US 5,497,149 · Granted 1996-03-05
The 1996 GPS Tracker Patent That Launched Vehicle Security
Imagine a system that knows exactly where your car is at any moment using GPS, and automatically alerts a monitoring center if it goes somewhere it shouldn't be. That's what this patent does—it's an early blueprint for modern vehicle tracking and theft prevention.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a system that uses GPS or other positioning technology to track an object's location continuously, compares that location against allowed zones and time windows, and automatically sends alert messages to a monitoring center whenever the object enters a restricted area or leaves an allowed zone during prohibited times. The protection extends to the combination of the positioning system, the zone-checking logic, and the automated alerting mechanism.
Why it matters
Filed in 1995 and granted in 1996, this patent captures the core mechanics of modern fleet tracking and vehicle security systems—technologies that became essential for insurance companies, delivery services, and law enforcement. By locking down the automated alert feature tied to geofencing logic, the patent establishes intellectual property around what would become standard anti-theft and asset-management tools that billions rely on today.
Real-world use
When you get a notification that your rental car has left its designated parking lot, or when a delivery company tracks whether a truck is on its authorized route, you're benefiting from technology this patent helped pioneer.
Original USPTO abstract
A system for determining the position of an object to be protected using a local or global positioning system and issuing messages to a monitoring message center at predetermined times and/or at times when the object to be protected is under an alert condition, such as being outside an allowed position zone during a defined time period.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 5,497,149
- Filing date
- 1995-02-21
- Grant date
- 1996-03-05
- Assignee
- Fast; Ray
- Inventor(s)
- FAST; RAY
- CPC class
- G08B21/0283
Want to file your own patent?
If you're building an automotive safety or fleet-tracking gadget, search our free patent scanner to see what geofencing and GPS-alert claims already exist in your space.
Free patentability scan