Vehicle locating and communicating method and apparatus

• US 5,884,221 A
• Filed: 03/26/1998
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Iron Oak Technologies LLC
• Original Assignee: Highway Master Communications Inc.
• Inventors: Wortham, Larry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZANELLI, MICHAEL J
• Application Number:
  US09/049,573
• Time in Patent Office: 355 Days
• Field of Search: 701/300, 340/989, 340/990, 340/992, 455/456, 455/457
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18558 Arrangements for managing communications, i.e. for setting up, maintaining or releasing a call between stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/183 Processing at user equipment or user record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/913 Person locator or person-specific

Abstract

A method and apparatus for locating and communicating with vehicles is provided, including at least one mobile cellular unit connected to at least one microprocessor and installed within a vehicle. The microprocessor interrogates the mobile cellular unit to obtain location information from an overhead message stream transmitted from cellular telephone transmitter sites. The location is displayed on a display located in the vehicle or the microprocessor periodically instructs the mobile cellular unit to initiate a call to a host controller and, upon receipt of transmitting instructions from the host controller, transmits the location information for display on a screen connected to the host controller.

Claims

1. A remote host controller for communicating with a cellular transceiver, comprising:

a memory operable to store a report associated with the cellular transceiver, the report indicating an approximate location of the cellular transceiver;

a database operable to store a plurality of cellular numbers;

a processor coupled to the memory and the database, the processor operable to select a cellular number associated with a cellular system serving the approximate location of the cellular transceiver; and

a communications device operable to initiate a call to the cellular transceiver using the selected cellular number.

2. The remote host controller of claim 1, wherein the report comprises a system identification number associated with the cellular system.

3. The remote host controller of claim 1, wherein the report comprises a system identification number and a cell site identification number associated with the cellular system.

4. The remote host controller of claim 1, wherein the report comprises a geographical location of the cellular transceiver.

5. The remote host controller of claim 1, wherein the cellular numbers comprise a plurality of roamer numbers.

6. The remote host controller of claim 1, wherein:

the report comprises a system identification number associated with the cellular system; and

the database is further operable to store a geographical location of the cellular system.

7. The remote host controller of claim 1, wherein the communications device initiates calls to the cellular transceiver at predetermined intervals.

8. The remote host controller of claim 1, wherein:

the processor selects at least two cellular numbers servicing a predetermined area surrounding the approximate location of the cellular transceiver; and

the communications device initiates a call to the selected cellular numbers until contact is made with the cellular transceiver.

9. A method for communicating with a cellular transceiver, comprising:

receiving a system identification number associated with a cellular system operating in an area including the location of a cellular transceiver;

retrieving a cellular number of the cellular system in response to the system identification number; and

initiating a call to the cellular transceiver using the cellular number.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of receiving a cell identification number associated with the cellular system.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of determining a geographical location of the cellular transceiver in response to the system identification number.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the cellular number comprises a roamer number.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of initiating a call is performed at predetermined intervals.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein all steps are performed at a remote host controller.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

retrieving at least two cellular numbers servicing a predetermined area surrounding the approximate location of the cellular transceiver; and

initiating a call to the selected cellular numbers until contact is made with the cellular transceiver.

16. An apparatus for communicating with a cellular transceiver, comprising:

a database operable to store a plurality of cellular numbers associated with a plurality of cellular systems;

a processor coupled to the database, the processor operable to receive a report associated with a cellular transceiver, the processor further operable to retrieve from the database a cellular number of a cellular system servicing the cellular transceiver in response to the report; and

a communications device operable to initiate a call to the cellular transceiver using the retrieved cellular number.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cellular numbers comprise a plurality of roamer numbers.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the report comprises a system identification number associated with the cellular system.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the report comprises a system identification number and a cell site identification number associated with the cellular system.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the report comprises a system identification number of the cellular system; and

the database is further operable to store a geographical location of the cellular system.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the report comprises a geographical location of the cellular transceiver.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the communications device initiates calls to the cellular transceiver at predetermined intervals.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the processor selects at least two cellular numbers servicing a predetermined area surrounding the approximate location of the cellular transceiver; and

the communications device initiates a call to the selected cellular numbers until contact is made with the cellular transceiver.

24. A method for communicating with a cellular transceiver, comprising:

receiving a report comprising a system identification number associated with a cellular system serving an area including a cellular transceiver;

retrieving a cellular number of the cellular system; and

initiating a telephone call to the cellular transceiver using the cellular number.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the report indicates the geographic location of the cellular transceiver.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the cellular number is a roamer number.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of initiating a call is performed at predetermined intervals.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the report comprises a cell site identification number associated with the cellular system.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the report comprises a geographical location of the cellular transceiver.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein all steps are performed at a remote host controller.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

retrieving at least two cellular numbers servicing a predetermined area surrounding the approximate location of the cellular transceiver; and

initiating a call to the selected cellular numbers until contact is made with the cellular transceiver.