System and Method for Automatically Registering a Vehicle Monitoring Device

• US 20080294690A1
• Filed: 06/05/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: McClellan, Scott, Follmer, Todd
• Application Number:
  US11/758,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20080294690A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

System and method for registering a vehicle monitoring device with a central monitoring system, comprising determining a monitoring device identifier, determining a vehicle identifier from an on-board diagnostic system, establishing a communication link between the vehicle monitoring device and the central monitoring system, and sending the monitoring device identifier and vehicle identifier to the central monitoring system from the vehicle monitoring device.

Claims

1. A method for registering a vehicle monitoring device with a central monitoring system, comprising:

determining a monitoring device identifier;

determining a vehicle identifier from an on-board diagnostic system;

establishing a communication link between the vehicle monitoring device and the central monitoring system; and

sending the monitoring device identifier and vehicle identifier to the central monitoring system from the vehicle monitoring device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device identifier is a device serial number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device identifier is a communication address for the monitoring device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device identifier is an identifier of a communication module in the monitoring device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle identifier is a vehicle identification number (VIN).

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a vehicle account on the central server; and

allowing a person responsible for the vehicle to access the vehicle account.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a vehicle account on the central server, and

automatically collecting additional data associated with the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the additional data is insurance data.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the additional data is vehicle registration or licensing data.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the additional data is vehicle ownership data.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

allowing a vehicle user to access the vehicle account; and

allowing the vehicle user to edit and to accept vehicle account information.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle user is a fleet manager, vehicle owner, or vehicle driver.

13. A method for registering vehicle monitoring devices with a central monitoring system, comprising:

establishing communication links between vehicle monitoring devices and the central monitoring system;

receiving a monitoring device identifier and a vehicle identifier from the vehicle monitoring devices; and

creating database records for the vehicles using the monitoring device identifier and vehicle identifier.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

allowing a user to access a database record for the user'"'"'s vehicle; and

allowing the vehicle user to edit the database record.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the user is a fleet manager, vehicle owner, or vehicle driver.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the user edits the database record to correct or add vehicle information.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the user edits the database record to provide payment information.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the user edits the database record to select vehicle monitoring parameters.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the user edits the database record to correct vehicle information.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

automatically collecting additional data associated for a vehicle after creating the database record for that vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the additional data is insurance data.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the additional data is vehicle registration or licensing data.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the additional data is vehicle ownership data.