Clandestine location reporting by a missing vehicle
First Claim
1. Apparatus for determining and reporting the present location of a missing vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
- a location determination (LD) unit, including an LD signal antenna and LD receiver/processor, positioned on the vehicle to receive LD signals from at least three distinguishable LD signal sources and to process these LD signals so that the processed signals can be used to determine the present location of the LD antenna;
a cellular phone unit positioned on the vehicle and comprising;
a cellular phone handset that receives audio signals at a first port and converts these audio signals to electronic signals and that receives electronic signals at a second port and converts these electronic signals to audio signals; and
a cellular phone radio transceiver and antenna that receives electronic signals at a signal port and transmits these signals as outgoing radiowave signals at a selected frequency to a central station that is spaced apart from the cellular phone transceiver, that receives incoming radiowave signals from the central station and issues these signals as electronic signals at the signal port, and that can generate and issue an audibly perceptible or visually perceptible incoming call signal that indicates when the radio transceiver and antenna is receiving an incoming radiowave signal intended for that transceiver, where the cellular phone transceiver and antenna are capable of receiving and responding to an LD interrogation signal from the central station that requests information on the present location of the LD antenna; and
a controller, positioned on the vehicle, connected to and selectively controlling and acting as an interface between the LD unit and the cellular phone unit, for passing signals between the LD unit and the cellular phone unit, wherein (i) when the cellular phone unit receives an incoming phone call, the controller causes the cellular phone unit to delay issuance of an incoming call signal for a selected initial time interval of length Δ
td ;
(ii) when the cellular phone unit receives an LD interrogation signal during an initial time interval of length Δ
td as part of the incoming phone call, the controller causes the cellular phone unit not to issue an incoming call signal indicating receipt of an incoming call, causes the LD unit to provide the cellular phone unit with information on the present location of the LD antenna, and causes the cellular phone radio transceiver and antenna to transmit this present location information to the central station; and
(iii) when the cellular phone unit does not receive an LD interrogation signal during an initial time interval of length Δ
td as part of the incoming phone call, the controller causes the cellular phone unit to operate as a normal cellular phone and to issue an incoming call signal that is perceptible by an occupant of the vehicle.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for a location determination and reporting (LDR) system for clandestinely determining and reporting a missing vehicle present location. The vehicle may be stationary or moving and may be anywhere within reach of a cellular central station to which the location is reported. The vehicle is equipped with a location determination (LD) unit, including an LD signal antenna and receiver/processor (preferably hidden on the vehicle) that determines the LD antenna present location, a specially configured cellular telephone, and a controller. When the vehicle is reported missing, the central station interrogates the vehicle LDR system to determine the vehicle present location. A location interrogation signal is transmitted, commanding the LD unit to transmit the LD antenna present location. The vehicle phone does not signal an incoming call for an initial time period of selected length Δtd, awaiting possible receipt of a location interrogation signal. If the incoming call includes a location interrogation signal, the cellular phone does not "ring" but transmits information on the vehicle'"'"'s present location to the central station. If the incoming call does not include a location interrogation signal, the cellular phone "rings" audibly or visually, after the initial time delay, and behaves as a normal cellular phone for that call. The cellular phone functions normally if a vehicle occupant attempts to use the phone. An unauthorized user of the vehicle receives no indication that the innocuous cellular phone is used to track the vehicle present location.
212 Citations
30 Claims
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1. Apparatus for determining and reporting the present location of a missing vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
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a location determination (LD) unit, including an LD signal antenna and LD receiver/processor, positioned on the vehicle to receive LD signals from at least three distinguishable LD signal sources and to process these LD signals so that the processed signals can be used to determine the present location of the LD antenna; a cellular phone unit positioned on the vehicle and comprising; a cellular phone handset that receives audio signals at a first port and converts these audio signals to electronic signals and that receives electronic signals at a second port and converts these electronic signals to audio signals; and a cellular phone radio transceiver and antenna that receives electronic signals at a signal port and transmits these signals as outgoing radiowave signals at a selected frequency to a central station that is spaced apart from the cellular phone transceiver, that receives incoming radiowave signals from the central station and issues these signals as electronic signals at the signal port, and that can generate and issue an audibly perceptible or visually perceptible incoming call signal that indicates when the radio transceiver and antenna is receiving an incoming radiowave signal intended for that transceiver, where the cellular phone transceiver and antenna are capable of receiving and responding to an LD interrogation signal from the central station that requests information on the present location of the LD antenna; and a controller, positioned on the vehicle, connected to and selectively controlling and acting as an interface between the LD unit and the cellular phone unit, for passing signals between the LD unit and the cellular phone unit, wherein (i) when the cellular phone unit receives an incoming phone call, the controller causes the cellular phone unit to delay issuance of an incoming call signal for a selected initial time interval of length Δ
td ;
(ii) when the cellular phone unit receives an LD interrogation signal during an initial time interval of length Δ
td as part of the incoming phone call, the controller causes the cellular phone unit not to issue an incoming call signal indicating receipt of an incoming call, causes the LD unit to provide the cellular phone unit with information on the present location of the LD antenna, and causes the cellular phone radio transceiver and antenna to transmit this present location information to the central station; and
(iii) when the cellular phone unit does not receive an LD interrogation signal during an initial time interval of length Δ
td as part of the incoming phone call, the controller causes the cellular phone unit to operate as a normal cellular phone and to issue an incoming call signal that is perceptible by an occupant of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 27)
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16. A method for determining and reporting the present location of a missing vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a location determination (LD) unit, including an LD signal antenna and LD receiver/processor, positioned on the vehicle to receive LD signals from at least three distinguishable LD signal sources and to process these LD signals so that the processed signals can be used to determine the present location of the LD antenna; providing a cellular phone unit positioned on the vehicle and comprising; a cellular phone handset that receives audio signals at a first port and converts these audio signals to electronic signals and that receives electronic signals at a second port and converts these electronic signals to audio signals; and a cellular phone radio transceiver and antenna that receives electronic signals at a signal port and transmits these signals as outgoing radiowave signals at a selected frequency to a central station that is spaced apart from the cellular phone transceiver, that receives incoming radiowave signals from the central station and issues these signals as electronic signals at the signal port, and that can generate and issue an audibly perceptible or visually perceptible incoming call signal that indicates when the radio transceiver and antenna is receiving an incoming radiowave signal intended for that transceiver, where the cellular phone transceiver and antenna are capable of receiving and responding to an LD interrogation signal from the central station that requests information on the present location of the LD antenna; and providing a central station, spaced apart from and communicating with the LD unit, which issues an LD signal that requests the present location of the LD antenna and that is received by the cellular phone unit and which receives a response to this LD signal from the cellular phone unit; providing a controller, positioned on the vehicle, connected to and selectively controlling and acting as an interface between the LD unit and the cellular phone unit, for passing signals between the LD unit and the cellular phone unit, wherein (i) when the cellular phone unit receives an incoming phone call, the controller causes the cellular phone unit to delay issuance of an incoming call signal for a selected initial time interval of length Δ
td ;
(ii) when the cellular phone unit receives an LD interrogation signal during an initial time interval of length Δ
td as part of the incoming phone call, the controller causes the cellular phone unit not to issue an incoming call signal indicating receipt of an incoming call, causes the LD unit to provide the cellular phone unit with information on the present location of the LD antenna, and causes the cellular phone radio transceiver and antenna to transmit this present location information to the central station; and
(iii) when the cellular phone unit does not receive an LD interrogation signal during an initial time interval of length Δ
td as part of the incoming phone call, the controller causes the cellular phone unit to operate as a normal cellular phone and to issue an incoming call signal that is perceptible by an occupant of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification