Vehicle tracking system

• US 7,453,356 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bedenko, Edward James
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Walk; Samuel J
• Application Number:
  US11/300,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20070139223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.13, 701/213, 102/502
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A system for tracking a motor vehicle is disclosed, which includes a device that can be magnetically or mechanically affixed to a vehicle. For one example, the device includes a GPS receiver and a data transmitter. When the device is activated and affixed to a vehicle, the GPS receiver provides to the data transmitter latitudinal and longitudinal earth-referenced coordinate data representing the current position of the vehicle. The data transmitter transmits the coordinate data, which is received by a suitable data receiver at a remote distance from the vehicle involved. Thus, the device enables law enforcement personnel to remotely monitor and track the vehicle'"'"'s movements, without being seen by the suspect driver and encouraging a high speed chase. Also, the device provides a relatively inexpensive vehicle tracking solution for those municipalities that have a “no chase” policy and cannot afford the expense of a helicopter for vehicle pursuits.

Claims

1. A system for tracking a vehicle, comprising:

a navigation receiver unit;

a data transmitter unit, said data transmitter unit coupled to said navigation receiver unit; and

a magnetized device, said magnetized device mechanically affixed to said navigation receiver unit and said data transmitter unit, wherein said magnetized device comprises a magnetized bean bag.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said navigation receiver unit comprises a GPS receiver.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said magnetized bean bag comprises a bag including a plurality of magnetized balls.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said navigation receiver unit and said data transmitter unit are disposed within a center portion of said magnetized bean bag.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said magnetized device comprises at least one bar magnet affixed to said navigation receiver unit and said data transmitter unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said navigation receiver unit and said data transmitter unit are disposed within at least one of a plastic material enclosure or polymer material enclosure.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a launch device, said launch device operable to propel said system at a target vehicle.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a power source coupled to said navigation receiver unit and said data transmitter unit.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising:

means for determining and transmitting at least one location for a motor vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said navigation receiver unit and said data transmitter unit are enclosed within at least one of a plastic material enclosure or polymer material enclosure to mechanically isolate the electrical and electronic components of vehicle tracking subsystem from the magnetized bean bag.

11. A vehicle tracking system, comprising:

means for determining at least one location of a moving vehicle;

means for transmitting data associated with said at least one location of said moving vehicle; and

means for magnetically affixing said means for determining and said means for transmitting to said moving vehicle, wherein said means for magnetically affixing comprises a magnetized bean bag.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said means for determining comprises a navigation receiver.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said magnetized bean bag comprises a bag including a plurality of magnetized balls.

14. A method for tracking a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

determining at least one location of a moving vehicle;

coupling data associated with said at least one location to a data transmitter;

transmitting said data associated with said at least one location; and

magnetically affixing said data transmitter to said moving vehicle, wherein the magnetically affixing step is performed with a magnetized bean bag.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining step is performed by a GPS receiver.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

supplying power to said data transmitter only during an operational state.

17. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-usable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for configuring a computer processor, the computer program product comprising;

a first executable computer-readable code configured to cause a computer processor to determine at least one location of a moving vehicle, wherein the first executable computer-readable code is housed in proximity to a magnetic bean bag that is mechanically affixed to said moving vehicle;

a second executable computer-readable code configured to cause a computer processor to couple data associated with said at least one location to a data transmitter; and

a third executable computer-readable code configured to cause a computer processor to cause said data transmitter to transmit said data associated with said at least one location.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

a fourth executable computer-readable code configured to cause a computer processor to cause a power source to supply power to said data transmitter only during an operational state.