System, Method and Odometer Monitor for Detecting Connectivity Status of Mobile Data Terminal to Vehicle

A method for monitoring connectivity status of a mobile data terminal to a vehicle, comprising:

• listening for arrival of successive timed poll events from a mobile data terminal connected to a vehicle;
• listening for arrival of and storing each of successive odometer update values, from a vehicle information bus of the vehicle, that corresponds to arrival of each of the successive timed poll events;
• comparing next odometer update values to last stored odometer update values;
• calculating the distances between the compared odometer update values;
• making a determination of connectivity status of the mobile data terminal relative to the vehicle based on whether or not the values of the calculated distances ascend to above the value of a preset maximum distance;
• and
• reporting said connectivity status to the mobile data terminal.

An odometer monitor for monitoring connectivity status of a mobile data terminal to a vehicle, comprising:

• a software module defined in a data processor of a vehicle tracking device and operable to:
• listen for arrival of successive timed poll events from a mobile data terminal connected to a vehicle;
• listen for arrival of and storing each of successive odometer update values, from a vehicle information bus of the vehicle, that corresponds to arrival of each of the successive timed poll events;
• compare next odometer update values to last stored odometer update values;
• calculate the distance between the compared odometer update values;
• make a determination of connectivity status of the mobile data terminal relative to the vehicle based on whether or not the values of the calculated distances ascend to above the value of a preset maximum distance;
• and
• report said connectivity status to the mobile data terminal.