Granted Patent B1

US 6,853,910 · App. 10/638,905 · Granted Feb 8, 2005

Abstract

Claims (70)

1. A method of tracking vehicles, the method comprising:

monitoring for registration request signal data;

receiving the registration request signal data at a call center;

determining a vehicle transmission location based on the registration request signal data;

obtaining a registration request signal transmission time from the registration request signal data;

determining a vehicle indentification number based on the registration request signal data; and

updating a vehicle tracking database with the vehicle transmission location and the registration request signal transmission time.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending the registration request signal data from a vehicle in response to power up of a telematics unit.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring for registration request signal data further comprises:

monitoring inputs to a wireless service provider database; and

sending the registration request signal data to the call center.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said receiving registration request signal data at a call center further comprises:

receiving an electronic serial number at the call center; and

receiving at least one cell phone tower location at the call center.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said determining a vehicle transmission location based on the registration request signal data further comprises:

determining the vehicle transmission location based on the at least one cell phone tower location.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said monitoring for registration request signal data further comprises:

receiving the registration request signal data at a vehicle holding lot registration monitor; and

sending the registration request signal data from the vehicle holding lot registration monitor to the call center.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said receiving registration request signal data at a call center further comprises:

receiving an electronic serial number at the call center; and

receiving the vehicle holding lot registration monitor location at the call center.

8. The method of claim 7 said determining a vehicle transmission location based on the registration request signal data further comprises:

determining the vehicle transmission location based on the vehicle holding lot registration monitor location.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining a vehicle indentification number based on the registration request signal data further comprises:

scanning a vehicle database within the call center database for an electronic serial number;

locating the electronic serial number in the vehicle database; and

retrieving the vehicle identification number linked with the electronic serial number within the vehicle data base.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said updating a vehicle tracking database with the vehicle transmission location and the registration request signal transmission time further comprises:

locating a vehicle log within the vehicle tracking database for a vehicle having the determined vehicle identification number;

linking the vehicle transmission location and the registration request signal transmission time; and

inputting the vehicle transmission location and time of transmission into the vehicle log.

11. A computer usable medium storing a computer program comprising:

computer readable code for monitoring for registration request signal data;

computer readable code for receiving the registration request signal data at a call center;

computer readable code for determining a vehicle transmission location based on the registration request signal data;

computer readable code for obtaining a registration request signal transmission time from the registration request signal data;

computer readable code for determining a vehicle indentification number based on the registration request signal data; and

computer readable code for updating a vehicle tracking database with the vehicle transmission location and the registration request signal transmission time.

12. The computer usable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

computer readable code for sending the registration request signal data from a vehicle in response to power up of a telematics unit.

13. The computer usable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

computer readable code for monitoring inputs to a wireless service provider database; and

computer readable code for sending the registration request signal data to the call center.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 13 wherein said receiving registration request signal data at a call center further comprises:

computer readable code for receiving an electronic serial number at the call center; and

computer readable code for receiving at least one cell phone tower location at the call center.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

computer readable code for receiving the registration request signal data at a vehicle holding lot registration monitor; and

computer readable code for sending the registration request signal data from the vehicle holding lot registration monitor to the call center.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

computer readable code for determining the vehicle transmission location based on at least one cell phone tower location.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

computer readable code for scanning a vehicle database within the call center database for an electronic serial number;

computer readable code for locating the electronic serial number in the vehicle database; and

computer readable code for retrieving the vehicle identification number linked with the electronic serial number within the vehicle database.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 11 , further comprising:

computer readable code for locating a vehicle log within the vehicle tracking database for a vehicle having the determined vehicle identification number;

computer readable code for linking the vehicle transmission location and the registration request signal transmission time; and

computer readable code for inputting the vehicle transmission location and time of transmission into the vehicle log.

19. A vehicle tracking system comprising:

means for monitoring for registration request signal data;

means for receiving the registration request signal data at a call center;

means for determining a vehicle transmission location based on the registration request signal data;

means for obtaining a registration request signal transmission time from the registration request signal data;

means for determining a vehicle indentification number based on the registration request signal data; and

means for updating a vehicle tracking database with the vehicle transmission location and the registration request signal transmission time.

20. The system of claim 19 , further comprising:

means for sending the registration request signal data from a vehicle in response to power up of a telematics unit.

Assignments (14)