ASSET TRACKING SYSTEM
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An asset recovery system comprising:
- an application subsystem including an application software program;
a GPS subsystem including a GPS software program for tracking the location of said asset;
a communication subsystem including a communication software program for communicating data including the location of the asset with a remote device;
a power subsystem for providing power to said application subsystem, said GPS subsystem and said cellular subsystem, andan integrated CPU for running said application software program, said communication software program and said GPS software program.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An asset tracking system for tracking assets, for example, a vehicle, with an integrated topology that is configured minimize the complexity of the system by eliminating hardware duplication and sensing the ignition state while obviating the need to access the ignition switch circuit; the asset tracking system optionally including a loan obligation management system that is integrated with the asset recovery system which provides in-vehicle notifications of loan obligations for the asset upon which the loan obligation is based from a remote location directly to the asset.
37 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An asset recovery system comprising:
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an application subsystem including an application software program; a GPS subsystem including a GPS software program for tracking the location of said asset; a communication subsystem including a communication software program for communicating data including the location of the asset with a remote device; a power subsystem for providing power to said application subsystem, said GPS subsystem and said cellular subsystem, and an integrated CPU for running said application software program, said communication software program and said GPS software program. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining the ignition state of a vehicle without monitoring the state of an ignition switch, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a.) measuring the voltage of the primary voltage of a vehicle ignition coil during a first sample period, defining a first sample voltage; (b) storing said first sample voltage; (c) measuring the voltage of the primary voltage of a vehicle ignition coil during a second sample period, defining a second sample voltage; (d) storing said second sample voltage; (e) comparing said first sample voltage and said second sample voltage defining a comparison; and (f) providing an indication of said ignition state as a function of sad comparison. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for managing a loan obligation of an asset which includes:
- a communication system for enabling communications between said asset and a remote device;
a system for detecting the state of said asset and communicating the state of said asset to said remote device by way of said communications system;
a system for providing an indication of a payment due; and
a system for enabling said asset to be disabled based upon a command from said remote device, the method comprising;(a) sending a payment reminder over said communication system to said asset providing an indication of a loan obligation; (b) disabling said payment reminder as a function of said state of said asset by way of said communication system when a payment is made; and (c) disabling said asset as a function of said state of said asset by way of said communication system when a payment is not made.
- a communication system for enabling communications between said asset and a remote device;
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22. A system for managing a loan obligation of a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a communication system for enabling communication between a vehicle and a remote device; a system configured to monitor the ignition state of the vehicle; and a system responsive to commands from said remote device received from said communication system and configured to disable the vehicle in response to receiving a disable command or provide a signal that a payment is due as a function of the ignition state of the vehicle.
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Specification