G.p.s. management system
AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
InventorsMarvin R. Hamrick, R.T. Mitchell Ingman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims20
An in-vehicle control unit (ICU) comprising an alert signal receiver and a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, wherein the ICU is configured to:
- communicate with an alert call center (ACC) over a first transmission network and a second transmission network;
- receive an alert signal, via the alert signal receiver, from a remote alert transmitter (RAT);
- obtain, using the GPS receiver, location information comprising a location of the ICU;
- and
- transmit emergency data to the ACC, the emergency data comprising the location information and an indication that the ICU has received the alert signal, wherein the ICU is further configured to:
- transmit the emergency data to the ACC over the first transmission network if the ICU determines that the emergency data should be transmitted over the first transmission network;
- and
- transmit the emergency data to the ACC over the second transmission network if the ICU determines that the emergency data should be transmitted over the second transmission network.
A method for sending an indication of an emergency from an in-vehicle control unit (ICU) to an alert call center (ACC), the method comprising:
- receiving, at the ICU, an alert signal sent by a remote alert transmitter (RAT);
- obtaining, using a Global Position System (GPS) receiver associated with the ICU, location information comprising a location of the ICU;
- formatting emergency data, the emergency data comprising location information and data indicating that the ICU has received the alert signal;
- determining, using a processor associated with the ICU, whether to transmit the location data and the emergency data to the ACC over a first transmission network or over a second transmission network;
- and
- transmitting the emergency data to the ACC, wherein:
- the ICU transmits the emergency data over the first transmission network if the ICU determines that the emergency data should be transmitted over the first transmission network;
- and
- the ICU transmits the emergency data is transmitted over the second transmission network if the ICU determines that the emergency data should be transmitted over the second transmission network.
A method for receiving an indication of an emergency from an in-vehicle control unit (ICU) at an alert call center (ACC), wherein the ICU comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and an alert signal receiver, the method comprising:
- receiving, at the ACC, emergency data sent by the ICU, the emergency data comprising:
- location information comprising a location of the ICU, the location being determined at the ICU using the GPS receiver;
- and
- an indication that the ICU received an alert signal from a remote alert transmitter (RAT) associated with the ICU, wherein:
- the ACC receives the emergency data over a first transmission network if the ICU determines that the emergency data should be transmitted over the first transmission network;
- and
- the ACC receives the emergency data is transmitted over a second transmission network if the ICU determines that the emergency data should be transmitted over the second transmission network.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.