Vehicle tracker with user registration reminder and related methods

• US 6,804,605 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2002
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/244,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/36, 701/211, 340/853.2, 340/901, 340/988, 340/989, 340/991, 340/992, 340/993, 340/425.5
• US Class Current: 701/213
• 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: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• 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 may include a user indicator, a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller. The controller is preferably switchable between an unregistered mode and a registered mode. In the registered mode, the controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device to determine and send vehicle position information to the monitoring station. In the unregistered mode, the controller may activate the user indicator to encourage registration by the user. The controller may be switchable to the registered mode based upon an activation message from the monitoring station, and, conversely, the controller may be switchable to the unregistered mode based upon a deactivation message from the monitoring station. The user indicator may also be activated based upon a warning message from the monitoring station indicating that the user'"'"'s registration is about to expire.

Claims

1. A vehicle tracking system comprising:

a vehicle tracking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith;

said vehicle tracking unit comprising a user indicator, a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller;

said controller being switchable between an unregistered mode and a registered mode;

said controller when in the registered mode cooperating with said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device to determine and send vehicle position information to said monitoring station;

said controller when in the unregistered mode activating said user indicator to encourage registration by the user.

2. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said controller is switchable to the registered mode based upon an activation message from said monitoring station.

3. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said controller is switchable to the unregistered mode based upon a deactivation message from said monitoring station.

4. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said controller when in the registered mode activates said user indicator based upon a warning message from said monitoring station indicating that the user'"'"'s registration is about to expire.

5. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said controller when in the unregistered mode has reduced features compared to the registered mode.

6. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said controller when in the unregistered mode does not send messages with said wireless communications device.

7. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises an ignition switch being switchable between on and off positions;

and wherein said controller operates said registration reminder indicator based upon a vehicle ignition switch being in an on position.

8. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said registration reminder indicator comprises at least one of an audible indicator and a visual indicator.

9. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

10. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

11. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 10 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

12. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring station comprises a user interface.

13. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 12 wherein said user interface comprises an Internet interface.

14. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 12 wherein said user interface comprises a telephone network interface.

15. A vehicle tracking system comprising:

a vehicle tracking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith;

said vehicle tracking unit comprising a user indicator, a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller;

said controller being switchable between an unregistered mode and a registered mode;

said controller when in the registered mode cooperating with said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device to determine and send vehicle position information to said monitoring station;

said controller when in the registered mode activating said user indicator based upon a warning message from said monitoring station indicating that the user'"'"'s registration is about to expire.

16. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 15 wherein said controller is switchable to the registered mode based upon an activation message from said monitoring station.

17. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 15 wherein said controller is switchable to the unregistered mode based upon a deactivation message from said monitoring station.

18. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 15 wherein said controller when in the unregistered mode has reduced features compared to the registered mode.

19. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 15 wherein said controller when in the unregistered mode does not send messages with said wireless communications device.

20. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 15 wherein the vehicle comprises an ignition switch being switchable between on and off positions;

and wherein said controller operates said registration reminder indicator based upon a vehicle ignition switch being in an on position.

21. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 15 wherein said registration reminder indicator comprises at least one of an audible indicator and a visual indicator.

22. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 15 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

23. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 15 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

24. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 23 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

25. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 15 wherein said monitoring station comprises a user interface.

26. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 25 wherein said user interface comprises an Internet interface.

27. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 25 wherein said user interface comprises a telephone network interface.

28. A method for operating a vehicle tracking unit for communicating with a monitoring station, the vehicle tracking unit comprising a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller, the method comprising:

switching the controller between a registered mode and an unregistered mode based upon a user registration; and

when the controller is in the unregistered mode, activating a user indicator to encourage registration by the user.

29. A method according to claim 28 further comprising receiving a deactivation message from the monitoring station indicating expiration of the user registration;

and wherein switching comprises switching the controller from the registered mode to the unregistered mode based upon the deactivation message.

30. A method according to claim 28 wherein switching the controller to the registered mode is based upon an activation message from the monitoring station.

31. A method according to claim 28 further comprising activating the user indicator when the controller is in the registered mode based upon a warning message from the monitoring station indicating that the user'"'"'s registration is about to expire.

32. A method according to claim 28 wherein the controller when in the unregistered mode has reduced features compared to the registered mode.

33. A method according to claim 28 wherein the controller when in the unregistered mode does not send messages with the wireless communications device.

34. A method according to claim 28 wherein the vehicle comprises an ignition switch being switchable between on and off positions;

and wherein the registration reminder indicator is activated based upon a vehicle ignition switch being in an on position.

35. A method according to claim 28 wherein the registration reminder indicator comprises at least one of an audible indicator and a visual indicator.

36. A method according to claim 28 wherein the vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

37. A method according to claim 28 wherein the wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

39. A method according to claim 28 wherein the monitoring station comprises a user interface.

40. A method according to claim 39 wherein the user interface comprises an Internet interface.

41. A method according to claim 39 wherein the user interface comprises a telephone network interface.

42. A method for operating a vehicle tracking unit for communicating with a monitoring station, the vehicle tracking unit comprising a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller, the method comprising:

switching the controller between a registered mode and an unregistered mode based upon a user registration; and

activating a user indicator when the controller is in the registered mode based upon a warning message from the monitoring station indicating that the user registration is about to expire.

43. A method according to claim 42 further comprising receiving a deactivation message from the monitoring station indicating expiration of the user registration;

and wherein switching comprises switching the controller from the registered mode to the unregistered mode based upon the deactivation message.

44. A method according to claim 42 wherein switching comprises switching the controller from the registered mode to the unregistered mode based upon an activation message from the monitoring station.

45. A method according to claim 42 wherein the controller when in the unregistered mode has reduced features compared to the registered mode.

46. A method according to claim 42 wherein the controller when in the unregistered mode does not send messages with the wireless communications device.

47. A method according to claim 42 wherein the vehicle comprises an ignition switch being switchable between on and off positions;

and wherein the registration reminder indicator is activated based upon a vehicle ignition switch being in an on position.

48. A method according to claim 42 wherein the registration reminder indicator comprises at least one of an audible indicator and a visual indicator.

49. A method according to claim 42 wherein the vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

50. A method according to claim 42 wherein the wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

51. A method according to claim 50 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

52. A method according to claim 42 wherein the monitoring station comprises a user interface.

53. A method according to claim 52 wherein the user interface comprises an Internet interface.

54. A method according to claim 52 wherein the user interface comprises a telephone network interface.