Communications: electrical – Vehicle position indication – At remote location
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-27
2004-11-09
Trieu, Van T. (Department: 2636)
Communications: electrical
Vehicle position indication
At remote location
C340S990000, C340S539130
Reexamination Certificate
active
06816090
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an asset security and monitoring system. More specifically, the invention enables two-way communication between a user and a mobile asset for real time tracking and monitoring of the mobile asset.
2. Description of Related Art
Theft of mobile assets (such as vehicles) is an issue that has always troubled asset owners and law enforcing authorities. Sophisticated security mechanisms are being developed to prevent thefts, but thefts and related crimes continue to be prevalent. This is because professional thieves can easily break into conventional security systems. Carjacking, which is theft of a vehicle at gunpoint, is also quite prevalent and law-enforcing authorities face great difficulties in tracking such stolen vehicles. Thus, improved asset security systems need to be developed to prevent theft of mobile assets such as vehicles and related crimes.
A typical vehicle security system comprises sensors attached to different parts of the vehicle. These sensors detect any intrusion in the vehicle and are also referred to as intrusion detection devices. The intrusion detection devices are connected to an alarm system. The security system is operated through a remote control. The alarm system can be armed and unarmed by using this remote control. In case of an activated alarm system, triggering of the alarm indicates any security breach. The alarm may be in the form of sounding of the vehicle's horn, or flashing of vehicle lights, or transmitting a “distress” signal to the remote control. The owner can immobilize the ignition or the starting mechanism of the vehicle using the remote control on being alerted of a security breach.
These types of security systems have several disadvantages. Vehicle alarms have become so common that they hardly attract attention of the owner or passers-by. Similarity of the vehicle's horn also makes it difficult to distinguish one alarm system and any other such alarm that may occur in the vicinity. Further, the remote control transmitters usually have a limited power output of about 1 milliwatt (1 mW); this limits the operational range of the transmitter to a few hundred feet. The vehicle owner has to be physically present within this range to arm or disarm the vehicle security system. In addition to the above shortcomings, a conventional vehicle security system only signals a security breach. It does not provide the means to track the vehicle and notify the vehicle owner about its location in case the vehicle is stolen.
More recently, devices have been developed that help in tracking a stolen vehicle. A company providing such a ‘stolen vehicle recovery system’ is LoJack of Massachusetts, USA. The LoJack system consists of a transmitter unit installed in a vehicle. In case this vehicle is stolen, the police can remotely activate the LoJack transmitter unit hidden in the vehicle. Once activated, this transmitter unit transmits a silent signal to tracking equipment fitted in police vehicles (such as vans and helicopters) and police stations, thereby, enabling the stolen vehicle to be tracked and recovered.
The LoJack system has several shortcomings. For a successful recovery of the vehicle, the owner has to detect the theft of the vehicle and report it to the police at the earliest. Moreover, the police in that area must have the requisite equipment to remotely activate the transmitter in the vehicle. Further, as the activating equipment has a limited range of effectiveness, the vehicle has to be in the equipment's range in order to be activated. Finally, the LoJack system is incapable of determining the precise location of the vehicle. Clearly, these shortcomings lessen the probability of a successful recovery of the stolen vehicle.
One way of locating the vehicle more precisely is by the use of Global Positioning System (GPS). The Global Positioning System (GPS) was designed for, and is operated by, the U.S. Department of Defense. The Global Positioning System consists of 24 earth-orbiting satellites that broadcast radio signals to enable a GPS receiver to compute its location. The satellites transmit position and time signals to a GPS receiver installed in the vehicle. The time signals are derived from accurate atomic clocks that are part of each satellite. The GPS receiver then processes this information to calculate its distance from a particular satellite by knowing the location of the satellite and calculating the time elapsed between the transmitted and received signal. This distance, when computed from a multitude of satellites simultaneously, determines precisely the location and velocity of the vehicle. The location determined by the GPS receiver is in terms of the latitude and longitude of the place. The latitude and longitude obtained from the GPS receiver when coupled with a map of the area can give the location of the vehicle in terms of the name of the city, town, street, etc. This information may further be presented by showing the vehicle on an appropriate street-map or a highway-map of the adjoining areas.
GPS technology can be used for tracking of vehicles for security purposes. Furthermore, a GPS receiver when coupled with a wireless communication device offers the potential of being used for remote tracking of the vehicle. Remote tracking of a vehicle is helpful in the recovery of a stolen vehicle. Such systems incorporating a GPS receiver coupled with a communication device are called Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems. A typical AVL system consists of one or more security units installed within a vehicle; one or more vehicle monitoring stations; and a wireless communication network. The security unit typically consists of a GPS receiver coupled with a wireless transmitter (in addition to the features available in conventional security systems described earlier). The location data that is obtained from the GPS receiver is combined with additional information obtained from the security system to form one combined signal. The additional information may comprise of vehicle speed, engine characteristics, other trouble shooting data gathered using various intrusion detection devices and other equipment (such as the communication bus) in the vehicle. The combined signal is transmitted over a wireless communication medium, such as a cellular telephone network, to a vehicle monitoring station. The monitoring station receives the signal through a communication device and the combined signal is processed to retrieve GPS data and additional information obtained from the security system.
At the central monitoring station, the GPS data comprising of latitude and longitude obtained from the GPS receiver is coupled with mapping software to obtain the location of the vehicle in terms of name of the city, town, street etc. This information may also be presented by showing the vehicle on an appropriate street-map or a highway-map of the adjoining areas. As the GPS data is sent periodically to the monitoring station, the movement of the vehicle can be tracked on a map. The additional information obtained from the security system is also processed to determine the status of the intrusion detection devices and the “health” (or other essential parameters) of the vehicle. The information comprising the vehicle location on a map and additional data comprising information gathered from the security system is communicated to the owner; this communication to the owner is done by an operator in case of operator-assisted monitoring centers.
The monitoring center can also be automated. An automated monitoring center may comprise a web application or an automated telephone system. In case of an automated monitoring center, the owner can access the web application and retrieve the desired information pertaining to his/her vehicle through the World Wide Web. Further, the web application can also send this information to the user through email. Alternatively the owner may get this information through an automated telephone system.
Onstar developed by General Motors of USA, and
Andre Paul
Chetwani Sanjay
Dornadula Kailas
Dujari Shyam
Teckchandani Ashok
Ayantra, Inc.
Trieu Van T.
LandOfFree
Mobile asset security and monitoring system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Mobile asset security and monitoring system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Mobile asset security and monitoring system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3362251