STARTER-INTERRUPT DEVICE INCORPORATING GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM FUNCTIONALITY

• US 20070185728A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gordon Howard Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gordon Howard Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Schwarz, Stanley G., Chirico, Franco, Aron, Chris, Macheca, Christopher M., Karlin, Mary Sue, Glancy, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,183,530 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/045 by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/14 specially adapted for billing systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

An onboard starter-interrupt device incorporates Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality in addition to payment schedule enforcement functions. In response to certain events, and/or on a periodic basis, the onboard device transmits vehicle location data to an operations center. In one aspect, a “geo-fence”, or virtual boundary, can be defined; if the vehicle is driven outside the geo-fence, the location information is transmitted to the operations center and/or other action is taken. In response to receiving vehicle location data, the operations center can send a message to cause the onboard device to disable the vehicle, or to present a warning to the vehicle owner, or to notify a third party of the event and/or vehicle location, or any combination thereof.

Claims

1. A method of enforcing a payment schedules for a vehicle purchase, comprising:

receiving information regarding payments made by a vehicle purchaser;

responsive to a nonpayment event, transmitting a message to a disabling device onboard the vehicle and defining a permitted geographic region of operation for the vehicle;

receiving GPS information regarding vehicle location; and

responsive to the GPS information indicating violation of the permitted geographic region of operation, transmitting a message to the disabling device to disable the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the GPS information indicating violation of the permitted geographic region of operation, transmitting a message to an external agent.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the GPS information indicating violation of the permitted geographic region of operation, transmitting a message to the disabling device to issue an alert to the vehicle purchaser.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying vehicle location information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving information regarding payments comprises receiving the information at an operations center located remotely with respect to the vehicle; and

receiving GPS information regarding vehicle location comprises receiving GPS information at the operations center.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying vehicle location information at the operations center.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the external agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a repossession agent;

a credit issuer;

a credit reporting agency;

a lender;

a roadside assistance provider; and

a seller of the product.

5. A system for enforcing a payment schedules for a vehicle purchase, comprising:

event logic, for receiving information indicating a nonpayment event;

a wireless transmission interface, coupled to the event logic, for;

responsive to a nonpayment event, transmitting a message to a disabling device onboard the vehicle and defining a permitted geographic region of operation for the vehicle;

receiving GPS information regarding vehicle location; and

responsive to the GPS information indicating violation of the permitted geographic region of operation, transmitting a message to the disabling device to disable the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a display, coupled to the wireless transmission interface, for displaying vehicle location information.

10. A method of enforcing a payment schedule for an item purchase, comprising:

receiving information regarding payments made by an item purchaser;

receiving GPS information regarding item location; and

responsive to a nonpayment event;

transmitting a message to a disabling device onboard the item, to disable the item; and

outputting an indication of the item location.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

responsive to the nonpayment event, transmitting a message including item location to an external agent.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the external agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a repossession agent;

a credit issuer;

a credit reporting agency;

a lender;

a roadside assistance provider; and

a seller of the product.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the item comprises a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

responsive to a nonpayment event;

transmitting a message to a device onboard the item, to specify a permitted geographic region of operation.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein:

receiving information regarding payments comprises receiving the information at an operations center located remotely with respect to the vehicle;

receiving GPS information regarding vehicle location comprises receiving GPS information at the operations center; and

outputting an indication of the item location comprises outputting the indication of the item location at the operations center.

16. A method of enforcing a payment schedule for an item purchase, comprising:

receiving information regarding payments made by an item purchaser;

receiving GPS information regarding item location; and

responsive to a nonpayment event;

transmitting a message to a disabling device onboard the item, to issue an alert to the item purchaser, and to specify a permitted geographic region of operation;

responsive to at least one of continued nonpayment and violation of the permitted geographic region of operation;

transmitting a message to the disabling device to disable the item; and

outputting an indication of the item location.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

receiving information regarding payments comprises receiving the information at an operations center located remotely with respect to the vehicle;

receiving GPS information regarding vehicle location comprises receiving GPS information at the operations center; and

outputting an indication of the item location comprises outputting the indication of the item location at the operations center.

18. A method of enforcing a permitted geographic region of operation for a vehicle, comprising:

defining a permitted geographic region of operation for the vehicle;

receiving GPS information regarding vehicle location; and

responsive to the GPS information indicating violation of the permitted geographic region, transmitting a message to an onboard disabling device to perform at least one of;

outputting an alert; and

disabling the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

receiving GPS information regarding vehicle location comprises receiving GPS information at an operations center located remotely with respect to the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

responsive to the GPS information indicating violation of the permitted geographic region, transmitting a message to an external agent.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the external agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a repossession agent;

a credit issuer;

a credit reporting agency;

a lender;

a roadside assistance provider; and

a seller of the product.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein:

transmitting a message to an external agent comprises transmitting vehicle location information to the external agent.

23. A method of enforcing a permitted geographic region of operation for a vehicle, comprising:

defining a permitted geographic region of operation for the vehicle;

transmitting a representation of the permitted geographic region to an onboard disabling device;

at the onboard disabling device;

monitoring vehicle location; and

disabling the vehicle responsive to violation of the permitted geographic region.

24. A method of enforcing a permitted geographic region of operation for a vehicle, comprising:

defining a permitted geographic region of operation for the vehicle;

transmitting a representation of the permitted geographic region to an onboard disabling device;

transmitting instructions to the onboard disabling device, the instructions specifying action to be taken responsive to violation of the permitted geographic region;

at the onboard disabling device;

monitoring vehicle location; and

responsive to violation of the permitted geographic region,

performing the specified action.

25. A method of enforcing a permitted geographic region of operation for a vehicle, comprising:

defining a permitted geographic region of operation for the vehicle;

at an operations center, transmitting a representation of the permitted geographic region to an onboard disabling device;

at the operations center, transmitting instructions to the onboard disabling device, the instructions specifying action to be taken responsive to violation of the permitted geographic region;

at the onboard disabling device;

monitoring vehicle location; and

responsive to violation of the permitted geographic region;

attempting to contact the operations center; and

responsive to an inability to contact the operations center,

performing the specified action.

26. A method for remotely disabling a product in response to an event, comprising:

at an operations center remotely located with respect to the product;

establishing a permitted geographic region for operation of the product;

monitoring location of the product;

detecting violation of the permitted geographic region; and

responsive to detection of the violation, transmitting a message to a device coupled to the product in order to disable the product.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein disabling the product comprises preventing the product from operating.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the product comprises a vehicle.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the product comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

an appliance;

a computing device;

a telecommunication device;

a handheld computer; and

a personal digital assistant.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the transmitted message causes the device to output a warning concerning disablement.

31. The method of claim 26, further comprising, responsive to detection of the trigger event, transmitting a message to an external agent.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the external agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a repossession agent;

a credit issuer;

a credit reporting agency;

a lender;

a roadside assistance provider; and

a seller of the product.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the message to the external agent comprises the location information of the product.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the message instructs the device to disable the product at a specified time in the event no additional messages are received by the device.

35. The method of claim 26, further comprising outputting by the device an alert to indicate disablement of the product.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the alert comprises one selected from the group consisting of a visual alert, an auditory alert, and a voice alert.

37. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

responsive to detection of a trigger event, transmitting a message to a device coupled to the product in order to re-enable the product.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the trigger event represents user entry of payment information.

39. A method for remotely disabling a product in response to an event, comprising:

receiving, at a device coupled to the product, a message from an operations center, the message comprising a permitted geographic region for operation of the product;

monitoring geographic location of the product; and

responsive to detection of a violation of the permitted geographic region, disabling the product.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the product comprises a vehicle.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the product comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

an appliance;

a computing device;

a telecommunication device;

a handheld computer; and

a personal digital assistant.

42. The method of claim 39, further comprising, prior to disabling the product, outputting a warning concerning impending disablement.

43. The method of claim 39, further comprising, responsive to detection of a violation of the permitted geographic region, transmitting location information to the operations center.

44. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving a second message from the operations center; and

responsive to receiving the second message, re-enabling the product.

45. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

receiving payment information; and

transmitting payment information to the operations center.

46. A computer program product for enforcing a payment schedule for a vehicle purchase, comprising:

a computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

receiving information regarding payments made by a vehicle purchaser;

responsive to a nonpayment event, transmitting a message to a disabling device onboard the vehicle and defining a permitted geographic region of operation for the vehicle;

receiving GPS information regarding vehicle location; and

responsive to the GPS information indicating violation of the permitted geographic region of operation, transmitting a message to the disabling device to disable the vehicle.

47. A system for enforcing a payment schedule for a vehicle purchase, comprising:

a GPS receiver for determining vehicle location;

a wireless transmitter for selectively transmitting vehicle location information;

a disabling device located onboard the vehicle;

at an operations center located remotely with respect to the vehicle, event logic, for receiving information indicating a nonpayment event;

at the operations center, a geo-fence module for, responsive to a nonpayment event, defining a permitted geographic region of operation for the vehicle;

at the operations center, a wireless communication device for;

responsive to a nonpayment event, transmitting a message requesting vehicle location, and for receiving vehicle location information; and

responsive to the GPS information indicating violation of the permitted geographic region of operation, transmitting a message to the disabling device to disable the vehicle.