초록

Systems and methods are provided for tracking vehicle maintenance information. The systems and methods employ wireless communication signals transmitted and received by mboile units, including mobile telephones, palm devices and base stations.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for tracking vehicle maintenance information by a system administrator, comprising: identifying by the system administrator a vehicle associated with a vehicle identifier of a receiving mobile unit; determining a warning associated with the vehicle; generating baseba

What is claimed is: 1. A method for tracking vehicle maintenance information by a system administrator, comprising: identifying by the system administrator a vehicle associated with a vehicle identifier of a receiving mobile unit; determining a warning associated with the vehicle; generating baseband message data indicating the warning by constructing at least one data packet from a plurality of data fields, the data fields including a unique identifier of a transmitting mobile unit, and the vehicle identifier of the receiving mobile unit; upconverting the baseband message data to radio frequency for transmission to the receiving mobile unit; transmitting the upconverted baseband message data from the transmitting mobile unit to the receiving mobile unit, thereby indicating the warning; and receiving a confirmation of receipt from the receiving mobile unit including parsing the confirmation of receipt to confirm the warning was received. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the warning represents a need for maintenance. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the warning represents a recall notification. 4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving an identifying signal transmitted by the receiving mobile unit, the identifying signal including the vehicle identifier and a status of the vehicle; wherein determining the vehicle identifier includes parsing the identifying signal to determine the vehicle identifier; and determining the status including parsing the identifying signal to determine the status. 5. The method of claim 4 wherein receiving the identifying signal is performed upon request. 6. The method of claim 4 wherein receiving the identifying signal is performed automatically. 7. The method of claim 1 further including: filtering a plurality of receiving mobile units to a subset of receiving mobile units; and wherein the receiving mobile unit is one of the subset of receiving mobile units. 8. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting is performed by a repeater. 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting mobile unit is a base station. 10. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the upconverted baseband message data from the transmitting mobile unit to the receiving mobile unit comprises transmitting the baseband message data over a global computer network. 11. The method of claim 1 wherein transmitting the upconverted baseband message data from the transmitting mobile unit to the upconverted baseband message data from the transmitting mobile unit to the receiving mobile unit comprises transmitting a voice communication. 12. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the confirmation of receipt comprises receiving a voice communication from the receiving mobile unit. 13. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the confirmation of receipt comprises receiving a dat communication from the receiving mobile unit. 14. A method for tracking vehicle maintenance information, comprising: identifying by a system administrator a vehicle associated with a vehicle identifier of a receiving mobile unit; determining a warning associated with the vehicle; generating baseband message data indicating the warning by constructing at least one data packet from a plurality of data fields, the data fields including a unique identifier of a transmitting mobile unit, and the vehicle identifier of the receiving mobile unit; upconverting the baseband message data to radio frequency for transmission to the receiving mobile unit; transmitting a wireless communication signal representing the upconverted baseband message data from the transmitting mobile unit to the receiving mobile unit, thereby indicating the warning; receiving the wireless communication signal at the receiving mobile unit associated with the vehicle, the wireless communication signal transmitted by the system administrator; downconverting data in the received wireless communication signal from radio frequency to baseband; determining based on the downcoverted data the warning associated with the vehicle; exerting electromechanical control over the vehicle; outputting the warning to a driver of the vehicle through an audio-visual interface; and transmitting a confirmation of receipt from the receiving mobile unit to the system administrator; and receiving the confirmation of receipt from the receiving mobile unit including parsing the confirmation of receipt to confirm the warning was received. 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the warning represents a need for maintenance. 16. The method of claim 14 wherein the warning represents a recall notification. 17. The method of claim 14 further comprising: employing an electromechanical interface to obtain a status; and transmitting an identifying signal from the receiving mobile unit to the system administrator, the identifying signal including the vehicle indentifier and the status of the vehicle. 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising receiving a request to provide vehicle information. 19. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining whether to automatically provide vehicle information. 20. The method of claim 14 wherein exerting electromechanical control over the vehicle includes reducing volume of a stereo system of the vehicle. 21. The method of claim 14 wherein exerting electromechanical control over the vehicle includes stopping a stereo system of the vehicle. 22. The method of claim 14 wherein exerting electromechanical control over the vehicle includes communicating through at least one speaker. 23. The method of claim 14 further including authorizing the system administrator to exert electromechanical control over the vehicle. 24. A system for tracking vehicle maintenance information by a system administrator, comprising: means for identifying by the system administrator a vehicle associated with a vehicle identifier of a receiving mobile unit; means for determining a warning associated with the vehicle; means for generating baseband message data indicating the warning by constructing at least one data packet from a plurality of data fields, the data fields including a unique identifier of a transmitting mobile unit, and the vehicle identifier of the receiving mobile unit; means for upconverting the baseband message data to radio frequency for transmission to the receiving mobile unit; means for transmitting the upconverted baseband message data from the transmitting mobile unit to the receiving mobile unit, thereby indicating the warning; and means for receiving a confirmation of receipt from the receiving mobile unit including means for parsing the confirmation of receipt to confirm the warning was received. 25. The system of claim 24 wherein the warning represents a need for maintenance. 26. The system of claim 24 wherein the warning represents a recall notification. 27. The system of claim 24 further comprising: means for receiving an identifying signal transmitted by the receiving mobile unit, the identifying signal including the vehicle identifier and a status of the vehicle; wherein the means for determining the vehicle identifier parses the identifying signal to determine the vehicle identifier; and means for determining the status including parsing the identifying signal to determine the status. 28. The system of claim 24 further including: means for filtering a plurality of receiving mobile units to a subset of receiving mobile units; and wherein the receiving mobile unit is one of the subset of receiving mobile units. 29. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for transmitting includes a repeater. 30. The system of claim 24 wherein the transmitting mobile unit is a base station. 31. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for transmitting the upconverted baseband message data from the transmitting mobile unit to the receiving mobile unit is further operative to transmit the baseband message data over a global computer network. 32. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for transmitting the upconverted baseband message data from the transmitting mobile unit to the receiving mobile unit transmits a voice communication. 33. The system of claim 24 wherein the means for receiving the confirmation of receipt comprises means for receiving a voice communication from the receiving mobile unit. 34. The system of claim 24 wherein the menas for receiving the confirmation of receipt comprises means for receiving a data communication from the receiving mobile unit. 35. A system for tracking vehicle maintenance information, comprising: means for identifying by a system administrator a vehicle associated with a vehicle identifier of a receiving mobile unit; means for determining a warning associated with the vehicle; means for generating baseband message data including the warning by constructing at least one data packet from a plurality of data fields, the data fields including a unique identifier of a transmitting mobile unit, and the vehicle identifier of the receiving mobile unit; means for upconverting the baseband message data to radio frequency for transmission to the receiving mobile unit; means for transmitting a wireless communication signal representing the upconverted baseband message data from the transmitting mobile unit to the receiving mobile unit, thereby indicating the warning; means for receiving the wireless communication signal at the receiving mobile unit associated with the vehicle, the wireless communication signal transmitted by the system administrator; means for downconverting data in the received wireless communication signal from radio frequency to baseband; means for determining based on the downconverted data the warning associated with the vehicle; means for exerting electromechanical control over the vehicle; means for outputting the warning to a driver of the vehicle through an audio-visual interface; means for transmitting a confirmation of receipt from the receiving mobile unit to the system administrator; and means for receiving a confirmation of receipt from the receiving mobile unit including means for parsing the confirmation of receipt to confirm the warning was received. 36. The system of claim 35 wherein the warning represents a need for maintenance. 37. The system of claim 35 wherein the warning represents a recall notification. 38. The system of claim 35 further comprising: an electromechanical interface to obtain a status of the vehicle; and means for transmitting an identifying signal from the receiving mobile unit to the system administrator, the identifying signal including the vehicle identifier and the status of the vehicle. 39. The system of claim 38 further comprising means for receiving a request to provide vehicle information. 40. The system of claim 38 further comprising means for determining whether to automatically provide vehicle information. 41. The system of claim 35 wherein the means for exerting electromechanical control over the vehicle is operative to reduce volume of a stereo system of the vehicle. 42. The system of claim 35 wherein the means for exerting electromechanical control over the vehicle is operative to stop a stereo system of the vehicle. 43. The system of claim 35 wherein the means for exerting electromechanical control over the vehicle is operative to communicate through at least one speaker. 44. The system of claim 35 further includes means for authorizing the system administrator to exert electromechanical control over the vehicle.