SECURITY SYSTEM, METHOD OF EMITTING AN ALARM SIGNAL, BUS, USE OF A SECURITY SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a security system designed to recognise, by means of the presence and/or content of a status enquiry signal of at least one security unit, whether or not at least one security unit is located inside the security zone. The security system includes an alarm generating unit which is designed to generate an alarm signal if it has been recognised that the at least one security unit is located outside the security zone. The invention further relates to a method for emitting an alarm signal, a bus with a security system and a use of a security system.

Claims

1. Security system, comprising: a central unit; at least one security unit which is connected via a wireless connection to the central unit and has a security unit receiving unit; a predetermined security zone which extends around the central unit and in which the wireless connection between the central unit and the at least one security unit exists, the central unit comprising a central unit transmitting unit which is designed to transmit a status enquiry signal via the wireless connection to the at least one security unit, said security system being designed to recognise, by means of the presence and/or content of the status enquiry signal, whether or not the at least one security unit is located inside the security zone, and an alarm generating unit which is designed to generate an alarm signal if it has been recognised that the at least one security unit is located outside the security zone.

2. Security system according to claim 1, the at least one security unit further comprising a security unit transmitting unit which is designed to transmit a status information signal, and the central unit comprising a central unit receiving unit which is designed to receive the status information signal from the at least one security unit.

3. Security system according to claim 1, the security zone being defined by the range achievable by means of the wireless connection, within which signals can be transmitted, and said range being defined by a transmission power of the central unit transmitting unit or/and a detection rate of the central unit receiving unit being defined such that it is less than 40 m.

4. Security system according to claim 3, the range achievable by means of the wireless connection being adjustable.

5. Security system according to claim 1, the security system further comprising a mobile terminal which is connected to the central unit and/or the at least one security unit and comprises: a receiving unit which is designed to receive the status information signal and/or the alarm signal and to emit an alarm message based thereon; and a display device which is designed to display the alarm message and/or to indicate whether or not the at least one security unit is located inside the security zone.

6. Security system according to claim 5, the central unit and/or the at least one security unit being designed to repeatedly transmit a signal assigned to a security unit to the mobile terminal by means of the wireless connection or a further wireless connection.

7. Security system according to claim 5, the connection between the mobile terminal and the at least one security unit being a secured connection, said mobile terminal having a coupling means for coupling the at least one security unit to the mobile terminal, and the at least one security unit having a coupling element.

8. Security system according to claim 1, the at least one security unit having a locking mechanism which can be unlocked in response to an unlocking signal received by the security unit.

9. Security system according to claim 1, the at least one security unit being transferable into an activated state and a deactivated state, with the alarm generating unit not emitting an alarm signal in the deactivated state of the at least one security unit, even if the at least one security unit is not located inside the security zone, and the security unit transmitting unit being designed to emit at least one deactivation signal.

10. Security system according to claim 1, the wireless connection consisting of a Bluetooth connection, a WLAN connection, a cellular connection, and an infrared connection.

11. Security system according to claim 1, the security system comprising a plurality of security units, each of which having a personal identification, said central unit being designed to assign the status enquiry signal and/or the status information signal on the basis of the personal identification of each security unit to one of the security units from the plurality of security units.

12. Security system according to claim 11, the identification being realised by means of a MAC address assigned to each of the security units or a hard-coded and unchangeable default name assigned to each of the security units or an RFID chip present in each of the security units.

13. Security system according to claim 1, the central unit comprising a plurality of subunits, each of which comprising a transmitting unit which is designed to send the status enquiry signal via the wireless connection to the at least one security unit, and comprising a receiving unit which is designed to receive the status information signal from the at least one security unit, said alarm generating unit being designed to generate an alarm signal if it has been recognised by one of the plurality of subunits by means of a presence and/or the content of the status information signal of the at least one security unit, that the at least one security unit is located outside the security zone.

14. Security system according to claim 2, the subunits being connected to one another and the security system being designed to evaluate the status information signals received from the subunits according to their reception strength by means of trilateration, so that a position of the at least one security unit can be determined.

15. Security system according to claim 2, the central unit being formed from at least two subunits which are arranged spaced apart from one another and whose respective receiving units receive the status information signal from the at least one security unit and the central unit being designed to use previously known positions of the respective receiving units and the signal strength of the status information signal to determine a position of the at least one security unit by means of triangulation.

16. Method for emitting an alarm signal by means of a security unit comprising the steps: connecting a central unit to at least one security unit by means of a wireless connection; determining a security zone which extends around the central unit and in which the wireless connection between the central unit and the at least one security unit exists; transmitting a status enquiry signal by the central unit by means of a central unit transmitting unit; receiving the status enquiry signal of the central unit by the at least one security unit by means of a security unit receiving unit; determining by the security system, by means of the presence and/or content of the status enquiry signal, whether or not the at least one security unit is located inside the security zone; and generating an alarm signal by an alarm generating unit if it is determined that the at least one security unit is not located inside the security zone.

17. Bus comprising a security system according to claim 1.

18. Use of a security system according to claim 1 for securing an object on a bus.

Description

[0085] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0086] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a security system according to the invention according to a first embodiment;

[0087] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a security system according to the invention according to a second embodiment;

[0088] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a bus according to the invention; and

[0089] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart for using the security system in a bus.

[0090] In FIG. 1, a security system according to the invention is in general denoted by 10. The security system 10 comprises a central unit 12 and at least one security unit 14 which is connected to the central unit 12 via a wireless connection 16. Furthermore, the security system 10 comprises a predetermined security zone 18 which extends around the central unit 12 and in which the wireless connection 16 between the central unit 12 and the at least one security unit 14 exists. The central unit 12 comprises a central unit transmitting unit 20 which is designed to transmit a status enquiry to the at least one security unit 14 via the wireless connection 16. The at least one security unit 14 can receive the status enquiry signal by means of a security unit receiving unit 22.

[0091] According to a first embodiment of the invention, the at least one security unit 14 can recognise, by means of the presence of the status enquiry signal from the central unit 12, whether or not it is located in the predetermined security zone 18. This is possible, for example, in that the security zone 18 is defined by an achievable range of the wireless connection 16. In other words, as long as the at least one security unit 14 receives the status enquiry signal, it is located inside the security zone 18, and when the at least one security unit 14 no longer receives the status enquiry signal, it is located outside the security zone. In FIG. 1, a security unit 14 denoted by the letter B indicates a position outside the security zone.

[0092] The wireless connection can be a Bluetooth connection, the range of which is approximately 5 m to 35 m.

[0093] The security system 10 also comprises an alarm generating unit 24 which is designed to generate an alarm signal 26 if it has been recognised that the at least one security unit 14B is located outside the security zone 18.

[0094] For example, the at least one security unit 14 can comprise the alarm generating unit 24 and emit an alarm signal 26 in the form of an acoustic signal if it has recognised that it is located outside the security zone 18. Such a signal on the at least one security unit 14 can prevent an unauthorised person from stealing an object secured with the at least one security unit 14.

[0095] In addition, it may be desirable for the central unit 12 to also be able to recognise, by means of communication with the at least one security unit 14, whether or not the at least one security unit 14 is located inside the security zone 18. This is possible, for example, in that the at least one security unit 14 also comprises a security unit transmitting unit 28 which is designed to transmit a status information signal, and in that the central unit 12 comprises a central unit receiving unit 30 which is designed to receive the status information signal from the at least one security unit 14. In this way, the central unit 12 can recognise, by means of the absence of the status information signal from the at least one security unit 12, that the at least one security unit 14 is located outside the security zone 18.

[0096] In such a case, it is advantageous if the central unit 12 also has an alarm generating unit 24 which is designed to generate an alarm signal 26 if it has been recognised that the at least one security unit 14 is located outside the security zone 18.

[0097] The security system can comprise a plurality of security units 14A, B, C, D. For the sake of clarity, not all possible wireless connections of the plurality of security units 14A, B, C, D are illustrated in FIG. 1. Nevertheless, all security units 14A, B, C, D can communicate with the central unit 12 via the wireless connection 16 in the same way. This means that each security unit 14A, B, C, D can receive the status enquiry signal from, or transmit the status information signal to, the central unit 12.

[0098] Each security unit of the plurality of security units 14A, B, C, D can have a personal identification. This identification can be, for example, a security ID which is individual for each security unit 14A, B, C, D. This can be, for example, a consecutive number or a consecutive letter, e.g., a non-changeable Bluetooth default name. In this way, the central unit 12 can assign the status enquiry signal and/or the status information signal to exactly one security unit from the plurality of security units 14A, B, C, D by means of the personal identification.

[0099] Easier operability and thus increased user-friendliness can be achieved if the security system 10 also comprises a mobile terminal 32 which is connected to the central unit 12 and/or the at least one security unit 14. The mobile terminal 32 can comprise a receiving unit which is designed to receive the status information signal and/or the alarm signal and to emit an alarm message based thereon.

[0100] If the mobile terminal 32 is located inside the security zone 18, i.e., within the range of the wireless connection, it can be used to transmit the status information signal and/or the alarm signal to the mobile terminal 32. In some cases, however, the mobile device 32 may be outside the range of the wireless connection 34. For such a case, the central unit 12 and the mobile terminal 32 can be equipped with means for transmitting mobile phone data, which can make possible a transmission of the status information signal and/or the alarm signal by means of a mobile phone connection 36.

[0101] It goes without saying that the mobile terminal 32 can also receive the status information signal and/or the alarm signal from the at least one security unit 14 by means of the wireless connection 38. In a case in which the at least one security unit 14 also has means for transmitting mobile phone data, the mobile terminal 32 can receive the status information signal and/or the alarm signal from the at least one security unit 14 by means of a mobile phone connection 40.

[0102] The mobile terminal 32 can comprise a display device 42 on which the alarm message can be displayed, for example, in the form of a push-up message. Furthermore, the display device 42 can indicate whether or not the at least one security unit 14 is located inside the security zone 18.

[0103] Furthermore, the security system 10 can comprise more than one mobile terminal 32, for example, one which is assigned to an operator of the security system 10 and a further one assigned to a person who intends to secure an object with the at least one security unit 14. Both mobile terminals 32 can be designed in the same way. Both mobile terminals 32 can comprise application software that controls access rights to the at least one security unit 14. For example, the mobile terminal 32 assigned to the operator can have access to all security units 14A, B, C, D, whereas the other mobile terminal 32 can only have access right to a security unit assigned to it, for example, the security unit 14A.

[0104] Coupling between the mobile terminal 32 and the at least one security unit 14 can be made possible, for example, in that both the mobile terminal 32 and the at least one security unit 14 are within range of the wireless connection 38, 44 and application software on the mobile terminal 32 releases access to the security unit 14A. By means of the personal identification, it is once again possible to allow for a targeted communication between the terminal and precisely one security unit.

[0105] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a security system 100 according to the invention. The security system 100 essentially corresponds to the security system 10 of the first embodiment. In the following, components contained in both embodiments will not be introduced again. Only differences between the security system according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment will be addressed.

[0106] The security system 100 can have a central unit 112 which comprises a plurality of subunits 112A, B, C, each of the subunits 112A, B, C being optionally configured in accordance with the central unit 12, as described in the first embodiment. The subunits can be connected to one another via the wireless connection 146, for example, a Bluetooth connection. Furthermore, the subunits 112A, B, C can communicate with the at least one security unit 114 or the plurality of security units 114A, B, C, D and possibly a mobile terminal 132, as described in the first embodiment, i.e., by means of the wireless connection and/or a further wireless connection. Each of the subunits 112A, B, C can have a receiving unit 150 which can receive, and determine the signal strength of, the status information signal.

[0107] In the second embodiment, the security system 100 can be designed to evaluate the status information signals received from the subunits by the at least one security unit 114 according to their reception strength by means of trilateration, so that a position of the at least one security unit 114 can be determined. The wireless connection can therefore extend beyond the predetermined security zone 118, so that a security unit 114B located outside the security zone 118 can also be connected to the subunits 112A, B, C by means of the wireless connection 148, as is shown in FIG. 2, for example, by the connection 148 between the subunit 112B and the security unit 114B.

[0108] Furthermore, if the central unit 112 is formed from at least three subunits 112A, B, C, which are arranged spaced apart from one another, the security system 100 can be designed to determine, by means of previously known positions of the receiving units of the subunits 112A, B, C and the signal strength of the status information signal of the at least one security unit 114, a position of the at least one security unit 114 by means of triangulation.

[0109] From the calculation of a reception strength of the status information signal at each receiving unit of the subunit 150, it can be calculated from which direction the status information signal is coming and a position of the at least one security unit can thus be determined.

[0110] For example, the status information signal of the security unit 114A can be received first by the subunit 112B, then by the subunit 112A and subsequently by the subunit 112C, since a spatial distance covered by the status information signal between the security unit 114A and the subunits 112A, 112B, and 112C can vary. A signal direction of the status information signal of the security unit 114A can be calculated at each subunit 112A, 112B, and 112C, for example, by means of the respective receiving unit 150, based on different propagation times and/or different received signal strengths of the status information signal. The signal direction can be understood to mean the direction from which the status information signal is transmitted. Furthermore, the position of the security unit 114A can ultimately be determined on the basis of the known signal directions. Trilateration or triangulation is used for this purpose. In the case of the security unit 114B shown in FIG. 2, an absence of the status information signal or the status enquiry signal at the subunit 112C could imply that the security unit 114B is located outside the security zone 118.

[0111] A propagation time difference of the status information signal to the respective subunits 112A, 112B, and 112C can be a few nanoseconds, for example, it can be between 1 nanosecond and 100 nanoseconds. A reception strength difference of the status information signal to the respective subunits 112A, 112B, and 112C can be measured in dBm.

[0112] In one embodiment, a multiplicity of subunits, each of which comprising an antenna, can be arranged in an annular manner, with each subunit or its antenna receiving the signal at a different point in time or with different strengths by means of the respective receiving unit. In this way, the position determination can be improved. It goes without saying that a larger number of subunits or their antennas results in a more precise position determination.

[0113] FIG. 3 shows a bus 52 according to the invention, which comprises a security system 10. Preferably, the security system according to the first embodiment described above is implemented in this bus 52, but a security system according to the second embodiment could also be implemented in this bus 52.

[0114] With regard to the features and mode of operation of the security system 10, reference is made to the previous statements in relation to the first and/or the second embodiment.

[0115] In order to achieve a safety zone 18 which extends around the bus 52, it should have an essentially oval shape roughly corresponding to the contours of the bus 52. However, signals are usually emitted evenly in all directions. In order to still achieve a security zone 18 corresponding to the contours of the bus 52, the central unit 12 can be formed from two subunits 12E, F which can be arranged offset in the longitudinal direction in the bus 52. Preferably, the security zone extends around the bus at a distance 54 of approximately 5 to 35 m. In this way, objects 56, such as pieces of luggage 56, can be provided with the at least one security unit 14 inside the security zone 18 and loaded onto the bus 56. The specified region of the security zone 18 thus makes it possible to load objects 56 secured with the security unit 14 onto the bus or to place them in front of the bus again for possible reloading without the security system generating an alarm signal. However, if the object 56 secured with the security unit 14 is moved outside the security zone, the security unit 14 can generate an alarm signal 26 by means of the alarm generating unit 24, as described above in the first embodiment.

[0116] Since it is possible that the security unit 14, the central unit 12 and/or the mobile terminal 32 can emit an alarm signal or an alarm message, a passenger whose object 56 is secured with the security unit 14 can also be located outside the visual range of the object belonging to said passenger even during the loading of a plurality of pieces of luggage without having to fear that said object secured with the security unit will be stolen.

[0117] The security system according to the second embodiment can also be used in a bus. For example, five subunits, one on each corner of the bus and one in the middle, for example, on the roof, are then preferably used for implementing a position determination of the at least one security unit according to the trilateration method or the triangulation method. Four subunits can also be arranged on each longitudinal side of the bus and, optionally, one subunit can be arranged in the middle. In the simplest case, the subunits are designed to be antennas which have the receiving unit for receiving the status information signal. It goes without saying that one of the subunits can assume more functions than the others.

[0118] The flow chart shown in FIG. 4 shows a use of a security system 10, 100 for securing an object 56 on a bus 52.

[0119] In a first step S1, the security unit 14, 114 can be removed, for example, from a holder or a charging station of the security system 10, 100. In a subsequent step S2, the security unit 14, 114 can be coupled to attributes that can be assigned to the object. For example, the name of the owner, the travel destination of the owner or a seat on the bus can be used as assignable attributes. For this purpose, the mobile terminal 32, 132 can be coupled to the security unit 14, 114 using a coupling means. For example, the mobile terminal 32, 132 can have a Bluetooth receiver as a coupling means and the security unit 14, 114 can have a Bluetooth default name, as a result of which the mobile terminal 32 can connect to the security unit, preferably by means of a secured connection. After the coupling, a locking mechanism of the security element 14, 114 can be unlocked by means of the mobile terminal 32, 132 which is coupled to the security unit 14, 114. However, other mobile terminals that are not coupled to the security unit 14, 114, for example, those belonging to owners of other objects, cannot open said security unit.

[0120] Subsequently, in a step S3, the security unit 14, 114 can be attached to the object 56 to be secured, preferably such that it can only be released again from the object by opening a locking mechanism. Steps S2 and S3 can also be carried out in reverse order.

[0121] In a step S4, the object 56 secured with the security unit 14, 114 can now be stored in the luggage compartment of the bus 52 and is secured during the bus ride S5. This security also exists when the bus opens the luggage compartment of the bus, for example, at a service area or when passengers board or disembark, in order to load luggage, for example.

[0122] If the secured object 56 or its owner has reached its destination, the object 56 can be unloaded from the luggage compartment of the bus 52 and put down in the region of the security zone 18, 118, as illustrated in step S6. Inside the security zone 18, 118, the locking mechanism of the security unit 14, 114 can be opened and removed from the object 56 by means of the mobile terminal 32, as illustrated in step S7. After the security unit 14, 114 has been opened and possibly removed, the mobile terminal 32, 132 can be decoupled from the security unit 14, 114, as illustrated in step S8. In a subsequent step S9, the security unit can be returned, for example, back to the holder or the charging station. The security unit 14 can thus be used again to secure a further object, for example, an object belonging to another passenger.

[0123] During the aforementioned steps S3 to S8 illustrated in FIG. 4, the security system 10, 100 is preferably designed to recognise, by means of the presence and/or content of the status enquiry signal, whether or not the at least one security unit 14, 114 is located inside the security zone 18, 118. If the security system recognises that the security unit 14, 114 is not located inside the security zone 18, 118, an alarm, for example, the alarm signal, can be emitted. Otherwise, the security system can determine again whether or not the security unit 14, 114 is located inside the security zone 18, 118. The alarm generating unit 24 can generate the alarm signal 26.

[0124] Coming back to step S2 in which the security unit 14, 114A is coupled to attributes that can be assigned to the object, a passenger, for example, of a bus, can additionally carry out a “self-check-in” via the security system 10, 100. In the case of a bus ride, a coupling can be successfully carried out, for example, using the coupling means and the coupling elements, between the security unit 14, 144 and an attribute that can be assigned to the object 56, and the passenger can thus check in for the previously booked bus ride automatically, i.e., without any further action, for example, by a bus driver. It is conceivable that the user software of the mobile terminal 32, 132 of the passenger links a ticket for a route with the bus or the security unit assigned to the bus and thus establishes that the passenger is present and will set out on the route, thus triggering and carrying out a “self-check-in” of the passenger automatically. If necessary, the passenger can personally initiate and/or confirm the “self-check-in” after the security unit has been coupled to an attribute that can be assigned to the object, such as the passenger and the associated travel ticket.

[0125] In the following, a locking mechanism will be described, which is known from patent application 10 2019 204 779.3 of the same applicant. The anti-theft device described therein has a locking mechanism having a mechanically and/or motor-actuated release element which is at least partially made of a thermally and/or magnetically activatable shape memory alloy. The release element can be actuated in order to open the locking mechanism by supplying energy from an internal battery, which is provided by the anti-theft device when a release signal is received, and possibly by supporting an opening movement of the release element with a prestressed spring. The release signal can be transmitted from a mobile terminal which is coupled to the anti-theft device via a wireless connection. In a retail application, the release signal can be transmitted, for example, after the mobile terminal of the customer has connected to the anti-theft device via a wireless network using application software and the customer has made a payment transaction.

[0126] The locking mechanism described above can also be used in the at least one security unit 14, 114 and the mechanically and/or motor-actuated release element can be actuated in response to an unlocking signal from, for example, the mobile terminal 32 and the locking mechanism can thus be unlocked.