Mobile tracking units employing motion sensors for reducing power consumption therein
DCFirst Claim
1. A mobile tracking unit for a vehicle location system, said tracking unit comprising:
- a navigation set for generating data substantially indicative of a respective vehicle position, said navigation set being adapted to be periodically energized at a selected activation rate FG while the vehicle is moving to generate vehicle position data;
a motion sensor for generating data indicative of vehicle motion; and
a tracking unit controller coupled to said motion sensor to receive the vehicle motion data, said tracking unit controller being adapted to control said navigation set based upon the vehicle motion data so that when the vehicle is substantially stationary the activation rate FG can be respectively decreased by a predetermined factor, thereby reducing overall power consumption of said tracking unit, said tracking unit controller being further adapted to revert to activation rate FG when said motion sensor indicates renewed vehicle motion, thereby avoiding any substantial loss of vehicle position data during renewed vehicle motion.
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Abstract
A mobile tracking unit capable of operating in a power-starved environment for a vehicle tracking system includes a navigation set for generating data corresponding to a respective vehicle position. The navigation set is periodically energized at a selected activation rate FG while the vehicle is moving to generate the vehicle position data. The tracking unit includes an electromagnetic emitter which is capable of transmitting the vehicle position data and which is periodically energized at a selected activation rate FEM while the vehicle is moving to transmit at least the vehicle position data. A motion sensor is employed for generating data indicative of vehicle motion. A tracking unit controller receives the vehicle motion data and controls the navigation set and the emitter based upon the vehicle motion data so that when the vehicle is stationary each of activation rates FG and FEM can be respectively decreased by a predetermined factor, thus reducing the overall power consumption of the tracking unit. The tracking unit controller is further designed to return to activation rates FG and FEM upon the motion sensor sensing renewed vehicle motion, thus avoiding loss of vehicle position data during times of renewed vehicle motion.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A mobile tracking unit for a vehicle location system, said tracking unit comprising:
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a navigation set for generating data substantially indicative of a respective vehicle position, said navigation set being adapted to be periodically energized at a selected activation rate FG while the vehicle is moving to generate vehicle position data; a motion sensor for generating data indicative of vehicle motion; and a tracking unit controller coupled to said motion sensor to receive the vehicle motion data, said tracking unit controller being adapted to control said navigation set based upon the vehicle motion data so that when the vehicle is substantially stationary the activation rate FG can be respectively decreased by a predetermined factor, thereby reducing overall power consumption of said tracking unit, said tracking unit controller being further adapted to revert to activation rate FG when said motion sensor indicates renewed vehicle motion, thereby avoiding any substantial loss of vehicle position data during renewed vehicle motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A mobile tracking unit for a vehicle location system, comprising:
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a navigation set for generating data substantially corresponding to a respective vehicle position, said navigation set being adapted to be periodically energized at a selected activation rate FG while the vehicle is moving to generate vehicle position data; an electromagnetic emitter adapted to be periodically energized at a selected activation rate FEM while the vehicle is moving, for transmitting at least the vehicle position data; a motion sensor for generating data indicative of vehicle motion; and a tracking unit controller coupled to said motion sensor to receive the vehicle motion data, said tracking unit controller being adapted to control said navigation set and said emitter based upon the vehicle motion data so that during times when the vehicle is substantially stationary each of said activation rates FG and FEM can be respectively decreased by a predetermined factor, thereby reducing overall power consumption of said tracking unit, said tracking unit controller being further adapted to revert to activation rates FG and FEM when said motion sensor indicates renewed vehicle motion, thereby avoiding substantial loss of vehicle position data during renewed vehicle motion. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of operating a mobile tracking unit for a vehicle location system, said method comprising:
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providing a navigation set capable of generating data substantially indicative of a respective vehicle position; periodically energizing said navigation set at a selected activation rate FG while the vehicle is moving to generate vehicle position data; generating data indicative of vehicle motion; controlling said navigation set in accordance with the vehicle motion data so that when the vehicle is substantially stationary the activation rate FG can be respectively decreased by a predetermined factor, thereby reducing overall power consumption of said tracking unit; and controlling said navigation set in accordance with the vehicle motion data to revert to activation rate FG when the motion sensor indicates renewed vehicle motion, thereby avoiding substantial loss of vehicle position data during times of renewed vehicle motion. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification