Vehicle communication device

• US 8,880,133 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2007
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Appy Risk Technologies Limited (Trak Global Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (Trak Global Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Basir, Otman A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US11/949,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20080132270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,528 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/423, 340/438, 340/933, 701/200
• US Class Current: 455/575.9
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/046 involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle, e.g. via telemetry, satellite, Global Positioning System [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0205 Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/045 Monitoring control system parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/08 Interaction between the driver and the control system
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3822 specially adapted for use in vehicles H04B1/3827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

An example vehicle communication device includes a vehicle installed unit and a portable unit in communication with the vehicle installed unit. The portable unit communicates a message through the vehicle installed unit to a remote location, and the vehicle installed unit adds information to the message.

Claims

1. A vehicle communication device, comprising:

a vehicle installed unit;

a vehicle interface module within the vehicle installed unit for connecting to a vehicle system; and

a portable unit in communication with the vehicle installed unit, wherein the portable unit communicates with the vehicle interface module to obtain information from the vehicle system, wherein the vehicle installed unit identifies discrepancies between information from the portable unit and information from the vehicle system,

wherein the discrepancies comprise discrepancies between a fuel reading stored on the vehicle and a fuel reading stored on the portable unit.

2. The vehicle communication device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle system is an OBDII system or a CANBUS system.

3. The vehicle communication device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the vehicle installed unit and the portable unit includes storage location for storing historical data.

4. The vehicle communication device of claim 3, wherein the vehicle installed unit includes a controller for running a program that compares historical data with newly acquired data.

10. The vehicle communication device of claim 1, including a controller for executing an algorithm that verifies the vehicle system.

11. The vehicle communication device of claim 10, wherein the portable unit communicates with the vehicle installed unit to obtain an actual vehicle identification number, wherein the algorithm executed by the controller compares a stored vehicle identification number to the actual vehicle identification number.

12. The vehicle communication device of claim 4, wherein the controller identifies discrepancies between the historical data and the newly acquired data.

21. The vehicle communication device of claim 1, wherein the discrepancies include a discrepancy between an odometer reading on the vehicle installed unit and an odometer reading on the portable unit.

22. The vehicle communication device of claim 1, including a storage location within the vehicle installed unit, the storage location providing storage for information that is associated with an individual, wherein the individual is determined based on a presence of a particular portable unit.

24. The vehicle communication device of claim 1, wherein the information from the portable unit was communicated from the portable unit to the vehicle installed unit before the vehicle installed unit identifies discrepancies.

5. A vehicle communication method, including the steps of:

selecting a portable unit from a plurality of portable units that are each configured to wirelessly communicate with a vehicle;

linking a driver to the vehicle based on the selected portable unit;

operating the vehicle;

storing vehicle information based on the driver, the selected portable unit, or both; and

identifying discrepancies between vehicle information stored within the portable unit and vehicle information stored within the vehicle using a vehicle installed unit,

wherein the discrepancies comprise at least one of discrepancies between an odometer reading stored on the vehicle and an odometer reading stored on the portable unit, discrepancies between information from the portable unit and information from the vehicle system, or discrepancies between a fuel reading stored on the vehicle and a fuel reading stored on the portable unit.

6. The vehicle communication method of claim 5, gathering the vehicle information wirelessly.

7. The vehicle communication method of claim 5, including authenticating the driver using a password.

8. The vehicle communication method of claim 5, including identifying discrepancies between the portable unit linked to the vehicle.

9. The vehicle communication method of claim 8, wherein the discrepancies are identified in at least one of the VIN number of the vehicle, the odometer reading of the vehicle, the fuel reading of the vehicle.

25. The vehicle communication method of claim 5, communicating information stored within the portable unit to the vehicle installed unit prior to the identifying.

26. The vehicle communication method of claim 5, wherein the discrepancies are between a VIN number stored on the vehicle and a VIN number stored on the portable unit.

13. A vehicle communication device, comprising:

a vehicle installed unit;

a vehicle interface module within the vehicle installed unit in communication with a vehicle system within a vehicle; and

a storage location within the vehicle installed unit, the storage location providing storage for information associated with the vehicle and for information associated with an individual, wherein the individual is determined based on a presence of a particular portable unit, wherein the vehicle installed unit identifies discrepancies between information from the portable unit and information from the vehicle, system wherein the discrepancies comprise discrepancies between an odometer reading stored on the vehicle and an odometer reading stored on the portable unit.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the vehicle includes historical information associated with the vehicle.

15. The communication device of claim 14, wherein the historical information includes at least one of a traffic violation by the vehicle, a security violation by the vehicle, an emission violation by the vehicle, and an environmental violation by the vehicle.

16. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the vehicle includes identifying information associated with the vehicle.

17. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the identifying information includes at least one of a make of the vehicle, a model of the vehicle, a color of the vehicle, and a year of manufacture of the vehicle.

18. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the identifying information include a photograph of a person associated with vehicle.

19. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the identifying information includes a usage classification for the vehicle.

20. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the information associated with the vehicle includes clearance information for a geographic area.

23. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the vehicle installed unit identifies discrepancies between information from the portable unit and information from the vehicle system.

27. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the vehicle installed unit identifies discrepancies between information from the portable unit and information from the vehicle system.

28. The communication device of claim 23, wherein the discrepancies comprises discrepancies between a fuel reading stored on the vehicle and a fuel reading stored on the portable unit.