ASSET TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20120200405A1
• Filed: 04/10/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Geometris LP, GPSi LLC
• Original Assignee: Geometris LP, GPSi LLC
• Inventors: Gafford, Thomas E., Desai, Manish J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

An asset tracking system for tracking assets, for example, a vehicle, with an integrated topology that is configured minimize the complexity of the system by eliminating hardware duplication and sensing the ignition state while obviating the need to access the ignition switch circuit; the asset tracking system optionally including a loan obligation management system that is integrated with the asset recovery system which provides in-vehicle notifications of loan obligations for the asset upon which the loan obligation is based from a remote location directly to the asset.

Claims

1-13. -13. (canceled)

14. A method for determining the ignition state of a vehicle without monitoring the state of an ignition switch, the method comprising the steps of :

(a.) measuring the voltage of the primary voltage of a vehicle ignition coil during a first sample period, defining a first sample voltage;

(b) storing said first sample voltage;

(c) measuring the voltage of the primary voltage of a vehicle ignition coil during a second sample period, defining a second sample voltage;

(d) storing said second sample voltage;

(e) comparing said first sample voltage and said second sample voltage defining a comparison; and

(f) providing an indication of said ignition state as a function of sad comparison.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein step (f) includes determining whether the first sample voltage is greater than or equal to said second sample voltage.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein step (f) includes providing an indication of an ignition state as a function of whether said first sample voltage is greater than or equal to said second sample voltage.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein step (f) includes providing an indication of an Ignition Off State when the difference between said first sample voltage and said second sample voltage is greater than a predetermined value.

18. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein step (f) includes providing an indication of an Ignition State Unchanged when the difference between said first sample voltage and said second sample voltage is not greater than a predetermined value.

19. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein step (f) includes providing an indication of an Ignition On State when the difference between said second sample voltage and said first sample voltage is greater than a predetermined value.

20. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein step (f) includes providing an indication of an Ignition State Unchanged when the difference between said second sample voltage and said first sample voltage is not greater than a predetermined value.

21-22. -22. (canceled)