G.P.S. management system

• US 7,725,218 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hamrick, Marvin R., Ingman, R. T. Mitchell
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C
• Application Number:
  US11/318,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20060106537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,614 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/210, 701/29, 701/33, 701/2, 371/62, 340/425.5, 340/426.16, 340/459, 370/235, 370/464, 370/466, 370/467, 455/428, 455/15, 455/73
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/16 Anti-theft; Abduction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0036 of measured values, i.e. measurement on mobile and position calculation on base station
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/001 Alarm cancelling procedures or alarm forwarding decisions, e.g. based on absence of alarm confirmation
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/002 Generating a prealarm to the central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/005 Alarm destination chosen according to a hierarchy of available destinations, e.g. if hospital does not answer send to police station
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/006 Alarm destination chosen according to type of event, e.g. in case of fire phone the fire service, in case of medical emergency phone the ambulance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/00 Connection management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

A management system using Global Positioning System receivers for tracking remote units from a central office and quickly and conveniently determining if those remote units have varied from a set of predetermined parameters of operation. The system also includes provisions that allows information to be sent from the remote units to the central office and vice versa. The system also has safety features that promote the rapid dispatch of law enforcement personnel when requests for emergency assistance have been made from the remote units.

Claims

1. A multi-mode in-vehicle control apparatus to be placed in a vehicle, comprising:

a first communication device configured to transmit a first vehicle data over a first transmission network using a first transmission protocol, the first vehicle data corresponding to a first operating parameter of the vehicle;

a second communication device configured to transmit a second vehicle data over a second transmission network using a second transmission protocol, the second vehicle data corresponding to a second operating parameter of the vehicle; and

a processor in communication with the first communication device and the second communication device, the processor being configured to make the control apparatus operable to;

monitor an operating parameter of the vehicle;

compare the operating parameter to a predefined parameter threshold for the operating parameter;

recognize an operating parameter exception, the operating parameter exception comprising a violation of the predefined parameter threshold for the operating parameter; and

upon recognizing the operating parameter exception, transmit;

the first vehicle data corresponding to the first operating parameter of the vehicle using the first communication device and the first transmission protocol; and

the second vehicle data corresponding to the second operating parameter of the vehicle using the second communication device and the second transmission protocol.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an interface programmed to communicate with a storage device associated with the vehicle and containing status information regarding at least one element of the vehicle, the interface selectably passing the status information to a communication device for transmission via a transmission network.

3. A control unit for a vehicle, comprising:

a first communication device in communication with a first transmission network using a first transmission protocol; and

a second communication device in communication with a second transmission network using a second transmission protocol, wherein the control unit is configured to;

monitor an operating parameter of the vehicle;

compare the operating parameter to a predefined parameter threshold for the operating parameter;

recognize an operating parameter exception, the operating parameter exception comprising a violation of the predefined parameter threshold; and

upon recognizing the operating parameter exception;

transmit, via the first communication device, a first vehicle data retrieved from the memory, the first vehicle data corresponding to a first operating parameter of the vehicle; and

transmit, via the second communication device, a second vehicle data retrieved from the memory, the second vehicle data corresponding to a second operating parameter of the vehicle.

4. The control unit of claim 3, wherein:

the first communication device comprises a cellular modem in communication with cellular telephone network using a cellular transmission protocol.

5. The control unit of claim 4, wherein:

the second communication device comprises a wireless data modem in communication with a wireless data network using a wireless data transmission protocol.

6. The control unit of claim 4, wherein:

the second communication device comprises a transmitter in communication with a satellite network using the second transmission protocol.

7. The control unit of claim 4, wherein the control unit is further configured to transmit, to a central office, the second vehicle data.

8. The control unit of claim 7, wherein the second vehicle data comprises location information, the location information comprising data indicating the location of the vehicle.

9. The control unit of claim 7, wherein the second vehicle data comprises an alert call, the alert call indicating an emergency condition at the vehicle.

10. The control unit of claim 4, wherein the control unit is further configured to transmit, to a central office, the second vehicle data, wherein:

the second communication device comprises a transmitter in communication with a satellite network using the second transmission protocol; and

the second vehicle data comprises location information, the location information comprising data indicating the location of the vehicle.

11. The control unit of claim 10, wherein the location information comprises data acquired by a global position system (GPS) device located in the vehicle.

12. The control unit of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to recognize the operating parameter exception in real-time.

13. The control unit of claim 3, wherein the operating parameter exception comprises a violation of a predefined threshold for a shift parameter, the predefined threshold for the shift parameter comprising a time of departure from a service center.

14. The control unit of claim 3, wherein the operating parameter exception comprises a violation of a predefined threshold for a stationary time parameter, the predefined threshold for the stationary time parameter comprising a maximum amount of time the vehicle is allowed to be stationary.

15. The control unit of claim 3, wherein the operating parameter exception comprises a violation of a predefined threshold for a revisit parameter, the predefined threshold for the revisit parameter comprising an amount of times the vehicle is allowed to visit a service center.

16. The control unit of claim 3, wherein the operating parameter exception comprises a violation of a predefined threshold for a windshield parameter, the predefined threshold for the windshield parameter comprising an amount of driving time, the amount of driving time comprising a minimum amount of time and a maximum amount of time.

17. The control unit of claim 3, wherein the operating parameter exception comprises a violation of a predefined threshold for an ignition on parameter, the predefined threshold for the ignition on parameter comprising an amount of time an ignition device of the vehicle is activated.

18. The control unit of claim 3, wherein the operating parameter exception comprises a violation of a predefined threshold for a mileage parameter, the predefined threshold for the mileage parameter comprising a distance traveled by the vehicle.