System for local monitoring

• US 20050209778A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XRS Corporation (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Iris Inbar, James W. Morton, William T. Brown
• Inventors: Morton, James W., Inbar, Iris, Brown, William T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,043,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• 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

One embodiment of the present invention relates a method of monitoring. Position information related to a notification point is received. A mobile client determines a position of the mobile client. The position is compared with an area encompassing the mobile client. A message is transmitted in response to the position being within the area encompassing the notification point.

Claims

1-50. -50. (canceled)

51. A method of monitoring, comprising:

receiving position information related to a notification point;

determining a position of a mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said position with an area encompassing said notification point;

transmitting a message in response to said position being within said area encompassing said notification point; and

setting a state of an entrance flag by said client to a value representing that said entrance flag is set in response to said position being within said area encompassing said notification point.

52. The method according to claim 51, further comprising:

determining a second position of said mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said second position with a second area encompassing said notification point; and

transmitting another message in response to said second position being outside of said second area encompassing said notification point and said state of said flag being set.

53. The method according to claim 51, further comprising:

determining a subsequent position of said mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said subsequent position with said area encompassing said notification point;

determining a status of a timer; and

transmitting another message in response to said subsequent position being within said area encompassing said notification point and said status of said timer being expired.

54. The method according to claim 51, further comprising:

receiving a transmit-message frequency; and

transmitting additional messages at the transmit-message frequency while said mobile client is within said area encompassing said notification point.

55. The method according to claim 51, further comprising:

comparing said position of said client with a second area encompassing said selected notification point in response to said position of said client being within said first area encompassing said selected notification point;

determining a state of a flag in response to said position of said client being within said second area encompassing said selected notification point; and

transmitting said message in response to said state of said flag having a value representing that said flag is not set.

56. The method according to claim 51, further comprising:

initiating a timer in response to said position being within said area encompassing said notification point.

57. The method according to claim 51, further comprising:

comparing said position of said client with a second area encompassing said selected notification point in response to said position of said client being within said first area encompassing said selected notification point;

determining a state of a flag associated with said selected notification point in response to said position of said client being within said second area encompassing said selected notification point;

determining a status of a timer in response to said state of said flag having a value representing that said flag is set; and

transmitting a second message in response to said status of said timer being expired.

58. The method according to claim 51, further comprising:

comparing said position of said client with a second area encompassing said selected notification point in response to said position of said client being within said first area encompassing said selected notification point;

determining a state of a flag associated with said selected notification point in response to said position of said client being within said second area encompassing said selected notification point;

determining a status of a timer in response to said state of said flag having a value representing that said flag is set; and

determining a subsequent position of said client in response to said status of said timer being unexpired.

59. A method of monitoring, comprising:

receiving position information related to a notification point;

determining a position of a mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said position with an area encompassing said notification point;

transmitting a message in response to said position being within said area encompassing said notification point;

determining a second position of said mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said second position with a second area encompassing said notification point; and

transmitting another message in response to said second position being outside of said second area encompassing said notification point.

60. The method according to claim 59, further comprising:

setting a state of a flag to a value representing that said flag is not set in response to said second position being outside of said second area encompassing said notification point and said state of said flag being set.

61. The method according to claim 59, further comprising:

determining a subsequent position of said mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said subsequent position with said area encompassing said notification point;

determining a status of a timer; and

transmitting another message in response to said subsequent position being within said area encompassing said notification point and said status of said timer being expired.

62. A method of monitoring, comprising:

receiving position information related to a notification point;

determining a position of a mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said position with an area encompassing said notification point; and

responsive to said position being within said area encompassing said notification point, initiating a timer and transmitting a message;

determining a subsequent position of said mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said subsequent position with said area encompassing said notification point;

determining a status of said timer; and

transmitting another message in response to said subsequent position being within said area encompassing said notification point and said status of said timer being expired.

63. The method according to claim 62, further comprising receiving a length of time for said timer to expire along with said notification point.

64. A method of monitoring, comprising:

receiving position information related to a notification point;

determining a position of a mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said position with an area encompassing said notification point;

transmitting a message in response to said position being within said area encompassing said notification point;

determining a second position of said mobile client by said mobile client;

comparing said second position with said area encompassing said notification point; and

transmitting another message in response to said second position being outside of said area encompassing said notification point.

65. The method according to claim 64, further comprising specifying a length of time for said timer.

66. A system for locally monitoring, said system comprising:

a client;

a proximity module configured to be executed on said client;

a global positioning system (GPS) module configured to interface with said proximity module; and

a host system configured to transmit a selected location to said proximity module and having a user-definable monitor module for the collection of data from said client, said data including at least one of mileage, idle-time, and fuel consumption; and

wherein said proximity module is configured to receive said selected location, to determine a position of said client from said GPS module, to compare said position of said client with said selected location and to transmit a message to said host system in response to said position of said client being within a first area encompassing said selected location.

67. The system of claim 66 wherein the monitor module further comprises a graphical user interface for specifying the type of data to be extracted from said client.

68. The system according to claim 66, wherein said proximity module is further configured to determine a state of a flag associated with said selected location in response to said position of said client not being within said first area encompassing said selected location and to determine a subsequent position of said client in response to said state of said flag having a value representing that said flag is not set.

69. The system according to claim 66, wherein said proximity module is further configured to determine a state of a flag associated with said selected location in response to said position of said client not being within said first area encompassing said selected location and transmitting a second message in response to said state of said flag having a value representing that said flag is set.

70. The system according to claim 66, wherein said proximity module is further configured to compare said position of said client with a second area encompassing said selected location in response to said position of said client being within said first area encompassing said selected location and to check a status of a flag associated with said selected location in response to said position of said client not being within said second area encompassing said selected location.

71. The system of claim 67 wherein the graphical user interface further comprises means for permitting a user to specify notification points for a selected client.

72. A method of locally monitoring the mobile position of a mobile client relative to a stationary circle encompassing a waypoint, comprising:

prior to said mobile client entering said stationary circle, receiving said circle at said client;

repeatedly determining said position of said client by said client prior to said client entering said circle;

repeatedly comparing said position of said client relative to said stationary circle prior to said client entering said circle;

determining one position of said client by said client after said client has entered said circle; and

transmitting a message in response to said client having entered said circle.

73. The method of claim 72 further comprising:

determining, at regular intervals, subsequent positions of said client by said client while said client is within said circle; and

transmitting, at regular intervals, subsequent messages while said client is within said circle; and

transmitting one other message in response to said client no longer being within said circle.