Vehicle communication and remote control system

Claim 2

A vehicle communication and control system comprising: a transceiver for sending and receiving RF signals including messages, location data, information requests, and control codes; a processor coupled to said transceiver for supplying messages, location data, information requests, and control codes to said transceiver for transmission from the vehicle, and for receiving and processing messages, location data, information requests, and control codes intended for the vehicle; a location identifying sensor coupled to said processor for supplying vehicle location data representing a current detected location of the vehicle; a user interface coupled to said processor for providing information to a user, and for enabling a user to input commands to be executed by said processor; and vehicle bus interface for coupling said processor to a vehicle bus to enable said processor to issue and receive commands and other information from vehicle accessories and components coupled to the vehicle bus, wherein said processor is adapted to: transmit an emergency message in response to a received command through said transceiver, the emergency message including the vehicle location data received from said location identifying sensor, transmit vehicle location data through said transceiver in response to a tracking request signal received by said transceiver, request and receive diagnostic data from a diagnostic database connected to the vehicle bus through said vehicle bus interface and transmit the received diagnostic data through said transceiver in response to a request for such diagnostic data, transmit a request for roadside assistance through said transceiver in response to a roadside assistance command, the request including the vehicle location data received from said location identifying sensor, transmit an accessory control signal through said vehicle bus interface to control a designated accessory connected to the vehicle bus in response to a command received from a remote source through said transceiver.

Claim 3

The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said transceiver includes a cellular transceiver for enabling two-way voice and data communication over a cellular network.

Claim 4

The system as defined in claim 2, wherein said user interface includes a speaker coupled to said cellular transceiver for enabling audio messages to be heard by a user.

Claim 5

The system as defined in claim 2, wherein said user interface includes a microphone coupled to said cellular transceiver to allow a user to communicate with a remote location.

Claim 6

The system as defined in claim 2 and further including audio recording means coupled to said processor and said cellular transceiver for digitizing, storing, and playing back audio messages received through said cellular transceiver.

Claim 7

The system as defined in claim 5, wherein said user interface includes a microphone for receiving audio messages from a user and recording received audio messages in said audio recording means.

Claim 8

The system as defined in claim 2 and fixer including a cellular modem coupled between said processor and said cellular transceiver.

Claim 9

The system as defined in claim 1 and further including audio recording means coupled to said processor for digitizing, storing, and playing back audio messages.

Claim 10

The system as defined in claim 8, wherein said user interface includes a microphone for receiving audio messages from a user and recording received audio messages in said audio recording means.

Claim 11

The system as defined in claim 9, wherein said user interface includes a dedicated user-actuated switch for commanding said audio recording means to begin recording an audio message received through said microphone.

Claim 12

The system as defined in claim 8, wherein said user interface includes a dedicated user-actuated switch for commanding said audio recording means to play back stored audio messages.

Claim 13

The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said user interface includes a speaker for enabling audio messages to be heard by a user.

Claim 14

The system as defined in claim 1 and further including a handset coupling port for coupling a telephone handset to said transceiver for making and receiving telephone calls through said transceiver.

Claim 15

The system as defined in claim 1, wherein said processor is further adapted to transmit a request for navigational routing instructions through said transceiver in response to a command received from said user interface, said request including a destination and the vehicle location data received from said location identifying sensor, and to generate and supply navigational routing instructions to said user interface for review by a user in response to the receipt of such navigational routing instructions through said transceiver.

Claim 16

The system as defined in claim 1 and further including an electronic compass coupled to said processor for generating vehicle heading data, wherein said processor supplies vehicle heading information to said user interface for output to a user.

Claim 17

A vehicle communication and control system comprising: a transceiver for sending and receiving RF signals including messages, location data, vehicle-identification data, information requests, and control codes; a processor coupled to said transceiver for supplying messages, location data, vehicle-identification data, information requests, and control codes to said transceiver for transmission from the vehicle, and for receiving and processing messages, location data, vehicle-identification data, information requests, and control codes intended for the vehicle; a location identifying sensor coupled to said processor for supplying vehicle location data representing a current detected location of the vehicle; memory means coupled to said processor for storing and supplying vehicle-identification data to said processor for transmission; a user interface coupled to said processor for providing information to a user, and for enabling a user to input commands to be executed by said processor, said user interface including a display coupled to said processor for displaying information to a user; an electronic compass system coupled to said processor for generating vehicle heading data, wherein said processor supplies vehicle heading information to said user interface for output to a user; and vehicle bus interface for coupling said processor to a vehicle bus to enable said processor to issue and receive commands and other information from vehicle accessories and components coupled to the vehicle bus, wherein said processor is adapted to: transmit an emergency message in response to a received command through said transceiver, the emergency message including the vehicle location data received from said location identifying sensor, transmit vehicle location data through said transceiver in response to a tracking request signal received by said transceiver, request and receive diagnostic data from a diagnostic database connected to the vehicle bus through said vehicle bus interface and transmit the received diagnostic data through said transceiver in response to a request for such diagnostic data, supply text messages that are received through said transceiver to said user interface for retrieval by a user, transmit text messages through said transceiver in response to commands received from said user interface, transmit a request for roadside assistance through said transceiver in response to a roadside assistance command, the request including the vehicle location data received from said location identifying sensor, transmit an accessory control signal through said vehicle bus interface to control a designated accessory connected to the vehicle bus in response to a command received from a remote source through said transceiver, and transmit vehicle-identification data stored in said memory means through said transceiver in response to a received command.

Claim 18

A vehicle communication and control system comprising: a transceiver for sending and receiving RF signals including messages, location data, vehicle-identification data, information requests, and control codes; a processor coupled to said transceiver for supplying messages, location data, vehicle-identification data, information requests, and control codes to said transceiver for transmission from the vehicle, and for receiving and processing messages, location data, vehicle-identification data, information requests, and control codes intended for the vehicle; a location identifying sensor coupled to said processor for supplying vehicle location data representing a current detected location of the vehicle; memory means coupled to said processor for storing and supplying vehicle-identification data to said processor for transmission; a user interface coupled to said processor for providing information to a user, and for enabling a user to input commands to be executed by said processor, said user interface including a display coupled to said processor for displaying information to a user; an electronic compass system coupled to said processor for generating vehicle heading data, wherein said processor supplies vehicle heading information to said user interface for output to a user; and vehicle bus interface for coupling said processor to a vehicle bus to enable said processor to issue and receive commands and other information from vehicle accessories and components coupled to the vehicle bus, wherein said processor is adapted to: transmit an emergency message in response to a received command through said transceiver, the emergency message including the vehicle location data received from said location identifying sensor, transmit vehicle location data through said transceiver in response to a tracking request signal received by said transceiver, request and receive diagnostic data from a diagnostic database connected to the vehicle bus through said vehicle bus interface and transmit the received diagnostic data through said transceiver in response to a request for such diagnostic data, supply text messages that are received through said transceiver to said user interface for retrieval by a user, transmit text messages through said transceiver in response to commands received from said user interface, transmit a request for roadside assistance through said transceiver in response to a roadside assistance command, the request including the vehicle location data received from said location identifying sensor, transmit an accessory control signal through said vehicle bus interface to control a designated accessory connected to the vehicle bus in response to a command received from a remote source through said transceiver, and transmit vehicle-identification data stored in said memory means through said transceiver in response to a received command.

Claim 19

The system as defined in claim 16, wherein said transceiver includes a cellular transceiver for enabling two-way voice and data communication over a cellular network.

Claim 20

The system as defined in claim 17, wherein said user interface includes a speaker coupled to said cellular transceiver for enabling audio messages to be heard by a user.

Claim 21

The system as defined in claim 17, wherein said user interface includes a microphone coupled to said cellular transceiver to allow a user to communicate with a remote location.

Claim 22

The system as defined in claim 17 and further including audio recording means coupled to said processor and said cellular transceiver for digitizing, storing, and playing back audio messages received through said cellular transceiver.

Claim 23

The system as defined in claim 20, wherein said user interface includes a microphone for receiving audio messages from a user and recording received audio messages in said audio recording means.

Claim 24

The system as defined in claim 16 and further including audio recording means coupled to said processor for digitizing, storing, and playing back audio messages.

Claim 25

The system as defined in claim 22, wherein said user interface includes a microphone for receiving audio messages from a user and recording received audio messages in said audio recording means.

Claim 26

The system as defined in claim 23, wherein said user interface includes a dedicated user-actuated switch for commanding said audio recording means to begin recording an audio message received through said microphone.

Claim 27

The system as defined in claim 22, wherein said user interface includes a dedicated user-actuated switch for commanding said audio recording means to play back stored audio messages.

Claim 28

The system as defined in claim 16, wherein said user interface includes a speaker for enabling audio messages to be heard by a user.

Claim 29

The system as defined in claim 16 and further including a handset coupling port for coupling a telephone handset to said transceiver for making and receiving telephone calls through said transceiver.

Claim 30

The system as defined in claim 16, wherein said processor is further adatped to transmit a request for navigational routing instructions through said transceiver in response to a command received from said user interface, said request including a destination and the vehicle location data received from said location identifying sensor, and to generate and supply navigational routing instructions to said user interface for review by a user in response to the receipt of such navigational routing instructions through said transceiver.