Vehicle tracker including input/output features and related methods

• US 7,149,623 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• 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): NGUYEN, CUONG H
• Application Number:
  US10/383,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20030154027A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/36, 701/211, 701/200, 701/207, 340/853.2, 340/901, 340/988, 340/989, 340/991, 340/992, 340/993, 340/425.5, 340/506, 340/531, 340/500, 340/515
• US Class Current: 701/207
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A tracking system includes a vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type including an alarm indicator, and a monitoring station receiving the alarm indication alert from the vehicle tracking unit. The vehicle tracking unit may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller connected to the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device. The controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device to send an alarm indication alert responsive to at least one of activation of the vehicle alarm indicator continuously for greater than a predetermined time and activation of the vehicle alarm indicator in a repetitive pattern. The controller may also include a dual polarity compatible output for a vehicle device, such as the vehicle alarm indicator.

Claims

1. A vehicle tracking system comprising a vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising a vehicle alarm indicator, said vehicle tracking unit comprising

a vehicle position determining device,

a wireless communications device, and

a controller connected to said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device;

said controller cooperating with said wireless communications device to send an alarm indication alert based upon at least one of an activation of the vehicle alarm indicator continuously for greater than a predetermined time and an activation of the vehicle alarm indicator in a repetitive pattern; and

a monitoring station receiving the alarm indication alert from said vehicle tracking unit.

2. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said controller also cooperates with said vehicle position determining device and said wireless communications device to send vehicle position messages.

3. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said controller monitors drive signals to the vehicle alarm indicator.

4. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein the drive signals have at least one of a first and second polarity.

5. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle alarm indicator comprises at least one of a vehicle horn, and a vehicle siren.

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

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

8. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 7 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

9. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 wherein said monitoring station comprises a user interface for accepting at least one command from a user and sending at least one alert to the user.

10. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 9 wherein said user interface comprises an Internet interface.

11. A vehicle tracking system according to claim 9 wherein said user interface comprises a telephone network interface.

12. A vehicle tracking unit for use with a vehicle comprising a vehicle alarm indicator, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:

a vehicle position determining device;

a wireless communications device; and

a controller connected to said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device;

said controller cooperating with said wireless communications device to send an alarm indication alert responsive to an activation of the vehicle alarm indicator continuously for greater than a predetermined time.

13. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein said controller further sends an alarm indication alert responsive to activation of the vehicle alarm indicator in a repetitive pattern.

14. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein said controller monitors drive signals to the vehicle alarm indicator.

15. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 14 wherein the drive signals have at least one of a first and second polarity.

16. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein the vehicle alarm indicator comprises at least one of a vehicle horn, and a vehicle siren.

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

18. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

19. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 18 wherein said cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.

20. A vehicle tracking unit for use with a vehicle comprising a vehicle alarm indicator, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:

a vehicle position determining device;

a wireless communications device; and

a controller connected to said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device;

said controller cooperating with said wireless communications device to send an alarm indication alert responsive to an activation of the vehicle alarm indicator in a repetitive pattern.

21. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 20 wherein said controller monitors drive signals to the vehicle alarm indicator.

22. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 21 wherein the drive signals have at least one of a first and second polarity.

23. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 20 wherein the vehicle alarm indicator comprises at least one of a vehicle horn, and a vehicle siren.

24. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 20 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

25. A vehicle tracking unit according to claim 20 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

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

27. A method for operating a vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising a vehicle alarm indicator, the vehicle tracking unit comprising a vehicle position determining device, and a wireless communications device, the method comprising:

determining position information of the vehicle using the vehicle position determining device;

determining an alarm condition based upon at least one of an activation of the vehicle alarm indicator continuously for greater than a predetermined time and an activation of the vehicle alarm indicator in a repetitive pattern; and

sending an alarm indication alert from the wireless communications device responsive to determining the alarm condition and including vehicle position information.

28. A method according to claim 27 wherein determining the alarm condition comprises monitoring drive signals to the vehicle alarm indicator.

29. A method according to claim 28 wherein the drive signals have at least one of a first and second polarity.

30. A method according to claim 27 wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle battery;

and wherein determining the alarm condition comprises monitoring voltage dips of the vehicle battery.

31. A method according to claim 27 wherein the vehicle alarm indicator comprises at least one of a vehicle horn, and a vehicle siren.

32. A method according to claim 27 wherein the vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

33. A method according to claim 27 wherein the wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the cellular telephone communications device communicates over a cellular control channel.