Patent ID: 7286040

Claim:
A method of monitoring a vehicular state, the method comprising; receiving a first signal at a vehicle; the first signal being received at the vehicle at a first frequency from a first device external to the vehicle prior to the vehicle having reached a location; the first signal including an identity associated with the first device; receiving a second signal at the vehicle; the second signal being received at the vehicle at a second frequency from a second device external to the vehicle after the vehicle has traveled beyond the location; the second signal including an identity associated with the second device; wherein the second device is functionally different from the first device; transmitting data from the vehicle at the second frequency responsive to the vehicle having received the first and second signals and having violated at least one aspect of law; storing the data at the vehicle responsive to receiving at the vehicle a confirmation signal from the second device indicating that the data transmitted by the vehicle has been received by the second device; and refraining from responding to at least one other signal that is received at the vehicle from the second device after receiving the confirmation signal; wherein refraining is responsive to receiving the confirmation signal and to the at least one other signal including the identity associated with the second device; wherein transmitting data from the vehicle is performed a plurality of times responsive to a respective plurality of signals received at the vehicle from the second device prior to receiving the confirmation signal at the vehicle and wherein transmitting data from the vehicle is suppressed following receiving the confirmation signal at the vehicle even though one or more signals including the identity associated with the second device are received at the vehicle from the second device after receiving the confirmation signal at the vehicle.