Control, monitoring and/or security apparatus and method

Abstract

A control apparatus and method, including a first control device, located at a vehicle or premises, capable of controlling one or more of a plurality of at least one of a respective system, equipment system, component, device, equipment, and appliance, of a respective vehicle or premises, with a first signal. The first control device generates and / or transmits the first signal in response to a second signal generated by and / or transmitted from a second control device located remote from the vehicle. The second signal is automatically received by the first control device. The second control device generates and / or transmits the second signal in response to a third signal generated by and / or transmitted from a third control device located remote from the vehicle and the second control device. The third signal is automatically received by the second control device.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 244,334, filed Sep. 16, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 551,365, filed Apr. 17, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,076, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 277,935, filed Mar. 29, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,549,130, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 683,828, filed Jul. 18, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,917,405, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 622,749, filed Mar. 27, 1996, abandoned. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 551,365, filed Apr. 17, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,076, also claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 187,735, filed Mar. 8, 2000, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 190,379, filed Mar. 17, 2000.FIELD OF THE INVENTIO...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Enables secure remote control and monitoring of vehicles and premises, preventing theft by disabling systems and facilitating recovery through global positioning, while ensuring safety by avoiding sudden shutdowns and requiring no specific local receivers or police reports.

Problems solved by technology

However, as is well known, these known anti-theft and / or vehicle recovery devices or systems may be easily defeated by thieves, and especially, by professional thieves and / or have other disadvantages associated with their use.

Experience has shown that even the most sophisticated of anti-theft devices may be defeated by an experienced, and determined, thief, and that vehicle recovery systems also have drawbacks associated with their use.

In the case of some vehicle recovery devices, their use may be limited by the availability, or lack thereof, of the corresponding tracker or receiver device(s) in the particular locality, or the lack of same by the law enforcement department in a particular area.

In recent times, an even more disturbing criminal practice, involving the theft of motor vehicles, has rendered most anti-theft devices virtually useless.

However, once surrendered, the motor vehicle is virtually lost to the car thief.

Anti-theft and / or theft-deterrent devices which attempt to defeat the ultimate vehicle theft, such as caused by car-jacking, by disabling the motor vehicle during the “getaway”, such as by shutting off power to the motor vehicle engine, have major disadvantages and drawbacks in that they could shut-off the vehicle engine at an inopportune instant in time, thereby causing a dangerous condition to exist which could lead to an accident and resulting injuries to individuals as well as damage to property.

These accidents may arise when the motor vehicle power is suddenly shut-off while the vehicle is in motion, which condition could cause the vehicle to suddenly, or even gradually, lose power on a roadway or highway, while traveling at a moderate or at a high rate of speed and / or when a power steering and / or a power braking system, which derives its power from the vehicle engine, suddenly loses power upon the loss of the engine power.

As noted above, accidents such as these may result in injuries to people, both inside and outside the vehicle, as well as property damage caused by, and to, the vehicle.

The above described disadvantages and drawbacks of the prior art devices may also pose accident liability concerns to those manufacturers and / or sellers of these devices, as well as to the owner or operator of the motor vehicle, as these entities and / or individuals may be held liable for the injuries and / or the damages sustained as a result of the above described accidents.

Unless the local police or law enforcement authorities have such equipment, the homing signal recovery device serves little purpose in recovering the vehicle in that locale.

Other vehicle recovery systems require that a police report be made prior to an activation of the homing and / or recovery equipment, which practice could result in the loss of valuable time in the vehicle recovery process.

The above problems concerning vehicle security are equally applicable to and present an equal or even greater problem in providing security for marine vessels and vehicles, aircraft and / or recreational vehicles.

While anti-theft and / or security systems exist for residential and / or commercial premises, such systems fail to enable the owner or occupant and / or other authorized individual to conveniently and effectively exercise and / or perform control, monitoring and / or security functions with regards to these premises.

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