Method and system for remotely monitoring the operations of a vehicle

• US 20080197992A1
• Filed: 12/14/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sierra Wireless America Incorporated (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Numerex Corporation (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jansson, Edward R., Murray, Tomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,880,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/441
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• 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 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/403 Power supply in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A telemetry system coupled to a vehicle can communicate with a remote site using the overhead control channels of a wireless network, such as a cellular mobile radiotelephone network. The telemetry system can monitor or control aspects of the vehicle'"'"'s operations based on remote user input. The telemetry system can monitor a driver'"'"'s driving practices and report incidences that meet preset criteria, such as violating a speed limit for a selected amount of time or a crossing of a geographical boundary.

Claims

1. A method for remotely monitoring operations of a vehicle comprising:

receiving a speed measurement of the vehicle;

comparing the speed measurement to a first threshold;

measuring a time that the speed measurement exceeds the first threshold;

comparing the measured time to a second threshold; and

sending a notification over a control channel of a wireless network if the measured time exceeds the second threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises a position of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises the speed measurement.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

entering the first threshold into a graphical user interface; and

transmitting the entered first threshold to the vehicle via the wireless network, wherein the comparing step comprises comparing the speed measurement to the transmitted first threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the speed measurement from a global positioning sensor at the vehicle.

6. A system for remotely monitoring the position of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a timer for determining when a pre-set amount of time has passed;

a location module for;

receiving a location of the vehicle after the pre-set amount of time has passed; and

sending the location to a transceiver; and

the transceiver for sending a telemetry packet to a data processing system, the telemetry packet comprising the location of the vehicle, and wherein a user accessing the data processing system can monitor the position of the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the telemetry packet further comprises information conveying the speed of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the data processing system displays the location of the vehicle using a web-based GUI.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the location module receives the location of the vehicle from a global positioning sensor.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the transceiver transmits the location of the vehicle using an ESN field in the telemetry packet.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the pre-set amount of time can be configured by one of a DIP switch or nonvolatile memory.

12. A process for monitoring a vehicle, the process comprising:

receiving a speed threshold value at a vehicle telemetry system;

monitoring the speed of the vehicle using a microprocessor located at the vehicle;

determining that the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold value; and

sending a message indicating that the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold value, wherein the message is sent over a control channel of a wireless network.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

monitoring the length of time the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold value;

comparing the length of time to a pre-set time limit; and

sending the message only when the length of time exceeds the pre-set time limit.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the message is received by a data processing system and displayed using a web-based GUI.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the message further comprises a longitude, a latitude, and a speed for the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the indication that the speed of the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold value comprises a flag contained within the message.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of sending additional messages until the speed of the vehicle reduces to an amount that is a percentage below the speed threshold value.

18. A method for remotely monitoring a vehicle location, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a geographic boundary for allowable vehicle operation;

tracking a position of the vehicle using a global positioning sensor (“

GPS”

);

comparing the position of the vehicle to the indication of a geographic boundary; and

in response to determining that the position of the vehicle is outside the geographic boundary, sending a notification that the vehicle has exceeded the geographic boundary.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the notification is sent using a web-based GUI.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the notification is sent using e-mail.