Patent ID: 6484035
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: B60R,G01S

Abstract:
A triggerable location-reporting apparatus for use in an environment including: a source of Global Positioning Satellite System (GPS) signals; a source of a trigger signal; a cellular base station connected through a network to a gateway; the cellular base station being configured to expect a Reverse Control Channel signal including a Mobile Identification Number and an Electronic Serial Number, the triggerable location-reporting apparatus comprising:a GPS receiver responsive to the GPS signals for producing GPS data when enabled; a data selector for selecting less than all of the GPS data, to produce selected GPS data; a cellular network transmitter coupled to the data selector for formatting and transmitting, when enabled, a Reverse Control Channel signal including the selected GPS data in the place normally occupied by the Electronic Serial Number and a Mobile Identification Number that will cause the cellular base station to send a Registration Notification Invoke signal including the selected GPS data to the gateway; a trigger signal receiver responsive to the trigger signal for producing an enable signal; an enable controller coupled to the GPS receiver, the cellular network transmitter, and the trigger signal receiver; the enable controller being configured to enable the GPS receiver and the cellular network transmitter upon receipt of the enable signal from the trigger signal receiver; and the enable controller being configured to disable the GPS receiver and the cellular network transmitter; wherein the data selector reorders the selected GPS data.