Wide area wireless system for access into vehicles and fleets for control security messaging reporting and tracking

• US 6,262,656 B1
• Filed: 11/02/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eckehard Maruhn, Telectronics Incorporated, YASMINE & MAUARO GIBELLINI, YASMINE & MAURO GIBELLINI
• Original Assignee: Telectronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Kasparian, Kaspar A., Byrd, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/432,127
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426, 340/425.5, 340/539, 340/825.44, 340/825.06, 180/287, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 340/426.21
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• 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

Abstract

A new add-on vehicular system is capable of responding to large area or nation-wide commands over paging networks, to remotely foil the unauthorized use or theft of a vehicle or a fleet automobile or a group of fleet vehicles, as well as to help the recovery of stolen vehicles. The preferred embodiment of the system comprises a paging receiver and decoder, a microcontroller with embedded programmable software and memory and a vehicular systems control interface. The system does not require central monitoring systems, or portable controls or vehicular user set controls or portable key chain controls or keypads or cellular phones or separation of vehicular transceivers from owner carried transceivers to activate the system. In a second embodiment, a two-way radio paging approach is employed in the system to expand its capabilities and to additionally provide remotely controlled transmission of data from vehicles, including data pertaining to the position coordinates of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicular communication and control system comprising:

a) a communication portion for communication of a signal containing data and a message having an identification portion and an action portion, said communication portion providing communication of said signal over a paging and messaging network accessible to the general public;

b) a decoder for decoding said signal containing said data and message received over said paging and messaging network;

c) a vehicle interface for selectively controlling various vehicular functions on a sequenced basis such that the overall disablement of the vehicle in motion occurs on a progressive basis;

d) a processor for processing said signal containing said data and message and providing instructions to operate the vehicular communication and control system; and

e) programmable instructions to operate said vehicular communication and control system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vehicular communication and control system is employed for non-vehicular or fixed applications to effect desired remote control functions.

3. A vehicular communication and control system comprising:

a) a communication portion for communication of a signal containing data and a message having an identification portion and an action portion, said communication portion providing communication of said signal over a paging and messaging network accessible for use by the general public;

b) a decoder for decoding said signal containing said data and message communicated over said paging and messaging network;

c) a vehicle interface for remote control, messaging and tracking, said interface for remote control selectively controlling various vehicular functions in response to said action portion of said signal;

d) a processor for processing said signal containing said data and message and providing instructions to operate the vehicular communication and control system; and

e) programmable instructions to operate said vehicular communication and control system.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said vehicle interface provides a messaging interface for facilitating messaging and a tracking interface for facilitating tracking.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said communication portion for communication of a signal containing data and a message having an identification portion and an action portion communicates over portions of the radio bands.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said communication portion for communication of a signal containing data and a message having an identification portion and an action portion communicates over portions of the TV bands.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said communication portion for communication of a signal containing data and a message having an identification portion and an action portion communicates over satellite networks.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the vehicular communication and control system is employed for non-vehicular applications to effect desired remote control and communication functions.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said decoder is embedded in said processor.

10. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said communication portion for communication of a signal containing data and a message having an identification portion and an action portion communicates over a personal communication services network.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said communication portion is a transmitter.