Electronic locating system for locating vehicles at assembly plants

• US 6,163,278 A
• Filed: 11/10/1998
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FCA US LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Corporation (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Janman, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/188,974
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/988, 340/539, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/932.2, 307/10.1, 701/213, 235/384
• US Class Current: 340/7.2
• 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

Abstract

A system for electronically locating particular vehicles from within a large plurality of vehicles parked on a holding lot of an assembly plant. A control system transmits a signal encoded with a particular Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to a plurality of signal repeaters disposed on lamp posts or other fixed items throughout the holding lot, where the lamp posts or other like items are disposed in a grid pattern or network over the holding lot. The signal repeaters transmit VIN-encoded low power radio frequency signals covering the entire holding lot. Each vehicle includes a Single Body Engine Controller (SBEC) which includes the VIN of the vehicle and a Body Control Module (BCM) in communication with its associated SBEC which is capable of activating the Vehicle Theft Alarm (VTA) of the vehicle, to thereby activate the horn and/or lights of the vehicle. The VTA includes an RF receiver associated therewith which receives the RF signal from the repeaters. The BCM checks to determine if the VIN encoded in its SBEC matches the VIN encoded in the received RF signal. If so, the BCM activates the lights and/or horn of the vehicle. Alternatively, the BCM or the VTA includes a radio frequency transceiver which transmits a location identifying signal back to one or more repeaters disposed closely adjacent the vehicle. The location identifying signal is displayed on a display system to enable the location of the vehicle to be relatively precisely determined on the holding lot.

Claims

1. A system for locating particular vehicles on a holding lot having a large plurality of vehicles parked thereon, wherein each said vehicle is equipped with a single board engine controller (SBEC), the SBEC containing a code corresponding to the vehicle'"'"'s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and the vehicle further having a Body Control Module (BCM) having a Vehicle Theft Alarm (VTA) system for activating at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s lights or horn, the VTA having a radio frequency receiver associated therewith, the system comprising:

a control system for transmitting a locating signal encoded with a particular VIN of a vehicle located on said holding lot, said control system including a computer system for enabling an individual to enter a particular VIN associated with a particular vehicle;

a plurality of radio frequency signal repeaters arranged in a grid network on said holding lot and responsive to said locating signal, said signal repeaters each operating to transmit a low power radio frequency signal encoded with said particular VIN;

a display system operably associated with said control system which includes a display corresponding to said grid network;

wherein said SBEC of said vehicle having said particular VIN causes said VTA of said same vehicle to generate a radio frequency location identifying reply signal upon receipt of said low power radio frequency locating signal, back to one of said repeaters in proximity to said vehicle having said particular VIN; and

wherein said repeater relays said location identifying signal back to said display system to enable an individual to determine a location of said vehicle having said particular VIN on said holding lot.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said repeater comprises a radio frequency transceiver.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said VTA operates to activate at least one of a horn or a head lamp of said vehicle when said particular VIN matches said VIN encoded in its associated SBEC.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said repeaters are supported from lamp posts within said holding lot, said lamp posts being disposed in accordance with an X and a Y grid pattern to form said grid network.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein said control system comprises a display system having a plurality of display elements, each one of said display elements corresponding to an associated one of said repeaters and further being arranged in a grid in accordance with said grid network of said repeaters such that said display elements provide an instant visual representation of the location of said vehicle having said particular VIN relative to said holding lot.

6. A system for locating vehicles on a holding lot, wherein each said vehicle is equipped with a single board engine controller (SBEC) and a body control module (BCM) having a Vehicle Theft Alarm (VTA) for activating at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s light or horn, the SBEC being encoded with a code corresponding to the vehicle'"'"'s vehicle Identification Number (VIN), the system comprising:

a radio frequency receiver associated with each VTA of each vehicle;

a control system for transmitting a locating signal corresponding to a particular VIN of a vehicle located on said holding lot, said control system including a computer system for enabling an individual to enter a particular VIN associated with a particular vehicle;

a plurality of signal repeaters each responsive to said locating signal, said signal repeaters each operating to transmit a low power radio frequency signal encoded with said particular VIN in response to receipt of said locating signal to produce a plurality of overlapping areas of signal coverage to completely cover said holding lot with said VIN encoded radio frequency locating signal such that no areas on said holding lot exist that are not covered by said VIN encoded radio frequency signal;

each of said signal repeaters being supported on a corresponding lamp post disposed within said holding lot, said lamp posts being arranged in an X and Y grid pattern within said holding lot;

wherein each said VTA of each said vehicle receives said radio frequency signal and said BCM of said vehicle recognizing said particular VIN causes its associated said VTA to activate at least one of said vehicle lights or horn to assist in locating said vehicle having said particular VIN;

wherein each said signal repeater comprises a radio frequency transceiver, and wherein each said BCM is operable to transmit a location identifying signal back to at least one of said repeaters disposed in proximity to said vehicle;

wherein said control system comprises a display responsive to said location identifying signal for displaying the location of said vehicle having said particular VIN to an individual operating said control system;

wherein said display comprises a plurality of display elements arranged in accordance with the grid arrangement of said repeaters within said holding lot, each said display element corresponding to an associated one of said repeaters, to provide an instant visual representation when illuminated of where said vehicle having said particular VIN is located within said holding lot.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein each said repeater is hard-wired to said control system.

8. The system of claim 6, where each said display element comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

9. A system for locating vehicles on a holding lot, wherein each said vehicle is equipped with a single board engine controller (SBEC), a body control module (BCM) and a Vehicle Theft Alarm (VTA) system in communication with said SBEC, the SBEC containing a code corresponding to the vehicle'"'"'s vehicle identification number (VIN) and the BCM containing electronic circuitry for receiving an RF signal and for transmitting a location identifying reply signal, the system comprising:

a radio frequency transceiver associated with each VTA of each vehicle;

a control system for transmitting a locating signal corresponding to a particular VIN of a vehicle located on said holding lot, said control system including a computer system for enabling an individual to enter a particular VIN associated with a particular vehicle;

a plurality of signal repeaters each responsive to said locating signal, said signal repeaters each operating to transmit a low power radio frequency signal encoded with said particular VIN in response to receipt of said locating signal;

each of said signal repeaters being supported on a corresponding lamp post disposed within said holding lot, said lamp posts being arranged in an X and a Y grid pattern within said holding lot;

a display system associated with said control system, said display system including a plurality of display elements arranged in an X and a Y grid pattern in accordance with said grid pattern of said repeaters, said display system being responsive to a location identifying signal transmitted by at least one of said repeaters;

wherein said BCM of said vehicle recognizing said particular VIN encoded in its BCM generates a location identifying reply signal upon receipt of said low power radio frequency signal from one of said repeaters, after determining that its associated SBEC is encoded with said particular VIN; and

wherein said reply signal is received by at least one of said repeaters in proximity to said vehicle having said particular VIN, said one repeater operating to transmit said location identifying reply signal to said display system to cause at least one of said display elements to be activated to provide a visual representation of the approximate location of said vehicle having said particular VIN within said holding lot, to thereby assist in quickly locating said vehicle.