Method and system for remote interaction with a vehicle via wireless communication

• US 7,323,970 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sierra Wireless America Incorporated (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Numerex Corporation (Sierra Wireless Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shouse, Paul, Gafa, Jason, Jansson, Edward R., Murray, Tomás
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PHUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/040,636
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 340/426.12, 340/426.1, 340/426.11, 340/426.19, 340/426.2, 340/539.13, 701/2, 455/99, 455/422
• US Class Current: 340/426.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• 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 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/403 Power supply in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A telemetry system coupled to a vehicle can communicate with a remote site using the overhead control channels of a wireless network, such as a cellular mobile radiotelephone network. The telemetry system can monitor or control aspects of the vehicle'"'"'s operations based on remote user input. The telemetry system can take steps to reduce its consumption of electricity. When conditions warrant, the telemetry system can disable a driver'"'"'s attempt to start the vehicle. A relay can consume minimal electricity until an unauthorized driver attempts to start the vehicle, at which time the telemetry system can energize the relay to interrupt the starting sequence. The telemetry system can monitor a driver'"'"'s driving practices and report incidences that meet preset criteria, such as violating a speed limit for a selected amount of time or a crossing of a geographical boundary.

Claims

1. A method for disabling a vehicle via a wireless data link comprising the steps of:

monitoring a circuit, having a first state for driving the vehicle, a second state for stating an engine of the vehicle, and a third state for turning the engine off;

receiving a message, transmitted over the wireless data link, at a telemetry system at the vehicle, the message comprising a command to disable the vehicle;

determining that the circuit is attempting to start the vehicle as a result of a transition of the circuit to the second state;

responsive to the receiving step and the determining step, interrupting the attempt to start the vehicle and causing the circuit to operate in the third state;

wherein power is removed from the telemetry system to conserve power if the circuit is set to the third state for a threshold amount of time and power is restored to the telemetry system if a security intrusion for the vehicle is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interrupting step comprises interrupting electricity flow of the circuit.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interrupting step comprises energizing a relay.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the circuit comprises a switch and wherein monitoring the circuit comprises determining whether the switch is in a first position or a second position and wherein the determining step comprises determining that the switch is in the first position.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step further comprises receiving the message via a control channel of the wireless data link.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the method further comprises the step of removing power from a global positioning sensor communicatively coupled to the wireless data link at the vehicle if the circuit is in the third state.

7. A method for operating a telemetry system connected to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

determining whether a starter circuit of the vehicle is in a first state operative to start the vehicle, a second state operative to drive the vehicle, or a third state operative to turn the vehicle off;

if the telemetry system receives an instruction to disable the vehicle, interrupting the starter circuit in response to the determining step if the starter circuit changes to the first state from one of the second state and the third state;

measuring a time that the starter circuit is in the third state in response to determining that the starter circuit in is the third state;

comparing the measured time to a threshold;

if the measured time is greater than the threshold, disconnecting the telemetry system from a source of electricity; and

in response to detecting a security intrusion for the vehicle, reconnecting the disconnected telemetry system to the source of electricity.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the telemetry system comprises a global positioning sensor that receives power from a battery of the vehicle and the method further comprises the step of removing the power from the global positioning sensor in response to the determining step if the starter circuit is in the third state.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of entering the threshold into a user interface, wherein the comparing step comprises comparing the measured time to the entered threshold.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of connecting the disconnected telemetry system to the source of electricity in response to the starter circuit changing from the third state to one of the first state and the second state.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein a wireless page comprises the instruction.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the instruction comprises receiving the instruction on an overhead control channel of a wireless communication network.

13. A method for conserving power consumption of a telemetry system connected to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

determining whether an ignition switch of the vehicle is in a first state for operating the vehicle or a second state for storing the vehicle;

if the ignition switch is determined to be in the second state, timing an interval that the vehicle is in the second state;

comparing the timed interval to a threshold;

disconnecting the telemetry system from a power source if the timed interval exceeds the threshold; and

if a security intrusion for the vehicle is detected, reconnecting the telemetry system to the power source.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the telemetry system comprises a transceiver that receives commands and transmits telemetry data on an overhead control channel of a wireless cellular network and wherein disconnecting the telemetry system comprises disconnecting the transceiver.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of applying power to the telemetry system in response to determining that the ignition switch is in the first state after disconnecting the telemetry system from the power source.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the telemetry system comprises a sensor operative to locate the vehicle in response to a prompt transmitted over a wireless network; and

the method further comprises the step of turning the sensor off in response to determining that the ignition switch is in the second state.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the determining step further comprises determining whether the ignition switch is in a third state for starting the vehicle, and the method further comprises the steps of:

monitoring a control channel of a wireless network for a prompt to disable the vehicle; and

if the prompt is monitored, stopping electricity flow to a starter of the vehicle in response to determining that the ignition switch is in the third state.