US6144916A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Itinerary monitoring system for storing a plurality of itinerary data points
Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
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Filing: 1996-01-02
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Granted: 2000-11-07
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Expires: 2016-01-02
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for a base station or interrogator station to monitor the itinerary of one or more vehicles or other movable assets. Each vehicle or other movable object includes a satellite navigation receiver with circuitry for computing the geographic position of the object, and a memory for storing a history of positions computed at a number of different times during the itinerary of the object. Each movable object further includes a radio transceiver which transmits the stored position history to the base station.
Inventors
- 👤 Clifton W. Wood, Jr.
- 👤 John R. Tuttle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:21
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04W; H04W64/00; H04W64/006; H02; H02J; H02J50/00; H02J50/20; G; G01; G01S; G01S13/00; G01S13/74; G01S13/75; G01S13/751; G01S13/758; G01S13/76; G01S13/765; G01S13/767; G01S5/00; G01S5/0009; G01S5/0018; G01S5/0027; G06; G06K; G06K17/00; G06K17/0022; G06K19/00; G06K19/06; G06K19/067; G06K19/07; G06K19/0701; G06K19/0702; G06K19/0723; G06K19/073; G06K19/077; G06K19/07749; G06K19/07758; G06K19/07766; G06K19/07767; G06K19/07773; G06K19/07786; G06K7/00; G06K7/0008; G06K7/10; G06K7/10009; G06K7/10019; G06K7/10029; G06K7/10039; G06K7/10049; G06K7/10316; G06K7/10346; G06K7/10356; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/08; G06Q10/083; G06Q10/0833; G08; G08G; G08G1/00; G08G1/123; G08G1/127; H01; H01Q; H01Q1/00; H01Q1/12; H01Q1/22; H01Q1/2208; H01Q1/2225; H01Q1/36; H01Q1/38; H01Q21/00; H01Q21/24; H01Q21/28; H01Q3/00; H01Q3/24; H01Q9/00; H01Q9/04; H01Q9/16; H01Q9/28; H01Q9/285; H04L; H04L61/00; H04L61/35; H04L61/50; H04L61/5038; H04L61/5046; H04L61/5069; H04L61/5084; H04L61/5092; G01S13/78; G01S13/82; G01S13/825; G07; G07B; G07B17/00; G07B17/00459; G07B17/00508; G07B2017/00612; G07B2017/00629; H04L2101/00; H04L2101/60; H04L2101/604; H04L2101/618; H04L2101/622; H04W24/00; H04W4/00; H04W4/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
An itinerary monitoring apparatus attached to a mobile object, comprising: a satellite navigation receiver for computing the current geographic position of the mobile object; a memory; a controller for storing in the memory a plurality of successive itinerary data points at intervals throughout the itinerary of the mobile object, wherein each successive itinerary data point includes a successive position computed by the navigation receiver and a time of day corresponding to that position; and a radio transceiver for receiving and transmitting messages by radio communication, wherein the transceiver transmits an itinerary data message containing a number of the itinerary data points stored in the memory.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
105 words
An itinerary monitoring apparatus attached to a mobile object, comprising: a satellite navigation receiver for computing the current geographic position of the mobile object; a memory; a controller for storing in the memory a plurality of successive itinerary data points at intervals throughout the itinerary of the mobile object, wherein each successive itinerary data point includes a successive position computed by the navigation receiver and a time of day corresponding to that position; and a radio transceiver for receiving and transmitting messages by radio communication, wherein the transceiver transmits an itinerary data message containing a number of the itinerary data points stored in the memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver does not transmit any messages containing itinerary data except in response to receiving an interrogation radio message.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the transceiver comprises a modulated-backscatter passive RF transmitter for transmitting said itinerary data messages.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: the memory further stores an identification code which identifies the mobile object; and the transceiver does not transmit any messages except in response to receiving an interrogation radio message containing said identification code.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
159 words
An itinerary monitoring apparatus enabling an interrogator to monitor the itinerary of a number of mobile objects, comprising: (a) at least one interrogator station including a first radio transceiver for transmitting interrogation messages and receiving data messages; and (b) a number of mobile objects, each mobile object being movable away from the interrogator station, wherein each mobile object includes: (i) a satellite navigation receiver for computing the current geographic position of the mobile object, (ii) a memory, (iii) a controller for storing in the memory a plurality of successive itinerary data points at intervals throughout the itinerary of the mobile object, wherein each successive itinerary data point includes a successive position computed by the navigation receiver and a time of day corresponding to that position, and (iv) a second radio transceiver for receiving and transmitting messages by radio communication, wherein the second transceiver transmits a radio message containing a number of the itinerary data points stored in the memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
159 words
An itinerary monitoring apparatus enabling an interrogator to monitor the itinerary of a number of mobile objects, comprising: (a) at least one interrogator station including a first radio transceiver for transmitting interrogation messages and receiving data messages; and (b) a number of mobile objects, each mobile object being movable away from the interrogator station, wherein each mobile object includes: (i) a satellite navigation receiver for computing the current geographic position of the mobile object, (ii) a memory, (iii) a controller for storing in the memory a plurality of successive itinerary data points at intervals throughout the itinerary of the mobile object, wherein each successive itinerary data point includes a successive position computed by the navigation receiver and a time of day corresponding to that position, and (iv) a second radio transceiver for receiving and transmitting messages by radio communication, wherein the second transceiver transmits a radio message containing a number of the itinerary data points stored in the memory.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second transceiver in each mobile object does not transmit any messages containing itinerary data except in response to receiving an interrogation radio message from the first transceiver.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second transceiver in each mobile object comprises a modulated-backscatter passive RF transmitter for transmitting said messages containing itinerary data points.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein: the memory in each mobile object further stores an identification code which identifies the mobile object; each interrogation message transmitted by the interrogator station includes the identification code of one of said mobile objects; and the second transceiver in each mobile object does not transmit any radio messages except in response to receiving an interrogation radio message containing the identification code stored in the memory of that mobile object.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for monitoring the itinerary of a mobile object, comprising the steps of: the mobile object receiving signals from a navigation satellite; at regular intervals, the mobile object computing from the received signals the current geographic position of the mobile object; the mobile object storing in memory a plurality of successive itinerary data points at intervals throughout the itinerary of the mobile object, wherein each successive itinerary data point includes one of said computed positions and a time of day corresponding to that position; and the mobile object transmitting a radio signal containing a number of the itinerary data points stored in the memory.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for monitoring the itinerary of a mobile object, comprising the steps of: the mobile object receiving signals from a navigation satellite; at regular intervals, the mobile object computing from the received signals the current geographic position of the mobile object; the mobile object storing in memory a plurality of successive itinerary data points at intervals throughout the itinerary of the mobile object, wherein each successive itinerary data point includes one of said computed positions and a time of day corresponding to that position; and the mobile object transmitting a radio signal containing a number of the itinerary data points stored in the memory.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of: an interrogator station transmitting to the mobile object a radio signal containing an interrogation message; wherein the mobile object performs said step of transmitting said radio signal only in response to receiving said interrogation message.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
105 words
A method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of: storing in the memory of the mobile object an identification code which identifies the mobile object; wherein the step of the interrogator station transmitting an interrogation message includes transmitting an identification code; wherein the mobile object performs said step of transmitting said radio signal only in response to receiving an interrogation message which includes the identification code of said mobile object; and wherein the mobile object does not transmit any radio signal except in response to receiving an interrogation radio message which includes the identification code stored in the memory of the mobile object.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-11-07 | 2004-05-08 | 2004-11-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-07 | 2008-05-08 | 2008-11-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-07 | 2012-05-08 | 2012-11-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |