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US 8,787,823 B2Granted
Recovery system with repeating communication capabilities
AssigneeLoJack Corporation
InventorsJames A. Justice, Sampath Krishna, George Liu, Ira Cohen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A recovery system and method with repeating communication functionality includes a station configured to send a first message and at least a first remote transmitting unit responsive to the central station and configured to transmit a second message to a locating unit. At least a second remote transmitting unit includes a receiver which receives the second message, a controller configured to process the second message, and a transmitter for transmitting a third message to the locating unit.
Claims27
A recovery system with repeating communication capabilities for facilitating recovery of a vehicle equipped with a locating unit, the system comprising:
- a central station configured to send a first message;
- at least a first communication tower including a first remote transmitting unit, wherein, responsive to the first message from the central station, the first remote transmitting unit transmits a second message to activate the locating unit in the vehicle;
- and
- at least a second communication tower including a second remote transmitting unit, the second remote transmitting unit including:
- a receiver which receives the second message for activating the locating unit of the vehicle from the first remote transmitting unit in the at least first communication tower,
- a controller configured to process the second message, and
- a transmitter, responsive to the second message, for transmitting a third message to activate the locating unit in the vehicle,
- wherein the controller is programmed to:
- transmit the third message only upon receipt of two or more instances of the second message,
- transmit the third message only for a predetermined time period, and
- ignore any second message received by the receiver having a signal strength below a predetermined signal strength.
8 more elements
A system with repeating communication capabilities for facilitating recovery of a vehicle equipped with a locating unit, said system comprising:
- a central station configured to send a first message;
- at least a first communication tower including a first remote transmitting unit in communication with the central station via a first data link, wherein, responsive to the first message from the central station, the first remote transmitting unit transmits a second message to activate the locating unit in the vehicle via a second data link that is different from the first data link;
- and
- at least a second communication tower including a second remote transmitting unit, said second remote transmitting unit including:
- a receiver which receives the second message to activate the locating unit of the vehicle from the first remote transmitting unit transmitted via the second data link,
- a controller configured to process the second message transmitted via the second data link, and
- a transmitter, responsive to the second message, for transmitting a third message to activate the locating unit in the vehicle via the second data link,
- wherein the controller is programmed to:
- transmit the third message only upon receipt of two or more instances of the second message,
- transmit the third message only for a predetermined time period, and
- ignore any second message received by the receiver having a signal strength below a predetermined signal strength.
8 more elements
A method for locating a vehicle equipped with a locating unit, the method comprising:
- transmitting a first message to at least a first communication tower including a first remote transmitting unit, the first message including a first code representing a locating unit identifier;
- transmitting a second message from the first remote transmitting unit to activate the locating unit corresponding to the locating unit identifier;
- receiving the second message transmitted by the first remote transmitting unit at a second remote transmitting unit;
- in response to receipt of two or more instances of the second message, transmitting for a predetermined time period a third message from the second remote transmitting unit to activate the locating unit corresponding to the locating unit identifier;
- and
- ignoring any second message received by the second remote transmitting unit having a signal strength below a predetermined signal strength.
3 more elements
A recovery system with repeating communication capabilities for facilitating recovery of a vehicle equipped with a locating unit, the system comprising:
- a central station configured to send a first message;
- at least a first communication tower including a first remote transmitting unit, wherein, responsive to the first message from the central station, the first remote transmitting unit transmits a second message to activate the locating unit in the vehicle;
- and
- at least a second communication tower structured and arranged as is said first communication tower, said second communication tower including a second remote transmitting unit, said second remote transmitting unit including:
- a receiver which receives the second message transmitted from the first remote transmitting unit of the first communication tower,
- a controller configured to process said second message, and
- a transmitter, responsive to said second message, for transmitting a third message to activate the locating unit in the vehicle,
- wherein the at least first remote transmitting unit and the at least second transmitting unit transmit a message to activate the locating unit of the vehicle via a common medium, and
- wherein the controller is programmed to:
- transmit the third message only upon receipt of two or more instances of the second message,
- transmit the third message only for a predetermined time period, and
- ignore any second message received by the receiver having a signal strength below a predetermined signal strength.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.