METHOD FOR FINDING AN OBJECT COUPLED TO A RADIO TRANSMITTER

• US 20180061233A1
• Filed: 09/01/2017
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: ETTE, Bernd, JCKL, Sebastian
• Granted Patent: US 10,186,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A method for finding an object coupled to a radio transmitter, wherein the radio transmitter emits an assigned identifier. The method includes transmitting a first message to at least a first vehicle by a data processing system, wherein the message contains the information that a specific identifier is being searched for; forwarding the first message to at least a second vehicle by the first vehicle; receiving and comparing the assigned identifier with the specific identifier by a vehicle which received the first message; and, if the assigned identifier corresponds to the specific identifier, transmitting a second message by the vehicle which received the assigned identifier to the data processing system. The second message contains information that the specific identifier has been found and information about a position of the vehicle which received the assigned identifier.

Claims

1. A method for finding an object coupled to a radio transmitter, wherein the radio transmitter emits an assigned identifier, the method comprising:

transmitting a first message to at least a first vehicle by a data processing system, wherein the message contains the information that a specific identifier is being searched for;

forwarding the first message to at least a second vehicle by the first vehicle;

receiving and comparing the assigned identifier with the specific identifier by a vehicle which received the first message; and

in response to the assigned identifier corresponding to the specific identifier;

transmitting a second message by the vehicle which received the assigned identifier to the data processing system;

or

transmitting the second message by the vehicle which received the assigned identifier to another vehicle which received the first message, for forwarding to the data processing system,

wherein the second message contains the information indicating that the specific identifier has been found, and information about a position of the vehicle which received the assigned identifier, and/or information about a distance which the vehicle which received the assigned identifier has traveled between the reception of the assigned identifier and the transmission of the second message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to receipt of the second message by the other vehicle which received the first message;

generating a third message which contains the second message and information about a position of the other vehicle; and

one of;

transmitting the third message to the data processing system;

or

transmitting the third message to yet another vehicle which received the first message, for forwarding to the data processing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is transmitted over a cellular network or over a wireless local network.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is forwarded wirelessly at a frequency of less than 500 MHz, and/or wherein the second message is transmitted to the other vehicle wirelessly at a frequency of less than 500 MHz.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the radio transmitter emits the assigned identifier only in response to a detection circuit coupled to the radio transmitter detecting an unauthorized use of the object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message contains only a position of the vehicle which received the assigned identifier without further identification of that vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is a vehicle.

8. A method for finding an object coupled to a radio transmitter, wherein the radio transmitter emits an assigned identifier, the method comprising:

transmitting a first message to at least a first vehicle by a data processing system, wherein the message contains an order to signal received identifiers;

forwarding the first message to at least a second vehicle by the first vehicle;

receiving the assigned identifier by a vehicle which received the first message; and

transmitting;

a second message to the data processing system by the vehicle which received the assigned identifier, wherein the second message contains the information that the assigned identifier has been received;

or

the second message by the vehicle which received the assigned identifier to another vehicle which received the first message, for forwarding to the data processing system,

wherein the second message contains the information that the assigned identifier has been received, and information about a position of the vehicle which received the assigned identifier and/or information about a distance which the vehicle which received the assigned identifier has traveled between the reception of the assigned identifier and the transmission of the second message.

9. A method in a vehicle for finding an object coupled to a radio transmitter, the method comprising:

receiving a first message by a data processing system, wherein the first message contains information that a specific identifier is being searched for;

forwarding the first message to at least a second vehicle;

receiving an identifier from a radio transmitter, wherein the identifier is an identifier assigned to the radio transmitter;

comparing the assigned identifier with the specific identifier; and

in response to the assigned identifier corresponding to the specific identifier;

transmitting a second message to the data processing system;

or

transmitting a second message to another vehicle for forwarding to the data processing system,

wherein the second message contains information that the specific identifier has been found, and information about a position of the vehicle and/or information about a distance which the vehicle has traveled between the reception of the assigned identifier and the transmission of the second message.