Wireless vehicle-monitoring system operating on both terrestrial and satellite networks
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a wireless appliance for monitoring a vehicle. The wireless appliance includes a microprocessor configured to select a vehicle-communication protocol of a host vehicle, and then communicate with the host vehicle through the vehicle-communication protocol. The appliance also includes a vehicle-communication circuit, in electrical communication with the microprocessor, which collects diagnostic data from the host vehicle using the vehicle-communication protocol. A GPS module, also in electrical communication with the microprocessor, generates location-based data. For transmitting these data, the appliance includes a first wireless transmitter operating on a terrestrial network and a second wireless transmitter operating on a satellite network. The microprocessor selects the first or second wireless transmitter for transmitting the diagnostic and location-based data.
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Citations
73 Claims
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1-35. -35. (canceled)
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36. A wireless appliance for monitoring a vehicle, comprising:
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(a) a microprocessor;
(b) a GPS module, in electrical communication with the microprocessor, configured to generate location-based data;
(c) a first wireless transmitter operating on a terrestrial network and configured to receive and transmit data generated by the GPS module through the terrestrial network to an Internet-accessible website; and
(d) a second wireless transmitter operating on a satellite network and configured to receive and transmit data generated by the GPS module through the satellite network to the Internet-accessible website, wherein the microprocessor is configured to select the first or second wireless transmitter to transmit the location-based data. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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40-55. -55. (canceled)
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56. A wireless appliance for monitoring a vehicle, comprising:
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(a) a microprocessor configured to select a vehicle-communication protocol of a host vehicle and communicate with the host vehicle through the vehicle-communication protocol;
(b) a vehicle-communication circuit, in electrical communication with the microprocessor, configured to collect diagnostic data from the host vehicle using the vehicle-communication protocol;
(c) a satellite modem operating on a satellite network and configured to receive and transmit data collected by the vehicle-communication circuit; and
(d) an antenna connected to the satellite modem. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59-60. -60. (canceled)
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61. A wireless appliance for monitoring a vehicle, comprising:
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(a) a microprocessor configured to select a vehicle-communication protocol of a host vehicle and communicate with the host vehicle through the vehicle-communication protocol;
(b) a vehicle-communication circuit, in electrical communication with the microprocessor, configured to collect diagnostic data from the host vehicle using the vehicle-communication protocol, wherein the vehicle-communication circuit is configured to support multiple different vehicle-communication protocols; and
(c) a satellite modem operating on a satellite network and configured to receive and transmit data collected by the vehicle-communication circuit. - View Dependent Claims (62)
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63. A system for monitoring a plurality of vehicles, comprising:
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a software gateway configured to receive diagnostic and location-based data wirelessly transmitted from a plurality of vehicles, the software gateway including, (i) a first software adapter configured to receive and process incoming data packets from a terrestrial network and reformat the processed data in a predetermined format; and
(ii) a second software adapter configured to receive and process incoming data packets from a satellite network and reformat the processed data in the predetermined format, wherein the first and second software adapters are further configured to store at least a portion of the respectively reformatted data in a database compatible with the predetermined format, wherein the first software adapter is further configured to format outgoing data packets in a format associated with the terrestrial network, and wherein the second software adapter is further configured to format outgoing data packets in a format associated with the satellite network. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67)
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68. A system for monitoring a plurality of vehicles, comprising:
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(a) a wireless appliance configured to selectively transmit diagnostic and location-based data of a host vehicle on a terrestrial network and a satellite network, wherein the wireless appliance is compatible with a plurality of vehicle-communication protocols and interfaced with a diagnostic system of the host vehicle, the wireless appliance including a vehicle-communication circuit, a GPS module, a terrestrial modem, and a satellite modem; and
(b) a central computer system including a software gateway, the software gateway configured to receive diagnostic and location-based data wirelessly transmitted from a plurality of vehicles including the host vehicle, the software gateway including, (i) a first software adapter configured to receive and process incoming data packets from a terrestrial network and reformat the processed data in a predetermined format, and (ii) a second software adapter configured to receive and process incoming data packets from a satellite network and reformat the processed data in the predetermined format, wherein the first and second software adapters are further configured to store at least a portion of the respectively reformatted data in a database compatible with the predetermined format, and wherein the central computer system is configured to access data in the database and display the database data on at least one Internet-accessible website. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70)
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71. A wireless appliance for monitoring a vehicle, comprising:
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an interface board configured to be connected, via a respective cable, to one or both of a wireless terrestrial modem and a wireless satellite modem, the interface board including, (i) a serial communication module configured to manage communication between a connected wireless terrestrial modem and a connected wireless satellite modem, wherein the serial communication module includes a serial communication protocol converter component and a data relay component to transfer data between the connected modems; and
(ii) a power management module configured to receive power from a power supply associated with the connected wireless terrestrial modem and to convert the power into power required by the connected wireless satellite modem. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73)
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Specification