Method and apparatus for vehicle tracking and control
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a vehicle identifier associated with a vehicle, and responsively adding the vehicle identifier to a list of vehicle identifiers, wherein each of the vehicle identifiers included in the list is associated with a different vehicle requiring a location determination;
receiving a particular vehicle identifier associated with a particular vehicle and a location of the particular vehicle via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure, wherein the location of the particular vehicle is represented by a Medium Access Controller address of a wireless communications station in communication with the particular vehicle;
comparing the particular vehicle identifier against the vehicle identifiers included in the list of vehicle identifiers; and
transmitting the location of the particular vehicle if the particular vehicle identifier is found in the list of vehicle identifiers.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for improving vehicle tracking and remote control. A wireless telecommunications system infrastructure receives a unique vehicle identifier via a shared-communications channel from a vehicle being tracked, as well as location information for that vehicle. The location information is derived from Global Positioning System signals or from the address of the local infrastructure currently in contact with the vehicle, or both. The same shared-communications channel is used to convey control messages to the vehicle, wherein the messages are mapped into control signals that can disable the vehicle'"'"'s engine or control some other system that is part of the vehicle.
20 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a vehicle identifier associated with a vehicle, and responsively adding the vehicle identifier to a list of vehicle identifiers, wherein each of the vehicle identifiers included in the list is associated with a different vehicle requiring a location determination; receiving a particular vehicle identifier associated with a particular vehicle and a location of the particular vehicle via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure, wherein the location of the particular vehicle is represented by a Medium Access Controller address of a wireless communications station in communication with the particular vehicle; comparing the particular vehicle identifier against the vehicle identifiers included in the list of vehicle identifiers; and transmitting the location of the particular vehicle if the particular vehicle identifier is found in the list of vehicle identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method comprising:
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receiving a vehicle identifier associated with a vehicle and responsively adding the vehicle identifier to a list of vehicle identifiers requiring a location determination, wherein each of the vehicle identifiers included in the list is associated with a different vehicle; receiving at a wireless communication station a particular vehicle identifier associated with a particular vehicle via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure, and responsively transmitting to a server the particular vehicle identifier and a location of the particular vehicle, wherein the location of the particular vehicle is represented by a Medium Access Controller address of the wireless communications station in communication with the vehicle; comparing the particular vehicle identifier against the list of vehicle identifiers; and
,transmitting a control command to the particular vehicle via the wireless communication station if the particular vehicle identifier is found in the list of vehicle identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus comprising:
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a first interface of a server for receiving a vehicle identifier, wherein the first interface responsively adds the vehicle identifier to a list of vehicle identifiers, and wherein each of the vehicle identifiers included in the list is associated with a different vehicle requiring location determination; a second interface of the server for receiving a particular vehicle identifier and a location of a particular vehicle associated with the particular vehicle identifier, wherein the particular vehicle identifier is obtained by a wireless communication station via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure, wherein the location is represented by a Medium Access Controller address of the wireless communications station in communication with the particular vehicle; and a third interface of the server for comparing the particular vehicle identifier against the set of vehicle identifiers and transmitting the location of the particular vehicle if the particular vehicle identifier is found in the list of vehicle identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a server for receiving a request for a location of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is associated with a vehicle identifier, wherein the server responsively adds the vehicle identifier to a list of vehicle identifiers, and wherein each of the vehicle identifiers included in the list is associated with a different vehicle requiring a location determination; a transmitter for transmitting to the server a particular vehicle identifier and a location of a particular vehicle associated with the particular vehicle identifier, wherein the vehicle identifier is obtained via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure, wherein the location is represented by a Medium Access Controller address of a wireless communications station, and wherein the server responsively compares the particular vehicle identifier against the list of vehicle identifiers; a receiver on the particular vehicle for receiving a message via the shared-communications channel, the message based on if the particular vehicle identifier is found in the list of vehicle identifiers; and a processor on the particular vehicle for controlling the particular vehicle based on the received message. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A motor vehicle comprising:
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an engine for propelling the motor vehicle; and a communications station for; (a) transmitting to a server a particular vehicle identifier associated with the motor vehicle and a location of the motor vehicle via a shared-communications channel of a Dedicated Short Range Communications-based infrastructure, wherein the location of the motor vehicle is represented by a Medium Access Controller address of a wireless communications station in communication with the vehicle, wherein the server is arranged to receive a request for a location of a vehicle, wherein the vehicle is associated with a vehicle identifier, and wherein the server responsively adds the vehicle identifier to a list of vehicle identifiers requiring a location determination; and (b) controlling said engine based on a message received from the server via the shared-communications channel, wherein the server is arranged to compare the particular vehicle identifier against the list of vehicle identifiers, and wherein the message received from the server is based on if the particular vehicle identifier is found in the list of vehicle identifiers. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification