Telematic method for real-time routing to stolen vehicles

• US 7,024,308 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L., Stefan, Jeffrey M., Rennells, Ernest B., Sumcad, Anthony J
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Dalena
• Application Number:
  US10/740,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20050137797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/209, 701/214, 701/300, 342/357.07, 342/357.09, 340/426.15, 340/426.19, 340/438, 455/456.5, 702/188
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3438 Rendez-vous, i.e. searching a destination where several users can meet, and the routes to this destination for these users; Ride sharing, i.e. searching a route such that at least two users can share a vehicle for at least part of the route
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A telematic system includes a first telematic unit incorporated within a stolen vehicle, a call center, and a second telematic unit incorporated with a police vehicle. The telematic system implements a method for real-time routing to the stolen vehicle. The method cyclically involves a determination of the GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle and the police vehicle by the respective telematic unit, a calculation of a complete route from the police vehicle to the stolen vehicle, and a calculation of a partial route extending from the police vehicle to the stolen vehicle. The GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle can be pushed to the police vehicle whereby the second telematic unit obtains the route calculations. Alternatively, the GPS coordinates of both the stolen vehicle and the police vehicle can be pushed to the call center whereby the call center performs the route calculations.

Claims

1. In a system including a first telematic unit incorporated within a stolen vehicle, a call center, and a second telematic unit incorporated with a police vehicle, a method for real-time routing to the stolen vehicle, the method comprising:

operating the first telematic unit to determine a first GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle, and to communicate the first GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle to the call center;

operating the call center to communicate the first GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle to the second telematic unit;

operating the second telematic unit to determine a second GPS coordinates of the police vehicle;

operating the second telematic unit to calculate a first complete route from the second GPS coordinates to the first GPS coordinates;

operating the second telematic unit to calculate a first partial route extending from the second GPS coordinates along the first complete route;

operating the first telematic unit to determine a third GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle, and to communicate the third GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle to the call center prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

operating the call center to communicate the third GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle to the second telematic unit prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

operating the second telematic unit to determine a fourth GPS coordinates of the police vehicle prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

operating the second telematic unit to calculate a second complete route from the fourth GPS coordinates to the third GPS coordinates prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route; and

operating the second telematic unit to calculate a second partial route extending from the fourth GPS coordinates along the second complete route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first partial route includes a specified number X of road segments extending from the first GPS coordinates along the first complete route.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first partial route includes an unspecified number Y of road segments extending, within a specified radius Z from the first GPS coordinates along the first complete route.

4. In a system including a first telematic unit incorporated within a stolen vehicle, a call center, and a second telematic unit incorporated with a police vehicle, a method for real-time routing to the stolen vehicle, the method comprising:

operating the first telematic unit to determine a first GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle, and to communicate the first GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle to the call center;

operating the second telematic unit to determine a second GPS coordinates of the police vehicle, and to communicate the second GPS coordinates of the police vehicle to the call center;

operating the call center to calculate a first complete route from the second GPS coordinates to the first GPS coordinates;

operating the call center to calculate a first partial route extending from the second GPS coordinates along the first complete route;

operating the call center to communicate the first partial route to the second telematic unit;

operating the first telematic unit to determine a third GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle, and to communicate the third GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle to the call center prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

operating the second telematic unit to determine a fourth GPS coordinates of the police vehicle, and to communicate the fourth GPS coordinates of the police vehicle to the call center prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

operating the call center to calculate a second complete route from the fourth GPS coordinates to the third GPS coordinates prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

operating the call center to calculate a second partial route extending from the fourth GPS coordinates along the second complete route; and

operating the call center to communicate the second partial route to the second telematic unit.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first partial route includes a specified number X of road segments extending from the second GPS coordinates along the first complete route.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the first partial route includes an unspecified number Y of road segments extending within a specified radius Z from the second GPS coordinates along the first complete route.

7. A telematic unit for real-time routing of a police vehicle to a stolen vehicle, said telematic unit comprising:

means for receiving a first GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle;

means for determining a second GPS coordinates of the police vehicle;

means for calculating a first complete route from the second GPS coordinates to the first GPS coordinates;

means for calculating a first partial route extending from the second GPS coordinates along the first complete route;

means for receiving a third GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

means for determining a fourth GPS coordinates of the police vehicle prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

means for calculating a second complete route from the fourth GPS coordinates to the third GPS coordinates prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route; and

means for calculating a second partial route extending from the fourth GPS coordinates along the second complete route.

8. The telematic unit of claim 7, wherein the first partial route includes a specified number X of road segments extending from the first GPS coordinates along the first complete route.

9. The telematic unit of claim 7, wherein the first partial route includes an unspecified number Y of road segments extending within a specified radius Z from the first GPS coordinates along the first complete route.

10. A system for real-time routing of a police vehicle to a stolen vehicle, said system comprising:

means for receiving a first GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle;

means for receiving a second GPS coordinates of the police vehicle;

means for calculating a first complete route from the second GPS coordinates to the first GPS coordinates;

means for calculating a first partial route extending from the second GPS coordinates along the first complete route;

means for receiving a third GPS coordinates of the stolen vehicle prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

means for receiving a fourth GPS coordinates of the police vehicle prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route;

means for calculating a second complete route from the fourth GPS coordinates to the third GPS coordinates prior to the police vehicle traversing the first partial route; and

means for calculating a second partial route extending from the fourth GPS coordinates along the second complete route.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first partial route includes a specified number X of road segments extending from the first GPS coordinates along the first complete route.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first partial route includes an unspecified number Y of road segments extending within a specified radius Z from the first GPS coordinates along the first complete route.