Vehicle identification system

• US 20080065692A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Farmer, Jeffrey Charles, Monteros, Alfonso Espinosa de los, Mehta, Sapna P., Volpi, David P., Bacorn, Nashina Asaria, Contour, Michael Joseph, Bergman, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 7,894,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

The specification and drawing figures describe and show a vehicle identification system that includes a programmable application for database management of a plurality of customer-specific vehicle descriptors. The vehicle identification system also includes a mobile computing platform in a mobile satellite communications system adapted to operatively associate the customer-specific vehicle descriptors with a vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle identification system, comprising

a programmable application for database management of a plurality of vehicle descriptors,

wherein the programmable application associates a vehicle descriptor, a

serial number, and other vehicle identifiers, with a vehicle;

and

a mobile satellite communications system adapted to operatively associate the programmable application with the vehicle.

2. A vehicle identification system as recited in claim 1, wherein mobile satellite communications system includes a customer dispatcher computer adapted to communicate with the vehicle across the mobile satellite communications system.

3. A vehicle identification system as recited in claim 2, wherein mobile satellite communications system includes a network management computer operatively connected to the customer dispatcher and adapted to process a variety of input and output data within the mobile satellite communications system.

4. A vehicle identification system as recited in claim 3, wherein mobile satellite communications system includes a mobile computing platform adapted for mountable operation in the vehicle.

5. A vehicle identification system as recited in claim 4, wherein the mobile computing platform includes a mobile application server installable in the vehicle and adapted to communicate at least with the customer dispatcher across the mobile satellite communications system.

6. A vehicle identification system as recited in claim 5, wherein the mobile computing platform includes a media display unit adapted to provide primary communications by a vehicle operator across the mobile satellite communications system.

7. A vehicle identification system as recited in claim 6, wherein the mobile computing platform optionally includes a compact display unit adapted to provide secondary communications by either a vehicle operator or vehicle occupant across the mobile satellite communications system.

8. A vehicle identification system as recited in claim 7, wherein the mobile computing platform includes a satellite data modem operatively connected to the media control unit, the compact display unit, and optional communications units and adapted for communications across the mobile satellite communications system.

9. A vehicle identification system as recited in claim 8, wherein the mobile computing platform includes a power cable disconnect detect circuit operatively connected to the mobile application server for detecting reconnection between a power cable and the mobile application server.

10. In a mobile satellite communications system, an apparatus for assigning a customer-specific vehicle descriptor to a vehicle, comprising:

a mobile computing platform;

a network management computer operatively connected to the mobile computing platform adapted to process a variety of input and output data within the mobile satellite communications system;

a programmable application operatively connected to the network management computer and adapted to manage a database including a plurality of customer-specific vehicle descriptors; and

means for associating the customer-specific vehicle descriptors with the vehicle.

11. In a mobile satellite communications system, an apparatus for assigning a customer-specific vehicle descriptor to a vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the mobile computing platform includes a customer dispatcher computer adapted to communicate with the vehicle across the mobile satellite communications system.

12. In a mobile satellite communications system, an apparatus for assigning a customer-specific vehicle descriptor to a vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the mobile computing platform includes a mobile application server installable in the vehicle and adapted to communicate at least with the customer dispatcher across the mobile satellite communications system.

13. In a mobile satellite communications system, an apparatus for assigning a customer-specific vehicle descriptor to a vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the mobile computing platform includes a media display unit adapted to provide primary communications by a vehicle operator across the mobile satellite communications system.

14. In a mobile satellite communications system, an apparatus for assigning a customer-specific vehicle descriptor to a vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the mobile computing platform includes a compact display unit adapted to provide secondary communications by either a vehicle operator or vehicle occupant across the mobile satellite communications system.

15. In a mobile satellite communications system, an apparatus for assigning a customer-specific vehicle descriptor to a vehicle as recited in claim 10, wherein the mobile computing platform includes a remote control unit adapted to provide additional alternative communications options by either a vehicle operator or vehicle occupant across the mobile satellite communications system.

16. In a mobile satellite communications system, an apparatus for assigning a customer-specific vehicle descriptor to a vehicle as recited in claim 10, further comprising a customer data base for managing customer information.

17. In a mobile satellite communications system, an apparatus for assigning a customer-specific vehicle descriptor to a vehicle as recited in claim 10, further comprising a billing data base for managing customer invoice information.

18. A method of including a customer-specific vehicle descriptor across a mobile satellite communications system, comprising the steps of:

providing a mobile computing platform;

including a network management computer operatively connected to the mobile computing platform for processing input and output data available across the mobile satellite communications system;

installing a programmable application operatively connected to the network management computer for managing a plurality of customer-specific vehicle descriptors; and

associating the customer-specific vehicle descriptors with the vehicle.

19. A method of including a customer-specific vehicle descriptor across a mobile satellite communications system as recited in claim 18, wherein the step of providing a mobile computing platform includes the substeps of:

providing a mobile application server mountable in the vehicle;

providing a media display unit mountable in the vehicle;

providing a compact display unit mountable in the vehicle;

providing a remote control device mountable in the vehicle;

and operatively connecting the mobile application server, the media display unit, and compact display unit with one or more cables.

20. A method of including a customer-specific vehicle descriptor across a mobile satellite communications system as recited in claim 18, wherein the step of associating the customer-specific vehicle descriptors with the vehicle includes the substeps of:

inputting a request to add a customer-specific vehicle descriptor;

conveying the request to the programmable application operatively connected to the network management computer for managing a plurality of customer-specific vehicle descriptors; and

assigning one of a plurality of customer-specific vehicle descriptors to a vehicle; and

providing the one of a plurality of customer-specific vehicle descriptors across the mobile satellite communications system.