IP Library Granted Patent US 12,454,244
Granted Patent B1
US 12,454,244 · App. 19/070,174 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Remote vehicle immobilizer

Inventors: Michael Luis Innocenzi (San Francisco, CA); Elias Ray Dykaar (San Francisco, CA); Maxwell Anton Dergosits (San Francisco, CA); Ingo Gerhard Wiegand (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Samsara Inc.
B60R25/045B60R25/20G07C5/02H04W4/021H04W4/48H04W68/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,454,244
App. No.
19/070,174
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable media for a remote vehicle immobilizer. A network gateway device receives a command from a remote computing device to modify a configuration of an electronic switch from a first configuration to a second configuration. The electronic switch is positioned in a conducting path between a starter motor of the vehicle and a battery of the vehicle. In response to receiving the command, the network gateway device transmits a signal to the electronic switch via a two-way communication channel connecting the network gateway device to the electronic switch. The signal causes the electronic switch to modify the configuration of the electronic switch from the first configuration to the second configuration.

Claims (39)

1. A system comprising:

a switch positioned along a conducting path between a starter motor of a vehicle and a battery of the vehicle;

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable mediums storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving a command to modify a configuration of the electronic switch positioned in the conducting path between the starter motor of the vehicle and the battery of the vehicle; and

responsive to the command, causing the system to modify the configuration of the electronic switch from a first configuration to a second configuration.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first configuration includes a closed configuration that creates an uninterrupted connection along the conducting path between the starter motor and the battery.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second configuration includes an open configuration that creates an interruption within the conducting path between the starter motor and the battery.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the command to modify the configuration includes:

receiving sensor data from one or more sensors of the vehicle; and

determining to modify the configuration of the electronic switch based on the sensor data.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor data includes data indicating a geographic location of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the sensor data includes operator identification data received from a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

accessing an operation policy associated with the vehicle, the operation policy defining the configuration of the electronic switch based on a schedule; and

determining an operation mode of the vehicle based on the operation policy and the schedule.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a command to modify a configuration of an electronic switch positioned in an conducting path between a starter motor of a vehicle and a battery of the vehicle; and

responsive to the command, causing the system to modify the configuration of the electronic switch from a first configuration to a second configuration.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first configuration includes a closed configuration that creates an uninterrupted connection along the conducting path between the starter motor and the battery.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the second configuration includes an open configuration that creates an interruption within the conducting path between the starter motor and the battery.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the receiving the command to modify the configuration includes:

receiving sensor data from one or more sensors of the vehicle; and

determining to modify the configuration of the electronic switch based on the sensor data.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor data includes data indicating a geographic location of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the sensor data includes operator identification data received from a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

accessing an operation policy associated with the vehicle, the operation policy defining the configuration of the electronic switch based on a schedule; and

determining an operation mode of the vehicle based on the operation policy and the schedule.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors of one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform operations comprising:

receiving a command to modify a configuration of an electronic switch positioned in an conducting path between a starter motor of a vehicle and a battery of the vehicle; and

responsive to the command, causing the system to modify the configuration of the electronic switch from a first configuration to a second configuration.

16. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the first configuration includes a closed configuration that creates an uninterrupted connection along the conducting path between the starter motor and the battery.

17. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the second configuration includes an open configuration that creates an interruption within the conducting path between the starter motor and the battery.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the receiving the command to modify the configuration includes:

receiving sensor data from one or more sensors of the vehicle; and

determining to modify the configuration of the electronic switch based on the sensor data.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the sensor data includes data indicating a geographic location of the vehicle.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the sensor data includes operator identification data received from a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) sensor.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 6, 2025
From: INNOCENZI, MICHAEL LUIS; DYKAAR, ELIAS RAY; DERGOSITS, MAXWELL ANTON; WIEGAND, INGO GERHARD
To: SAMSARA NETWORKS INC.
Reel/Frame 070431/0100 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 6, 2025
From: SAMSARA NETWORKS INC.
To: SAMSARA INC.
Reel/Frame 070431/0279 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 18601132 · Mar 11, 2024
Continuation 18174949 · Feb 27, 2023
Continuation 17064953 · Oct 7, 2020
Continuation 16796755 · Feb 20, 2020
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