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 the steps of:

• defining a preset maximum distance in a mobile data terminal connectable to a vehicle;
• detecting a series of timed poll events originating in the mobile data terminal;
• receiving an odometer update value from a vehicle tracking device corresponding to each poll event;
• verifying that a last and a penultimate of said odometer update values are from the vehicle;
• calculating a distance between the last and penultimate odometer update values;
• and
• making a determination of connectivity status of said mobile data terminal relative to the vehicle based on whether the distance is greater than or less than the preset maximum distance.

One or more non-transitory computer readable media comprising computer readable instructions, which, when executed by a processor cause a mobile data terminal in a vehicle to:

• define a preset maximum distance;
• detect a series of timed poll events;
• receive an odometer update value from a vehicle tracking device corresponding to each poll event;
• verify that a last and a penultimate of said odometer update values are from the vehicle;
• calculate a distance between the last and penultimate odometer update values;
• and
• make a determination of connectivity status of said mobile data terminal relative to the vehicle based on whether the distance is greater than or less than the preset maximum distance.