METHOD AND SYSTEM TO CONTROL MOVABLE ENTITIES

• US 20080176539A1
• Filed: 12/04/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WirelessWERX IP LLC (Pueblo Nuevo LLC)
• Original Assignee: Wirelesswerx International, Inc.
• Inventors: Staton, Houston, Mooney, Patrick, Maggs, Charles, Santos, German, Lang, Edward, Mooney, Frank, Ashley, James
• Granted Patent: US 8,009,037 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• 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 25/102 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 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method to wirelessly control an entity having an attached transponder is disclosed. A geographical zone is defined. The geographical zone can be defined by allowing a user to define and load to a transponder a plurality of waypoints, each waypoint defined by a geographical coordinate and a radius originating from the geographical coordinate. The geographical zone can also be defined by selecting a plurality of coordinates that are loaded to a transponder and mapped on a pixilated image. The microprocessor in the transponder is programmed to determine the occurrence of an event associated with the status of the entity in relation to the geographical zone. Finally, the microprocessor is configured to execute a configurable operation if the event occurs.

Claims

1. A method to wirelessly control an entity having an attached transponder, comprising:

loading from a computing device to the transponder'"'"'s memory a plurality of coordinates;

programming a microprocessor in the transponder to define a geographical zone by creating an enclosed area on a pixilated image using said plurality of coordinates, wherein said enclosed area is representative of a geographical zone; and

programming the microprocessor in the transponder to execute a configurable operation upon receiving a command from a control center, the command being associated with the status of the entity in relation to the geographical zone.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the command from the control center to the transponder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the entity is based upon movement of the entity.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the entity is based upon position of the entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the status of the entity is based upon non-movement of the entity.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said geographical zone represented in the pixilated image is formed by assigning each coordinate to a pixel and configuring the distance between each assigned pixel.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said enclosed area is created by connecting a plurality of assigned pixels by lines, wherein a series of contiguous and connected lines enclose an area in the pixilated image and wherein said pixels that lie on the lines are turned on in order to form a contiguous array of pixels that enclose a shape in the pixilated image.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the entity is a vehicle, a vessel, a craft, a boat, a helicopter, or a plane.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configurable operation is turning on an ignition to the entity, turning off the ignition to the entity, increasing speed of the entity, decreasing speed of the entity, regulating engine temperature level, regulating an internal temperature level of the entity, locking a door or latch of the entity, unlocking of a door or latch of the entity, opening a window of the entity, closing of a window of the entity, turning on a light indicator, changing a tire air pressure, turning on an alarm, or turning off an alarm.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is a request for a time and a corresponding location of the occurrence of a previous event.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is a request for a speed and direction of the entity.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is a request for a state of any assigned inputs or outputs.

13. The method of claim 1, where the command is a request of firmware version, a request of passenger count, a request of satellite communication status, a request of satellite position and velocity of the entity, a request of satellite odometer, or a request for vehicle diagnostics.

14. The method of claim 1, where the command is a configuration command that configures timed reporting, sets an odometer, uploads new firmware, configures excess speed, configures excessive idle event, enables cellular communication, or enables short-range radio messaging.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising electrically connecting the microprocessor to at least one electrical input associated with the entity.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one electrical input connects to an ignition of the entity, an speedometer, a thermometer, a fuel measuring device, a lock control device, a door latch, an emergency button, an infrared sensor, or a passenger counter, or an odometer in the entity.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the transponder is wirelessly configurable using a wireless communications network.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating at least one event message from the transponder to a central computer using a communications network, the at least one event message including data representative of the occurrence of the event.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communications network is a cellular communications network, satellite communications network, short range radio or a short message service network.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the command comprises a request to switch communication from a first communications network to a second communications network.

21. A method to wirelessly control an entity having an attached transponder, comprising:

defining a geographical zone using a plurality of waypoints, wherein each waypoint is defined by a geographical coordinate and a radius originating from the geographical coordinate;

loading from a computing device to the transponder'"'"'s memory a plurality of waypoints; and

programming a microprocessor in the transponder to execute a configurable operation upon receiving a command from a control center, the command being associated with the status of the entity in relation to the geographical zone.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting the command from the control center to the transponder.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the status of the entity is based upon movement of the entity.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the status of the entity is based upon position of the entity.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the status of the entity is based upon non-movement of the entity.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the geographical coordinate is represented by a latitude and longitude, and the radius is represented by a distance magnitude.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the transponder can determine whether the transponder is inside or outside the geographical zone by obtaining global positioning coordinates, and calculating whether or not the global positioning coordinates are inside at least one waypoint of the plurality of waypoints.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the shape of the geographical area is a street route.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein shape of the geographical area is the shape of a non-geometrical shape.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the waypoints in the plurality of waypoints have the same coordinate but different radii, such that all the waypoints in the plurality of waypoints are concentric.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the entity is a vehicle, a vessel, a craft, a boat, a helicopter, or a plane.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the configurable operation is turning on an ignition to the entity, turning off the ignition to the entity, increasing speed of the entity, decreasing speed of the entity, regulating the engine temperature level, regulating the internal temperature level, locking a door or latch of the entity, unlocking of a door or latch of the entity, opening a window of the entity, closing of a window of the entity, turning on a light indicator, changing a tire air pressure, turning on an alarm, or turning off an alarm.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the command is a request for a time and a corresponding location of the occurrence of a previous event.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein the command is a request for a speed and direction of the entity.

35. The method of claim 21, wherein the command is a request for a state of any assigned inputs or outputs.

36. The method of claim 21, where the command is a request of firmware version, a request of passenger count, a request of satellite communication status, a request of satellite position and velocity of the entity, a request of satellite odometer, or a request for vehicle diagnostics.

37. The method of claim 21, where the command is a configuration command that configures timed reporting, sets an odometer, uploads new firmware, configures excess speed, configures excessive idle event, enables cellular communication, or enables short-range radio messaging.

38. The method of claim 21, further comprising electrically connecting the microprocessor to at least one electrical input associated to the entity.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the at least one electrical input connects to an ignition of the entity, an speedometer, a thermometer, a fuel measuring device, a lock control device, a door latch, an emergency button, an infrared sensor, or a passenger counter, or an odometer in the entity.

40. The method of claim 21, wherein the transponder is configurable wirelessly using a wireless communications network.

41. The method of claim 21, further comprising communicating at least one event message from the transponder to a central computer using a communications network, the at least one event message including data representative of the occurrence of the event.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the communications network is a cellular communications network, satellite communications network, short range radio or a short message service network.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the command comprises a request to switch communication from a first communications network to a second communications network.

44. A method to wirelessly control an entity having an attached transponder, comprising:

using a computing device to identify a geometrical area using at least two coordinate attributes, wherein said geometrical area is divided into a grid having at least one section;

defining a geographical zone by selecting within the grid one or more of the at least one section representative of a desired area and correlating the at least one section to a pixilated computer image by associating the at least one section with a pixel;

loading said pixilated computer image into the transponder'"'"'s memory; and

programming a microprocessor in the transponder to execute a configurable operation upon receiving a command from a control center, the command being associated with the status of the entity in relation to the geographical zone.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising transmitting the command from the control center to the transponder.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the status of the entity is based upon movement of the entity.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the status of the entity is based upon position of the entity.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the status of the entity is based upon non-movement of the entity.

49. The method of claim 44, wherein the entity is a vehicle, a vessel, a craft, a boat, a helicopter, or a plane.

50. The method of claim 44, wherein the configurable operation is turning on an ignition to the entity, turning off the ignition to the entity, increasing speed of the entity, decreasing speed of the entity, regulating the engine temperature level, regulating the internal temperature level, locking a door or latch of the entity, unlocking of a door or latch of the entity, opening a window of the entity, closing of a window of the entity, turning on a light indicator, changing a tire air pressure, turning on an alarm, or turning off an alarm.

51. The method of claim 44, wherein the command is a request for a time and a corresponding location of the occurrence of a previous event.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein the command is a request for a speed and direction of the entity.

53. The method of claim 44, wherein the command is a request for a state of any assigned inputs or outputs.

54. The method of claim 44, where the command is a request of firmware version, a request of passenger count, a request of satellite communication status, a request of satellite position and velocity of the entity, a request of satellite odometer, a request for vehicle diagnostics, or a request for a custom activity report to a central computer.

55. The method of claim 44, where the command is a configuration command that configures timed reporting, sets an odometer, uploads new firmware, configures excess speed, configures excessive idle event, enables cellular communication, or enables short-range radio messaging.

56. The method of claim 44, further comprising electrically connecting the microprocessor to at least one electrical input associated to the entity.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the at least one electrical input connects to an ignition of the entity, an speedometer, a thermometer, a fuel measuring device, a lock control device, a door latch, an emergency button, an infrared sensor, or a passenger counter, or an odometer in the entity.

58. The method of claim 44, wherein said geometrical area is rectangular and is divided into a plurality of rectangles.

59. The method of claim 44, wherein said geometrical area is circular and is divided into a plurality of sections.

60. The method of claim 44, wherein the transponder is configurable wirelessly using a wireless communications network.

61. The method of claim 44, further comprising communicating at least one event message from the transponder to a central computer using a communications network, the at least one event message including data representative of the occurrence of the event.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the communications network is a cellular communications network, satellite communications network, short range radio or a short message service network.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein the command comprises a request to switch communication from a first communications network to a second communications network.

64. A system to wirelessly control an entity having an attached transponder, comprising:

a transponder having a memory module coupled to a microprocessor, the microprocessor being configured to execute a configurable operation upon the occurrence of an event associated with the movement of the entity in relation to a geographical zone, wherein the occurrence of the event is dependent on movement of the entity relative to the geographical zone, wherein the transponder has data representative of the geographical zone in the memory module, wherein the transponder has a communications modem to communicate to a communications network, and a ground position system receiver that relays ground positioning data to the microprocessor; and

a central computer that communicates with the transponder through the communications network, the central computer receiving event messages from the transponder upon the occurrence of an event.

65. The system of claim 64, wherein the communications modem is a cellular communications modem.

66. The system of claim 65, further comprising a second communications modem configured to communicate with a satellite communications network.

67. A transponder to control and monitor an entity and movement of the entity, comprising:

a microprocessor coupled to a memory module, the microprocessor being configured to execute a configurable operation upon the occurrence of an event associated with the movement of the entity in relation to a geographical zone, wherein the occurrence of the event is dependent on movement of the entity relative to the geographical zone, wherein data representative of the geographical zone is loaded on the memory module;

a communications modem coupled to the microprocessor to communicate through a communications network, and;

a ground position system receiver that relays ground positioning data to the microprocessor.

68. The transponder of claim 67, wherein the communications modem is a cellular communications modem.

69. The transponder of claim 68, further comprising a second communications modem configured to communicate with a satellite communications network.

70. The transponder of claim 67, further comprising of at least one electrical input and at least one electrical output.

71. The transponder of claim 70, wherein the at least one electrical input connects to an ignition of the entity, an speedometer, a thermometer, a fuel measuring device, a lock control device, a door latch, an emergency button, an infrared sensor, or a passenger counter, or an odometer in the entity.

72. The transponder of claim 70, wherein the at least one electrical output connects to a light source, an ignition of the entity, a lock control device, or a door latch.