Vehicular communication and information system and method of using the same

• US 20080281518A1
• Filed: 05/10/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chad A. Dozier, Jason Gaon, Marion Wesley Simpson, Wolf Scott
• Original Assignee: Chad A. Dozier, Jason Gaon, Marion Wesley Simpson, Wolf Scott
• Inventors: Simpson, Marion Wesley, Scott, Wolf, Gaon, Jason, Dozier, Chad A.
• Application Number:
  US11/798,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20080281518A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• 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

Abstract

The vehicular communication and information system provides a computer system mounted within a vehicle, with a global positioning system receiver being in communication with the computer system. Location and motion data related to the vehicle are recorded within a first data storage medium associated with the vehicle-based computer system, and the data are further transmitted to a base station, to be stored in a second data storage medium. The location and motion data, which may include the vehicle'"'"'s position, speed and direction, are selectively displayed on a display located within the vehicle, and also displayed at the base station. A user within the vehicle or personnel at the base station may produce reports containing the vehicle-specific data, and may further define geographic boundaries within which the vehicle is authorized to move. Alarm signals may be generated within the vehicle or at the base station if the vehicle moves beyond the boundary.

Claims

1. A method of using a vehicular communication and information system, comprising the steps of:

providing a computer system within a vehicle;

providing a global positioning system receiver in communication with said computer system;

determining a geographic position of the vehicle;

transmitting the geographic position of the vehicle to a remote base station; and

,

recording positional and motion data associated with the vehicle at the base station.

2. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of producing a tracking report associated with the vehicle from the recorded positional and motion data.

3. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 2, wherein said step of recording positional and motion data includes recording the current time and date.

4. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 3, wherein said step of recording positional and motion data includes recording the speed of the vehicle.

5. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 4, wherein said step of recording positional and motion data includes recording the direction of motion of the vehicle.

6. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 5, wherein said step of recording positional and motion data includes recording the time duration of vehicle stops.

7. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of selectively displaying the recorded positional and motion data at the base station.

8. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 7, further comprising the step of selectively displaying the recorded positional and motion data to a user in the vehicle.

9. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 8, further comprising the step of generating a visual geographic map which includes the present location of the vehicle.

10. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying the vehicle'"'"'s intended route on said visual geographic map.

11. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 10, further comprising the step of displaying the vehicle'"'"'s traveled route on said visual geographic map.

12. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of defining geographic locations of interest and selectively displaying the locations of the geographic locations of interest on the visual geographic map.

13. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 12, further comprising the step of defining a geographic boundary in which the vehicle is intended to travel.

14. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 13, further comprising the steps of displaying the location of the geographic boundary to the user in the vehicle and at the base station.

15. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 14, further comprising the step of generating an alert signal to the user in the vehicle if the vehicle travels beyond the defined geographic boundary.

16. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of generating an alert signal at the base station if the vehicle travels beyond the defined geographic boundary.

17. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of selectively transmitting control signals from the base station to the vehicle.

18. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of selectively generating maintenance information pertaining to the vehicle.

19. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of transmitting voice signals between the vehicle and the base station.

20. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of transmitting data signals between the vehicle and the base station.

21. The method of using a vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of locating at least one vehicle equipped with said vehicular communication and information system within a defined geographic boundary.

22. A vehicular communication and information system, comprising:

a computer system adapted for mounting within a vehicle, said computer system being adapted for communication with a factory installed maintenance computer associated with the vehicle;

a global positioning system receiver in communication with said computer system;

a display in communication with said computer system for displaying the vehicle'"'"'s position to the user;

a wireless transmitter in communication with said computer system, said wireless transmitter being adapted for selective data transmission with a base station;

a first storage means for recording positional and motion data associated with the vehicle, said first storage means being located within the vehicle; and

,

a second storage means for recording positional and motion data associated with the vehicle, said second storage means being located within the base station.

23. The vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 22, further comprising first and second alarms for generating alarm signals when the vehicle moves beyond a user-defined geographic boundary, said first alarm being located within the vehicle, said second alarm being located within the base station.

24. The vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 22, further comprising a printer in communication with said computer system.

25. The vehicular communication and information system as recited in claim 22, further comprising a wireless interface device, whereby a passenger in the vehicle may actuate the computer system via the wireless interface device.