Patent ID: 8489271

Claim:
A system configured to estimate the ignition state of a vehicle without a connection to the ignition line of the vehicle, comprising: a processor; a motion detector configured to detect vehicle motion and to enable the processor to obtain motion data; a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver configured to determine location and to enable the processor to obtain at least speed data; a radio transceiver configured to communicate with the processor; a power supply configured to connect to a power line; and a voltage detector configured to enable the processor to obtain voltage data, wherein the voltage data is indicative of voltage measurements at the power supply; wherein the processor is configured to: determine initial power supply voltage data using the voltage detector; detect changed voltage data using the voltage data and the voltage detector; estimate an ignition state of on for the vehicle using the initial power supply voltage data, the changed voltage data, the motion data, and the speed data when the changed voltage data is indicative of an increase in the voltage measurements at the power supply; and estimate an ignition state of off for the vehicle using the initial power supply voltage data, the changed voltage data, the motion data, and the speed data when the changed voltage data is indicative of a decrease in the voltage measurements at the power supply.