Vehicle tracker including battery monitoring feature and related methods

A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising at least one vehicle security device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:

• a vehicle position determining device;
• a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station and comprising a receiver and a transmitter;
• a back-up battery;
• a battery sensing circuit connected to said back-up battery for sensing a voltage thereof;
• a security device detection circuit for the at least one vehicle security device;
• and
• a controller cooperating with said wireless communications device, said security device detection circuit, and said vehicle position determining device for sending position and security signals to the monitoring station;
• said controller also connected to said battery sensing circuit
• for enabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold,
• for disabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold, and
• for enabling operation of said transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage.

A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type comprising a vehicle battery and at least one vehicle security device, the vehicle tracking unit comprising:

• a vehicle position determining device;
• a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station and comprising a receiver and a transmitter;
• a back-up battery;
• a battery sensing circuit for sensing a voltage of at least one of said back-up battery and said vehicle battery;
• a security device detection circuit for the at least one vehicle security device;
• and
• a controller cooperating with said wireless communications device, said security device detection circuit, and said vehicle position determining device for sending position and security signals to the monitoring station;
• said controller also connected to said battery sensing circuit
• for enabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold,
• for disabling operation of said receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold, and
• for enabling operation of said transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage.

A vehicle tracking method for a vehicle of a type comprising a vehicle battery, at least one vehicle security device, and a vehicle tracking unit comprising a transmitter and a receiver, the method comprising:

• sensing a voltage of the vehicle battery using the vehicle tracking unit;
• enabling operation of the receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold;
• disabling operation of the receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold;
• and
• enabling operation of the transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage to allow sending of position and security signals to a monitoring station.

A vehicle tracking method for a vehicle of a type comprising at least one vehicle security device and a vehicle tracking unit comprising a back-up battery, a transmitter, and a receiver, the method comprising:

• sensing a voltage of the back-up battery using the vehicle tracking unit;
• enabling operation of the receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being above a threshold;
• disabling operation of the receiver based upon the sensed battery voltage being below the threshold;
• and
• enabling operation of the transmitter irrespective of the sensed battery voltage to allow sending of position and security signals to a monitoring station.