Communications system and method using vehicle identifications

• US 5,844,987 A
• Filed: 01/03/1997
• Issued: 12/01/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Matthews, David George, Dent, Paul Wilkinson, Hassan, Amer
• Primary Examiner(s): CANGIALOSI, SALVATORE A
• Application Number:
  US08/780,151
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 380/9, 375/200, 379/211, 701/1, 701/117, 701/300
• US Class Current: 340/901
• 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: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons

Abstract

A communications system for transmitting selected information to a registered mobile terminal in response to the reporting of a vehicle identification associated with the registered mobile terminal to a database system. The communications system includes a database system having a memory with registered vehicle identifications and associated information. The database system is coupled to a radio system for receiving a reporting signal including a vehicle identification sent by a reporting mobile terminal. In response to the inputted reported vehicle identification, the database system identifies a registered vehicle identification corresponding to the reported vehicle identification and selects associated information corresponding to the identified registered vehicle identification. In the first preferred embodiment, the selected associated information includes a selected phone number and the database system sends the selected message to a registered mobile terminal associated with the vehicle identification. In a second preferred embodiment, the database system sends the selected associated information to the reporting mobile terminal. The selected associated information includes a message such as a password, codeword, or voice message.

Claims

1. A communications system, comprising:

a) a radio system for communicating with mobile terminals and receiving a reporting signal including a reported vehicle identification from a reporting mobile terminal;

b) a database system coupled to said radio system, said database system comprising;

i) a memory having registered vehicle identifications and associated information;

ii) an input unit coupled to said radio system for inputting to said database system said reporting signal;

iii) an output unit coupled to said radio system;

iv) a processor for identifing a registered vehicle identification stored in said memory corresponding to said reported vehicle identification and selecting associated information corresponding to said identified registered vehicle identification, said processor directing said output unit to send said selected associated information to said radio system for transmission to a mobile terminal; and

c) wherein said selected associated information associated with said reported vehicle identification is transmitted to a mobile terminal in response to said radio system receiving a reporting signal from a reporting mobile terminal.

2. The communications system of registered claim 1, wherein said stored associated information includes phone numbers for mobile terminals and said selected associated information includes a selected phone number associated with said reported vehicle identification.

3. The communications system of claim 1, wherein said stored associated information includes messages and said selected associated information includes a selected message associated with said reported vehicle identification.

4. The communications system of claim 3, wherein said messages include passwords associated with said registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected password associated with said reported vehicle identification.

5. The communications system of claim 3, wherein said messages include codeword keys associated with said stored vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected codeword key associated with said inputted vehicle identification.

6. The communications system of claim 3, wherein said messages include recorded voice messages associated with said registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected voice message associated with said reported vehicle identification.

7. The communications system of claim 2, wherein said processor directs said output unit to use said selected phone number to call a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification so as to provide a communication link between said database system and a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification.

8. The communications system of claim 7, wherein said associated information includes messages and said selected associated information includes a selected message associated with said reported vehicle identification, and wherein said selected message is sent to said registered mobile terminal using said communication link between said database system and said registered mobile terminal.

9. The communications system of claim 1, wherein said database system further includes an encryption unit for encrypting said selected associated information prior to transmitting said selected associated information.

10. The communications system of claim 1, wherein said radio system transmits said selected associated information to said reporting mobile terminal.

11. The communications system of claim 1, wherein said associated information includes phone numbers and said selected associated information includes a selected phone number for a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification.

12. The communications system of claim 1, wherein said radio system transmits said selected associated information to a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification.

13. A database system, comprising:

a) a memory having registered vehicle identifications and associated information, wherein said stored associated information includes phone numbers for registered mobile terminal associated with vehicle identifications;

b) an input unit for inputting to said database system a reporting signal including a reported vehicle identification;

c) an output unit;

d) a processor for identifying a registered vehicle identification corresponding to said reported vehicle identification and selecting associated information including a phone number corresponding to said identified registered vehicle identification, said processor directing said output unit to use said selected phone number to call a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification;

e) wherein a communication link is provided between said database system and said registered mobile terminal in response to the inputting of said reported vehicle identification into said database system.

14. The database system of claim 13, wherein said associated information includes messages and said selected associated information includes a selected message associated with said reported vehicle identification, and wherein said selected message is sent to said registered mobile terminal over said communication link in response to the inputting of said reported vehicle identification into said database system.

15. The database system of claim 13, wherein said messages include passwords associated with said registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected password associated with said reported vehicle identification.

16. The database system of claim 14, wherein said messages include codeword keys associated with said registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected codeword key associated with said reported vehicle identification.

17. The database system of claim 14, wherein said messages include recorded voice messages and said selected message includes a selected voice message associated with said reported vehicle identification.

18. The database system of claim 13, wherein said input unit is coupled to a private radio system for receiving said reported vehicle identification signal from a reporting mobile terminal operable in said private radio system.

19. The database system of claim 13, wherein said output unit is coupled to a public radio system for enabling said output unit to call said registered mobile terminal operable in said public radio system.

20. The database system of claim 13, further including an encryption unit for encrypting said selected associated information prior to transmitting said selected associated information to a mobile terminal.

21. A database system, comprising:

a) a memory having registered vehicle identifications and associated information;

b) an input unit for inputting to said database system a reported signal including a reported vehicle identification;

c) an output unit;

d) a processor for identifying a registered vehicle identification stored in said memory corresponding to said reported vehicle identification and selecting associated information associated with said identified registered vehicle identification, said processor directing said output unit to send said selected associated information to a mobile terminal;

e) wherein a communication link is provided between said database system and a mobile terminal in response to the inputting of said reported vehicle identification into said database system.

22. The database system of claim 21, wherein said stored associated information includes messages and said selected associated information includes a selected message associated with said reported vehicle identification.

23. The database system of claim 22, wherein said messages include passwords associated with said registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected password associated with said reported vehicle identification.

24. The database system of claim 22, wherein said messages include codeword keys associated with said registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected codeword key associated with said reported vehicle identification.

25. The database system of claim 22, wherein said messages include recorded voice messages and said selected message includes a selected voice message associated with said reported vehicle identification.

26. The vehicle identification database system of claim 21, wherein said stored associated information includes phone numbers for registered mobile terminals and said selected associated information includes a selected phone number for a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification.

27. The database system of claim 21, wherein said input unit is coupled to a radio system for receiving said reporting signal from a reporting mobile terminal and said output unit is coupled to said radio system for sending said selected associated information to said reporting mobile terminal.

28. The database system of claim 21, wherein said input unit is coupled to a radio system for receiving said reporting signal from a reporting mobile terminal and said output unit is coupled to said radio system for sending said selected associated information to a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification.

29. The vehicle identification database system of claim 21, further including an encryption unit for encrypting said selected stored information prior to transmitting said selected stored information to a mobile terminal.

30. A communications system, comprising:

a) a reporting mobile terminal for transmitting a reporting signal including a vehicle identification to a radio system;

b) a database system coupled to the radio system, said database system comprising;

i) a memory having registered vehicle identifications and associated information;

ii) an input unit for receiving said reporting signal from said radio system;

iii) an output unit coupled to said radio system;

iv) a processor for identifying a registered vehicle identification corresponding to said reported vehicle identification and selecting associated information corresponding to said reported vehicle identification, said processor directing said output unit to send information signal including said selected associated information to said radio system for transmission;

c) a registered mobile terminal for receiving said information signal including said selected associated information, said registered mobile terminal comprising;

i) a receiver for receiving said information signal,

ii) a terminal output for outputting information corresponding to said received associated information to a user of said registered mobile terminal in response to receiving said information signal.

31. The communications system of claim 30, wherein said associated information includes messages and said selected associated information includes a selected message associated with said reported vehicle identifications.

32. The communications system of claim 31, wherein said messages include passwords associated with said registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected password associated with said reported vehicle identification.

33. The communications system of claim 31, wherein said messages include codeword keys associated with registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected codeword key associated with said reported vehicle identification.

34. The communications system of claim 33, wherein said corresponding codeword key is stored in said registered mobile terminal for use in decrypting said selected message transmitted to said registered mobile terminal.

35. The communications system of claim 31, wherein said messages include recorded voice messages and said selected message includes a selected voice message associated with said reported vehicle identification.

36. The communications system of claim 30, wherein said stored associated information includes phone numbers and said selected associated information includes a selected phone number associated with said reported vehicle identification.

37. The communications system of claim 30, wherein said input unit is coupled to a radio system for receiving said reporting signal from a reporting mobile terminal and said output unit is coupled to said radio system for sending said selected associated information to said reporting mobile terminal.

38. The communications system of claim 30, wherein said information signal is transmitted from said radio system to said reporting mobile terminal, and wherein said reporting mobile terminal transmits said associated information to said mobile terminal.

39. The communications system of claim 30, wherein said input unit is coupled to a radio system for receiving said reporting signal from a reporting mobile terminal and said output unit is coupled to said radio system for sending said selected associated information to a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification.

40. The communications system of claim 30, further including an encryption unit for encrypting said selected stored information prior to transmitting said selected stored information to a mobile terminal.

41. A method of sending information corresponding to a vehicle identification to a mobile terminal, comprising:

a) receiving a reporting signal including a reported vehicle identification from a reporting mobile terminal;

b) communicating said reported vehicle identification from said radio system to a database system having registered vehicle identifications and associated information;

c) identifying a registered vehicle identification stored in said database system corresponding to said reported vehicle identification;

d) selecting associated information corresponding to said identified registered vehicle identification; and

e) sending said selected associated information to said radio system for transmission to a mobile terminal.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein said associated information includes phone numbers for mobile terminals and said selected associated information includes a selected phone number associated with said reported vehicle identification.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein said stored associated information includes messages and said selected associated information includes a selected message associated with said reported vehicle identification.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein said messages include passwords associated with said registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected password associated with said reported vehicle identification.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein said messages include codeword keys associated with said stored vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected codeword key associated with said inputted vehicle identification.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein said messages include recorded voice messages associated with said registered vehicle identifications and said selected message includes a selected voice message associated with said reported vehicle identification.

47. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of calling a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification using said selected phone number so as to provide a communication link between said database system and said registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification.

48. The method of claim 41, wherein said associated information includes messages and said selected associated information includes a selected message associated with said reported vehicle identification, and further comprising the step of sending said selected message to said registered mobile terminal using said communication link between said database system and said registered mobile terminal.

49. The method of claim 41, further comprising the step of sending said selected associated information to said reporting mobile terminal.

50. The method claim 41, further comprising the step of sending said selected associated information from said reporting mobile terminal to said registered mobile terminal.

51. The method of claim 41, wherein said radio system transmits said selected associated information from said radio system to a registered mobile terminal associated with said reported vehicle identification.