# US 11,445,343 B2 · Telematics system, methods and apparatus for two-way data communication between vehicles in a fleet and a fleet management system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,445,343 B2 - Document ID: US11445343B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/742,065 - Filed: 2020-01-14 - Published: 2020-06-18 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-29 - Assignees: Avis Budget Car Rental, LLC - Applicants: Avis Budget Car Rental, LLC - Inventors: Sang J. Lee; Syed Naveed Ghalib - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11445343B2 ## CPC - H04W 4/44: for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H] - B60R 25/04: operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor - B60R 25/10: actuating a signalling device - B60R 25/2018: {Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking} - G06Q 10/02: Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events - G06Q 10/063114: {Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group} - G06Q 30/0645: Rental transactions; Leasing transactions - G06Q 50/40: Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) - G07C 5/008: {communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C)} - G07C 5/02: Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only (apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00) - G08C 17/02: using a radio link - G08G 1/202: {Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching} - H04L 67/34: {involving the movement of software or configuration parameters (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416)} - H04Q 9/00: Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom - H04W 4/029: Location-based management or tracking services - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - G08C: TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS FOR MEASURED VALUES, CONTROL OR SIMILAR SIGNALS (fluid pressure transmitting systems F15B; mechanical means for transferring the output of a sensing member into a different variable G01D5/00; mechanical control systems G05G) - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W) ## Abstract Programmable telematics systems, methods and apparatus for two-way transmission of data and information between fleet vehicles and a fleet management system. The systems and methods employ a programmable telematics communications unit (TCU) configured to connect to the OBD II port of a vehicle, enabling two-way transmission of data and information between a fleet management system and vehicles in the fleet. The TCU device includes cellular data connectivity enabling communication with the management system through existing cellular telephone networks. The programmable TCU may be toggled between multiple operating modes, wherein the TCU provides different functionality, such that a single vehicle may participate in multiple vehicle programs at different points in time, including separate vehicle rental and vehicle sharing programs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for controlling the operational mode of vehicles in a vehicle fleet, comprising: a telematics control unit adapted to be installed in a vehicle in a vehicle fleet, wherein said telematics control unit comprises a processor to execute computer readable code embedded on a tangible, non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a connection to an OBD II port of said vehicle, a connection to a vehicle access device, and a cellular modem enabling transmission of vehicle data and receipt of programming; wherein said telematics control unit is programmed for proper operation for the make and model of the vehicle in which it is installed; further wherein said telematics control unit is programmed with at least one of a plurality of available vehicle operational modes; a fleet management system including a processor for transmitting data to and receiving data from said telematics control unit; an application module associated with the fleet management system, enabling the remote selection of a desired vehicle operational mode for said telematics control unit, and when the desired vehicle operational mode is different from a current vehicle operational mode with which the telematics control unit is programmed, transmitting new programming associated with the desired vehicle operational mode to the telematics control unit, such that, after transmission of the new programming, the telematics control unit and vehicle may be operated in accordance with the desired vehicle operational mode without removal of the telematics control unit from the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the available vehicle operational modes comprise at least two of a vehicle rental mode, a vehicle sharing mode, a corporate fleet mode, and a municipal fleet mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the available vehicle operational modes comprise a vehicle rental mode and a vehicle sharing mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein at least some vehicle operations permitted or prohibited while in vehicle rental mode differ from operations permitted or prohibited, respectively, while in vehicle sharing mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further wherein the fleet management system processor, if the vehicle specific programming on the telematics control unit does not match the make and model of the vehicle in which the unit is installed, transmits to the telematics control unit specific programming matching the make and model of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle may be remotely switched from one vehicle operational mode to another by the fleet management system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is remotely switched from one vehicle operational mode to another in response to a command input to the selected vehicle via an access card or wireless device and transmitted to the fleet management system by the telematics control unit installed in the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the telematics control unit further comprises one or more sensors or systems for generating data for transmission to the fleet management system. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the telematics control unit further comprises an RF modem and chipset for short range communications. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein one or more of the plurality of vehicle operational modes enable the telematics control unit to unlock or lock a vehicle in response to an authorized Bluetooth command received via the RF modem of the telematics control unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of vehicle operational modes enable one or more vehicle device actuations. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the vehicle device actuations include one or more of door lock, door unlock, vehicle lights on, vehicle lights off, horn activation, alarm activation, starter disabled, and starter enabled. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the telematics control unit is connected to the access control device via a wired or wireless connection separate from the OBD II connection. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the access control device is a card reader and the telematics control unit actuates vehicle doors locks. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the connection to the OBD II port is a wired connection and includes means for sensing whether the wire is connected to the port. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said telematics control unit further comprises a GPS system within the telematics control unit. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further wherein the telematics control unit is programmed with an idle mode, wherein data communications to and from the telematics control unit in idle mode are restricted.