Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 3,062,636
CPST Ref: 11053/00015
1 VEHICLE SYSTEM INCLUDING REMOTE START DATA BUS COMMAND SENDING BASED
2 UPON A SHORT-RANGE LINK AND RELATED METHODS
3
4 Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle control
systems and, more
6 particularly, to a remote function control system and related methods for
vehicles.
7 Background
8 [0002] Vehicle security systems are widely used to deter vehicle
theft, prevent theft of
9 valuables from a vehicle, deter vandalism, and to protect vehicle owners
and occupants. A
typical automobile security system, for example, includes a central processor
or controller
11 connected to a plurality of vehicle sensors. The sensors, for example,
may detect opening of the
12 trunk, hood, doors, windows, and also movement of the vehicle or within
the vehicle. Ultrasonic
13 and microwave motion detectors, vibration sensors, sound discriminators,
differential pressure
14 sensors, and switches may be used as sensors. In addition, radar sensors
may be used to
monitor the area proximate the vehicle.
16 [0003] The controller typically operates to give an alarm
indication in the event of triggering
17 of a vehicle sensor. The alarm indication may typically be a flashing of
the lights and/or the
18 sounding of the vehicle horn or a siren. In addition, the vehicle fuel
supply and/or ignition power
19 may be selectively disabled based upon an alarm condition.
[0004] A typical security system also includes a receiver associated with
the controller that
21 cooperates with one or more remote transmitters typically carried by the
user as disclosed, for
22 example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,383,242 to Sassover et al. and U.S. Pat. No.
5,146,215 to Drori.
23 The remote transmitter may be used to arm and disarm the vehicle
security system or provide
24 other remote control features from a predetermined range away from the
vehicle. Also related to
remote control of a vehicle function, U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,966 to Lambropoulous
et al. discloses
26 a remote keyless entry system for a vehicle. The keyless entry system
permits the user to
27 remotely open the vehicle doors or open the vehicle trunk using a small
handheld transmitter.
28 [0005] Unfortunately, many vehicle security systems need to be
directly connected by wires
29 to individual vehicle devices, such as the vehicle horn or door switches
of the vehicle. In other
words, a conventional vehicle security system is hardwired to various vehicle
components,
31 typically by splicing into vehicle wiring harnesses or via interposing T-
harnesses and
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1 connectors. The number of electrical devices in a vehicle has increased
so that the size and
2 complexity of wiring harnesses has also increased. For example, the
steering wheel may
3 include horn switches, an airbag, turn-signal and headlight switches,
wiper controls, cruise
4 control switches, ignition wiring, an emergency flasher switch, and/or
radio controls. Likewise, a
door of a vehicle, for example, may include window controls, locks, outside
mirror switches,
6 and/or door-panel light switches.
7 [0006] In response to the increased wiring complexity and costs,
vehicle manufacturers
8 have begun attempts to reduce the amount of wiring within vehicles to
reduce weight, reduce
9 wire routing problems, decrease costs, and reduce complications which may
arise when
troubleshooting the electrical system. For example, some manufacturers have
adopted
11 multiplexing schemes to reduce cables to three or four wires and to
simplify the exchange of
12 data among the various onboard electronic systems as disclosed, for
example, in "The Thick
13 and Thin of Car Cabling" by Thompson appearing in the IEEE Spectrum,
February 1996, pp. 42-
14 45.
[0007] Implementing multiplexing concepts in vehicles in a cost-effective
and reliable
16 manner may not be easy. Successful implementation, for example, may
require the
17 development of low or error-free communications in what can be harsh
vehicle environments.
18 With multiplexing technology, the various electronic modules or devices
may be linked by a
19 single signal wire in a bus also containing a power wire, and one or
more ground wires. Digital
messages are communicated to all modules over the data communications bus.
Each message
21 may have one or more addresses associated with it so that the devices
can recognize which
22 messages to ignore and which messages to respond to or read.
23 [0008] The Thompson article describes a number of multiplexed
networks for vehicles. In
24 particular, the Grand Cherokee made by Chrysler is described as having
five multiplex nodes or
controllers: the engine controller, the temperature controller, the airbag
controller, the theft
26 alarm, and the overhead console. Other nodes for different vehicles may
include a transmission
27 controller, a trip computer, an instrument cluster controller, an
antilock braking controller, an
28 active suspension controller, and a body controller for devices in the
passenger compartment.
29 [0009] A number of patent references are also directed to digital
or multiplex
communications networks or circuits, such as may be used in a vehicle. For
example, U.S. Pat.
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1 No. 4,538,262 Sinniger et al. discloses a multiplex bus system including
a master control unit
2 and a plurality of receiver-transmitter units connected thereto.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,772
3 to Leung discloses a power bus in a vehicle controlled by a low current
digitally coded
4 communications system. Other references disclosing various vehicle
multiplex control systems
include, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,275 to Sato et al.; U.S. Pat. No.
4,697,092 to
6 Roggendorf et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,783 to Burgess et al.
7 [0010] Several standards have been proposed for vehicle multiplex
networks including, for
8 example, the Society of Automotive Engineers "Surface Vehicle Standard,
Class B Data
9 Communications Network Interface", SAE J1850, July 1995. Another report
by the SAE is the
"Surface Vehicle Information Report, Chrysler Sensor and Control (CSC) Bus
Multiplexing
11 Network for Class 'A' Applications", SAE J2058, July 1990. Many other
networks are also being
12 implemented or proposed for communications between vehicle devices and
nodes or
13 controllers.
14 [0011] Unfortunately, conventional vehicle control systems, such
as aftermarket vehicle
security systems, are for hardwired connection to vehicle devices and are not
readily adaptable
16 to a vehicle including a data communications bus. Moreover, a vehicle
security system if
17 adapted for a communications bus and devices for one particular model,
model year, and
18 manufacturer, may not be compatible with any other models, model years,
or manufacturers.
19 Other systems for the control of vehicle functions may also suffer from
such shortcomings.
[0012] One approach to addressing these shortcomings is described in U.S.
Patent No.
21 6,011,460 to Flick which discloses a multi-vehicle security system. More
particularly, the Flick
22 '460 patent discloses a desired signal enabling circuit electrically
coupled to the data
23 communications bus for enabling an alarm controller to operate using a
set of desired signals
24 for a desired vehicle from among a plurality of possible sets of signals
for different vehicles.
Thus, the desired signal enabling circuit permits the alarm controller to
communicate with a
26 vehicle security sensor and an alarm indicator via the data
communications bus so that the
27 alarm controller is capable of operating the alarm indicator responsive
to the vehicle security
28 sensor. The desired signal enabling circuit may learn the desired set of
signals from the plurality
29 of different sets of signals for different vehicles by connection and
communications with a
downloading device, such as a portable or laptop computer.
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1 [0013] However, still further improvements for remote control
device operation of vehicle
2 devices, for example, a security system, remote start system, etc., may
be desired. In particular,
3 it may be desirable to more easily configure or adapt a wider range of
vehicle devices to be
4 operated from a remote control device.
Summary
6 [0014] A vehicle system for a vehicle that includes first and
second data communications
7 busses may include a vehicle tracking unit that may include a first bus
interface to be coupled to
8 the first data communications bus, a vehicle position determining device,
and a long-range
9 tracker wireless device. The first bus interface may also include a short-
range tracker wireless
device having a shorter operating range than the long-range tracker wireless
device, and a
11 tracker controller coupled to the first bus interface, the vehicle
position determining device, the
12 long-range tracker wireless device, and the short-range tracker wireless
device. The tracker
13 controller may be configured to send vehicle position information via
the long-range tracker
14 wireless device based upon the vehicle positioning determining device.
The vehicle system
may also include a remote start unit that may include a second bus interface
to be coupled to
16 the second data communications bus and a short-range remote start
wireless device configured
17 to establish a short-range wireless link with the short-range tracker
wireless device, the remote
18 start unit may also include a remote start controller coupled to the
second bus interface and the
19 short-range remote start wireless device and configured to receive a
remote start command
from the long-range tracker wireless device via the short-range wireless link,
and send at least
21 one remote start data bus command onto the second data communications
bus via the second
22 bus interface based upon the remote start command.
23 [0015] The first bus interface may include an On-Board Diagnostic,
OBD, connector, for
24 example. The tracker controller may be configured to collect vehicle
status data via the first bus
interface, and send the vehicle status data via the long-range tracker
wireless device. The
26 vehicle tracking unit may be configured to obtain power via the first
bus interface, for example.
27 [0016] The remote start unit may include a first housing carrying
the short-range remote
28 start wireless device, and a second housing carrying the remote start
controller. The first
29 housing may also carry the second bus interface, for example. The second
housing may also
carry the second bus interface, for example. The vehicle system may include a
first connector
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1 portion carried by the first housing, and a second connector portion
carried by the second
2 housing.
3 [0017] The remote start unit may include a common housing carrying
the second bus
4 interface, the short-range remote start wireless device, and the remote
start controller, for
example. The long-range tracker wireless device may include a tracker cellular
wireless device,
6 for example.
7 [0018] The short-range tracker wireless device may include a
tracker Bluetooth wireless
8 device, and the short-range remote start wireless device comprises a
remote start Bluetooth
9 device, for example. The short-range remote start wireless device may
include a remote start
Bluetooth wireless device, for example.
11 [0019] The vehicle tracking unit may include a back-up battery for
the first bus interface, the
12 position determining device, the long-range tracker wireless device, the
short-range tracker
13 wireless device, and the tracker controller. The first data
communications bus may include a
14 low-speed data communications bus, and the second data communications
bus may include a
high-speed data communications bus and a having a speed higher than the low-
speed data
16 communications bus.
17 [0020] A method aspect is directed to a remote start method for a
vehicle that includes first
18 and second data communications busses. The method may include, at a
vehicle tracking unit
19 that includes a first bus interface to be coupled to the first data
communications bus, a vehicle
position determining device, a long-range tracker wireless device, a short-
range tracker wireless
21 device having a shorter operating range than the long-range tracker
wireless device, and a
22 tracker controller coupled to the first bus interface, the vehicle
position determining device, the
23 long-range tracker wireless device, and the short-range tracker wireless
device, sending vehicle
24 position information via the long-range tracker wireless device based
upon the vehicle
positioning determining device. The method may also include, at a remote start
unit comprising
26 a second bus interface to be coupled to the second data communications
bus, a short-range
27 remote start wireless device configured to establish a short-range
wireless link with the short-
28 range tracker wireless device, and a remote start controller coupled to
the second bus interface
29 and the short-range remote start wireless device, receiving a remote
start command from the
long-range tracker wireless device via the short-range wireless link and
sending at least one
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1 remote start data bus command onto the second data communications bus via
the second bus
2 interface based upon the remote start command.
3 Brief Description of the Drawings
4 [0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle system in
accordance with an
example embodiment.
6 [0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an example
implementation of the vehicle
7 system of FIG. 1.
8 [0023] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating method aspects
associated with the system of
9 FIG. 1.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a vehicle system in
accordance with another
11 embodiment.
12 [0025] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram of a portion of the
vehicle system of FIG. 4.
13 [0026] FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a portion of a
vehicle system in accordance
14 with another embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram of a portion of a vehicle system
in accordance
16 with another embodiment.
17 Detailed Description
18 [0028] This disclosure is provided with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which
19 various example embodiments are shown. However, other embodiments and
different forms
may be used, and the disclosure should not be construed as limited to the
example
21 embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these example embodiments are
provided so that this
22 disclosure will be thorough and complete. Like numbers refer to like
elements throughout, and
23 prime and multiple prime notations are used to indicate similar elements
in alternative
24 embodiments.
[0029] Referring initially to FIG. 1, a vehicle system 30 is for a vehicle
31 illustratively
26 including one or more data communications busses 32, and an On-Board
Diagnostic (OBD) port
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1 33 coupled to the data communications bus. The vehicle system 30
illustratively includes a
2 vehicle tracking unit 34 including a tracker housing 35, an OBD connector
36 to be removably
3 coupled to the OBD port, and a vehicle position determining device 37
carried by the tracker
4 housing. The OBD connector 36 may be directly carried by the tracker
housing 35, or coupled
by a pigtail cable, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. By way
of example, the
6 vehicle position determining device may include a GPS receiver, although
other position
7 determining devices may also be used.
8 [0030] The vehicle system 30 further illustratively includes a
long-range tracker wireless
9 device 38 carried by the tracker housing 35, and a short-range tracker
wireless device 39
carried by the tracker housing and having a shorter operating range than the
long-range tracker
11 wireless device. By way of example, the long-range tracker wireless
device 38 may be a cellular
12 device. In accordance with another example implementation, the long-
range tracker wireless
13 device 38 may be a wireless local area network (WLAN) device which
communicates with a
14 WLAN access point when in range thereof (e.g., when the vehicle 31 is at
a home location). The
short-range tracker wireless device 39 may be a Bluetoothe device (i.e., using
short-wavelength
16 UHF radio waves in the ISM band from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz), although WLAN or
other suitable
17 short-range communications formats may also be used in different
embodiments. For example,
18 the short-range tracker wireless device 39 may be used to communicate
vehicle diagnostic
19 information to the vehicle owner's cellphone.
[0031] The vehicle tracking unit 34 further illustratively includes a
tracker controller 40
21 carried by the tracker housing 35 and coupled to the OBD connector 36.
By way of example, the
22 tracker controller 40 may be implemented using hardware (e.g., a
microprocessor) and
23 associated non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-
executable instructions
24 for causing the hardware to perform the various operations described
herein. More particularly,
the tracker controller 40 may be configured to send vehicle position
information via the long-
26 range tracker wireless device to a user or monitoring system, for
example. By way of example,
27 this information may be sent to parents, insurance companies, and
corporations to monitor
28 children, insurance policy holders, and employees, respectively. That
is, such information may
29 be used to determine the places the vehicle 31 travels to, as well as
the speed at which it
travels, and speed exceeded notifications. In some embodiments, additional
information may
31 also be communicated via the long-range tracker wireless device 38, such
as vehicle diagnostic
32 or health information, for example.
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1 [0032] The system 30 further illustratively includes a vehicle
security unit 45 including a
2 security unit housing 46, a short-range security wireless device 47
carried by the security unit
3 housing, and a vehicle security controller 48 carried by the security
unit housing. The short-
4 range security wireless device 47 may operate using the same
communications format as the
short-range tracker wireless device 39 (e.g., Bluetoothe format, etc.).
6 [0033] Operation of the system 30 and vehicle security unit 45 is
now described further with
7 reference to the flow diagram 100 of FIG. 3. Beginning at Block 101, the
tracker controller 40
8 and vehicle security controller 48 may establish a wireless communication
link (e.g., a
9 .. Bluetoothe link) via the short-range tracker wireless device 39 and the
short-range security
wireless device 47, at Block 102. More particularly, the wireless
communication link is used to
11 convey to the vehicle security unit 45 that the vehicle tracking unit is
still installed in the vehicle
12 31 and functioning properly, which the vehicle security controller 48
monitors when in a normal
13 (e.g., armed) operating mode. However, it should be noted that the
vehicle security controller 48
14 may optionally be placed in an override (disarmed) mode (Block 103),
e.g., by the owner of the
vehicle 31 when he or she is in the vehicle. This may be done in various ways,
such as by
16 .. operation of a vehicle device. For example, a local input device may be
within the vehicle, such
17 as a keypad, touch screen, etc., to cause the vehicle security
controller 48 to enter the override
18 mode. Another approach is by interfacing with a mobile wireless
communications device, such
19 as a user's smart phone, via the short-range security wireless device 47
to switch between the
override and normal modes, for example.
21 [0034] One approach by which the wireless communication link may
be used to inform the
22 vehicle security unit 45 that the vehicle tracking unit is still
installed in the vehicle 31 and
23 .. functioning properly is based upon the wireless communication link not
being broken (Block
24 104). That is, the vehicle security unit 45 will know that the vehicle
tracking unit 34 is plugged
into the OBD port 33 and functioning properly so long as the wireless
communication link is
26 established. More specifically, if the wireless communication link is
broken, this may indicate
27 that the vehicle tracking unit 34 has been unplugged from the OBD port
33 and is accordingly
28 .. no longer receiving power from the OBD port. For the Bluetoothe example,
as long as the
29 devices remain paired, the security controller 48 will be able to
determine the tracking unit 34 is
still in the vehicle and operational. For example, this might be the case if a
child, employee, or
31 thief unplugs the vehicle tracking unit 34 from the OBD port 33 to hide
the location of the vehicle
32 31 or the speed at which it is traveling.
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1 [0035] In some embodiments, the vehicle tracking unit 34 may
optionally include a back-up
2 battery 50 to provide power to the tracker controller 40, long and short-
range tracker wireless
3 devices 38, 39, and the vehicle position determining device 37 if power
from the OBD port is
4 lost, such as if the vehicle tracking unit is unplugged from the OBD
port. In this case, the short-
range tracker wireless device may still maintain the wireless communication
link with the short-
6 range security device 47 based upon back-up power, but the vehicle
security unit 45 may still
7 need to take appropriate action based upon the security event which has
occurred (e.g.,
8 unplugging of the vehicle tracking unit 34 from the OBD port 33). As
such, the tracker controller
9 40 may advantageously send a tamper signal to the vehicle security
controller 48 via the
wireless communication link, indicating that a security event has occurred
with the vehicle
11 tracking unit 34 (e.g., it has been unplugged). In some embodiments, the
vehicle security
12 controller 48 may look to either a broken wireless communication link or
a tamper signal as an
13 indicator that a security event has occurred with the vehicle tracking
unit 34 which requires
14 communicating over the data communications bus 32 to control one or more
vehicle operations
in response to the security event (Block 105). The method of FIG. 3
illustratively concludes at
16 Block 106.
17 [0036] A related vehicle security method may include, at the
vehicle tracking unit 34,
18 sending vehicle position information via the long-range tracker wireless
device 38 and
19 establishing a wireless communication link via the short-range tracker
wireless device 39, as
noted above. The method may further include, at the vehicle security unit 45
establishing the
21 .. wireless communication link via the short-range security wireless device
47 with the short-range
22 tracker wireless device 39 and communicating via the at least one data
communications bus 32
23 responsive to the wireless communication link, as also noted above.
24 [0037] Turning additionally to FIG. 2, an example implementation
of another embodiment of
the system 30' is now described in which the vehicle includes multiple data
busses, in particular
26 a high-speed data bus 51' and a low-speed data bus 52' having a speed
lower than the high-
27 speed data bus. In the illustrated example, the vehicle tracking unit
34' is coupled to the low-
28 speed data communications bus 52', and the vehicle security unit 45' is
coupled to the high-
29 speed data communications bus 51'. By way of example, the different
types of data busses may
include Controller Area Network (CAN) busses, Local Interconnect Network (LIN)
busses, etc.
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1 [0038] Furthermore, the high-speed and low-speed data busses 51',
52' are each coupled
2 to a plurality of respective vehicle devices. In the illustrated example,
the low-speed bus 52' is
3 connected to a plurality of vehicle devices 53a'-53n', while the high-
speed data bus is
4 connected to the vehicle's electronic control unit (ECU) 54', an
entertainment/media system 55',
and a dashboard indicator 56'. More particularly, responsive to determining a
security event with
6 the vehicle tracking unit as noted above, the vehicle security controller
48' may be configured to
7 communicate a vehicle degradation command to one or more of these devices
via the high-
8 speed bus 51'. In accordance with one example, the vehicle degradation
command may be in
9 the form of an engine start blocking command and/or a vehicle speed slow
command to the
ECU 54', causing the ECU to prevent starting of the vehicle or to govern the
speed to a desired
11 limit, for example. The vehicle security unit 45' may be optionally
coupled to a remote start unit
12 59', and have multi-vehicle capability so that the remote start unit can
interface with different
13 vehicles, as disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,011,460 and 8,032,278, for
example. Of course,
14 remote start capability could also be included within the vehicle
security unit 45' as well.
[0039] In accordance with another example embodiment, the vehicle
degradation command
16 may take the form of an entertainment system volume change command to
the entertainment
17 system 55', causing it to reduce or shut off the volume of a stereo,
etc. Still another vehicle
18 degradation command may take the form of a dashboard indicator change
command to the
19 dashboard indicator 56', such as to cause a warning indication (e.g.,
flashing light or image,
warning message, etc.) via a heads-up display, navigation screen, or dashboard
light(s), for
21 example. Of course, other devices may also be coupled to the high-speed
bus 51' (e.g.,
22 Transmission Control Unit (TCU), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), body
control module (BCM),
23 etc.) and vehicle degradation commands similarly sent thereto in
different embodiments.
24 Moreover, multiple vehicle degradation commands may be sent to different
devices responsive
to the same security event (e.g., the vehicle 31 may be slowed and the
dashboard lights flashed
26 at the same time).
27 [0040] Referring now to FIG. 4, in another embodiment, a vehicle
system 120 is for a
28 vehicle 131 that includes first and second data communications busses
151, 152. The first data
29 communications bus 151 may be a low-speed data communications bus, and
the second data
communications bus 152 may be a high-speed data communications bus. The high-
speed data
31 communications bus 152 has a higher speed than the low-speed data
communications bus 151.
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1 For example, the first and second data communications busses 151, 152 may
include Controller
2 Area Network (CAN) busses, Local Interconnect Network (LIN) busses, etc.
3 [0041] The vehicle system 120 illustratively includes a vehicle
tracking unit 134 that includes
4 a tracker housing 135 and a first bus interface 136 to be coupled to the
first data
communications bus 151. The first bus interface 136 may be an OBD connector,
for example,
6 for coupling to an OBD port associated with the first data communications
bus 151. The first
7 bus interface 136 may be another type of connector or interface. The
vehicle tracking unit 134
8 may advantageously obtain power via the first bus interface 136. Of
course, in some
9 embodiments, the vehicle tracking unit 134 may obtain power from another
power source, such
as, for example, a battery.
11 [0042] The vehicle tracking unit 134 also includes a vehicle
position determining device 137
12 carried by the tracker housing 135. The vehicle position determining
device 137 may include a
13 GPS receiver, for example. The vehicle position determining device 137
may include other
14 and/or additional devices for determining the geographic position of the
vehicle 131.
[0043] The vehicle tracking unit 134 also includes a long-range tracker
wireless device 138
16 carried by the tracker housing 135, and a short-range tracker wireless
device 139 also carried
17 by the tracker housing. The short-range tracker wireless device 139 has
a shorter operating
18 range than the long-range tracker wireless device 138. By way of
example, the long-range
19 tracker wireless device 138 may be a cellular device. In accordance with
another example
implementation, the long-range tracker wireless device 138 may be a wireless
local area
21 network (WLAN) device which communicates with a WLAN access point when
in range thereof
22 (e.g., when the vehicle 131 is at a home location). The short-range
tracker wireless device 139
23 may be a Bluetooth device (i.e., using short-wavelength UHF radio waves
in the ISM band
24 from 2.4 to 2.485 GHz), although WLAN or other suitable short-range
communications formats
may also be used in different embodiments. For example, the short-range
tracker wireless
26 device 139 may be used to communicate vehicle diagnostic information to
the vehicle owner's
27 cellphone.
28 [0044] The vehicle tracking unit 134 further illustratively
includes a tracker controller 140
29 .. carried by the tracker housing 135 and coupled to the first bus
interface 136 (e.g. an OBD
connector), the vehicle position determining device 137, and the short- and
long-range tracker
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1 wireless devices 139, 138. For example, the tracker controller 140 may be
implemented using
2 hardware (e.g., a microprocessor) and associated non-transitory computer-
readable medium
3 having computer-executable instructions for causing the hardware to
perform the various
4 operations described herein. The tracker controller 140 sends vehicle
position information via
the long-range tracker wireless device 138. The vehicle position information
may be sent to a
6 .. user or monitoring system, for example, based upon the vehicle position
determining device
7 137. The tracker controller 140 may also collect vehicle status data via
the first bus interface
8 136 (e.g., speed, acceleration, etc.) and send the vehicle status data
via the long-range tracker
9 wireless device 138. For example, the vehicle position information may be
sent to parents,
insurance companies, and corporations to monitor children, insurance policy
holders, and
11 .. employees, respectively. The vehicle position information may be used,
for example, in
12 conjunction with the vehicle status data, to determine the places the
vehicle 131 travels to, as
13 well as the speed at which it travels, and speed exceeded notifications.
In some embodiments,
14 the tracker controller 140 may collect and send other and/or additional
vehicle status data via
.. the long-range tracker wireless device 138, such as vehicle diagnostic or
health information, for
16 example.
17 [0045] Referring additionally to FIG. 5, the vehicle system 120
also includes a remote start
18 unit 160. The remote start unit 160 includes a short-range remote start
wireless device 162
19 carried by a first housing 163. The short-range remote start wireless
device 162 establishes a
short-range wireless link with the short-range tracker wireless device 139.
The short-range
21 .. remote start wireless device 162 may be a Bluetoothe device, for
example, when the short-
22 range tracker wireless device 139 is also a Bluetoothe device.
23 [0046] The remote start unit 160 also includes a second bus
interface 161 carried by a
24 second housing 165 and that is to be coupled to the second data
communications bus 152. The
second bus interface 161 may be a hardwired interface with the second data
communications
26 bus 152. Of course, the second bus interface 161 may be a wireless bus
interface.
27 [0047] The remote start unit 160 also includes a remote start
controller 164 carried by the
28 second housing 165 and coupled to the short-range wireless remote start
device 162 and the
29 second bus interface 161. The remote start controller 164 receives a
remote start command
from the long-range tracker wireless device 138 via the short-range wireless
link. The remote
31 start controller 164 also sends one or more remote start data bus
commands onto the second
CPST Doc: 54406.2 12
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
CA 3,062,636
CPST Ref: 11053/00015
1 data communications bus 152 via the second bus interface 161 based upon
the remote start
2 command. In some embodiments, the remote start controller 164 may also
send commands
3 onto, and/or receive status information from, the first data
communications bus 151 via the
4 short-range link, such as for starting the vehicle or other purposes.
Alternatively, the remote
start controller 164 may use a direct hardwire connection (not shown) to the
first data
6 communications bus 151, such as for starting the vehicle or other
purposes. As will be
7 appreciated by those skilled in the art, the vehicle system 120 provides
greater flexibility for
8 installation, for example.
9 [0048] In some embodiments, the vehicle tracking unit 134 may
optionally include a back-up
battery 150 to provide power for the first bus interface 136, the long and
short-range tracker
11 wireless devices 138, 139, the vehicle position determining device 137,
and the tracker
12 controller 140, for example, if power supplied via the first bus
interface (e.g., power from the
13 OBD port) is lost, such as if the vehicle tracking unit is unplugged
from the OBD port. In this
14 case, the short-range tracker wireless device 139 may still maintain the
wireless communication
link with the short-range remote start wireless device 162 based upon back-up
power, but the
16 remote start unit 160 may take action based upon power loss, for
example, generate and send a
17 notification or other action, such as those described above with respect
to the security
18 controller.
19 [0049] Referring now to FIG. 6, in another embodiment, the second
housing 165' may
include a second connector portion 166', such as, for example, a physical
connector, cable,
21 etc., for coupling to a first connector portion 167' carried by the
first housing 163'. The short-
22 range remote start wireless device 162' and the second bus interface
161' are carried by the
23 first housing 163'. In other words, the short-range remote start
wireless device 162' is carried
24 by first housing 163' instead of the second housing 165' as described
above with respect to the
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4. The components carried by the first and
second housings
26 163', 165' communicate via the first and second connector portions 167',
166'.
27 [0050] Referring now to FIG. 7, in another embodiment, the remote
start unit 160" includes
28 a common housing 163" that carries the second bus interface 161", the
short-range remote
29 start wireless device 162", and the remote start controller 164".
Elements illustrated but not
specifically described with respect to the embodiments in FIGS. 4 and 5 are
similar to the those
31 described above and need not be further described.
CPST Doc. 54406.2 13
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
CA 3,062,636
CPST Ref: 11053/00015
1 [0051] A method aspect is directed to a remote start method for a
vehicle 131 that includes
2 first and second data communications busses 151, 152 and a vehicle
tracking unit 134 coupled
3 to the first data communications bus. The method includes, at the vehicle
tracking unit 134
4 including a first bus interface 136 to be coupled to the first data
communications bus 151, a
vehicle position determining device 137, a long-range tracker wireless device
138, a short-range
6 tracker wireless device 139 having a shorter operating range than the
long-range tracker
7 wireless device, and a tracker controller 140 coupled to the first bus
interface, the vehicle
8 position determining device, the long-range tracker wireless device, and
the short-range tracker
9 wireless device, sending vehicle position information via the long-range
tracker wireless device
based upon the vehicle positioning determining device. The method also
includes, at a remote
11 start unit 160 that includes a second bus interface 161 to be coupled to
the second data
12 communications bus 152, a short-range remote start wireless device 162
configured to establish
13 a short-range wireless link with the short-range tracker wireless device
139, and a remote start
14 controller 164 coupled to the second bus interface 161 and the short-
range remote start
wireless device 162, receiving a remote start command from the long-range
tracker wireless
16 device 138 via the short-range wireless link and sending at least one
remote start data bus
17 command onto the second data communications bus via the second bus
interface based upon
18 the remote start command.
19 [0052] Many modifications and other embodiments will come to the
mind of one skilled in
the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing
descriptions and the
21 associated drawings. Therefore, it is understood that the disclosure is
not to be limited to the
22 specific embodiments set forth above, and that modifications and
embodiments are intended to
23 be included within the scope of the appended claims.
24
CPST Doc: 54406.2 14
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-05-17
