Vehicle tracker including security device monitoring bypass feature and related methods

• US 6,798,355 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, John
• Application Number:
  US10/105,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20020156577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/989, 701/210, 701/211, 701/213
• US Class Current: 340/989
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• 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 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• 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 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type including at least one security device may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station, a security device detection circuit for the at least one security device, and a controller. The controller may be connected to the wireless communications device, the security device detection circuit and the vehicle position determining device for sending security signals to the monitoring station. Furthermore, the controller may also perform at least one predetermined vehicle function and while bypassing the security device detection circuit based upon receiving a corresponding command signal via the wireless communications device.

Claims

1. A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle comprising at least one security device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:

a vehicle position determining device;

a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station;

a security device detection circuit for the at least one security device; and

a controller connected to said wireless communications device, said security device detection circuit and said vehicle position determining device for sending security signals to the monitoring station;

said controller also for performing at least one predetermined vehicle function and while bypassing said security device detection circuit based upon receiving a corresponding command signal via said wireless communications device.

2. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communication device receives the corresponding command signal from a remote transmitter carried by a user.

3. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communications device receives the corresponding command signal from the monitoring station.

4. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said controller is switchable between armed and disarmed modes;

and wherein said controller performs the at least one predetermined vehicle function based upon receiving the corresponding command signal via said wireless communications device while in the armed mode.

5. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein the at least one corresponding command signal comprises at least one of a car find command signal and a remote start command signal.

6. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said controller cooperates with said wireless communications device to send alert signals to the monitoring station based upon said security device detection circuit.

7. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said controller ceases bypassing said security device detection circuit based upon a predetermined input.

8. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 7 wherein the vehicle further comprises an ignition switch, and wherein the predetermined input comprises switching the ignition switch between on and off positions.

9. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 7 wherein the predetermined input comprises a deactivation of the at least one security device.

10. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said controller also cooperates with said vehicle position determining device and said wireless communications device to send vehicle position information to the monitoring station.

11. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said controller ceases bypassing said security device detection circuit after a predetermined period.

12. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

13. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

14. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 13 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

15. A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising at least one security device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:

a vehicle position determining device;

a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station;

a security device detection circuit for the at least one security device; and

a controller connected to said wireless communications device, said security device detection circuit and said vehicle position determining device for sending security and position signals to the monitoring station, said controller being switchable between armed and disarmed modes;

said controller for performing at least one predetermined vehicle function and while bypassing said security device detection circuit based upon receiving a corresponding command signal via said wireless communications device while in the armed mode;

said controller also cooperating with said wireless communications device to send alert signals to the monitoring station based upon said security device detection circuit.

16. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 15 wherein said wireless communication device receives the corresponding command signal from a remote transmitter carried by a user.

17. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 15 wherein said wireless communications device receives the corresponding command signal from the monitoring station.

18. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 15 wherein the at least one corresponding command signal comprises at least one of a car find command signal and a remote start command signal.

19. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 15 wherein said controller ceases bypassing said security device detection circuit based upon a predetermined input.

20. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 19 wherein the vehicle further comprises an ignition switch, and wherein the predetermined input comprises switching the ignition switch between on and off positions.

21. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 19 wherein the predetermined input comprises a deactivation of the at least one security device.

22. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 15 wherein said controller ceases bypassing said security device detection circuit after a predetermined period.

23. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 15 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

24. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 15 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

25. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 24 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

26. A vehicle control method for a vehicle of a type comprising at least one security device and a vehicle tracking unit, the method comprising:

selectively sending security signals from the vehicle tracking unit to the monitoring station;

receiving a command signal via the vehicle tracking unit corresponding to at least one vehicle function;

performing the at least one vehicle function based upon the corresponding command signal; and

bypassing sending the security signals while performing the at least one vehicle function.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein receiving comprises receiving the corresponding command signal from a remote transmitter carried by a user.

28. The method according to claim 26 wherein receiving comprises receiving the corresponding command signal from the monitoring station.

29. The method according to claim 26 wherein the vehicle tracking unit is switchable between armed and disarmed modes;

and wherein performing comprises performing the at least one predetermined vehicle function based upon the vehicle tracking unit receiving the corresponding command signal while in the armed mode.

30. The method according to claim 26 wherein the at least one corresponding command signal comprises at least one of a car find command signal and a remote start command signal.

31. The method according to claim 26 wherein selectively sending security signals comprises selectively sending security signals based upon the security device detection circuit.

32. The method according to claim 26 further comprising ceasing bypassing sending the security signals based upon a predetermined input.

33. The method according to claim 32 wherein the vehicle further comprises an ignition switch, and wherein the predetermined input comprises switching the ignition switch between on and off positions.

34. The method according to claim 32 wherein the predetermined input comprises a deactivation of the at least one security device.

35. The method according to claim 26 further comprising ceasing bypassing sending the security signals after a predetermined period.