Vehicle tracker including battery monitoring feature and related methods
First Claim
1. A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising a vehicle battery and at least one vehicle security device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:
- a vehicle position determining device;
a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station and comprising a receiver and a transmitter;
a battery sensing circuit connected to the vehicle battery for sensing a voltage thereof;
a security device detection circuit for the at least one vehicle security device; and
a controller cooperating with said wireless communications device, said security device detection circuit, and said vehicle position determining device for sending position and security signals to the monitoring station;
said controller also connected to said battery sensing circuit for enabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold, for disabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold, and for enabling operation of said transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type including a vehicle battery and at least one vehicle security device may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station and including a receiver and a transmitter, a back-up battery, and a battery sensing circuit for sensing a voltage of at least one of the back-up battery and the vehicle battery. Furthermore, the vehicle tracking unit may also include a security device detector circuit for the at least one vehicle security device, a controller cooperating with the wireless communications device, the security device detector circuit, and the vehicle position determining device for sending position and security signals to the monitoring station. In addition, the controller may also be connected to the battery sensing circuit for disabling operation of the receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below a threshold.
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Citations
46 Claims
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1. A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising a vehicle battery and at least one vehicle security device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:
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a vehicle position determining device;
a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station and comprising a receiver and a transmitter;
a battery sensing circuit connected to the vehicle battery for sensing a voltage thereof;
a security device detection circuit for the at least one vehicle security device; and
a controller cooperating with said wireless communications device, said security device detection circuit, and said vehicle position determining device for sending position and security signals to the monitoring station;
said controller also connected to said battery sensing circuit for enabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold, for disabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold, and for enabling operation of said transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising at least one vehicle security device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:
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a vehicle position determining device;
a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station and comprising a receiver and a transmitter;
a back-up battery;
a battery sensing circuit connected to said back-up battery for sensing a voltage thereof;
a security device detection circuit for the at least one vehicle security device; and
a controller cooperating with said wireless communications device, said security device detection circuit, and said vehicle position determining device for sending position and security signals to the monitoring station;
said controller also connected to said battery sensing circuit for enabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold, for disabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold, and for enabling operation of said transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising a vehicle battery and at least one vehicle security device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:
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a vehicle position determining device;
a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station and comprising a receiver and a transmitter;
a back-up battery;
a battery sensing circuit for sensing a voltage of at least one of said back-up battery and said vehicle battery;
a security device detection circuit for the at least one vehicle security device; and
a controller cooperating with said wireless communications device, said security device detection circuit, and said vehicle position determining device for sending position and security signals to the monitoring station;
said controller also connected to said battery sensing circuit for enabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold, for disabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold, and for enabling operation of said transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A vehicle tracking method for a vehicle of a type comprising a vehicle battery, at least one vehicle security device, and a vehicle tracking unit comprising a transmitter and a receiver, the method comprising:
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sensing a voltage of the vehicle battery using the vehicle tracking unit;
enabling operation of the receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold;
disabling operation of the receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold; and
enabling operation of the transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage to allow sending of position and security signals to a monitoring station. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A vehicle tracking method for a vehicle of a type comprising at least one vehicle security device and a vehicle tracking unit comprising a back-up battery, a transmitter, and a receiver, the method comprising:
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sensing a voltage of the back-up battery using the vehicle tracking unit;
enabling operation of the receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold;
disabling operation of the receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold; and
enabling operation of the transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage to allow sending of position and security signals to a monitoring station. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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Specification