Weird and Wacky Engineering
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ErnieE
The biggest problem with using technology to stop cars, is you have a police ...
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What were they thinking? Stopping a car
Brian Bailey
5/4/2012 10:04 AM EDT
In the past I have written about my feelings concerning the GM OnStar and its ability to control a car remotely. I won’t get into that in this post, but I found a patent today that would scare me even more. The title of the patent is “Method of stopping a stolen car without a high-speed chase, utilizing a bar code”. First, I have to wonder what the applicant, a Young Ill Choi from Burbank, CA, was thinking when he added – without a high-speed chase – into the title. Curious addition in that it guesses what might happen. Wasn’t there a famous low-speed car chase some years back? Maybe this patent would work in that case.
Anyways, on to the patent. Let me provide the abstract: A safe method of stopping a stolen car without chasing at high speeds, utilizing a bar code implanted between the inner layer and outer layer of a rear safety glass is comprised of steps: 1) scan the barcode, 2) compare the read in barcode with those of the stolen cars stored in the police computer net, 3) trigger one of the three stopping means of this invention. Those three stopping means are: 1) turn off the engine, 2) puncture the rear tires with bullets, and 3) puncture the rear tires by mechanical means.
Further clarification is provided for 2) …to the trigger installed in the stolen car to puncture the rear tires with four sets of one pistol bullet engaged in a short barrel which are installed inside of both of the rear wheel covers.
Now come on, I am sure you could add some additional fun ways to bring a car to a stop! What say you?
Brian Bailey – keeping you covered
If you found this article to be of interest, visit EDA Designline where – in addition to my blogs on all sorts of "stuff" – you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to all aspects of Electronic Design Automation (EDA).
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for the EDA Designline weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
Anyways, on to the patent. Let me provide the abstract: A safe method of stopping a stolen car without chasing at high speeds, utilizing a bar code implanted between the inner layer and outer layer of a rear safety glass is comprised of steps: 1) scan the barcode, 2) compare the read in barcode with those of the stolen cars stored in the police computer net, 3) trigger one of the three stopping means of this invention. Those three stopping means are: 1) turn off the engine, 2) puncture the rear tires with bullets, and 3) puncture the rear tires by mechanical means.
Further clarification is provided for 2) …to the trigger installed in the stolen car to puncture the rear tires with four sets of one pistol bullet engaged in a short barrel which are installed inside of both of the rear wheel covers.
Now come on, I am sure you could add some additional fun ways to bring a car to a stop! What say you?
Brian Bailey – keeping you covered
If you found this article to be of interest, visit EDA Designline where – in addition to my blogs on all sorts of "stuff" – you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to all aspects of Electronic Design Automation (EDA).
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for the EDA Designline weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
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Brian @ BDH
5/4/2012 11:26 PM EDT
I like the "What were they thinking" patent series...
I agree, why limit the scope with the 'without a high-speed chase' wording. Plus, the technology mentioned doesn't necessarily prevent the high-speed chase. Maybe the thief begins high-speed when he sees the cop trying to "read" the bar code...
The 1st of the 3 'stopping means' is reasonable. However, the last two make no sense - endangering the public as the blowouts cause the thief to wreck into people/property...
The concept is interesting. However, I am certain that thieves would quickly determine ways around this technology. Like spray painting over the bar code, removing the On-Star (or equivalent remote technology) fuse(s), removing the On-Star (or equivalent remote technology) antenna, etc.
Back to the drawing board...
The best way to bring the car to a stop - actually to a slower speed - [once the best technology is determined] would be to send the ECM/PCM into Limp-Home-Mode. Then, the cops could easily stop the thief in a safe manner.
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tb1
5/7/2012 3:22 PM EDT
"four sets of one pistol bullet engaged in a short barrel which are installed inside of both of the rear wheel covers"
Not too hard to imagine the various ways this can go wrong.
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Duane Benson
5/7/2012 4:35 PM EDT
I'd say skip the bullets and go with explosive bolts to separate the drive train from the body.
I suspect that in the not too distant future, the police car will simply determine if the vehicle is exceeding the speed limit by a specified margin and if so, wirelessly instruct the vehicle to safely come to a stop. There will be plenty of civil liberty and privacy concerns, as well as hacking risk discussions, but eventually, I'm guessing this will be it.
Today, radar guns have to be calibrated at specific intervals or the results are not legally binding. You could create some soft of watchdog system, essentially equivalent to the the radar calibration, to minimize abuse.
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DutchUncle
5/8/2012 8:56 AM EDT
Yeah, right. And the bad guys who want to stop cars at random on lonely stretches of highway (as they already do by force or trickery) will definitely bring in their bootleg systems to be calibrated.
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BrianBailey
5/8/2012 9:14 AM EDT
You have just described OnStar - part of every GM vehicle and one reason I wont buy GM.
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agk
5/8/2012 8:53 AM EDT
The thieves can change the glass easily . Whole idea becomes of no use. Is the patent covers this point?
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BrianBailey
5/8/2012 9:15 AM EDT
There are so many holes in the patent, that I am sure the person just wanted to be able to say he had a patent, and that the entire things has no useful purpose. One of the test for a patent is that it must be "non obvious" and it certainly passes that test!
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feralbeagle
5/8/2012 3:07 PM EDT
I think it's really great to encourage kids to write patents. Although there should be more dinosaurs.
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krwada
5/9/2012 5:58 PM EDT
Kevlar ribbons with a bunch of super sticky goo on them. Deploy the ribbons in front of the car. The car runs over the ribbons and the ribbons wrap themselves around the axle of the car.
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ost
5/10/2012 3:01 AM EDT
How to stop a car:
Hollywood style:Use the bazooka
Nerd's style:Engage the autopilot
Nutty professor style:Shoot supersticky glue on the tires
Norwegian style:Take actions to prevent there never will be as a reason for a chase
Scifi style:Cars? You mean those old ones on wheels?
Max style (Ill better take cover):Tell the driver that old card didn't go this fast ;p
(Ok, I could go on, but gotta get work done)
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ErnieE
5/23/2012 11:57 AM EDT
The biggest problem with using technology to stop cars, is you have a police officer controlling it. So it has to be a complex device with a very simple user interface. Making it work is easy. Making it work in the hands of an untrained technical person is 200 times the work.
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