Vehicle locating and communicating method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A remote host controller for communicating with a vehicle equipped with a cellular transceiver, comprising:
- a memory operable to store a report associated with the vehicle, the report indicating an approximate location of the vehicle;
a database operable to store a plurality of cellular numbers;
a processor coupled to the memory and the database, the processor operable to select a cellular number associated with a cellular system serving the approximate location of the vehicle; and
a communications device operable to initiate a call to the vehicle using the selected cellular number.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for locating and communicating with vehicles is provided, including at least one mobile cellular unit connected to at least one microprocessor and installed within a vehicle. The microprocessor interrogates the mobile cellular unit to obtain location information from an overhead message stream transmitted from cellular telephone transmitter sites. The location is displayed on a display located in the vehicle or the microprocessor periodically instructs the mobile cellular unit to initiate a call to a host controller and, upon receipt of transmitting instructions from the host controller, transmits the location information for display on a screen connected to the host controller.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A remote host controller for communicating with a vehicle equipped with a cellular transceiver, comprising:
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a memory operable to store a report associated with the vehicle, the report indicating an approximate location of the vehicle; a database operable to store a plurality of cellular numbers; a processor coupled to the memory and the database, the processor operable to select a cellular number associated with a cellular system serving the approximate location of the vehicle; and a communications device operable to initiate a call to the vehicle using the selected cellular number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for communicating with a vehicle equipped with a cellular transceiver, comprising:
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receiving cellular system identification information associated with a cellular system operating in an area including the location of the vehicle, wherein the cellular system identification information comprises a system identification number; retrieving a cellular number of the cellular system in response to the cellular system identification information; and initiating a call to the vehicle using the cellular number. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for communicating with a vehicle equipped with a cellular transceiver, comprising:
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a database operable to store a plurality of cellular numbers associated with a plurality of cellular systems; a processor coupled to the database, the processor operable to receive a report associated with the vehicle, the processor further operable to retrieve from the database a cellular number of a cellular system in response to the report; and a communications device operable to initiate a call to the vehicle using the retrieved cellular number. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for communicating with a vehicle equipped with a cellular transceiver, comprising:
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receiving a report comprising a system identification number associated with a cellular system serving an area including the vehicle; retrieving a cellular number of the cellular system; and initiating a telephone call to the vehicle using the cellular number. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification