Vehicle activity module

• US 20040128159A1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SentriLock, LLC
• Original Assignee: Performance Analytics, Inc.
• Inventors: Cherukuri, Suman, McGinn, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 7,340,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system (10) is disclosed for maintaining security and data gathering for a number of vehicles. The system (10) includes a vehicle activity module (12) for each of the vehicles (2), the vehicle activity module (12) including a wireless transmitter (18), at least one ID reader (50), and activity sensors (50,62,70), and a central computer (22) having a database (24) for data storage, the central computer (22) being in wireless communication with each of the vehicle activity modules (12). The system (10) also includes key ID tags (74), which are attached to vehicle keys (16), and personal ID cards (60) which are issued to sales, maintenance and service personnel. Information is read from personal ID cards (60) and key ID tags (74) by the activity sensors (50,62,70) and is transmitted to the central computer (22) for authorization of access and recording of access activity, and for storage and analysis.

Claims

1. A system for maintaining security and gathering data for a plurality of vehicles comprising:

a vehicle activity module for each of said vehicles, said vehicle activity module including a wireless transmitter, sensors and a key container;

a central computer having a database for data storage, said central computer being in wireless communication with each of said vehicle activity modules;

key ID tags, which are attached to vehicle keys; and

personal ID cards which are issued to sales, maintenance and service personnel;

wherein;

information read from personal ID cards by said sensors is transmitted to said central computer for authorization of access and recording of access activity; and

information read from key ID tags attached to keys by said sensors is transmitted to said central computer for storage and analysis.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said vehicle activity modules operate in sleep mode until awakened by an event to report activity.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

said event is chosen from a group of events consisting of sales events, non-sales events and intrusion events.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said vehicle activity modules operates in sleep mode until awakened at periodic programmed intervals to report on status.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein:

said key ID tag information includes the presence or absence of said key ID tags and therefore of said keys in said vehicle activity modules.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein:

said status which is reported includes a health check.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

rechargeable battery pack, which provides energy to said vehicle activity modules.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

solar chargers which recharge said rechargeable battery pack.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an intrusion sensor.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said sensors include an ID reader.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein:

said ID reader is an RFID reader.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein:

said ID reader is key tag/ID reader.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said information from said ID cards and key ID tags is used to generate alerts and theft alarms.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said information are from said ID cards and key ID tags is used to generate reports for inventory and administrative planning.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said information are from said ID cards and key ID tags is used to request access to vehicles.

16. A vehicle activity module for maintaining security and data gathering for a plurality of vehicles, to be used in cooperation with a central computer, personal ID cards, and key ID tags attached to vehicle keys, the vehicle activity module comprising:

a housing having a releasable key compartment, said housing being securely mounted to some portion of each said plurality of vehicles;

at least one ID reader by which ID information can be scanned from said personal ID cards and key ID tags; and

a wireless transmitter by which said personal ID card information and key ID tag information can be transmitted to a central computer for storage and analysis.

17. The vehicle activity module of claim 16, wherein;

said key ID tag information includes the presence or absence of said key ID tags and therefore of said keys within said vehicle activity module.

18. The vehicle activity module of claim 16, wherein;

said vehicle activity modules operates in sleep mode until awakened by an event to report activity.

19. The vehicle activity module of claim 16, wherein;

said vehicle activity modules operates in sleep mode until awakened at periodic programmed intervals to report on status.

20. The vehicle activity module of claim 16, wherein;

said status which is reported includes a health check.

21. The vehicle activity module of claim 16, further comprising:

rechargeable battery packs, which serve to power said vehicle activity modules.

22. The vehicle activity module of claim 21, further comprising;

solar chargers which recharge said rechargeable battery packs.

23. The vehicle activity module of claim 16, further comprising;

an intrusion alarm.

24. The vehicle activity module of claim 16, wherein;

said ID reader is a magnetic strip reader.

25. The vehicle activity module of claim 16, wherein;

said ID reader is an RFID reader.

26. The vehicle activity module of claim 16, wherein:

said ID reader is key tag/ID reader.

27. A method for maintaining security for a plurality of vehicles, to be used in cooperation with a central computer, personal ID cards, and key ID tags attached to vehicle keys, the method comprising:

A) attaching a vehicle activity module to each of said vehicles, said vehicle activity module including a wireless transmitter, sensors and a key container;

B) providing a central computer having a database for data storage, said central computer being in wireless communication with each of said vehicle activity modules;

C) providing that said vehicle activity module remains in sleep mode until awakened; and

D) transmitting a wireless signal from said vehicle activity modules to said central computer when awakened.

28. The method for maintaining security of claim 27, wherein:

said vehicle activity module of C) operates in sleep mode until awakened by an event to report activity.

29. The method for maintaining security of claim 28, wherein:

said event is chosen from a group of events consisting of sales events, non-sales events and intrusion events.

30. The method for maintaining security of claim 27, wherein:

said vehicle activity module of C) operates in sleep mode until awakened at periodic programmed intervals to report on status information.

31. The method for maintaining security of claim 30, wherein:

said status information which is reported includes a health check.

32. The method for maintaining security of claim 27, wherein:

said sensors include a key ID tag sensor, which reads key ID tag information concerning said keys upon opening or closing said key container.

33. The method for maintaining security of claim 27, wherein:

said sensors include an RFID reader.

34. The method for maintaining security of claim 27, wherein:

said sensors include a key tag/ID reader.

35. The method for maintaining security of claim 27, wherein:

said transmission of D) activates one or more alarms by the central computer upon receiving said transmission from said vehicle activity module.

36. The method for maintaining security of claim 35, wherein:

said one or more alarms include audio alarms on the grounds, audio alarms on the vehicle, notification to local police or security forces, visual disturbance warning, alerts by internet and cell phone message to personnel.

37. The method for maintaining security of claim 29, wherein:

said transmission indicates a sales event, and demo drive time is automatically recorded in said central computer, and if a determination is made that the drive time exceeds a permitted limit, one or more alarms are sounded.

38. The method for maintaining security of claim 37, wherein:

said determination of exceeded time limit is determined by sensing the length of time that said key is absent from said key container.

39. The method for maintaining security of claim 29, wherein:

said transmission indicates a non-sales event, and a determination of exceeded time limit is determined by sensing the length of time that said key is absent from said key container, and if said time limit is exceeded, one or more alarms may be sounded.

40. The method for maintaining security of claim 29, wherein:

said transmission indicates an intrusion event.

41. The method for maintaining security of claim 40, wherein:

said key tag is checked whether it is the correct key when the key container is opened.

42. The method for maintaining security of claim 41, wherein:

if the key is correct and the event takes places during normal operating hours, the time that the key is missing from the key container is recorded and determined if returned within the maximum demo drive time limit, and if it is not, one or more alarms are activated.

43. The method for maintaining security of claim 41, wherein:

if the key is not correct, one or more alarms are activated.

44. The method for maintaining security of claim 41, wherein:

if the key is correct and the event does not takes places during normal operating hours, the time that the key is missing from the key container and the person ID who last accessed is recorded and transmitted on an accelerated basis, and if not returned within an accelerated time limit, one or more alarms are activated.

45. The method for maintaining security of claim 27, wherein:

said activity sensors include an intruder sensor, which if activated, cause one or more alarms to be activated.

46. The method for maintaining security of claim 27, wherein:

said transmission of D) is a regularly timed signal, which if not received by said central computer, cause one or more alarms to be activated.

47. The method for maintaining security of claim 27, wherein:

said transmission of D) is a signal requesting access which is received by said central computer and which returns an authorization signal which unlocks said key container.

48. A method for collecting and analyzing data and on vehicle access for a plurality of vehicles, to be used in cooperation with a central computer, personal ID cards, and key ID tags attached to vehicle keys, and vehicle data, the method comprising:

A) attaching a vehicle activity module to each of said vehicles, said vehicle activity module including a wireless transmitter, activity sensors and a key container;

B) providing a central computer having a database for data storage, said central computer being in wireless communication with each of said vehicle activity modules;

C) providing that said vehicle activity module remains in sleep mode until awakened; and

D) transmitting a wireless signal from said vehicle activity modules to said central computer at the time of awakening.

49. The method for collecting and analyzing data of claim 48, wherein:

said vehicle activity module of C) operates in sleep mode until awakened by an event to report activity.

50. The method for collecting and analyzing data of claim 49, wherein:

said event is chosen from a group of events consisting of sales events, non-sales events and intrusion events.

51. The method for collecting and analyzing data of claim 48, wherein:

said vehicle activity module of C) operates in sleep mode until awakened at periodic programmed intervals to report on status information.

52. The method for collecting and analyzing data of claim 48, wherein:

said activity sensors include a key ID tag sensor, which reads key ID tag information concerning said keys upon opening or closing said key container.

53. The method for collecting and analyzing data of claim 48, wherein:

said transmission indicates a sales event, and sales event data including personal ID data and key tag ID data are recorded in said central computer, along with vehicle data, which can be organized into reports for sales and inventory status and planning, sales personnel periodic reports and management projections.

54. The method for collecting and analyzing data of claim 48, wherein:

said transmission indicates a non-sales event, and non-sales event data including personal ID data and key tag ID data are recorded in said central computer, along with vehicle data, which can be organized into reports for personnel periodic reports, inventory planning and management analysis.

55. The method for collecting and analyzing data of claim 48, wherein:

said transmission indicates an intrusion event, and event data are recorded in said central computer, along with vehicle data, which can be organized into reports for security planning and police reports.