Advance notification system and method utilizing passenger calling report generator
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the system comprising (a) a user telephone interface, (b) a system telephone interface, and (c) a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle step and for initiating a telephone call with said system telephone interface to the user telephone interface before the vehicle reaches the vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface including the following steps;
(1) permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface;
(2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and
(3) indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was busy when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface.
11 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An advance notification system (10) and method notifies passengers of the impending arrival of a transportation vehicle (19), for example, a school bus, at a particular vehicle stop. The system (10) generally includes an on-board vehicle control unit (VCU) (12) for each vehicle (19) and a base station control unit (BSCU) (14) for making telephone calls to passengers in order to inform the passengers when the vehicle (19) is a certain predefined time period and/or distance away from the vehicle stop. The VCU (12) compares elapsed time and/or travelled distance to the programmed scheduled time and/or travelled distance to determine if the vehicle (19) is on schedule. If the vehicle (19) is behind or ahead of schedule, the VCU (12) calls the BSCU (14), which then adjusts its calling schedule accordingly. Significantly, a calling report generator (11) in the BSCU (14) allows a subscribing passenger to solicit a calling report from the BSCU (14) that indicates the time(s) and outcome(s) of any previous notification attempt(s) by the BSCU (14) to the passenger telephone (29).
181 Citations
80 Claims
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1. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the system comprising (a) a user telephone interface, (b) a system telephone interface, and (c) a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle step and for initiating a telephone call with said system telephone interface to the user telephone interface before the vehicle reaches the vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface including the following steps; (1) permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was busy when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the system comprising (a) a user telephone interface, (b) a system telephone interface, and (c) a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop and for initiating a telephone call with said system telephone interface to the user telephone interface before the vehicle reaches the vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface including the following steps; (1) permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was answered when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the system comprising (a) a user telephone interface, (b) a system telephone interface, and (c) a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop and for initiating a telephone call with said system telephone interface to the user telephone interface before the vehicle reaches the vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface including the following steps; (1) permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was not answered when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the system comprising (a) a user telephone interface associated with said user, (b) a system telephone interface, and (c) a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop and for initiating a telephone call with said system telephone interface to the user telephone interface before the vehicle reaches the vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface including the following steps; (1) permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was out of service when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the system comprising (a) a user telephone interface associated with said user, (b) a system telephone interface, and (c) a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop and for initiating a telephone call with said system telephone interface to the user telephone interface before the vehicle reaches the vehicle stop to thereby indicate impending arrival of the vehicle at the vehicle stop, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface including the following steps; (1) permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report a time when said previous telephone call was initiated by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the method for permitting the user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, wherein the system comprises (a) a user telephone interface associated with said user;
- (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;
(1) a vehicle travel monitoring means;
(2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means;
(3) a vehicle processor controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and
(c) a base station control unit having;
(1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit;
(2) a base station telephone interface;
(3) a base station processor controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station processor for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone interface and said user telephone interface when said vehicle is at said preset time from said vehicle stop; and
wherein the method comprises the steps of;(a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit said report corresponding to said previous telephone call made by said base station telephone interface to said user telephone interface by the following steps; (1) establishing a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said base station telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report that said user telephone interface was busy when said base station telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;
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27. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the method for permitting the user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, wherein the system comprises (a) a user telephone interface associated with said user;
- (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;
(1) a vehicle travel monitoring means;
(2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means;
(3) a vehicle processor controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and
(c) a base station control unit having;
(1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit;
(2) a base station telephone interface;
(3) a base station processor controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station processor for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone interface and said user telephone interface when said vehicle is at said preset time from said vehicle stop; and
wherein the method comprises the steps of;(a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit said report corresponding to said previous telephone call made by said base station telephone interface to said user telephone interface by the following steps; (1) permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said base station telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was answered when said base station telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
- (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;
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32. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the method for permitting the user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, wherein the system comprises:
- (a) a user telephone interface associated with said user;
(b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;
(1) a vehicle travel monitoring means;
(2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means;
(3) a vehicle processor controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and
(c) a base station control unit having;
(1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit;
(2) a base station telephone interface;
(3) a base station processor controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station processor for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone interface and said user telephone interface when said vehicle is at said preset time from said vehicle stop; and
wherein the method comprises the steps of;(a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit said report corresponding to said previous telephone call made by said base station telephone interface to said user telephone interface by the following steps; (1) permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said base station telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was not answered when said base station telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
- (a) a user telephone interface associated with said user;
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36. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the method for permitting the user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, wherein the system comprises (a) a user telephone interface associated with said user;
- (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;
(1) a vehicle travel monitoring means;
(2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means;
(3) a vehicle processor controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and
(c) a base station control unit having;
(1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit;
(2) a base station telephone interface;
(3) a base station processor controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station processor for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone interface and said user telephone interface when said vehicle is at said preset time from said vehicle stop; and
wherein the method comprises the steps of;(a) permitting said user telephone interface to solicit said report corresponding to said previous telephone call made by said base station telephone interface to said user telephone interface by the following steps; (1) permitting establishment of a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said base station telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said user telephone interface during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was out of service when said base station telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
- (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;
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39. A method for an advance notification system that notifies a passenger of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop, the method for permitting the passenger to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the passenger, wherein the system comprises:
- (a) a passenger telephone associated with said passenger;
(b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having;
(1) a vehicle travel monitoring means;
(2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means;
(3) a vehicle processor controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and
(c) a base station control unit having;
(1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit;
(2) a base station telephone interface;
(3) a base station processor controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station processor for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone surface and said passenger telephone when said vehicle is at said preset lime from said vehicle stop; and
wherein the method comprises the steps of;(a) permitting said passenger to solicit said report corresponding to said previous telephone call made by said base station telephone interface to said passenger telephone by the following steps; (1) establishing a telephone communication link between said passenger and said base station telephone interface; (2) providing said report from said system control to said passenger during said telephone communication link; and (3) indicating in said report a time when said previous telephone call was initiated by said base station telephone interface to said passenger telephone. - View Dependent Claims (40)
- (a) a passenger telephone associated with said passenger;
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41. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting the user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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a user telephone interface associated with said user; a, system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop; a system telephone interface in communication with said system control, said system telephone interface for establishing a telephone connection with said user telephone interface at a time before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and report generator associated with said system control for generating and providing said report to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface, said report generator having a means for indicating in said report when said user telephone interface was busy when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting the user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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a user telephone interface associated with said user; a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop; a system telephone interface in communication with said system control, said system telephone interface for establishing a telephone connection with said user telephone interface at a time before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and report generator associated with said system control for generating and providing said report to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface, said report generator having a means for indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was answered when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting the user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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a user telephone interface associated with said user; a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop; a system telephone interface in communication with said system control, said system telephone interface for establishing a telephone connection with said user telephone interface at a time before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and report generator associated with said system control for generating and providing said report to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface, said report generator having a means for indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was not answered when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55)
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56. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting the user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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a user telephone interface associated with said user; a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop; a system telephone interface in communication with said system control, said system telephone interface for establishing a telephone connection with said user telephone interface at a time before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and report generator associated with said system control for generating and providing said report to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface, said report generator having a means for indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was out of service when said system telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting the user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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a user telephone interface associated with said user; a system control for monitoring travel of said vehicle in relation to the vehicle stop; a system telephone interface in communication with said system control, said system telephone interface for establishing a telephone connection with said user telephone interface at a time before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and report generator associated with said system control for generating and providing said report to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said system telephone interface, said report generator having a means for indicating in said report a time when said previous telephone call was initiated by said system telephone interface to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (60)
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61. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting a user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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(a) a user telephone surface associated with said user; (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having; (1) a vehicle travel monitoring means; (2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means; (3) a vehicle control means controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and (c) a base station control unit having; (1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit; (2) a base station telephone interface; (3) a base station control controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station control means for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone interface and said user telephone interface before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and (4) a report generator associated with said base station control for generating and providing said report of said previous telephone call to said user during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said base station telephone interface, said report generator having a means for indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was busy when said base station telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting a user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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(a) a user telephone interface associated with said user; (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having; (1) a vehicle travel monitoring means; (2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means; (3) a vehicle control means controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and (c) a base station control unit having; (1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit; (2) a base station telephone interface; (3) a base station control controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station control means for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone interface and said user telephone interface before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and (4) a report generator associated with said base station control for generating and providing said report of said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said base station telephone interface, said report generator having a means for indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was answered when said base station telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting a user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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(a) a user telephone interface; (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having; (1) a vehicle travel monitoring means; (2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means; (3) a vehicle control means controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and (c) a base station control unit having; (1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit; (2) a base station telephone interface; (3) a base station control controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station control means for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone interface and said user telephone interface before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and (4) a report generator associated with said base station control for generating and providing said report of said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said base station telephone interface, said report generator having a means for indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was not answered when said base station telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75)
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76. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting a user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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(a) a user telephone interface associated with said user; (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having; (1) a vehicle travel monitoring means; (2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means; (3) a vehicle control means controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and (c) a base station control unit having; (1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit; (2) a base station telephone interface; (3) a base station control controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station control means for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone interface and said user telephone interface before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and (4) a report generator associated with said base station control for generating and providing said report of said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said base station telephone interface, said report generator having a means for indicating in said report whether said user telephone interface was out of service when said base station telephone interface initiated said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78)
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79. An advance notification system for notifying a user of an impending arrival of a vehicle at a vehicle stop and for permitting a user to solicit a report corresponding to a previous telephone call made by the system to the user, comprising:
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(a) a user telephone interface associated with said user; (b) a vehicle control unit disposed on said vehicle, said vehicle control unit having; (1) a vehicle travel monitoring means; (2) a vehicle transmitter adapted to transmit a travel signal based upon said vehicle travel monitoring means; (3) a vehicle control means controlling said vehicle travel monitoring means and said vehicle transmitter; and (c) a base station control unit having; (1) a receiver adapted to receive said travel signal from said vehicle control unit; (2) a base station telephone interface; (3) a base station control controlling said receiver and said base station telephone, said base station control means for establishing a telephone connection between said base station telephone interface and said user telephone interface before said vehicle reaches said vehicle stop; and (4) a report generator associated with said base station control for generating and providing said report of said previous telephone call to said user telephone interface during a telephone communication link between said user telephone interface and said base station telephone interface, said report generator having means for indicating in said report a time when said previous telephone call was initiated by said base station telephone interface to said user telephone interface. - View Dependent Claims (80)
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Specification