Method and apparatus for vehicle tracking and control

• US 20050071079A1
• Filed: 06/04/2004
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Xocyst Transfer AG LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Godfrey, Timothy Gordon, Zyren, James Gerard
• Granted Patent: US 7,647,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for improving vehicle tracking and remote control. A wireless telecommunications system infrastructure receives a unique vehicle identifier via a shared-communications channel from a vehicle being tracked, as well as location information for that vehicle. The location information is derived from Global Positioning System signals or from the address of the local infrastructure currently in contact with the vehicle, or both. The same shared-communications channel is used to convey control messages to the vehicle, wherein the messages are mapped into control signals that can disable the vehicle'"'"'s engine or control some other system that is part of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) receiving a unique vehicle identifier and a location from a wireless communications station, wherein said wireless communications station transmits said unique vehicle identifier and said location via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications infrastructure; and

(b) notifying a user of said location when said unique vehicle identifier belongs to a non-empty set of vehicle identifiers.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a control message to said wireless communications station.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said control message comprises a command to disable a vehicle that is associated with said wireless communications station.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure uses an IEEE 802.2 logical link control layer.

5. A method comprising:

(a) transmitting a unique vehicle identifier and a location via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications infrastructure, wherein said location is of a vehicle that is associated with said unique vehicle identifier;

(b) receiving a message via said shared-communications channel; and

(c) controlling said vehicle based on determining whether said unique vehicle identifier belongs to a non-empty set of vehicle identifiers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the controlling of said vehicle disables said vehicle.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein said Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure uses an IEEE 802.2 logical link control layer.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said shared-communications channel occupies at least a portion of the 5.85 Gigahertz to 5.925 Gigahertz electromagnetic frequency band.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of said unique vehicle identifier is based on the vehicle identification number of said vehicle.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the transmitting of said unique vehicle identifier and said location occurs when said vehicle moves from a first region that is served by a first access point of said Dedicated Short Range Communications infrastructure to a second region that is served by a second access point of said Dedicated Short Range Communications infrastructure, wherein said first access point and said second access point are different.

11. The method of claim 5 wherein said location comprises Global Positioning System coordinates.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a first interface for receiving a unique vehicle identifier and a location from a wireless communications station, wherein said wireless communications station transmits said unique vehicle identifier and said location via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications infrastructure; and

a second interface for notifying a user of said location when said unique vehicle identifier belongs to a non-empty set of vehicle identifiers.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said first interface is also for transmitting a control message to said wireless communications station.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said control message comprises a command to disable a vehicle that is associated with said wireless communications station.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure uses an IEEE 802.2 logical link control layer.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a transmitter for transmitting a unique vehicle identifier and a location via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications infrastructure, wherein said location is of a vehicle that is associated with said unique vehicle identifier;

a receiver for receiving a message via said shared-communications channel; and

a processor for controlling said vehicle based on the receiving of said message via said shared-communications channel.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the controlling of said vehicle disables said vehicle.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure uses an IEEE 802.2 logical link control layer.

19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said shared-communications channel occupies at least a portion of the 5.85 Gigahertz to 5.925 Gigahertz electromagnetic frequency band.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein at least a portion of said unique vehicle identifier is based on the vehicle identification number of said vehicle.

21. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the transmitting occurs when said vehicle moves from a first region that is served by a first access point to a second region that is served by a second access point of said Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure, wherein said first access point and said second access point are different.

22. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a Global Positioning System receiver, wherein said location comprises information that is based on signals received by said Global Positioning System receiver.

23. A motor vehicle comprising:

an engine for propelling said motor vehicle; and

a communications station for;

(a) transmitting a unique vehicle identifier and the location of said motor vehicle via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications infrastructure; and

(b) controlling said engine based on a message received via said shared-communications channel.

24. The motor vehicle of claim 23 wherein the controlling of said vehicle disables said vehicle.

25. The motor vehicle of claim 23 wherein said Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure uses an IEEE 802.2 logical link control layer.

26. The motor vehicle of claim 23 wherein at least a portion of said unique vehicle identifier is based on the vehicle identification number of said vehicle.

27. The motor vehicle of claim 23 further comprising a Global Positioning System receiver, wherein the location comprises information that is based on signals received by said Global Positioning System receiver.