Apparatus, system and method for global positioning, monitoring, and communication

• US 20090073032A1
• Filed: 05/29/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SMC Electronics Ltd.
• Original Assignee: SMC Electronics Ltd.
• Inventors: Wysocki, Kamil, Cockcroft, Malcolm, Corangi, Saeed
• Application Number:
  US12/156,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073032A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.640
• 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: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

The current invention relates to a positioning, monitoring, and/or communications device, system and method. The invention generally comprises an application utilizing a position determining system, a short range communication system, and a long range communication system, wherein all technologies are available to a user in one seamless utility. The invention further provides means for automatically switching to the desirable form or available form of the previous technologies as well as combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A communications device comprising:

a short range communication system;

a long range communication system; and

means for automatically switching between the short range communication system and the long range communication system based on a set of predetermined inputs.

2. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the communications device further includes a position determining system.

3. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the short range communication system includes means for accessing a radio network, an 802.11 network, a HomeRF network, a HiperLAN or a BLUETOOTH network.

4. The communications device of claim 1, wherein the long range communication system includes means for accessing a wireless telecommunication network or a satellite network.

5. The communications device of claim 2, wherein the position determining system includes means for accessing a GPS.

6. The communications device of claim 4, wherein the wireless telecommunication network is a CDMA, TDMA, GSM or GPRS network.

7. A system for positioning, monitoring, and communicating, the system comprising:

a plurality of communication networks; and

a device for accessing the plurality of communication networks, wherein the device includes means for switching between the plurality of communication networks.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of communication networks includes a short range communication network, a long range communication network, or a network of global positioning satellites.

9. A method for positioning, monitoring, and communicating, the method comprising the steps of:

determining available communication networks based on a user'"'"'s preferences for accessing a communication network; and

switching between available communication networks.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein available communication networks includes a short range communication network, a long range communication network, or a network of global positioning satellites.