IP Library Granted Patent US 9,734,698
Granted Patent B2
US 9,734,698 · App. 14/275,799 · Granted Aug 15, 2017

G.P.S. management system

Inventors: Marvin R. Hamrick (Watkinsville, GA); R. T. Mitchell Ingman (Peachtree City, GA)
Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
G08B25/016G06F7/00G07C5/008G08B7/06G08B7/062G08B25/001G08B25/002G08B25/005G08B25/006G08B25/10G08G1/205H04W4/02H04W4/22H04W64/00H04W76/00H04W76/007G08G1/207
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,734,698
App. No.
14/275,799
Granted
Aug 15, 2017
Kind
B2
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 (46)

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle comprising a global positioning system receiver and an ignition sensor;

a vehicle control unit comprising a processor and an application that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising

determining, based on ignition information obtained using the ignition sensor, an ignition time comprising a duration that an ignition of the vehicle is turned on for a predetermined time period, wherein the ignition sensor detects ignition on events and ignition off events,

identifying an identified time at which the vehicle is expected to be inactive,

receiving at the vehicle control unit at the identified time, a request for global positioning system data and the ignition time, wherein the global positioning system data is generated by the global positioning system, and

uploading, to a server computer and via a wireless network, the global positioning system data and the ignition time, wherein the global positioning system data and the ignition time are uploaded at the identified time, and wherein the server computer

compares the global positioning system data and the ignition time to acceptable values, and

notes an exception if the global positioning system data or the ignition time is outside of the acceptable values.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the global positioning system data is outside of the acceptable values comprises:

determining that a speed of the vehicle exceeds a predefined speed.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the application, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations further comprising:

in response to determining that the speed exceeds the predefined speed, logging an exception with a time stamp and location information.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the global positioning system data or the ignition time is outside of the ranges of acceptable values comprises determining that the vehicle has not entered a region.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the request is received via the wireless network.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the acceptable values comprise a range of acceptable values.

7. A method comprising:

determining, by a vehicle comprising a global positioning system receiver and an ignition sensor, based on ignition information obtained using the ignition sensor, an ignition time comprising a duration that an ignition of the vehicle is turned on for a predetermined time period, wherein the ignition sensor detects ignition on events and ignition off events;

identifying an identified time at which the vehicle is expected to be inactive;

receiving, by the vehicle, a request for global positioning system data and the ignition time, wherein the global positioning system data is generated by the global positioning system receiver; and

uploading, by the vehicle and directed to a server computer via a wireless network, the global positioning system data and the ignition time, wherein the global positioning system data and the ignition time are uploaded at the identified time, and wherein the server computer

compares the global positioning system data and the ignition time to acceptable values, and

notes an exception if the global positioning system data or the ignition time is outside of the acceptable values.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining that the global positioning system data is outside of the acceptable values comprises:

determining that a speed of the vehicle exceeds a predefined speed, logging an exception with a time stamp and location information.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the speed exceeds the predefined speed, logging an exception with a time stamp and location information.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining that the global positioning system data or the ignition time is outside of the ranges of acceptable values comprises one of determining that the vehicle has entered the region or that the vehicle has not entered the region.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the request is received via the wireless network.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the acceptable values comprise a range of acceptable values.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a vehicle control unit.

14. A method comprising:

determining, by a vehicle comprising a global positioning system receiver and an ignition sensor, based on ignition information obtained using the ignition sensor, an ignition time comprising a duration that an ignition of the vehicle is turned on for a predetermined time period, wherein the ignition sensor detects ignition on events and ignition off events;

identifying an identified time at which the vehicle is expected to be inactive;

receiving, by the vehicle, a request for global positioning system data and the ignition time, wherein the global positioning system data is generated by the global positioning system receiver; and

uploading, by the vehicle and directed to a server computer via a wireless network processor, the global positioning system data and the ignition time, wherein the global positioning system data and the ignition time are uploaded at the identified time, and wherein the server computer;

compares the global positioning system data and the ignition time to ranges of acceptable values; and

determines if that the global positioning system data or the ignition time is outside of the ranges of acceptable values.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining that the global positioning system data or the ignition time is outside of the ranges acceptable values comprises:

determining that a speed of the vehicle exceeds a predefined speed.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

in response to determining that the speed exceeds the predefined speed, logging an exception with a time stamp and location information.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining that the global positioning system data is outside of the acceptable values comprises one of determining that the vehicle has entered the region or that the vehicle has not entered the region.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the request is received via the wireless network.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the acceptable values comprise a range of acceptable values.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a vehicle control unit.

Assignments (10)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 20, 2021
From: FACEBOOK, INC.
To: META PLATFORMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 058961/0436 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2018
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
To: FACEBOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 046772/0215 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 2, 2018
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
To: FACEBOOOK, INC.
Reel/Frame 046772/0209 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037428 FRAME 0858. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046541/0455 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE EXECUTION DATE OF THE INVENTOR PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 037428 FRAME: 0873. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jul 13, 2018
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 046541/0511 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2016
From: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 037410/0761 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 5, 2016
From: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 037428/0858 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 5, 2016
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 037428/0873 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 5, 2016
From: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 037428/0904 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2016
From: HAMRICK, MARVIN R.; INGMAN, R.T. MITCHELL
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037408/0061 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 13596660 · Aug 28, 2012
Continuation 13193800 · Jul 29, 2011
Continuation 12757093 · Apr 9, 2010
Continuation 11318112 · Dec 23, 2005
Continuation 10006655 · Dec 10, 2001
Continuation 09474368 · Dec 29, 1999
Related Publication 20140249731A1 · Sep 4, 2014