Control apparatus and methods for vehicles

DC CAFC

US 5,917,405 A
Filed: 07/18/1996
Issued: 06/29/1999
Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1993
Status: Expired due to Term

- Alert
- Pin

Associated Cases

Associated Defendants

First Claim

Patent Images

1. A control apparatus for a vehicle, which comprises:

a first control device, wherein said first control device one of generates and transmits a first signal for one of activating, deactivating, enabling, and disabling, one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle subsystem, wherein said first control device is located at the vehicle;

wherein said first control device is responsive to a second signal, wherein the second signal is one of generated by and transmitted from a second control device, wherein the second control device is located at a location which is remote from the vehicle, and further wherein the second control device is responsive to a third signal, wherein the third signal is one of generated by and transmitted from a third control device, therein the third control device is located at a location which is remote from the vehicle and remote from the second control device.

View all claims

2 Assignments

Timeline View

Assignment View

Litigations

2 Petitions

Reexamination

Accused Products

Abstract

A control apparatus for a vehicle, which comprises a first control device. The first control device one of generates and transmits a first signal for one of activating, deactivating, enabling, and disabling, one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle subsystem. The first control device is located at the vehicle. The first control device is responsive to a second signal, wherein the second signal is one of generated by and transmitted from a second control device. The second control device is located at a location which is remote from the vehicle. The second control device is responsive to a third signal, wherein the third signal is one of generated by and transmitted from a third control device. The third control device is located at a location which is remote from the vehicle and remote from the second control device.

1073 Citations

20 Claims

1. A control apparatus for a vehicle, which comprises:
- a first control device, wherein said first control device one of generates and transmits a first signal for one of activating, deactivating, enabling, and disabling, one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle subsystem, wherein said first control device is located at the vehicle;
  
  wherein said first control device is responsive to a second signal, wherein the second signal is one of generated by and transmitted from a second control device, wherein the second control device is located at a location which is remote from the vehicle, and further wherein the second control device is responsive to a third signal, wherein the third signal is one of generated by and transmitted from a third control device, therein the third control device is located at a location which is remote from the vehicle and remote from the second control device.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- - 2. The apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises:
    - a monitoring device for monitoring at least one of the vehicle, vehicle operational status, vehicle operation, said one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle subsystem, a vehicle one of fuel supply, water supply, and coolant supply, one of electrical generator and alternator operation, battery charge level, engine temperature level, one of an electrical circuit and an electrical device, activity inside the vehicle, and activity outside the vehicle.
  - 3. The apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises:
    - a positioning device for determining location of the vehicle, wherein said positioning device is located at the vehicle.
  - 4. The apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises:
    - one of a camera and a video recording device for obtaining video information at the vehicle.
  - 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first control device detects at least one of a vehicle use, an unauthorized use of the vehicle, and a theft of the vehicle.
  - 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third control device is one of a stationary device, a hand-held device, a mobile device, a telephone, a digital telephone, a cordless telephone, a cellular telephone, a wireless telephone, a computer, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a television, an interactive television, a digital television, a personal communications device, a personal communications services device, a display telephone, a video telephone, a watch, a beeper, and pager.
  - 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle subsystem, is at least one of a vehicle ignition system, a vehicle fuel system, a vehicle exhaust system, a vehicle one of electrical, mechanical, and electro-mechanical, one of system and component, a vehicle light system, a vehicle alarm system, a vehicle anti-theft system, a vehicle recovery system, a vehicle door lock system, a vehicle hood lock system, a horn, a vehicle surveillance system, a video device, a video recording device, an audio device, and an audio recording device.
  - 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operation of one of said apparatus and said first control device is at least one of programmed, automatically activated, and self-activating.
  - 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is one of a motor vehicle, an automobile, a truck, a tractor trailer, a marine vehicle, a marine vessel, a boat, an aircraft, a jet, a plane, construction equipment, farm equipment, a commercial vehicle, a recreational vehicle, a motorcycle, a snowmobile, a motor home, a mobile home, a water submersible vehicle, and an unmanned one of vehicle and equipment.
  - 10. The apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises:
    - a device for one of arming and activating apparatus operation, wherein said one of arming and activating device is located at the vehicle.
  - 11. The apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises:
    - a voice synthesizing device for generating a voice message indicative of one of operation of the apparatus, statue of the apparatus, operation of said first control device, and operation of the vehicle.

12. A control apparatus for a vehicle, which comprises:
- a first control device, wherein said first control device one of generates and transmits a first signal for one of activating, deactivating, enabling, and disabling, one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle subsystem, therein said first control device is located at a location remote from the vehicle;
  
  wherein said first control device is responsive to a second signal, wherein the second signal is one of generated by and transmitted from a second control device, wherein the second control device is located at a location which is remote from said first control device and remote from the vehicle,wherein said first signal controls a third control device, wherein the third control device is located at the vehicle, and further wherein the third control device one of generates and transmits a third signal for one of activating, deactivating, enabling, and disabling, said one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle subsystem, in response to said first signal.
- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
- - 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said first control device is a server computer.
  - 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle subsystem, is at least one of a vehicle ignition system, a vehicle fuel system, a vehicle exhaust system, a vehicle one of electrical, mechanical, and electro-mechanical, one of system and component, a vehicle light system, a vehicle alarm system, a vehicle anti-theft system, a vehicle recovery system, a vehicle door lock system, a vehicle hood lock system, a horn, a vehicle surveillance system, a video device, a video recording device, an audio device, and an audio recording device.
  - 15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said apparatus operates over at least one of the Internet and the World Wide Web.

16. A method for control for a vehicle, which comprises:
- transmitting a first signal from a first control device to a second control device, wherein the first control device is located at a location remote from the vehicle and remote from the second control device;
  
  transmitting a second signal from the second control device to a third control device, wherein the third control device is located at the vehicle, and further wherein the second control device is located at a location remote from the vehicle;
  
  generating a third signal at the third control device in response to said second signal,one of activating, deactivating, enabling, and disabling, one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, and a vehicle a subsystem, in response to said third signal.
- View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
- - 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:
    - determining an operational status of at least one of the vehicle component, vehicle device, vehicle system, and vehicle subsystem.
  - 18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of:
    - obtaining a video image at the vehicle.
  - 19. The method of claim 16, wherein said one of a vehicle component, a vehicle device, a vehicle system, a and vehicle subsystem, is at least one of a vehicle ignition system, a vehicle fuel system, a vehicle exhaust system, a vehicle one of electrical, mechanical, and electro-mechanical, one of system and component, a vehicle light system, a vehicle alarm system, a vehicle anti-theft system, a vehicle recovery system, a vehicle door lock system, a vehicle hood lock system, a horn, a vehicle surveillance system, a video device, a video recording device, an audio device, and an audio recording device.
  - 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the first control device is one of a stationary device, a hand-held device, a mobile device, a telephone, a digital telephone, a cordless telephone, a cellular telephone, a wireless telephone, a computer, a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a television, an interactive television, a digital television, a personal communications device, a personal communications services device, a display telephone, a video telephone, a watch, a beeper, and a pager.

Specification

Resources

Litigation Campaign Assessment

Litigation Data

Current Assignee
Joao Control and Monitoring Systems LLC (Raymond Anthony Joao)
Original Assignee
Raymond Anthony Joao
Inventors
Joao, Raymond Anthony
Primary Examiner(s)
Horabik, Michael
Assistant Examiner(s)
Edwards, Jr., Timothy

Application Number

US08/683,828
Time in Patent Office

1,076 Days
Field of Search

342/457, 340/426, 340/825.34, 340/825.32, 340/825.36, 340/825.37, 340/825.49, 340/425.5, 370/352, 370/389, 307/10.2, 455/404, 180/287, 701/33, 701/36
US Class Current

340/426.17
CPC Class Codes

B60R 2025/1013   Alarm systems characterised...

B60R 2325/304   Boats

B60R 25/018   Thief traps

B60R 25/102   a signal being sent to a re...

B60R 25/25   using biometry

B60R 25/252   Fingerprint recognition

B60R 25/33   of global position, e.g. by...

B60W 2556/50   of positioning data, e.g. G...

Control apparatus and methods for vehicles

First Claim

2 Assignments

Litigations

2 Petitions

Reexamination

Accused Products

Abstract

1073 Citations

20 Claims

Specification

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links

Control apparatus and methods for vehicles

First Claim

2 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

Litigations

2 Petitions

Subscription Required

Reexamination

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

1073 Citations

20 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links