Method and system for monitoring a rental vehicle

• US 9,102,295 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluecarsharing (Bollore SA)
• Original Assignee: Bluecarsharing (Bollore SA)
• Inventors: Ressayre, Sandrine, Thieulent, Franck
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMBY, RICHARD M
• Application Number:
  US14/129,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20140249751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 701/31.4, 701/32.4, 701/32.5, 701/516, 701/517, 701/468, 701/519, 340/426.1, 340/426.18, 340/426.19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0213 System disabling if a separation threshold is exceeded disabling electrical appliances in case of unplugging G08B13/1409
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0269 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect the exact location of child or item using a navigation satellite system, e.g. GPS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (400) for monitoring a rental vehicle, said vehicle including a navigation/geolocation device arranged such as to determine and report the positioning coordinates of said vehicle, said method including the following steps: verifying (406) that the positioning coordinates of said vehicle are inside a previously recorded predetermined area and, if the positioning coordinates are not inside the predetermined area, executing a step (408-440) of indicating the anomaly. The invention also relates to a system implementing such a method.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a vehicle available for rental, said vehicle comprising a global positioning navigation device arranged to determine and notify the location coordinates of said vehicle, said method comprising the following steps:

storing a first identifier in the vehicle, wherein the first identifier is associated with an authorized user of the vehicle;

determining that the location coordinates of said vehicle are not situated in a previously registered predetermined zone;

in response to determining the location coordinates are not situated in the predetermined zone, collecting, by an identification module disposed in the vehicle, a second identifier, wherein the second identifier is associated with a person in the vehicle;

comparing the first identifier with the second identifier;

determining whether the first identifier matches the second identifier; and

in response to determining the first identifier does not match the second identifier, notifying a central site over a GPRS network.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the determining step is carried out only if the vehicle is moving.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising verifying data relating to the course or destination of the vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting the location coordinates to the central site, the result of the determining step to the central site, or a combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the collecting step is initiated by the central site.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining the location coordinates are not situated in the predetermined zone, displaying a warning on a user interface of the vehicle.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, before the collecting step, determining at least one of the conditions listed below:

a course or destination of the vehicle,

a distance away from the zone,

a period since leaving the zone, or

a response to a telephone call or message originating from the central site.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending, from the central site to the vehicle, an item of data relating to the starting of the vehicle, the item of data capable of preventing the starting of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first identifier is a first biometric identifier or a first RFID identifier and the second identifier is a second biometric identifier or a second RFID identifier.

17. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

if the location coordinates are not situated in the predetermined zone, executing an anomaly signalling step, wherein the anomaly signalling step comprises transmitting a telephone call to the vehicle, over the GPRS network.

10. A method for monitoring a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining an authorized zone, wherein the authorized zone is associated with the vehicle;

storing a first identifier in the vehicle, wherein the first identifier is associated with an authorized user of the vehicle;

determining a location of the vehicle;

determining whether the location is outside the authorized zone;

in response to determining the location coordinates are outside the authorized zone, collecting a second identifier, wherein the second identifier is associated with a person in the vehicle;

determining whether the first identifier matches the second identifier; and

in response to determining the first identifier does not match the second identifier, sending a notification to a central site.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the first identifier is a first biometric identifier or a first RFID identifier and the second identifier is a second biometric identifier or a second RFID identifier.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the notification includes the location.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving the notification at the central site; and

in response to receiving the notification at the central site, transmitting a telephone call to the vehicle from the central site.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving the notification at the central site; and

in response to receiving the notification at the central site, immobilizing the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving the notification at the central site; and

in response to receiving the notification at the central site, transmitting an alert to the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

receiving the notification at the central site; and

in response to receiving the notification at the central site, notifying a law enforcement agency.

18. A system for monitoring a vehicle associated with a central site relative to an authorized zone of the vehicle, the system comprising:

a first identifier stored in the vehicle, wherein the first identifier is associated with an authorized user of the vehicle;

a global positioning navigation device configured to determine location coordinates of the vehicle;

an analysis module configured to determine whether the location coordinates are outside the authorized zone;

an identification module configured to collect a second identifier associated with a person in the vehicle in response to determining the location coordinates are outside the authorized zone;

a control module configured to determine whether the first identifier matches the second identifier; and

a communication module configured to communicate a notification to the central site in response to determining the first identifier does not match the second identifier.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first identifier is a first biometric identifier or a first RFID identifier and the second identifier is a second biometric identifier or a second RFID identifier.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the notification includes the location coordinates.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the central site is configured to transmit a telephone call to the vehicle in response to receiving the notification.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the central site is configured to immobilize the vehicle in response to receiving the notification.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the central site is configured to transmit an alert to the vehicle in response to receiving the notification.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the central site is configured to notify a law enforcement agency in response to receiving the notification.