FR2775106A1 - VEHICLE POSITIONING AND TRACKING SYSTEM - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system which allows the positioning and tracking of vehicles remotely. For this, a base (1) is equipped with a computer (2) and telephone communication means (3) and each mobile (4) is equipped with a positioning system (5), a communication system (6) and associated electronics (7). The transfer of information is characterized in that one uses analog signals LF and / or the voice channel to transmit this various information between the base and the mobiles. (fig 4).

Description

REMOTE VEHICLE POSITIONING AND TRACKING DEVICE

  The system allows positioning and tracking of vehicles remotely. For this, each mobile is equipped with a positioning system (GPS), a communication system (GSM) and associated electronics. The targeted applications concern for example: - Taxis: Vehicle tracking and race optimization - Police: Vehicle tracking - Firefighters: Fleet management during an intervention - Bus: Waiting time management at stops - Trucks: Tracking and control of vehicles - Couriers: Tracking of vehicles and optimization of races Anti-theft systems: Tracking of vehicles Position control is carried out from a base equipped with a PC, modem and software. All these systems do not use a conventional laptop but a modem (generally Ml from Siemens). Therefore, the information is sent directly in digital and this generally requires taking a special subscription supporting fax and data exchanges. The operator must therefore be able to recognize the various protocols of

  communication and imposes an additional cost for this type of subscription.

  The other disadvantages of this type of transmission are:

  - The impossibility of real-time voice dialogue between the base and the mobile.

  - The impossibility of using a standard mobile phone and benefiting from the low prices due to wide circulation.

  - The need to use a modem for the base and for the mobile.

  The object of the invention is to propose an improved method and system for positioning and

remote vehicle tracking.

  According to a first aspect, the invention consists in implementing a method of positioning and remote monitoring from a station (fixed or mobile) of vehicle control in which: - Each vehicle is equipped with: - a digital telephone (23) (in particular GSM, DECT, ...) - of a reception module (21) (in particular GPS, ARGOS, INTERSAT, ...) - We equip the control post - of a computer equipped with telephone communication means characterized in that analog LF signals and / or the voice channel (preferably Dual Tone Modulation Frequency codes) are used to transmit from the vehicle to the

  control of data (information) relating to position (and date, time, ...).

  According to a second aspect, the invention consists in proposing a remote positioning and monitoring system from a vehicle control station (fixed or mobile) which comprises: - a module fitted to each vehicle, which comprises: - a digital telephone (23) (in particular GSM, DECT, ...) - a reception module (21) (in particular GPS, ARGOS, INTERSAT, ...) - a control station (1) comprising a computer (10 ) equipped with means (13,14,15) of telephone communications characterized in that: - each module (2) comprises an interface (22) for connection between the telephone (23) and the module (21) for receiving signals from position, the interface (22) comprising means (220, 221) for encoding and decoding analog LF signals and / or voice signals (in particular DTMF codes), and characterized in that - the control station (1) comprises a module (12) for decoding analog LF signals and / or voice signals (in particular DTMF codes) ; this module being connected to the

  computer (10) and the means (13,14,15) of telephone communication.

  According to a third aspect, the invention consists in proposing an on-board module for positioning and remote monitoring from a station (fixed or mobile) for vehicle control, characterized in that it comprises: - a digital telephone (23) (in particular GSM, DECT, ...) a reception module (21) (in particular GPS, ARGOS, INTERSAT, ...) an interface (22) Preferably, the interface (22) of each on-board module comprises : - a processor (220) (microcontroller) associated with a resident software and which controls all the subsystems - a module (221) or circuit for generating and decoding DTMF codes - a buzzer (222) or audible warning device - a non-volatile history memory (224) allowing the storage of the last positions of the vehicle (circular buffer) - a communication interface (225) with a PC type computer allowing the reading of the history memory, the configuration of the system and updating the

resident software.

  According to a fourth aspect, the invention consists in proposing a control station for the positioning and remote monitoring of a fleet of vehicles, characterized in that it comprises: - a computer (10) equipped with communication means (13, 14,15) - a module for decoding LF analog signals and / or voice signals (in particular DTMF codes); this module being connected to the computer and to the telephone communication means. Preferably, the coding and decoding module comprises: - a module (121) or circuit for generating and decoding DTMF codes - a buffer memory (122) (FIFO, buffer circular) allowing asynchronous operations between the mobile and the base - an interface (123) compatible with parallel ports of PC type microcomputers The system that we have developed is structured around a classic GSM in "hands free use" . Standard programming modes of portable devices

  allow you to redirect the speaker and microphone signals to an external connector.

  As a result, calls are managed in automatic answer mode and LF signals are processed by an external module. It is also possible to dial a number and call the base

or another phone.

  The transmission between the base and the mobiles is ensured by DTMF codes (dual tone modulation frequency). These codes (1 among 16) consist of the association of two frequencies chosen from a high frequency group (1209 to 1633 Hz) and a low group

frequency (697 to 941 Hz).

  The advantage of this technique is that the spectral band of these codes is compatible with voice and does not require specific transmission bands. These codes are used today in the majority of telephones and the associated components are low cost. Until recently, demodulation was carried out by specialized DSPs. Currently,

  integrated circuits perform this function directly.

  FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a system according to the invention.

  The system works as follows: When the base wishes to know the position of the mobile, the software calls the mobile via a modem. The mobile is configured for automatic reception and therefore takes the line. The base then transmits one or a series of DTMF codes corresponding to the desired function. The mobile then responds by issuing one or a series of DTMF codes. DTMF codes allow coding 4 bits, it is necessary to send 2 codes to transmit a

  byte. The messages generally consist of a header, data and a checksum.

  The different operations supported are currently: - Instant position: Send latitude (or X coordinate), longitude (or Y coordinate), altitude (or Z coordinate), year, month, day, hour, minute. All this information is provided by the GPS positioning system. For example, the encodings are as follows: - Latitude: 4 bytes - Longitude: 4 bytes - Altitude: 2 bytes - Year: 2 bytes - Month: 1 byte - Time: loctet

- Minute: 1 byte.

  - History. The system has the possibility of working in autonomous mode and of internally recording the position of the vehicle every X minutes. For example, the useful range is between 5 minutes and 2 hours. During a call, it is possible to request the transmission of all the saved positions. This function is useful when the GSM transmission is defective or unavailable and helps reduce communication costs by reducing the frequency of calls. You can also read this information locally by using a port

RS232 and a PC.

  - Request for dialogue by activating a buzzer. This function is necessary because communications are made without an audible ring to allow discreet interrogation. - Test, Configuration, Miscellaneous Each mobile is referenced in a database which allows to associate a number

call to a particular mobile.

  With regard to the base, the positions received are displayed on a map in the form of cursors. These maps are digitized and allow the coverage of any territory on various scales. Positions can be saved in a database for further processing (statistics, ...). It is also envisaged to enter a roadmap for a given vehicle and to make an automatic check on the journeys actually made. It is also possible to use position information to: know the mobile closest to a given point - locate a mobile - calculate the remaining journey times between a vehicle and its destination (s)

Claims (6)

CLAIMS:   1. Method of positioning and remote monitoring from a vehicle control station in which: - Each vehicle is equipped: - with a digital telephone (23) - with a reception module (21) - On equips the control post - a computer equipped with telephone communication means characterized in that analog LF signals and / or the voice channel are used for   transmit position data from the vehicle to the control post.   2.Remote positioning and monitoring system from a vehicle control station (fixed or mobile) which comprises: - a module fitted to each vehicle, which comprises: - a digital telephone (23) - a reception module (21) - a control station (1) comprising a computer (10) equipped with means (13,14,15) of telephone communications characterized in that: - each module (2) comprises an interface (22) for connection between the telephone (23) and the module (21) for receiving position signals, the interface (22) comprising means (220, 221) for encoding and decoding analog LF signals and / or voice signals and characterized in that - the control station (1) comprises a module (12) for decoding analog LF signals and / or voice signals; this module being connected to the computer (10) and to the means   (13,14,15) telephone communication.   3. On-board module for remote positioning and monitoring from a vehicle control station, characterized in that it comprises: a digital telephone (23) - a reception module (21) - an interface (22) 4. Embedded module according to claim 3, in which the interface (22) comprises: - a processor (220) associated with a resident software and which controls all the subsystems - a module (221) or generation circuit and decoding of DTMF codes - a buzzer (222) or horn - a non-volatile history memory (224) allowing the storage of the last positions of the vehicle - a communication interface (225) with a PC type computer allowing the reading of historical memory, system configuration and updating the resident software.   5.Control station for positioning and remote monitoring of a fleet of vehicles characterized in that it comprises: - a computer (10) equipped with communication means (13,14,15) - a decoding module of analog LF signals and / or voice signals; this module   being connected to the computer and to the telephone communication means.   6. Control station according to claim 4, in which the decoding module (12) comprises: - a module (121) or circuit for generating and decoding DTMF codes - a buffer memory (122) allowing asynchronous operations between the mobile and the base - an interface (123) compatible with the parallel ports of PC-type microcomputers