9 telephone interface

91 bus

92 output

93 input

94 output

95 connector

10 cellular telephone

11 aerial

12 microphone

13 loudspeaker

14 actuating means

15 remote control

16 GSM center

17 DTMF transmitter

18 cellular telephone

Claims

1. A mediod for remote controlling an object to be protected comprising steps of: on leaving die object to be protected, introducing at least one malfunction of the object by disconnecting operational connections between several parts of the electrical, electronic or electromechani- cal network of the object via means inserted in a hidden manner into said network, and preferably remote activating said means; on returning to said object, canceling said introduced state; comprising further die steps of: inserting a control means into the canceling path of said means introducing at least one malfunction of the object to be protected, said control means being activable and de-activable by an unique secret owner code; activating said control means before leaving said object to be protected and after introducing at least one malfunction of die object; de-activating said control means on returning to and before d e access to die protected object, well before canceling said introduced state of said means for introducing at least one malfunction of die object; locally and/or remotely signaling to the owner any unautiiorized attempt for de-activating said control means.

2. A mediod for remote controlling an object to be protected comprising steps of: activating die monitoring continuously or periodically of selected regions of die object to be protected; at die same time introducing at least one malfunction of the object; on own demand deactivating die monitoring and malfunctioning; in otiier cases, initializing a local alarm in cases of changes in levels of one or more predetermined monitored values; simultaneously transmitting an alarm signal to at least one predetermined remote address, with declaring die current position of the object in certain cases; controlling further malfunction of die object from said remote address; comprising further die steps of: maintaining die state of local and remote alarm in an unchangeable and uncancelable manner, and; under proper conditions canceling said state dirough local and/or remote entering and validating a personal canceling code.

3. A mediod set forth in claim 2 further comprising steps of using die canceling said state for rearming said monitoring state.

4. A mediod set forth in any of claims 1 to 3 further comprising steps of transmitting die canceling code during canceling said state via cellular telephone means.

5. A mediod set forth in any of claims 1 to 3 further comprising steps of transmitting die canceling code during canceling said state via customed radio frequency means.

6. A method set forth in any of claims 1 to 3 further comprising steps of transmitting the canceling code during canceling said state via DTMF signaling means.

7. Anti-tiieft apparatus comprising user activated and deactivated means for causing malfunction of a protected object, said means are inserted preferred in die electrical system of said object and com- prising enabling/disabling means, being in communication widi remote means for activating and deactivating said means for causing, transmitting a unique secret user code upon activation to die enabling/disabling means, wherein said apparatus further comprising means for enabling or interrupting the connection between said means for causing and die enabling/disabling means; said means for enabling or interrupting is arranged in a hidden manner in or at the protected object and in communi- cation widi a further remote control held by die user and operable with at least one changeable secret user code, said means for enabling or interrupting transmits a signal to die user each time when die means for causing receives a deactivating signal.

8. A system for remote controlling an object to be protected, comprising a hidden alarm center widi remote control; one or more sensor means connected to input means of said alarm center; one or more optical andor acoustical signaling means connected to output means of said alarm center; one or more operating means causing at least malfunction in die normal operation of said object; communicating means for bi-directional communication with a cellular telephone means; interface means connected to die alarm center and die communicating means; uninterruptible power supply means, wherein die interface means having a remote control which transmits a secret personal code upon activation, is in operational connection with said alarm center, continuously maintaining die activated monitoring state of said alarm center.

9. A system set forth in claim 8 wherein customed telecommunication means widiout keypad and display is used as communicating means.

10. A system set forth in claim 8 or 9 comprising further a cellular telephone located outside die protected object for die purpose of emitting die individual code.

11. A system set forth in any of claims 8 to 10 wherein die interface means has a code input for entering die individual code, connected to an output of a code entering means arranged witiiin die protected object.

12. A system set forth in claim 11 wherein die code entering means is a DTMF transmitter.

13. A system set forth in any of claims 8 to 12 wherein an output of die microcontroller incorporated in die interface means is hardwired widi an actuating push-button of a further remote control hidden in die protected object for maintaining die armed state of die alarm center unit.

14. A system set forth in any of claims 8 to 12 wherein an output of die microcontroller incorporated in the interface means is hardwired widi an enabling input of a further microcontroller incorporated in the alarm center unit for maintaining die armed state of die alarm center unit.

15. A system set forth in any of claims 8 to 12 wherein an actuating means connected to die interface means is inserted between die alarm center unit and die power supply.