Abstract:
An LED taillight with an integrated GPS tracking system is disclosed therein. The GPS tracking system is hidden behind the LED portion of the LED taillight so that the GPS tracking system is not noticeable by someone inspecting a trailer on which the LED taillight is installed. Additionally, power sent to the LED taillight to power the LEDs also recharge a battery associated with the GPS tracking system and power the GPS tracking system during use.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable 
     STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     The various aspects described herein relate to a covert GPS tracking system associated with the rear taillight of the trailer. 
     There are a significant number of commercial trailers in the United States. The trailers are loaned and borrowed amongst a fleet of vehicles and are parked at various locations within an area. Because of the sheer volume of commercial trailers in the United States, it is difficult to keep track of the trailers. Moreover, since the commercial trailers are not specifically associated or permanently coupled with any particular registered vehicle, the trailers can be more easily stolen by a thief. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for addressing certain deficiencies in relation to the security and monitoring of commercial trailers. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     A LED (Light Emitting Diode) taillight with integrated GPS tracking system is disclosed herein. The LED taillight has a small package in relation to its depth because the LED does not require a parabolic reflector behind the LED to redirect light that is directed backwards to the front. Because the LED portion of the LED taillight does not take a significant amount of space in relation to its depth, the GPS tracking system is attached to the back side of the LED layer. The GPS tracking system is used to track the vehicle to which the LED taillight with integrated GPS tracking system is mounted to. The vehicle may be a commercial trailer, truck or any other vehicle that needs to be tracked. The LED taillight operates in the same manner as an incandescent rear taillight. Moreover, the power from the vehicle not only operates the LED taillight but also charges a rechargeable battery associated with the GPS tracking system and operation of the GPS tracking system during use. Because the GPS tracking system is behind the LED and is not visible from an external inspection of the vehicle and no equipment is externally mounted to the vehicle or trailer so as to be visible by someone walking around the trailer vehicle, the LED taillight hides the GPS tracking system so that a thief does not know that the trailer has the GPS tracking system. 
     More particularly, a GPS tracking system for a truck and commercial trailer is disclosed. The system may comprise a semitransparent red lamp cover, a LED PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly), GPS tracker PCBA, recharging circuit, rechargeable battery, and three pin connector. The semitransparent red lamp cover may be sized and configured to fit a rubber grommet or a metallic or rigid mounting ring of an incandescent 4″ round rear brake and turn light. The LED PCBA may be specifically designed to allow maximum reception and transmission of RF (Radio Frequency) em-waves (electromagnetic waves) used by the GPS tracker PCBA behind it in order to guarantee the best performance of GPS reception and cellular communication. The LEDs may be disposed immediately adjacent to the lamp cover on the LED PCBA so that light from the LEDs is transmitted through the lamp cover and projects a red light when the LEDs emit light. The electrical-conductive tracks may be formed on the LED PCBA for connecting the LEDs to power. The GPS tracker PCBA may have a GPS antenna mounted on it. The LEDs and the electrical-conductive tracks on the LED PCBA may be carefully designed to avoid overlapping or at least not significantly overlapping with the GPS antenna reception area so that the GPS performance could be guaranteed. The LEDs are connected directly to the power inlet by the three pin connector so that the lamp function can work independently. The rechargeable battery is connected to the three pin connector via a recharging circuit. The first pin of the three pin connector may be electrically connectable to a tail light pin. The second pin of the three pin connector may be connectable to a brake light of the tail light pin so that the rechargeable battery is recharged when a taillight is turned on or when the user is braking. 
     A material of the LED PCBA may be plastic, polyester or FR-4 epoxy glass. 
     The LEDs and the electrical-conductive tracks do not overlap the GPS antenna reception area. 
     In another aspect, a taillight for a truck trailer with an integrated GPS tracking system self-containable within a taillight socket of the truck trailer is disclosed. The taillight may comprise a semitransparent red lamp cover, LED PCBA, GPS tracker PCBA, recharging circuit, rechargeable battery, and a three pin connector. The semitransparent red lamp cover may be sized and configured to fit a rubber mounting grommet or a metallic or rigid mounting ring of an incandescent rear brake and turn light. The LEDs may be disposed immediately adjacent to the lamp cover so that light from the LEDs is transmitted through the lamp cover and projects a red light when the LEDs emit light. The LEDs are connected directly to the power inlet by the three pin connector so that the lamp function can work independently. The rechargeable battery is connected to the three pin connector via a recharging circuit. The first pin of the three pin connector may be electrically connectable to a tail light pin. The second pin of the three pin connector may be connectable to a brake light of the tail light pin so that the rechargeable battery is recharged when a taillight is turned on or when the user is braking. The taillight and the GPS tracking system may fit entirely within an existing taillight socket for an incandescent light taillight of the truck trailer and configured to fit a rubber mounting grommet or metallic or rigid mounting ring of an incandescent rear brake and turn light. 
     In another aspect, a trailer for a truck is disclosed. The trailer may comprise the following components: a plurality of wheels and a platform with the plurality of wheels attached to the platform; passenger side and driver side rear light cavities; first and second rubber grommets or metallic or rigid mounting rings disposed within the passenger side and driver side rear light cavities; a covert GPS tracking system mounted to either of the passenger side or driver side rear light cavities via the first or second rubber grommets or metallic or rigid mounting rings; a rear tail and brake light mounted to the other one of the passenger side or driver side rear light cavities via the other one of the first or second rubber mounting grommets or metallic or rigid mounting rings. 
     The covert GPS tracking system may include a semitransparent red lamp cover sized and configured to fit a rubber mounting grommet or a metallic or rigid mounting ring of an incandescent rear brake and turn light; light emitting diodes disposed immediately adjacent to the lamp cover on a LED PCBA so that light from the LEDs is transmitted through the lamp cover and projects a red light when the LEDs emit light; The LEDs are connected directly to the power inlet by the three pin connector so that the lamp function can work independently; The rechargeable battery is connected to the three pin connector via a recharging circuit, the first pin electrically connectable to a tail light pin and the second pin connectable to a brake light of the tail light pin so that the rechargeable battery is recharged when a taillight is turned on or when the user is braking. 
     The rear tail and brake light may have an identical configuration compared to the covert GPS tracking system mounted on the other side of the trailer so that the GPS tracking system can self-disguise as a common taillight. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a back view of a trailer having an incandescent taillight; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of the taillight shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the taillight removed from the trailer; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an LED taillight having a GPS tracking system integrated with the LED taillight electrically connected to the trailer; 
         FIG. 5  is a back view of the trailer having the LED taillight with integrated GPS tracking system; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the taillight shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective cross-sectional view of the taillight shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the LED taillight with integrated GPS tracking system; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a schematic diagram of the LED taillight and the integrated GPS tracking system; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates software logic used to determine a state of the LED taillight and the GPS tracking system; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates software logic used to determine a reporting mode for the LED taillight and the GPS tracking system; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates software logic used to determine an alert status; and 
         FIG. 13  is a top view of the LED PCBA with the cellular modem antenna formed on the LED mounting layer and illustrating a position of the GPS antenna reception area. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, a GPS tracking system  10  (see  FIG. 6 ) may be incorporated into a taillight  14  and installed on a trailer  12  (see  FIG. 1 ). The GPS tracking system  10  is not noticeable from an exterior inspection of the trailer  12 . Accordingly, when a thief wants to steal the trailer  12 , the thief would not know about the GPS tracking system. The GPS tracking system  10  transmits position information (e.g. geographical coordinates) to a server so that an owner of the trailer  12  can locate the trailer  12  if it has been stolen or to find out the location of the trailer for one reason or another. In this regard, the GPS tracking system  10  includes a global positioning system and a receiver which receives signals from satellites regarding longitude, latitude and time information. The GPS tracking system  10  may also include a cellular modem for transmitting the current location of the trailer (i.e. GPS tracking system  10 ) to the server when the location of the trailer is needed. Additionally, the electronics of the GPS tracking system  10  is powered by a rechargeable battery. The taillight  14  receives power or electricity when the running lights of the truck are on, when the brake lights are activated and also when the side blinkers are activated. The electricity or power supply to the taillight  14  also charges the battery  38  (See  FIG. 6 ) throughout the day and night during use of the trailer. During long distance drives when the truck is operational during nighttime, the battery  38  is recharged because the running lights of the truck are lit up. During short distance drives such as during the day, the battery  38  is recharged because the brake lights are frequently activated while driving even if the running lights of the truck are not on. The activation of the brake lights also charge the battery  38  during nighttime driving but the battery  38  is being primarily recharged because external lights of the truck are lit on. Moreover, because the GPS tracking system  10  is incorporated into a safety feature of the truck, namely, the taillight  14 , a thief cannot merely break the GPS tracking system  10  because doing so would also make the taillight  14  inoperable and cause a police officer to pull the truck over for a broken taillight and catch the thief. 
     More particularly, referring now to  FIGS. 1-7 , an installation of the taillight  14  incorporating the GPS tracking system  10  is shown. The old taillight  16  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The old taillight  16  may be received into a taillight socket  18  (see  FIG. 2 ) of the trailer  12 . The socket  18  has a depth  20  that is sufficient to receive the incandescent bulb  22  and the parabolic reflector  24  that redirects light directed backwards through the red translucent cover  26  of the taillight  16 . In order to install the new taillight  14  on the trailer  12  (see  FIG. 5 ), a rubber mounting grommet  28  (see  FIG. 2 ) mounted to the inner periphery  30  of an opening of the socket  18  is removed from the socket  18 . Additionally, the old taillight  16  is removed from the rubber mounting grommet  28 . 
     With the rubber mounting grommet  28  removed from the opening  32  of the socket  18  and the old taillight  16  removed from the rubber mounting grommet  28 , the old taillight  16  is disconnected from an electrical system of the trailer  12  powered by the truck. In particular, a wire loom  34  is removed from a pigtail connector  36  (see  FIG. 3 ). Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the new taillight  14  is connected to the electrical system of the trailer  12  by connecting the wire loom  34  into the pigtail connector  36  of the new taillight  14 . The taillight  14  may have any type of pigtail connector known in the art and are developed in the future as well as the wire loom  34 . However, if the existing wire loom  34  on the trailer  12  is different from the pigtail connector  36  of the new taillight  14 , the wires  38  of the wire loom  34  may be cut and a corresponding wire loom  34  to the pigtail connector  36  of the new taillight  14  may be spliced into the electrical system of the trailer  12 . The new taillight  14  in relation to the red light emitting from the taillight  14  operates the same as the old taillight  16  when the running lights are on, turn lights are on or the brake lights are turned on. When the new taillight  14  is powered, the power also recharges the rechargeable battery  38  used to power the GPS tracking system  10  of the new taillight  14 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the new taillight  14  may be mounted to the socket  18  of the trailer  12  by utilizing the existing rubber mounting grommet  28  or alternatively as shown in  FIG. 5 , a metallic or rigid mounting ring  40  may be utilized in order to more securely attach the new taillight  14  to the socket  18 . 
     Preferably, the existing rubber mounting grommet  28  is utilized in order to secure the taillight  14  to the trailer  12 . This helps the taillight  14  to blend in with the trailer  12  and mitigates a thief from identifying the taillight  14  as a unique item or one where the GPS tracking system  10  may be located so that the thief could try to disable the GPS tracking system  10 . However, it is also contemplated that the mounting ring  40  may also be utilized and yet still allow the taillight  14  to be unnoticeable to a thief. If the mounting ring  40  is utilized to mount the taillight  14  to the trailer  12 , then all of the taillights may be replaced and the mounting ring  40  utilized to mount the taillights so that there is a level of uniformity amongst all of the taillights on the trailer. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , the taillight  14  may have a light emitting diode light source  42 . Behind the light emitting diode light source, the taillight  14  may also have GPS tracking system  10 . The LEDs of the LED light source  42  may be mounted to an opaque board  46 . The LEDs may be visible from the exterior side of the taillight  14  but the electronics including but not limited to the GPS tracking system  10  is not visible from the exterior side of the taillight  14  so that the GPS tracking system  10  is not noticeable to a thief or an observer from the outside by one walking around the trailer  12 . A thickness  48  of the taillight  14  as measured from an interior side of the socket  18  to a proximal end  50  of the taillight  14  may be less than a depth  20  from the interior side of the socket  18  to a far surface  52  of the socket  18 . In this way, the LEDs being of a flat configuration which does not require a parabolic reflector as in the incandescent light bulb  22  taillight  16 , provides additional space in the socket  18  for the GPS tracking system  10 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a perspective cross-sectional view of the taillight  14  installed in the socket  18  of the trailer  12  is shown. 
     The trailer  12  may have one or two left taillights and one or two right taillights. The taillight  14  may be installed at one or all of the left taillights and/or one or all of the right taillights of the trailer  12 . The GPS tracker PCBA  58  (see  FIG. 3 ) is behind the LED PCBA  56 , so if a thief wants to disable the GPS tracking system by smashing the device the LEDs will also be damaged. In this manner, if the thief disables the GPS tracking system  10  in order to steal the trailer  12 , the lighting function of the taillight will malfunction and a police officer will stop the trailer for a broken taillight. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the taillight  14  may include the LEDs, GPS tracking system  10  and a cellular modem housed within a standard round four (4) inch LED stop/turn/tail light use by heavy trucks and trailers. The taillight  14  may have a lens cover  54 . The lens cover  54  may be a translucent red color so that when the LEDs are illuminated, the taillight  14  emits a red light. Additionally, the lens cover  54  may be transparent to radio frequency electromagnetic waves in order to guarantee a good reception of GPS signals from GPS satellites to a GPS antenna  68 . Preferably, the lens cover  54  is circular and matches the lens cover of the old taillight  16  in order to blend in with the old taillights  16 . Immediately behind the lens cover  54  may be a LED PCBA  56  which may contain the LEDs  42  that illuminates the taillight  14 . 
     The LED PCBA  56  is shown in  FIG. 13 . The LED PCBA  56  may be fabricated from a material typical of a printed circuit board. By way of example and not limitation, the material of the LED PCBA  56  may be plastic, polyester, FR-4 glass epoxy or other materials that are known in the art or developed in the future so long as the material is transparent to radiofrequency electromagnetic waves. The transparency of the LED PCBA  56  to radiofrequency electromagnetic waves is so that the antenna  68  for receiving GPS signals and also for transmitting a cellular signal from the cellular antenna  72 . The antenna  72  of the cellular modem may be formed on the LED PCBA top layer  56  as shown in  FIG. 13  for the purposes of physically positioning the cellular antenna  72  as close to a plane of the opening  32  (see  FIG. 3 ) of the taillight socket  18  and preferably on the outside of the plane of the opening  32  of the taillight socket  18 . 
     Behind the LED PCBA  56 , a GPS tracker PCBA  58  (see  FIG. 8 ) may be located and comprise the GPS tracking system  10 . The GPS tracker PCBA  58  may be one or more printed circuit boards stacked upon each other, or placed side-by-side with each other. The GPS tracker PCBA  58  may be utilized to mount the GPS antenna  68 . The GPS antenna  68  may be a ceramic patch antenna  68 . The antenna  68  is positioned behind the LED PCBA  56  so that the LEDs  42  do not overlap the antenna  68 . Moreover, the copper tracks  150  do not overlap the antenna  68 . Although it is shown and described that the LEDs  42  and the copper tracks  150  (see  FIG. 13 ) on the LED PCBA  56  does not overlap the GPS antenna  68 , it is also contemplated that the LEDs  42  and the copper tracks  150  may overlap and cover less than 50% or less, and more preferably less than 5% of the surface area of the antenna  68 , if there is an overlap. The position of the antenna  68  on the PCBA layer in relation to the LEDs  42  and the copper tracks  150  on the LED mounting layer  56  may be adjusted so that the GPS antenna can have optimum reception of GPS signals. 
     The battery  38  may be located behind the GPS tracker PCBA  58  and be accessible by way of a battery cover  60  that has a weather seal  62  that interfaces with a housing  54  of the taillight  14  so that water and dust does not get into the housing  64  of the taillight  14  and disrupt operation of the taillight  14 . The pigtail connector  36  may be secured to the housing  64  and may provide electrical communication to the electronics of the taillight  14 . 
     The GPS tracker PCBA  58  (see  FIG. 9 ) may include the GPS module  66  and a GPS antenna  68  which may be responsible for obtaining and processing the signals received from the orbiting GPS satellites. The output of the GPS module  66  and the GPS antenna  68  may be the latitude and longitude, speed, direction and time stamp for the current location of the taillight  14 . The GPS tracker PCBA  58  may also include the cellular modem  70  and the cellular antenna  72  which may be connected to, and communicate on the cellular spectrum as broadcast from the cellular towers as placed by the various telecommunications providers. The GPS tracker PCBA  58  may also include a SIM card  74  which may contain a profile and configuration for a telecommunications provider provisioning a cellular service used by the cellular modem  70 . 
     The GPS tracker PCBA  58  may also include a microcontroller module  76  (see  FIG. 9 ) which may control the functioning, operation and data flow in the GPS tracking system  10 . Firmware may reside in the microcontroller module  76  and instruct, interact and control the various components on the GPS tracker PCBA  58  and may ensure that the GPS tracking system  10  operates in the manner intended. A motion sensor  78  may be connected to the microcontroller  76 . The motion sensor  78  may be a microchip containing movement sensors for at least one linear axis, and preferably all three linear axes. The motion sensor  78  may provide input to the microcontroller  76  whenever it  78  senses motion along any one of the three axes. The GPS tracker PCBA  58  may also include a flash memory module  80  which may provide dynamic memory storage for the microcontroller  76  to store working data, session parameters, session history, status of the other modules and received location data from the GPS module  66  if the cellular modem  70  is not able to connect to a cellular network. 
     The GPS tracker PCBA  58  (see  FIG. 9 ) may also include a power management module  82  which may control the energy used by the GPS tracking system  10 . The power management module  82  may also monitor the power levels from the vehicle connected power leads  84  and the voltage level of the rechargeable battery  38 . The power management module  82  may interact with the microcontroller  76  to advise the energy status as well as receive instructions. By monitoring the incoming voltage levels from the connected leads  84 , the power management module  82  may also control the illumination of the LEDs  42  in the taillight  14  used to indicate the brake and taillight functions. The rechargeable battery  38  may be a lithium-ion rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery  38  may be connected to the power management module  82  and may receive a measured charging current whenever the power management module  82  is actively receiving power from the vehicle connected leads  84 . By doing so, the rechargeable battery  38  is being charged when the running lights are on which is typically when the vehicle is being driven during nighttime. The rechargeable battery  38  is also being charged during the daytime because daytime driving frequently requires the brake lights. Accordingly whether the vehicle is being driven a long distance which is typically during nighttime or being driven a short distance which is typically during daytime, the rechargeable battery  38  is being recharged in order to power the GPS tracking system  10 . The rechargeable battery  38  may also provide voltage and current back the power management module whenever the connected leads  84  of the vehicle are not supplying electricity due to the trailer  12  being untethered or the tail lights  14  are not switched on or there is no braking activity. In this mode, the power management module  82  will respond to instructions from the microcontroller  76  and retrieve energy from the battery  38  to feed back to the microcontroller  76  which in turn may selectively provide power to the other modules to ensure the GPS tracking system  10  continues operation in the appropriate mode as determined by the firmware. 
     The firmware of the GPS tracking system  10  performs a number of discrete functions. High level logic of the firmware is represented by  FIGS. 10-12 . The start point  100  may represent when the GPS tracking system  10  is powered up either by 1) voltage being supplied via the vehicle connected leads  84  or 2) at least 3.4 volts DC being available from the rechargeable battery  38 . While the battery  38  may have a nominal voltage value of 4.2 volts, the microcontroller  76  may continue to function until the available voltage falls beneath 3.4 volts. At 3.4 volts and in the absence of power from the vehicle connected leads  84 , the microcontroller  76  may put all the other modules as shown in  FIG. 9  ‘sleep’ or ‘low energy’ mode. The microcontroller  76  may continue to monitor the available voltage and as it increases, it will commence to bring selected modules into ‘work’ or ‘high energy’ mode. Above 3.4 volts, the microcontroller  76  may initiate software routines which will activate the GSM and GPS modules bringing the GPS tracking system  10  into operational mode. 
     The step labelled ‘Initialize’  102  may represent the situation where the available voltage to the microcontroller  76  is at least 3.4 volts. At this level, the microcontroller  76  may initiate its primary routines. The first primary routine  104  may determine whether there is voltage available from the vehicle connected leads  84 , specifically the lead that provides voltage to the LEDs used as tail lamp illuminators. If there is sufficient voltage present, the microcontroller  76  may initiate Fast Tracking Mode  106 . If the previous routine  104  determines that the vehicle voltage is not available, then the microcontroller  76  may measure the voltage level of the battery  38  and if the voltage level of the battery  38  is above 3.4 volts, the microcontroller  76  may initiate Asset Tracking Mode  108 . If the voltage level of the battery  38  is less than 3.4 volts, the microcontroller  76  will enter a sleep mode  110  until either the connected vehicle leads  84  provide voltage or the voltage levels in the battery  38  exceed 3.4 volts. 
     When Fast Tracking Mode  106  is initiated  112  (see  FIG. 11 ), the GPS module  66  and cellular modem  70  may be powered up and remain powered until this mode  106  is exited. While the GPS module  66  is acquiring a location fix, the microcontroller  76  transmits operational, performance, command and status information to the cellular modem  70  which may transmit this information called a Pulse report  114  using a UDP (User Datagram Protocol) to the back-end servers. When the GPS module  66  has acquired its location fix, the cellular modem  70  may transmit the location information called a location report  116  using the UDP to the back-end servers. The microcontroller  76  may also set the configurable frequency of the reports  114 ,  116  in Fast Tracking Mode  112  and enters a time loop  118  to wait until the next reporting event. The Power Management Module  82  may then be instructed to check the voltage level available from the vehicle connected leads  84  and transmits the value back to the microcontroller  76 . If the microcontroller  76  determines that there is no power available from the vehicle connected leads  84 , the microcontroller may terminate Fast Tracking Mode  106  and return to the first level startup routine  120 . 
     For Asset Tracking Mode  108 , the routine first checks  122  for voltage on the vehicle connected leads  84  and if present, this mode  108  is terminated by the microcontroller  76  and the Fast Tracking Mode  106  may be initiated  124  instead. The microcontroller  76  may use an internal timer to determine when to power up the GPS module  66  of the GPS tracking system  10 . Also, while the timer is counting down, if the motion sensor module  78  detects motion  126 , the microcontroller  76  may bypass the timer and power up  128  the GPS module  66  immediately. The GPS module  66  may have three modes; hot start, warm start and cold start. The hot start is when the GPS module  66  remembers its last calculated position and the satellites in view, the almanac used (information about all the satellites in the constellation), and the UTC Time. In this instance, the GPS module  66  makes an attempt to lock  130  onto the same satellites and calculate a new position based upon the previous information. This is the quickest GPS lock but it only works if the GPS module  66  is generally in the same location as when the GPS module  66  was last turned off. The warm start is when the GPS module  66  remembers its last calculated position, almanac used, and UTC Time, but not which satellites were in view. The GPS module  66  may then perform a reset and attempt to obtain the satellite signals and calculate a new position. If there is a significant change in distance  132 , then the location report  134  and the pulse report  136  are transmitted to the server over the cellular modem. The receiver may have a general idea of which satellites to look for because it knows its last position and the almanac data helps identify which satellites are visible in the sky. This takes longer than a hot start but not as long as a cold start. The cold start is when the GPS module  66  dumps all the information, attempts to locate satellites and then calculates a GPS lock. This takes the longest because there is no known information as a significant period of time has passed since the last GPS session and any stored data would be worthless as the satellites used for a location last time would have continued in their orbits and passed out of range. If the GPS module  66  cannot fix a location  138  within the time period allocated by the microcontroller  76 , only the Pulse report  136  is sent otherwise the new location is compared to the last stored location to determine whether a real location change has occurred  132 . If no change is noted, the routine will end  140  otherwise if it is determined that a significant location change has occurred, the cellular modem will transmit the newly acquired location information using UDP to the back end servers. The Pulse report  136  is also sent to the back end servers and upon successful completion of the transmission, the microcontroller will initiate the timer and put the other modules into sleep mode  142  to conserver battery power. 
     The taillight  14  is shown and described as being a circular configuration. However, other configurations are also contemplating including but not limited to oval, triangular, rectangular or combinations thereof. 
     The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.