4. DESCRIPTION

FIELD

[0001] The field generally relates to security system for tracking automobiles and more specifically relates to location based tracking for automobiles.

BACKGROUND

[0002] In the modern world, security system for automobiles is gaining popularity. Generally tracking of automobiles may include the technique of using Global Positioning System (GPS). However, GPS based tracking is more effective for fleet tracking of automobiles. More over GPS based tracking adopts the technique of line-of- sight. For the GPS based tracking the GPS receiver should have an unobstructed line of sight with one or more satellites. For example, if there is an obstacle near the GPS receiver, the GPS receiver does not receive any signal from the satellites.

[0003] Another existing technique is tracking based on Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID) technology. Tracking based upon RFID technology involves the technique of using RFID tags. Typically in the RFID technology, the RFID tags may be read from a RFID reader placed at any distance. The distance may range from several centimeters to several meters to allow easy tracking of automobiles. There is an effective need for tracking automobiles in real-time based on location.

SUMMARY

[0004] Various embodiments of systems and process for tracking automobiles using security devices are described herein. The process and systems involves requesting a location of the automobile through a mobile device present in the security device of the automobile, receiving the location identifier (ID) associated with the automobile based on the location of the mobile device, matching the received location ID with one or more location IDs stored in the mobile device and retrieving a location name associated with the matched location ID. The one or more location IDs may be stored in a database of the mobile device.

[0005] These and other benefits and features of embodiments of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, presented in connection with the following drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The claims set forth the embodiments of the invention with particularity.

The invention is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. The embodiments, together with their advantages, may be best understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0007] FIGURE 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for tracking an automobile using a security device according to an embodiment.

[0008] FIGURE 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for searching a location based on the location of the mobile device according to an embodiment.

[0009] FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram for anti theft process according to an embodiment.

[0010] FIGURE 4 is a block diagram illustrating data storage in database of the mobile device according to an embodiment.

[0011] FIGURE 5 is a block diagram of a system for tracking an automobile using a security device according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Embodiments of techniques for security device for automobiles are described herein. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0013] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment", "this embodiment" and similar phrases, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of these phrases in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0014] The disclosed security device may be installed in an automobile that needs to be tracked. The security device may provide alerts to registered users in form of short message service (SMS) alerts, voice call alerts, alarm and so on. A communication between the mobile device of the registered user and the security device installed in the automobile including mobile device is established through general packet radio service (GPRS) technology. The registered users may include the owner of the automobile and the people authorized as the registered users by the automobile owner. A user may register to service of tracking the automobile by sending an SMS including the details such as name and mobile number to the mobile device present in the security device of the automobile. The SMS received in the mobile device may be processed and sent to customer care for the registration process. The registration process at the customer care may include the process of sending an SMS to the mobile device in the automobile. On completion of the registration process, the user gets a registration confirmation SMS. The mobile device in the automobile verifies if the SMS is from the customer care. If yes, the mobile device in the automobile activates the mobile device of the user. Once the activation process is complete, the user becomes a registered user.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, the security device allows the registered user to configure settings to the security device. The settings may include but not be restricted to register to the service of receiving SMS alerts, voice call and alarm. According to another embodiment, the registered user may grant permission to more users to view the location of the automobile by registering to the mobile device of the registered user.

[0016] FIGURE 1 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for tracking an automobile using a security device according to an embodiment. At process block 105, a location of the automobile is requested through the mobile device. The mobile device may be registered user mobile device. The mobile device may include but not restricted to a mobile phone, handheld devices, and the like. According to an embodiment, the mobile device of the registered user may request the location at regular intervals. The regular intervals may be configured by the registered user. The regular intervals may be configured according to registered user need. For instance, the registered user may configure the security device to send the location update of the automobile at every 5 mins.

[0017] At process block 110, a location ID associated with the automobile is received based on the location of the mobile device. The location of the mobile device may be determined through the subscriber identity module (SIM) card in the mobile device The SIM card communicates with the respective Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network to receive a respective location of the mobile device based on a GSM tower in the proximity of the mobile device. According to an embodiment, various locations may have an location ID associated with them. For instance, if the mobile device is in Jayanagar 5th block, Bangalore the location Jayanagar 5th block, Bangalore may have an location ID as S_Bang_Jay423. Whereas the location Jayanagar 4th block, Bangalore may have the location ID as S_Bang_Jay424.

[0018] At process block 115, the location ID received is matched with the one or more location IDs stored in the mobile device. According to another embodiment, the mobile device includes a database including plurality of locations and respective location IDs. According to yet another embodiment, the various locations and the respective location IDs may be divided and stored in separate folders according to areas of the city.
For instance, Bangalore city may be divided into 4 zones namely north zone, south zone, east zone and west zone. The database may include four folders for the Bangalore cityand various areas in the Bangalore city may be added to the corresponding zone folder.

[0019] At process block 120, a location name associated with the matched location ID is retrieved. The location name may be retrieved from the database in the mobile device. The location name is retrieved in a user readable format. According to one embodiment, the location name may be sent to the registered user. The location name may be sent as an alert in form of an SMS.

[0020] According to another embodiment, if the location is not found in the database the location name may be added to the database. The location may be added to a new location file in the database. The new location file may periodically update the database with the newly added locations.

[0021] According to yet another embodiment, the process of tracking the automobile using the security device may be used for anti-theft detection. The anti-theft detection process is described in the further sections of the specification.

[0022] FIGURE 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for searching a location based on the location of the mobile device according to an embodiment. At process block 205, cell ID and location area code (LAC) ID are received from the mobile network. The cell ID may be the mobile tower ID of the mobile network. The LAC ID may be defined as an area code given by the mobile network to identify the location of the area.
According to one embodiment, the cell ID and LAC ID may be received based upon the location of the mobile device in the automobile. The mobile device searches for an associated mobile tower in the proximity of the mobile device and receives the cell ID and the LAC ID associated with the mobile tower. At process block 210, the mobile device searches for the location in the database according to the cell ID and the LAC ID.
At decision block 215, if the location is found the process proceeds to process block 220.
At process block 220, the location details are stored and the process is ended. The location details may be sent to the registered user at regular intervals.

[0023] At decision block 215, if the location is not found, the process proceeds to process block 225. At process block 225, a newly added location file is searched for the location. The newly added location file includes recent location details which may be added to the database periodically. If the location is not found in the newly added location file, the process proceeds to decision block 230. At decision block 230, it is checked if the location is found. If the location is found, the process proceeds to process block 220 to store the location details. If the location is not found at the decision block 230, the process proceeds to process block 235.

[0024] At process block 235, the area associated with the LAC ID is received.
The process proceeds to process block 240 to search for the location in the file associated with the area. The process then proceeds to decision block 245 to check if the location is found. If the location is found, the process proceeds to process block 220 to store the location details. If the location is not found, the process proceeds to process block 250. At process block 250 the previous known location of the mobile device in the automobile is saved. According to one embodiment, if the previous location is older by 20 mins, then the security device returns "unable to find current location" message. The security device may alternatively send the "unable to find current location" message to the registered user.

[0025] According to another embodiment, the security device including the mobile device may include two modes namely active mode and passive mode. The mobile device searches and stores the location in the active mode. The mobile device will not search for the location in the passive mode. The registered user may change the security device from passive mode to active mode.

[0026] FIGURE 3 is a flow diagram for using the security device for anti-theft process according to an embodiment. Intrusion handling may be determined when the automobile is idle, ignition is off and the door of the automobile is closed. For instance when the automobile is idle, ignition is off and the door of the automobile is closed and if there is a human in the automobile it may be treated as intrusion. At process block 305 determine if the ignition of the automobile is off. Then proceed to decision block 310, check if the door of the automobile is closed. If yes proceed to decision block 315. At decision block 315, check if door is opened and then closed. If yes, proceed to process block 320. At process block 320 wait for a predefined time. On completion of the predefined time proceed to decision block 325. At decision block 325, check if there is any intrusion. If yes, proceed to process block 330. At process block 330, an alert is sent.
The alert is sent to the registered user. The intrusion alert is sent to the registered user along with the location name alert. If there is no intrusion, end the process.

[0027] At decision block 310, if the door is not closed, the process ends. At decision block 315, if door is opened and then closed, the process ends.

[0028] The below described scenario explains the process of FIGURE. 1, FIGURE 2 and FIGURE 3 using a business scenario. Consider a business scenario of a car carrying valuable goods travelling towards Bannerghatta Road in Bangalore. The registered user (i.e. the owner of the car) may need to track the movements of the car to ensure that the valuable goods in the car are delivered safely to the destination. The registered user requests for the current location of the car. The request is sent to the mobile device of the security device installed in the car. The mobile device requests for current location through the SIM card. The SIM card communicates with the mobile tower in the proximity of the mobile device. The SIM card receives a location ID from the mobile tower based on the location of the mobile device. The location ID may be S_Ban_Bangh987. The mobile device searches the database for a location name based on the location ID received. From the location ID it may be indicated that the location name may be searched in south zone folder of Bangalore. On searching the south zone folder the location name "Bannerghatta 18th KM" may be retrieved from the database. The location name "Bannerghatta 18th KM" may be sent to the mobile device of the registered user. Further the security device may send the location updates to the registered user at regular intervals of 5 mins as configured by the registered user.

[0029] There may be a scenario where the mobile device in the security device of the automobile may not receive the location ID due to technical defect. At such cases the mobile device sends the previous known location to the registered user. If the previous known location is older than 20 mins the mobile device sends "unable to find current location" message to the registered user.

[0030] According to another scenario, the mobile device may also send the message of a human intrusion in the automobile along the location name update. For instance at Bannerghatta 18th KM if there is a human intrusion the security device follows the process described in FIGURE 3 and sends a human intrusion alert and starts the alarm alert. In this way the registered user knows if the security of the car is compromised.

[0031] FIGURE 4 is a block diagram illustrating data storage in database of the mobile device according to an embodiment. Database 400 includes various locations of Bangalore in various folders. At database 400, the main folder is the Bangalore 405. The folder Bangalore is divided into four sub folders namely north zone 410, south zone 415, east zone 420 and west zone 425. The sub folder north zone 410 is further divided into various locations such as LI, L2 to Ln as shown in 430. The locations are stored along with their corresponding location IDs. Similarly south zone 415, east zone 420, west zone 425 include various locations denoted by 435, 440 and 445 respectively. According to an embodiment, the database may include a file namely newly added location including locations which may be added on recent requests of the registered user.

[0032] Consider a scenario where an automobile is travelling in Bangalore east region. The location ID received may be EBan Whfield. On receiving the location ID associated with east zone, the database 400 is searched for the location ID. The match may be found in the east zone sub folder 420 and the location name associated with the location is retrieved and sent to the registered user.

[0033] FIGURE 5 is a block diagram of a system for tracking an automobile using a security device according to an embodiment. The security device 505 includes a card reader unit 510, a GSM unit 515, a matching unit 520, a database 525, a data retriever 530, a human sensor 535 and a door sensor 540.

[0034] The security device 505 may be installed in an automobile. The GSM unit 515 in the security device 505 communicates with the card reader unit 510. A registered user such as the owner of the automobile may request the current location of the automobile to track the automobile. On requesting for the current location, the request is sent to the card reader unit 510. The card reader unit 510 reads the SIM card data in the mobile device of the security device 505. The card reader unit 510 and the GSM unit 515 are part of the mobile device (not shown). The card reader unit 510 communicates with the GSM unit 515. Once the communication is established between the SIM card and the GSM unit 515, the GSM unit 515 communicates with a GSM tower in proximity with the mobile device. The GSM unit 515 retrieves a location ID associated with the location of the automobile based on the location of the mobile device. The matching unit 520 matches the location ID with various location IDs stored in the database 525 of the mobile device. On finding a match the data retriever unit 530 retrieves the location name associated with the location ID. The data retriever 530 retrieves and stores the location name in the mobile device. The location name is retrieved in a user readable format. The location name may be stored in the database of the mobile device in the automobile. The location name is sent to the mobile device of the registered user through the mobile device in the automobile.

[0035] According to one embodiment of the invention, the security device 505 includes a door sensor 540. The door sensor 540 provides signals when the door is opened or closed. According to another embodiment the security device 505 includes a human sensor 535 for detecting human intrusion in the automobile. According to yet another embodiment the security device 505 includes an ignition sensor for detecting the automobile movement.

[0036] In the above description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods, components, techniques, etc. In other instances, well-known operations or structures are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0037] Although the processes illustrated and described herein include series of steps, it will be appreciated that the different embodiments of the present invention are not limited by the illustrated ordering of steps, as some steps may occur in different orders, some concurrently with other steps apart from that shown and described herein. In addition, not all illustrated steps may be required to implement a methodology in accordance with the present invention. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the processes may be implemented in association with the apparatus and systems illustrated and described herein as well as in association with other systems not illustrated.

[0038] The above descriptions and illustrations of embodiments of the invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. These modifications can be made to the invention in light of the above detailed description. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be determined by the following claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with established doctrines of claim construction.

5. CLAIMS I/we claim: -

1. A process for tracking a automobile using a security device, the process comprising:

requesting a location of the automobile through a mobile device present in the security device of the automobile;

receiving the location identifier associated with the automobile based on the location of the mobile device;

matching the received location identifier with one or more location identifiers stored in the mobile device; and

retrieving a location name associated with the matched location identifier.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprises sending the location name to a mobile device of a registered user.

3. The process of claim 1 further comprises sending a short message service alert to the mobile device of a registered user.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein receiving the location identifier comprises receiving the location identifier associated with the location of a subscriber identity module (SIM) card in the mobile device.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein matching the received location identifier with the one or more location identifiers comprises matching the location identifier to a list of location identifiers stored in a database of the mobile device.

6. A system for tracking a automobile using a security device, the system comprising:

a card reader unit to read a subscriber identity module card in a mobile device;

a global system for mobile communication unit in communication with the card reader unit for retrieving data from the subscriber identity module card and retrieving location identifier based on the location of the mobile device;

a matching unit for matching the retrieved location identifier with one or more location identifiers stored in a database of the mobile device; and
a data retriever unit to retrieve a location name associated with the matched location identifier.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data retriever unit retrieves and stores the location name in the mobile device of the security device.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprises one or more sensors.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the data retriever unit retrieves the location name in a user readable format.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the data retriever unit sends the location name to a registered user.