Vehicle terminal apparatus and an information transmitting system

• US 6,696,982 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2000
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ajima, Takumi, Yoshioka, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/541,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20020093434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/7.32, 340/7.33, 340/7.36, 340/990, 340/991, 340/995, 340/909, 340/426, 340/457, 340/426.19, 340/539.13, 340/539.17, 340/539.1, 455/343, 455/456, 455/574, 455/404, 455/345, 455/343.1, 455/426.2, 455/404.2, 455/456.1, 379/35, 342/457, 701/29, 701/30
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/05 providing aiding data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/34 Power consumption
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence

Abstract

A wireless communication circuit provides wireless communication with a network; and a supply power control circuit controls supplying a power to at least one of said wireless communication circuit and a unit in a vehicle in response to a command signal which is inputted from an operation circuit or through the wireless communication circuit. The power is periodically supplied to a unit in its vehicle or the wireless communication circuit. A control circuit receives data from the unit and stores the data. The data is outputted or transmitted in response a data request. The unit may be a position detection circuit including a GSP receiver. The power is cut off when the unit is not used. Information is transmitted to the vehicle terminal apparatus which stores and displays it in response to a data command or a start-up of the vehicle. A diagnostic function may be provided. The main battery may be checked and the result is transmitted. The position of the vehicle are periodically detected and compared to detect a trouble of the vehicle. The result may be transmitted. An emergency informing function or system may be provided. The information transmitting system reads data from a data base and transmits data to a vehicle terminal apparatus.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a terminal apparatus in communication with a wireless communication circuit for effecting wireless communication with a network, said terminal apparatus including a process controller and a supply power controller, and an unit in said vehicle but separate from said terminal apparatus in communication with said process controller and said supply power controller, data being exchanged between said process controller and said unit, and said supply power controller controllably supplying power to said wireless communication circuit and said unit, said supply power controller cutting off power to said wireless communication circuit and said unit in response to a command signal, and

a timer for periodically outputting said command signal to said supply power controller.