Vehicle tracker using common telephone number and unique identification number and associated methods
First Claim
1. A vehicle tracker comprising:
- a cellular transceiver at a vehicle for receiving an activation message from a cellular communications network, the activation message comprising a common telephone number for a plurality of vehicle trackers and a unique identification number for the vehicle tracker;
a vehicle position-determining device at the vehicle; and
a controller at the vehicle cooperating with said cellular transceiver and said vehicle position-determining device for transmitting vehicle location data if the unique identification number in the received activation message matches the unique identification number for the vehicle tracker.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle tracker may include a cellular transceiver at a vehicle for receiving an activation message from a cellular communications network. The activation message may include a common telephone number for a plurality of vehicle trackers and a unique identification number for the vehicle tracker. A vehicle position-determining device may be at the vehicle. A controller at the vehicle may cooperate with the cellular transceiver and the vehicle position-determining device to transmit vehicle location data if the unique identification number in the received activation message matches the unique identification number for the vehicle tracker. The vehicle tracker may be part of a vehicle tracking system in which a plurality of vehicles may each have a respective vehicle tracker. The vehicle tracking system may include a user operable device to generate the activation message.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A vehicle tracker comprising:
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a cellular transceiver at a vehicle for receiving an activation message from a cellular communications network, the activation message comprising a common telephone number for a plurality of vehicle trackers and a unique identification number for the vehicle tracker;
a vehicle position-determining device at the vehicle; and
a controller at the vehicle cooperating with said cellular transceiver and said vehicle position-determining device for transmitting vehicle location data if the unique identification number in the received activation message matches the unique identification number for the vehicle tracker. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A vehicle tracker comprising:
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a cellular transceiver at a vehicle for receiving an activation message from a cellular communications network, the activation message comprising a common telephone number for a plurality of vehicles and a unique identification number for the vehicle tracker;
a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver at the vehicle;
a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card at the vehicle for storing the common telephone number; and
a controller at the vehicle cooperating with said cellular transceiver, said GPS receiver, and said SIM card for transmitting vehicle location data if the unique identification number in the received activation message matches the unique identification number for the vehicle tracker. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A vehicle tracking system for a plurality of vehicles comprising:
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a respective vehicle tracker for each of the plurality of vehicles, each vehicle tracker comprising a cellular transceiver for receiving an activation message from a cellular communications network, the activation message comprising a common telephone number for a plurality of vehicles and a unique identification number for the vehicle tracker, a vehicle position-determining device, and a controller cooperating with said cellular transceiver and said vehicle position-determining device for transmitting vehicle location data if the unique identification number in the received activation message matches the unique identification number for the vehicle tracker; and
a user operable device cooperating with the cellular communications network for generating the activation message. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for using a vehicle tracker comprising a cellular transceiver, a vehicle position-determining device, and a controller connected to the cellular transceiver and vehicle position-determining device at a vehicle, the method comprising:
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sending an activation message to the cellular transceiver, the activation message comprising a common telephone number for a plurality of vehicle trackers and a unique identification number for the vehicle tracker;
using the cellular transceiver to receive the activation message; and
using the controller to determine if the unique identification number in the received activation number matches the unique identification number for the vehicle tracker, and, if so, using the cellular transceiver to transmit vehicle location data determined by the vehicle position-determining device. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification