Patent ID: 8618928

Claim:
A method for wireless health monitoring of a locator beacon mechanically attached to a housing of a data recorder provided to record specific performance parameters of a vehicle, comprising: coupling a first Transponder and Sensor Module (TSM) directly to or adjacent to said locator beacon such that at least one condition of said locator beacon or a battery of said locator beacon can be remotely monitored with assistance of the first TSM, wherein the first TSM comprises a first electronic circuit with a power source separate from the battery of the locator beacon and wherein said coupling is provided by at least one of a pressure sensitive adhesive disposed along a peripheral edge of said first TSM, at least one securing protrusion extending from said first TSM and frictionally engaging a surface of a bracket used to mount said locator beacon to an object, at least one clip clipping said first TSM to said locator beacon or said bracket, and at least one clamp clamping said first TSM to said locator beacon or said bracket; periodically detecting said condition by said first TSM; wirelessly transmitting, from said first TSM to a wireless device electrically coupled to a second electronic circuit of the data recorder and located in proximity to said first TSM, a signal including information describing said condition detected by said first TSM; communicating the information from the wireless device to the second electronic circuit via a wired connection; using the information by the second electronic circuit to detect a data recorder failure.