Positioning system for a movable object

• US 7,801,680 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mao-Jung Chen
• Original Assignee: Mao-Jung Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Mao-Jung
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/002,632
• Publication Number:
  US 20080306688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,008 Days
• Field of Search: 701/207, 701/213, 701/300, 701/2, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.1, 340/426.1, 340/426.24, 340/539.13, 340/539.26
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision

Abstract

A positioning terminal is disposed on a movable object, and includes a satellite-based positioning module, a detecting module, a processing module, and a wireless communication module. The positioning module receives satellite-transmitted signals and generates positioning data therefrom. The detecting module detects status of the movable object, and generates an alarm signal when an abnormal status is detected. The processing module includes a storage medium for storing the positioning data from the positioning module, and a processing unit for processing the positioning data stored in the storage medium and for outputting geographical information of the movable object. The processing unit further outputs alarm information based on the alarm signal. The wireless communication module is used to transmit the geographical information and the alarm information from the processing module.

Claims

1. A positioning system for a movable object, comprising a positioning terminal adapted to be disposed on the movable object, said positioning terminal including:

a satellite-based positioning module adapted to receive satellite-transmitted signals and to generate positioning data from the satellite-transmitted signals;

a detecting module adapted to detect status of the movable object, and operable to generate an alarm signal when said detecting module detects an abnormal status of the movable object;

a processing module coupled to said satellite-based positioning module and said detecting module, said processing module including a storage medium for storing the positioning data from said satellite-based positioning module, and a processing unit for processing the positioning data stored in said storage medium and for outputting geographical information that contains geographical location of the movable object, said processing unit further outputting alarm information based on the alarm signal received from said detecting module; and

a first wireless communication module coupled to said processing module, and operable to wirelessly transmit the geographical information and the alarm information from said processing module;

wherein said first wireless communication module is further operable to receive a control signal that is provided to said processing module, said processing module selectively activating said satellite-based positioning module to update the positioning data and selectively enabling and disabling operation of said detecting module according to the control signal received thereby.

2. The positioning system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a user terminal operable to establish a wireless connection with said first wireless communication module of said positioning terminal so as to receive the geographical information and the alarm information transmitted via said first wireless communication module, and further operable to send the control signal to said positioning terminal via the wireless connection established with said first wireless communication module.

3. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, the movable object being a vehicle, wherein said positioning terminal further includes a camera module coupled to said processing module for capturing ambient images of the movable object and for generating corresponding image data provided to said processing module for storage in said storage medium of said processing module, said processing module being further operable to transmit the image data to said user terminal via said first wireless communication module.

4. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, wherein said detecting module includes a heat sensor for sensing ambient temperature of the movable object, and the alarm signal is generated by said heat sensor when a temperature detected thereby is higher than a predetermined threshold.

5. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, the movable object being a vehicle, wherein said detecting module includes an intrusion sensor that generates the alarm signal upon detection of unauthorized entry into the movable object.

6. The positioning system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said intrusion sensor is an infrared sensor.

7. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, the movable object being a vehicle, wherein said detecting module includes a smoke detector that generates the alarm signal in response to detection of smoke in the movable object.

8. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, the movable object being a vehicle, wherein said detecting module includes a vibration sensor that generates the alarm signal when the movable object is moved.

9. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, the movable object being a vehicle, said positioning system further comprising a display terminal that is adapted to be disposed on the movable object, said positioning terminal further including a second wireless communication module coupled to said processing module and operable to establish a wireless connection with said display terminal, said processing module being operable to transmit the geographical information to said display terminal via said second wireless communication module, said display terminal displaying an image of the geographical location of the vehicle in response to the geographical information received from said positioning terminal.

10. The positioning system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said display terminal is a personal digital assistant.

11. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, the movable object being a vehicle, wherein said storage medium of said processing module further stores emergency contact information, and said positioning terminal further includes a distress module coupled to said processing module and operable to generate a distress signal, said processing unit responding to the distress signal by transmitting the geographical information and distress information to a relevant party via said first wireless communication module according to the emergency contact information stored in said storage medium.

12. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, the movable object being a vehicle, wherein said positioning terminal further includes a speaker module coupled to said processing module and operable to generate a voice output corresponding to the geographical information.

13. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the geographical information and the alarm information transmitted to said user terminal by said first wireless communication module contain corresponding voice messages.

14. The positioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said storage medium of said processing module further stores map data, and said processing unit of said processing module outputs the geographical information with reference to the positioning data and the map data.

15. The positioning system as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a server that stores map data, said processing module of said positioning terminal being operable to transmit the positioning data stored in said storage medium to said server via said first wireless communication module, said server being operable to generate the geographical information with reference to the positioning data transmitted by said positioning terminal and the map data stored in said server, said server being further operable to transmit the geographical information to said processing module via said first wireless communication module, said processing module storing the geographical information received from said server in said storage medium and outputting the geographical information for subsequent transmission to said user terminal via said first wireless communication module.

16. The positioning system as claimed in claim 15, wherein said server includes a server storage medium for storing the map data, and a processor for generating the geographical information with reference to the positioning data and the map data.