Recovery system with a more reliable network

• US 20070040668A1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LoJack Operating Company, LP (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: LoJack Operating Company, LP (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Krishna, Sampath, Liu, George, Justice, James
• Application Number:
  US11/207,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040668A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/025 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses absence of reply signal after an elapsed time

Abstract

A recovery system including a station and a plurality of remote transmitting units linked to the station. Each remote transmitting unit includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a controller configured to periodically send a message via the transmitter. The controller receives, via the receiver, that same message from at least one other remote transmitting unit. The controller then provides a notification to the station when the message has not been received in a predetermined time period.

Claims

1. A recovery system with a more reliable network, the system comprising:

a station; and

a plurality of remote transmitting units linked to the station, each remote transmitting unit including;

a transmitter,

a receiver, and

a controller configured to periodically send a message via the transmitter, receive via the receiver a message from at least one other remote transmitting unit, and to provide a notification to the station when that message has not been received in a predetermined time period.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the message includes a remote transmitting unit identifier provided by the controller to the station in the notification.

3. The system of claim 1 in which each remote transmitting unit is linked to the station via a telephone land line.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the transmitter is a radio frequency transmitter.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the message includes a synchronization code to be received by a locating unit.

6. A remote transmitting unit comprising:

a transmitter;

a receiver; and

a controller configured to periodically send a message via the transmitter, receive, via the receiver, said message from at least one other remote transmitting unit, and to send a notification when said message has not been received in a predetermined time period.

7. A recovery system comprising:

a network of remote transmitting units configured to activate a locating unit; and

a station which communicates with the network,

each remote transmitting unit including;

a transmitter for transmitting signals to the locating unit,

a receiver for receiving transmissions from at least one other remote transmitting unit, and

a controller configured to process a transmission received from the at least one other remote transmitting unit, and to provide a notification to the station when the transmission from the other remote transmitting unit has not been received in a predetermined time period.

8. A recovery method comprising:

programming selected remote transmitting units in a recovery network to periodically send a message;

grouping remote transmitting units so at least one remote transmitting unit is configured to receive the message from at least one other remote transmitting unit in the group; and

providing a notification when a remote transmitting unit does not receive the message within a predefined time period.

9. The method of claim 8 in which the message includes an identifier of the remote transmitting unit which transmits the message and the notification includes the identifier.

10. The method of claim 8 in which the notification is provided to a station linked to the remote transmitting units.

11. The method of claim 8 in which the message includes a synchronization code to be received by a locating unit.