Broadcast of automobile related information

• US 8,761,992 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sennett, DeWayne Allan, Daly, Brian Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US12/056,504
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,280 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/33, 701/35, 701/117, 701/29.1, 701/29.4, 701/29.6, 701/29.7, 701/33.1, 455/404.1
• US Class Current: 701/29.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• 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 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

Through the present subject matter, mobile devices subscribers may be provided information pertaining to a motor vehicle. The characteristics of the motor vehicle are monitored. The information indicative of the monitored characteristics is sent to an entity that is not performing the monitoring of the motor vehicle. The mobile device subscriber may also choose more than one individual to receive the information. The system for providing information pertaining to a motor vehicle has additional features such as a qualification system that will prevent the motor vehicle from starting if the appropriate qualifying information is not entered; and may be configured with multi-media communications capabilities.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving monitored characteristics of a motor vehicle, the monitored characteristics comprising;

an indication as to whether the motor vehicle is within a predetermined range of operation based on a location of the motor vehicle; and

an indication as to whether the motor vehicle is being handled within predetermined parameters based at least in part on;

a speed of the motor vehicle;

a sharpness of a turn of the motor vehicle;

an engine temperature the motor vehicle;

an oil level of the motor vehicle;

a tire pressure of the motor vehicle;

a fuel level of the motor vehicle; and

a deployment status of an air bag of the motor vehicle;

prior to receiving the monitored characteristics, receiving, from a mobile device, a selection of an entity other than a subscriber of the mobile device to receive the monitored characteristics of the motor vehicle, wherein the entity was selected via a web page on the mobile device; and

providing, in real time, the monitored characteristics of the motor vehicle to the selected entity, wherein the selected entity is not otherwise monitoring the characteristics of the motor vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored characteristics of the motor vehicle are monitored in real-time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitored characteristics are provided to the selected entity responsive to a request from a network server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the monitored characteristics to the entity comprises at least one of:

providing the monitored characteristics to the selected entity periodically;

providing the monitored characteristics to the selected entity upon an occurrence of an event;

or

providing the monitored characteristics to the selected entity upon request from the selected entity.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing instructions to the motor vehicle that prevent the motor vehicle from being started during a predetermined period of time.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the period of time comprises a weekend.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising conducting multi-media communications with the selected entity.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving monitored characteristics of a motor vehicle, the monitored characteristics comprising;

an indication as to whether the motor vehicle is within a predetermined range of operation based on a location of the motor vehicle; and

an indication as to whether the motor vehicle is being handled within predetermined parameters based at least in part on;

a speed of the motor vehicle;

a sharpness of a turn of the motor vehicle;

an engine temperature the motor vehicle;

an oil level of the motor vehicle;

a tire pressure of the motor vehicle;

a fuel level of the motor vehicle; and

a deployment status of an air bag of the motor vehicle;

prior to receiving the monitored characteristics, receiving, from a mobile device, a selection of an entity other than a subscriber of the mobile device to receive the monitored characteristics of the motor vehicle, wherein the entity was selected via a web page on the mobile device; and

providing, in real time, the monitored characteristics of the motor vehicle to the selected entity, wherein the selected entity is not otherwise monitoring the characteristics of the motor vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the monitored characteristics of the motor vehicle are monitored in real-time.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the monitored characteristics are provided to the selected entity responsive to a request from a network server.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein providing the monitored characteristics to the entity comprises at least one of:

providing the monitored characteristics to the selected entity periodically;

providing the monitored characteristics to the selected entity upon an occurrence of an event;

or

providing the monitored characteristics to the selected entity upon request from the selected entity.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

providing instructions to the motor vehicle that prevent the motor vehicle from being started during a predetermined period of time.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the period of time comprises a weekend.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, the operations further comprising conducting multi-media communications with the selected entity.

15. A computer readable storage medium that is not a propagating signal, the computer readable storage medium comprising executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operation comprising:

receiving monitored characteristics of a motor vehicle, the monitored characteristics comprising;

an indication as to whether the motor vehicle is within a predetermined range of operation based on a location of the motor vehicle; and

an indication as to whether the motor vehicle is being handled within predetermined parameters based at least in part on;

a speed of the motor vehicle;

a sharpness of a turn of the motor vehicle;

an engine temperature the motor vehicle;

an oil level of the motor vehicle;

a tire pressure of the motor vehicle;

a fuel level of the motor vehicle; and

a deployment status of an air bag of the motor vehicle;

prior to receiving the monitored characteristics, receiving, from a mobile device, a selection of an entity other than a subscriber of the mobile device to receive the monitored characteristics of the motor vehicle, wherein the entity was selected via a web page on the mobile device; and

providing, in real time, the monitored characteristics of the motor vehicle to the selected entity, wherein the selected entity is not otherwise monitoring the characteristics of the motor vehicle.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the monitored characteristics of the motor vehicle are monitored in real-time.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the monitored characteristics are provided to the selected entity responsive to a request from a network server.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein providing the monitored characteristics to the entity comprises at least one of:

providing the monitored characteristics to the selected entity periodically;

providing the monitored characteristics to the selected entity upon an occurrence of an event;

or

providing the monitored characteristics to the selected entity upon request from the selected entity.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising:

providing instructions to the motor vehicle that prevent the motor vehicle from being started during a predetermined period of time.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the period of time comprises a weekend.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising conducting multi-media communications with the selected entity.