A method and apparatus for locating and communicating with vehicles is provided, including at least one mobile cellular unit connected to at least one microprocessor and installed within a vehicle. The microprocessor interrogates the mobile cellular unit to obtain location information from an overhead message stream transmitted from cellular telephone transmitter sites. The location is displayed on a display located in the vehicle or the microprocessor periodically instructs the mobile cellular unit to initiate a call to a host controller and, upon receipt of transmitting instructions from the host controller, transmits the location information for display on a screen connected to the host controller.

Vehicle locating and communicating method and apparatus

A messaging unit (16) equipped with a cellular transceiver (38) is attached to a truck trailer (12) or a monitoring station (13) located within a communications network (10). The messaging unit (16) generates a data message in response to the occurrence of a reporting event. Upon generation of a data message, the cellular transceiver (38) transmits the data message over the network (10) via voice or data channels. Data messages may be sent over a data channel of the network (10) by altering the mobile identification number (MIN), electronic serial number (ESN), or other identifier of the cellular transceiver (38).

Data messaging in a communications network

A method for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes identifying a driver of a vehicle, recording operating data with an on-board recorder that is hard-wired to an engine control module, coupled to a mileage sensing system, and linked to a global navigation satellite system, and recording duty status of the driver. An hours of service log and a fuel tax log are created from the operating data. The method includes comparing the driver's hours of service log to an applicable requirement, indicating to the driver whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement, automatically uploading the logs to a receiver external to the vehicle using a wireless telecommunications network, and emitting a compliance signal representative of whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement to a second receiver external to the vehicle and under control of authorities.

Driver activity and vehicle operation logging and reporting

Vehicle locating and communicating method and apparatus using cellular telephone network

A system (10) for determining an expected time of arrival of a vehicle (40) equipped with a mobile unit (42) includes a dispatch (20) remotely located from the vehicle (40). The dispatch (20) generates destination information for the vehicle (40), the destination information specifying at least one destination. The mobile unit (42) includes a mobile communications device (90) to receive the destination information for the vehicle (40) generated by the dispatch (20). The mobile unit (42) also includes a positioning receiver (80) to determine a vehicle position. In response to the destination information received from the dispatch (20) and the vehicle position, the mobile unit (42) determines the expected time of arrival of the vehicle.

Method and apparatus for determining expected time of arrival

A user-interactive speech recognition control system is disclosed for recognizing a complete sequence of keywords (e.g., a telephone number such as 123-4567) via entering, verifying, and editing variable-length utterance strings (e.g., 1-2-3; 4-5; 6-7) separated by the user-defined placement of pauses. The device controller (120) utilizes timers (124) to monitor the pause time between partial-sequence digit strings recognized by the speech recognizer (110). When a string of digits is followed by a predetermined pause time interval, the recognized digits will be replied via the speech synthesizer (130). An additional string of digits can then be entered, and only the subsequent string will be replied after the next pause. Furthermore, the user has the flexibility to correct only the last digit string entered, or the entire sequence. Hence, if there is an error in only one digit, the erroneous digit string can be corrected without having to re-enter the entire digit sequence. The invention is well-suited to be used in a hands-free voice command dialing system for a mobile radiotelephone, wherein vehicular background noise may affect recognition accuracy.

Gerson Ira Alan

Papers

Method for entering digit sequences by voice command

Verfahren zur beendigung eines telefonanrufs durch sprachsteuerung.

Eingabeverfahren für datensequenzen mittels steuerung durch die stimme