Clandsetine location reporting for missing vehicles

• US 6,046,687 A
• Filed: 03/10/1997
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Janky, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US08/814,195
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/988, 340/989, 340/539, 340/990, 342/357, 342/457, 180/287, 307/10.2, 455/422
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• 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: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/008 using a mobile telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

Apparatus and method for a location determination and reporting (LDR) system for clandestinely or surreptitiously 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 (preferably hidden on the vehicle) that receives LD signals and determines the LD unit present location, a specially configured cellular telephone, and a call interceptor. When the vehicle is reported missing, a central station or the vehicle operator interrogates the vehicle LDR system by transmitting a location interrogation signal, commanding the LD unit to transmit its present location. The vehicle phone does not signal receipt of an incoming call for an initial time period of selected length Δt_d, 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 LD unit present location to a specified recipient. If the incoming call does not include a location interrogation signal, the cellular phone "rings" audibly or visually, after the initial time delay, and simulates behavior as a normal cellular phone for that call. The cellular phone simulates normal operation 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.

Claims

1. Apparatus for reporting location of a vehicle in response to receipt of a location interrogation signal, the apparatus comprising:

a location determination (LD) unit, carried in or on a vehicle, that receives and processes LD signals to determine location coordinates for the LD unit;

a cellular phone carried in or on the vehicle and connected to receive LD unit present location information from the LD unit; and

a call interceptor, connected to the cellphone, that monitors for receipt of an incoming call, that receives an incoming call intended for the cellular phone, that establishes a cellular phone connection for the incoming call signal and that monitors the connection to detect presence of a location interrogation signal in the incoming call, where (1) when a location interrogation signal is detected, the call interceptor transmits the LD location coordinates over the cellular phone connection without visually or audibly indicating that an incoming call has been received and (2) when a location interrogation signal is not detected, the call interceptor provides at least one of a visually perceptible and audibly perceptible indication that the incoming call signal has been received.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said cellular phone comprises a cellphone ringer that produces a visual or audible cellphone ringer signal at said cellular phone, indicating that an incoming call is being received, when said location interrogation signal is not detected; and

said call interceptor comprises a microprocessor that is programmed as follows;

when said incoming call is detected, production of the cellphone ringer signal is delayed for a selected time delay interval, and a radio link is established to allow receipt and transmission of telephone signals through said cellular phone;

during the selected time delay interval, the microprocessor determines if said incoming call includes said location interrogation signal;

when said incoming call includes said location interrogation signal, the microprocessor causes said cellular phone to obtain and transmit said LD unit present location information over said cellular phone connection without any indication that said cellular phone is active; and

when said incoming call does not include said location interrogation signal, the cellphone ringer is produced after the selected time delay interval has ended, and said cellular phone simulates operation as a normal cellular phone in response to receipt of said incoming call.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said selected time delay interval lies in the range 1-10 sec.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said LD unit comprises an LD signal antenna and an LD receiver/processor that receive and process said LD signals to determine said present location of said LD signal unit.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said LD receiver/processor is not located on said cellular phone.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said LD receiver/processor is located on said cellular phone.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of said LD unit and said call interceptor is concealed on said vehicle.

8. A method for reporting location of a vehicle in response to receipt of a location interrogation signal, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving location determination (LD) signals at an LD unit, carried in or on a vehicle, and processing the LD signals to determine location coordinates for the LD unit;

connecting a cellular phone, carried in or on the vehicle, to the LD unit to receive LD unit present location information from the LD unit; and

receiving an incoming call, intended for the cellular phone, at a call interceptor that is connected to the cellular phone, that monitors for receipt of an incoming call, that receives an incoming call intended for the cellular phone, that establishes a cellular phone connection for the incoming call signal and that monitors the connection to detect presence of a location interrogation signal in the incoming call;

when a location interrogation signal is detected, causing the call interceptor to transmit the LD location coordinates over the cellular phone connection without visually or audibly indicating that an incoming call has been received; and

when a location interrogation signal is not detected, causing the call interceptor to provide at least one of a visually perceptible and audibly perceptible indication that the incoming call signal has been received.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

providing said cellular phone with a cellphone ringer that produces a visual or audible cellphone ringer signal that an incoming call is being received at said cellular phone; and

providing said call interceptor with a microprocessor that is programmed as follows;

when said incoming call is received, production of the cellphone ringer signal is delayed for a selected time delay interval, and a radio link is established to allow receipt and transmission of telephone signals through said cellular phone;

during the selected time delay interval, the microprocessor determines if said incoming call includes said location interrogation signal;

when said incoming call includes said location interrogation signal, the microprocessor causes said cellphone to obtain and transmit said LD unit present location information over said cellular phone connection without any indication that said cellphone is active; and

when said incoming call does not include said location interrogation signal, the cellphone ringer is produced after the selected time delay interval has ended, and said cellular phone simulates operation as a normal cellular phone in response to receipt of said incoming call.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of choosing said selected time delay interval to lie in the range 1-10 sec.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of providing said LD unit with an LD signal antenna and an LD receiver/processor that receive and process said LD signals to determine the present location of the LD signal antenna.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of locating said LD receiver/processor on said cellular phone.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of not locating said LD receiver/processor on said cellular phone.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of concealing at least one of said LD unit and said call interceptor on said vehicle.