Vehicle tracker having switchable polarity output terminals and related methods

• US 6,744,384 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, John
• Application Number:
  US10/105,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20020154033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 340/989, 340/988, 340/991, 701/213, 701/207, 701/209, 701/24, 701/33
• US Class Current: 340/989
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/202 Personal digital assistant [PDA]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• 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: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type including at least one vehicle device may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller. The controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device to determine and send vehicle position information to a monitoring station. Furthermore, the controller may include at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals for the at least one vehicle device.

Claims

1. A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising at least one vehicle device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:

a vehicle position determining device;

a wireless communications device; and

a controller cooperating with said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device to determine and send vehicle position information to a monitoring station;

said controller comprising at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals for the at least one vehicle device.

2. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said controller switches said at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals based upon a command received by said wireless communications device.

3. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said controller further comprises a memory for storing the vehicle position information therein.

4. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 3 wherein said controller downloads the vehicle position information from said memory to said monitoring station based upon at least one of a predetermined schedule, a predetermined event, and said memory reaching a predetermined capacity.

5. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a pair of input terminals each to be connected to one of the at least one pair of output terminals;

wherein said controller detects respective operating polarities of the pair of input terminals; and

wherein said controller switches the at least one pair of output terminals based upon the detected operating polarities of the pair of input terminals.

6. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

7. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

8. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a door lock actuator for performing at least one of a door locking and unlocking function.

9. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a window actuator for performing at least one of a roll up and a roll down function.

10. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said controller activates said at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals substantially simultaneously and with opposite polarities thereon.

11. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 1 wherein said controller activates said at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals for a predetermined period.

12. A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising at least one vehicle device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:

a vehicle position determining device;

a wireless communications device; and

a controller cooperating with said wireless communications device and said vehicle position determining device to determine and send vehicle position information to a monitoring station;

said controller comprising at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals for the at least one vehicle device;

said controller switching said at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals based upon a command received by said wireless communications device, and said controller also activating said at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals for a predetermined period.

13. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein said controller further comprises a memory for storing the vehicle position information therein.

14. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 13 wherein said controller downloads the vehicle position information from said memory to said monitoring station based upon at least one of a predetermined schedule, a predetermined event, and said memory reaching a predetermined capacity.

15. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a pair of input terminals each to be connected to one of the at least one pair of output terminals;

wherein said controller detects respective operating polarities of the pair of input terminals; and

wherein said controller switches the at least one pair of output terminals based upon the detected operating polarities of the pair of input terminals.

16. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein said vehicle position determining device comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

17. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein said wireless communications device comprises a cellular telephone communications device.

18. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a door lock actuator for performing at least one of a door locking and unlocking function.

19. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a window actuator for performing at least one of a roll up and a roll down function.

20. The vehicle tracking unit according to claim 12 wherein said controller activates said at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals substantially simultaneously and with opposite polarities thereon.

21. A method for operating a vehicle device using a vehicle tracking unit, the method comprising:

providing at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals at the vehicle tracking unit for the at least one vehicle device; and

selectively switching the at least one pair of switchable output terminals to operate the vehicle device.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein the vehicle device comprises a pair of input terminals each to be connected to one of the at least one pair of output terminals;

wherein the method further comprises detecting respective operating polarities of the pair of input terminals; and

wherein selectively switching comprises selectively switching the at least one pair of output terminals based upon the detected operating polarities of the pair of input terminals.

23. The method according to claim 21 wherein selectively switching comprises switching the at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals based upon a command received by the vehicle tracking unit.

24. The method according to claim 21 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a door lock actuator for performing at least one of a door locking and unlocking function.

25. The method according to claim 21 wherein the at least one vehicle device comprises a window actuator for performing at least one of a roll up and a roll down function.

26. The method according to claim 21 wherein selectively switching comprises activating the at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals substantially simultaneously and with opposite polarities thereon.

27. The method according to claim 21 wherein selectively switching comprises activating the at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals for a predetermined period.