TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to safety or security of components of vehicle. More
particularly, it relates to a system and method for monitoring costly vehicular component(s)
such as catalytic converters and alerting a user about any unintentional human activity in a
timely manner.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Stealing of vehicular components such as catalytic converters has become a significant
issue in the recent years due to the high value of the precious metals they contain, such as gold,
palladium, and platinum. These metals make catalytic converters attractive targets for thieves
looking to make quick money. Catalytic converters are crucial components of vehicle exhaust
systems, responsible for reducing harmful emissions. Generally, Catalytic converter are placed
in engine bonnet area, but it can also be located on the bottom side of the vehicle depending
upon the category of vehicle e.g commercial vehicle or personal vehicle. To steal a catalytic
converter, thieves commonly cut the pipes leading into and out of the converter or drill a portion
of the converter so that precious metal can be removed quickly and tactfully.
[0003] To prevent this kind of theft and to protect the vehicle, various techniques have been
employed in the high-end vehicles. However, such techniques employes various sensors such
as position sensors, piezo sensors, transducers, vibration sensors, resistance elements, and
capacitive sensors etc. These sensors serve specific functions and work in conjunction with
other units of the vehicle to detect and prevent theft attempts. Particularly, position sensors are
designed to check whether the catalytic converter is present or has been tampered with. Piezo
sensors and transducers are used to measure vibrations in the vehicle's components. These
sensors can detect unusual movements or sense vibrations that may indicate a theft attempt.
Further, if resistance elements are utilized to monitor change in electrical resistance within the
catalytic converter’s end. In this scenario, when a catalytic converter is removed or tampered
with, the electrical resistance within the system changes, providing a signal to the associated
sensor(s) regarding a potential theft. Capacitive sensors, on the other hand, measure changes
in the capacitance of the system, which also indicates the absence or tampering of the catalytic
converter. Thus, different sensors provide different arrangements for monitoring and
preventing theft of the catalytic converter. However, to process the data received from these
sensors and for making informed decisions, external memory and controllers or processors are
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necessary. These components analyze the sensor readings, compare them with pre-determined
thresholds or patterns, and determine whether the catalytic converter is still intact or has been
stolen. If any unintentional human activity is detected, the system can trigger a warning alarm
or send alerts to the vehicle owner or security services. Over time, the accuracy, precision, and
efficacy of the above-mentioned sensors can be affected by various factors. For instance, due
to corrosion, environmental factors (like rain, fog, muddy water, etc.) or aging, the resistance
reading or capacitance reading provided to the sensors may get compromised. This can lead to
inaccurate results and generation of false alarms, consequently the goal of theft detection
cannot be achieved.