Remote vehicle communications system and method

• US 5,396,540 A
• Filed: 04/22/1994
• Issued: 03/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MiX Telematics North America, Inc. (MiX Telematics Limited)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Gooch, Guy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chernoff, Michael B.
• Application Number:
  US08/231,862
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/989, 340/991, 340/993, 342/352, 342/357, 342/388, 342/389, 342/450, 342/451, 342/453, 342/454, 342/457, 342/386, 379/58, 379/59, 379/60, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/33.1, 455/33.2, 455/166.2
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0009 Transmission of position information to remote stations involving assistance data G01S5/0236

Abstract

A telephone call may be made to a remote vehicle, such as a long haul truck, located in an unknown cellular telephone cell in a remote service area. The remote vehicle is provided with a cellular telephone, satellite data communications system and a position signal receiver for a system such as LORAN-C or Global Positioning System (GPS). If the control center desires to initiate a voice communication with the remote vehicle, the control facility transmits a voice communication request to the remote vehicle via a non-voice data communications satellite. The position signal receiver receives data from the LORAN-C or GPS transmitter indicative of the current geographic location of the remote vehicle and transmits the data to the control center via the data communications satellite. At the control center a computer with a data base identifying the geographic extent of relevant cellular telephone cells uses the location of the remote vehicle to identify the cell in which the remote vehicle is presently located. A telephone call is then initiated from the control center to the remote vehicle via landline and cellular telephone network serving the identified cell. Further, if the operator of the remote vehicle desires to initiate a telephone call, he can send a request via the satellite data link. The control center can then initiate the call as described above.

Claims

1. A system for communicating via a cellular telephone from a control center to a remote vehicle located in an unknown cell served by an unknown cellular carrier, said apparatus utilizing a remote geographic positioning system, and said control center being located outside the coverage area of said unknown cellular carrier, comprising:

a cellular telephone in said remote vehicle;

means in said remote vehicle for receiving information from said remote geographic positioning system;

means in said remote vehicle for transmitting a signal to said control center via a communications satellite which is separate from the facilities of the cellular carrier, said signal including a voice communication request and geographic location information derived from the information received from said positioning system;

means at said control center for determining from the geographic location information the identity of the cell in which said vehicle is located and the identity of the cellular carrier for said cell; and

means for communicating from said communications center to said cellular telephone through the facilities of said cellular carrier.

2. The system as described in claim 1 for communicating via a cellular telephone from a communications center to a remote vehicle located in an unknown cell served by an unknown cellular carrier, and said control center being located outside the coverage area of said unknown cellular carrier, wherein said remote geographic positioning system comprises a global positioning satellite.

3. Method of establishing a voice contact between a control center and a remote vehicle equipped with a cellular telephone and located in an unknown cell served by an unknown cellular switching center, said vehicle also being located to communicate via electromagnetic signals with a communications satellite and a global positioning satellite, and said control center being located outside the coverage area of the cellular carrier, comprising the steps of:

receiving, at the remote vehicle positioning signals from said global positioning satellite;

determining at said remote vehicle from said positioning signals, the location of said remote vehicle;

transmitting from the remote vehicle to the control center via said communications satellite a signal incorporating a voice communication request and said location of said remote vehicle;

determining at said control center the identity of the cell in which said vehicle is located and the identity of the cellular carrier for said cell; and

initiating a telephone call from said control center to said remote vehicle via landline to the cellular carrier switching center and cellular telephone facilities of said cellular carrier.

4. Method of establishing a voice contact between a control center and a remote vehicle equipped with a cellular telephone and located in an unknown cell served by an unknown cellular switching center, said vehicle also being located to communicate via electromagnetic signals with a communications satellite and a global positioning satellite, and said control center being located outside the coverage area of said unknown cellular carrier, comprising the steps of:

transmitting from said control center to said remote vehicle via said communications satellite a voice communication request;

receiving, at the remote vehicle, positioning signals from said global positioning satellite;

determining at said remote vehicle from said positioning signals the location of said remote vehicle;

transmitting from said remote vehicle to said control center via said communications satellite a signal incorporating said location of said remote vehicle;

determining at said control center the identity of the cell in which said vehicle is located and the identity of the cellular carrier for said cell; and

initiating a telephone call from said control center to said remote vehicle via landline to the cellular carrier'"'"'s switching center and via the cellular telephone facilities of said cellular carrier from the switching center to the remote vehicle.