Vehicle tracker with user notifications and associated methods

• US 20040201520A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,888,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.07
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A tracking system includes a vehicle tracking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith. The vehicle tracking unit preferably includes a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller connected to the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device. The controller preferably cooperates with the wireless communications device to send an alert message. The monitoring station may include a user interface for generating a sequence of alert message notifications based upon receiving the alert message sent from the vehicle tracking unit, and for canceling any remaining alert message notification of the sequence based upon a cancellation command response from a user having already received the alert message notification.

Claims

1. A vehicle tracking system comprising:

a vehicle tracking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith;

said vehicle tracking unit comprising a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller connected to said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device;

said controller cooperating with said wireless communications device to send an alert message;

said monitoring station comprising a user interface for generating a sequence of alert message notifications based upon receiving the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit, and for canceling any remaining alert message notification of the sequence based upon a cancellation command response from a user having already received the alert message notification.

2. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit comprises at least one of an vehicle stolen alert message, and a vehicle alarm sounding alert message.

3. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit comprises one a vehicle speeding alert message, and a vehicle acceleration alert message.

4. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit comprises an unauthorized remote transmitter alert message.

5. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit comprises at least one of a low vehicle battery alert message, and a device malfunction alert message.

6. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

7. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

8. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 7 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

9. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said user interface comprises an Internet interface.

10. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said user interface comprises a telephone network interface.

11. A vehicle tracking system comprising:

a vehicle tracking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith;

said vehicle tracking unit comprising a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller connected to said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device;

said controller cooperating with said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device to send a speeding alert message based upon the vehicle exceeding a speed threshold for longer than a predetermined time indicative of aggressive driving of the vehicle;

said monitoring station generating at least one speeding alert message notification based upon receiving the speeding alert message from said vehicle tracking unit.

12. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 11 wherein the at least one speeding alert message notification comprises a series thereof;

and wherein said monitoring station cancels any remaining speeding alert message notification of the sequence based upon a cancellation command response from an entity already having received the speeding alert message notification.

13. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 11 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

14. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 11 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

15. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 14 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

16. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 11 wherein said monitoring station comprises a user interface for accepting at least one command from a user and sending at least one alert to the user.

17. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 16 wherein said user interface comprises an Internet interface.

18. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 16 wherein said user interface comprises a telephone network interface.

19. A vehicle tracking system comprising:

a vehicle tracking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith;

said vehicle tracking unit comprising a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller connected to said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device;

said controller cooperating with said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device to send an acceleration alert message based upon the vehicle exceeding an acceleration threshold indicative of aggressive driving of the vehicle;

said monitoring station generating at least one acceleration alert message notification based upon receiving the acceleration alert message from said vehicle tracking unit.

20. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 19 wherein the at least one acceleration alert message notification comprises a series thereof;

and wherein said monitoring station cancels any remaining acceleration alert message notification of the sequence based upon a cancellation command response from an entity already having received the acceleration alert message notification.

21. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 19 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

22. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 19 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

23. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 22 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

24. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 19 wherein said monitoring station comprises a user interface for accepting at least one command from a user and sending at least one alert to the user.

25. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 24 wherein said user interface comprises an Internet interface.

26. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 24 wherein said user interface comprises a telephone network interface.

27. A vehicle tracking system comprising:

a vehicle tracking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith;

said vehicle tracking unit comprising a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, a controller connected to said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device, and at least one remote transmitter for operating said controller;

said controller cooperating with said wireless communications device to send an unauthorized transmitter alert message based upon an unauthorized remote transmitter being learned into said controller;

said monitoring station generating at least one unauthorized remote transmitter alert message notification based upon receiving the unauthorized remote transmitter alert message from said vehicle tracking unit.

28. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 27 wherein the at least one unauthorized remote transmitter alert message notification comprises a series thereof;

and wherein said monitoring station cancels any remaining unauthorized remote transmitter alert message notification of the sequence based upon a cancellation command response from an entity already having received the unauthorized remote transmitter alert message notification.

29. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 27 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

30. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 27 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

31. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 30 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

32. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 27 wherein said monitoring station comprises a user interface for accepting at least one command from a user and sending at least one alert to the user.

33. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 32 wherein said user interface comprises an Internet interface.

34. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 32 wherein said user interface comprises a telephone network interface.

35. A method for operating a vehicle tracking system comprising a vehicle tracking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith, the vehicle tracking unit comprising a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller connected to the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device, the method comprising:

using the controller cooperating with the wireless communications device to send an alert message; and

using the monitoring station for generating a sequence of alert message notifications based upon receiving the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit, and for canceling any remaining alert message notification of the sequence based upon a cancellation command response from a user having already received the alert message notification.

36. A method according to claim 35 wherein the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit comprises at least one of an vehicle stolen alert message, and a vehicle alarm sounding alert message.

37. A method according to claim 35 wherein the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit comprises one a vehicle speeding alert message, and a vehicle acceleration alert message.

38. A method according to claim 35 wherein the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit comprises an unauthorized remote transmitter alert message.

39. A method according to claim 35 wherein the alert message sent from said vehicle tracking unit comprises at least one of a low vehicle battery alert message, and a device malfunction alert message.

40. A method according to claim 35 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

41. A method according to claim 35 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

42. A method according to claim 41 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

43. A method according to claim 35 wherein the monitoring station comprises an Internet interface.

44. A method according to claim 35 wherein the monitoring station comprises a telephone network interface.