GB2483459A

GB2483459A - A concealed vehicle tracking device

Info

Publication number: GB2483459A
Application number: GB201014896A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Gittings
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-09-08
Filing date: 2010-09-08
Publication date: 2012-03-14
Also published as: GB201014896D0

Abstract

A vehicle tracker is disclosed comprising: a substantially hollow main body 106, 108 containing: a tracking module 102; a transmitter; and a power supply 104; wherein said main body represents a vehicle component. Preferably the main body also functions as a vehicle component. The vehicle component is preferably a wheel fixing, such as a wheel bolt. The tracker may also represent and/or function as other vehicle components such as a wheel hub, a door handle, a radio button or the like. A charging plug 110 which is hidden when the tracker is installed may also be provided. The invention provides a GPS based tracking device for assisting in retrieving a stolen vehicle, where said device is capable of being retrofitted and is difficult for a thief to discover.

Description

Patent Application of Andrew Gittings for Concealed Vehicle Tracking Device

Background of the Invention

[1] The present invention relates to Global positioning Satellite (GPS) tracking devices and in particular to those used to locate stolen or lost vehicles.

[2] Vehicle tracking devices for location of stolen or missing vehicles are known in the art. For example, US5703598 to Emmons discloses a continuous standby GPS receiver/transmitter system which transmits a GPS tracking signal in response to a signal from a central station. Upon vehicle loss the user contacts the central station and the central station then broadcasts an identification code signal unique to the individual system. Once the system receives this identification code, the GPS transmitter activates, providing vehicle location to the central station. The standby receiver and the GPS receiver/transmitter are physically mounted at a place on the vehicle or the like which is difficult to reach and from which it is almost impossible to be removed from the vehicle or to be disabled by a thief in a reasonably short period of time. For example, the electronic equipment, which is very small in physical size, may be mounted in a steel enclosure welded directly to the frame or engine block of the vehicle and connected to one or more antenna by a cable.

[3] Furthermore location of a GPS device via mobile phone, removing the need for a central call station, is known in the art. For example, CN2O1123O95 to Zhiyong et. al. discloses a mobile telephone system which can be used for positioning and tracking. The system comprises a GPS tracker mobile phone which can receive a GPS satellite signal and a GPS intelligent mobile phone which communicates with the GE'S tracker mobile phone through a GSM short message channel to monitor and display the GPS tracker mobile phone location.

[4] Furthermore GE'S vehicle trackers camouflaged to prevent their removal by thieves are known in the art. For example, JP200322622 to Hatano discloses a stolen vehicle tracking device which comprises a tracking device chip consisting of a GE'S receiver, a radio communicator and a control circuit in one chip form, an antenna and a battery built into a vehicle rear-view mirror in a camouflaged manner. An owner or others informs a center of the vehicle theft. Then, the center calls the radio communicator in the vehicle and issues a command to inform of positional information data. The stolen vehicle tracking device after receiving the command actuates the GE'S receiver to collect the positional information data for the vehicle. The data is sent to the center using the radio communicator. With this method, the center can trace the position of the stolen vehicle.

Brief Summary of the Invention

[5] It can be seen from the forgoing that there is a need for vehicle tracking devices to deter vehicle theft and to aid recovery of stolen or lost vehicles. Furthermore there is a need for GE'S devices which are resistant to removal by a thief prior or soon after vehicle theft.

[6] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a GPS device that is difficult for a thief to discover and remove from a vehicle.

[7] It is a further object of the invention to provide such a tracking device which can be retrofitted to a vehicle.

[8] To this end, a vehicle tracker is disclosed comprising: a substantially hollow main body containing: a tracking module; a transmitter; and a power supply; wherein said main body represents a vehicle component. Preferably the main body also functions as a vehicle component. The vehicle component is preferably a wheel fixing.

[9] An advantage of the present invention is that it is difficult to identify. This is particularly advantageous since, as GPS tracking devices become standard in vehicles, thieves will become increasingly efficient at their removal. This is especially so as there is a limited number of suitable positions inside the vehicle for mounting of a GPS device. A further advantage is that the device is difficult to remove as it necessitates a spanner or similar equipment for the removal of a wheel fixing. A yet further advantage is that the device is placed outside the vehicle where GPS reception will be better than inside the vehicle.

[10] A yet further advantage is that it can be retrofitted to existing vehicles. This is particularly advantageous for use in older vehicles predating the rise of GPS technology.

Brief Description of the Several Views of the Drawing [11] The invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings, in which: [121 Figure 1 shows the tracker of the present invention; and [13] Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the tracker of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[14] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in Figures 1 and 2 wherein like numerals refer to like components, a vehicle tracker is disclosed comprising: a substantially hollow main body 100 containing: a tracking module 102; a transmitter; and a power supply 104; wherein said main body represents a vehicle component. Preferably the main body functions as a vehicle component.

[15] The term represents' is used herein to mean has the appearance of' such that a casual observer would not identify it as being anything other than that which it has the appearance of.

[16] The term functions as' is used herein to mean has at least one of the same functions as', that is, as well as being a tracker, the device literally is the vehicle component it operates as, in at least one respect. That is, in the preferred example, the tracker not only represents a wheel fixing, but also secures a wheel, therefore functioning as a wheel fixing in this respect, although it may not have the tensile strength of a regular wheel fixing.

[17] The main body may comprise any shape or size and may represent and/or function as any vehicle component, for example a wheel hub, a door handle, a radio button, or the like. Preferably the vehicle component represented is an external component since the GPS signal will be stronger outside a vehicle. Preferably the vehicle component represented is one which is normally removable, such as a wheel hub or wheel fixing, to facilitate fitting to a vehicle and in particular retrofitting.

[18] Most preferably the main body represents a vehicle wheel fixing and functions as a vehicle wheel fixing. The type of wheel fixing represented may be a wheel stud, wheel bolt, wheel nut or other means for affixing a wheel to a vehicle as known in the art. Figure 1 shows the main body 100 shaped as and able to function as a wheel bolt having head 108 and screw thread 106.

The body is preferably manufactured from stainless steel 201 since this has suitable strength and resistance properties, although it may be other suitable materials.

[19] The tracking module is preferably an electronic GPS tracking module suitable for mounting on a PCB, as known in the art although it may be any other tracking module or system known in the art for continuously locating a moving object in real time, locally or globally, within a private or public area.

Preferably the GPS module is disposed on a PCB in the main body, which PCB is also connected to the transmitter and power supply as known in the art. There may be one or more PCBs in the main body for the purpose of connecting the required electronic devices described herein.

[20] The transmitter is connected to the tracking module via the PCB such that it can transmit the location of the tracker to a receiving device remote from the tracker. It is envisaged that the receiving device will be a user's mobile phone although it may be any mobile or stationary computer or other receiving device able to receive electronic signals. It will be readily understood that the means by which the transmitter transmits the signal and the path the signal takes to reach the device are known in the art and therefore not discussed herein. The transmitter is preferably an electronic transmitter such as used in mobile phones although it may be any suitable transmitter known in the art.

[21] The device may further comprise a receiver and may only operate to track the vehicle and transmit a location to a receiving device upon receiving a signal by such a receiver. This may be any suitable receiver. Alternatively there may be no receiver and the device may constantly or periodically transmit a location. The receiver may also be disposed on the PCB.

[22] The power supply is preferably a long lasting, rechargeable lithium-ion battery which has the advantages of being long lasting and rechargeable as well as fitting into the space available within the shape of a wheel bolt body.

Alternatively other forms of power supply may be used such as other batteries, a connection to the vehicle battery, a kinetic generator, or any power supply.

[23] Preferably the tracker further comprises a charging plug 110 for charging the battery described above, which plug is hidden when the tracker is installed such that it does not identify the tracker as being something other than a wheel bolt or other vehicle component which it represents. In the case of a wheel bolt the charging plug is preferably disposed at the end of the screw thread furthest from the head, where it is concealed from view. The plug may be any charging plug for a battery as known in the art.

Claims

Claims 1. A vehicle tracker comprising: a substantially hollow main body containing: a tracking module; a transmitter; and a power supply; wherein said main body represents a vehicle component.
2. The tracker of claim 1 wherein said main body functions as a vehicle component.
3. The tracker of claim 1 wherein said main body represents a vehicle wheel fixing.
4. The tracker of claim 1 wherein said main body functions as a vehicle wheel fixing.
5. The tracker of claim 1 further comprising a charging plug which is hidden when the tracker is installed.