Abstract: A vehicle tracking system includes a vehicle racking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith. The vehicle tracking unit preferably includes a test switch, a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller. The controller is preferably for operating the at least one vehicle device and for cooperating with the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device to determine and send vehicle position information to the monitoring station. Moreover, the controller may be switchable to a test mode for test operation of the at least one vehicle device responsive to activation of the test switch. Accordingly, an installer, for example, can quickly check that the tracking unit has been properly installed.

Abstract: A tracking system includes a vehicle tracking unit and a monitoring station communicating therewith. The vehicle tracking unit preferably includes a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller connected to the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device. The controller preferably cooperates with the wireless communications device to send an alert message. The monitoring station may include a user interface for generating a sequence of alert message notifications based upon receiving the alert message sent from the vehicle tracking unit, and for canceling any remaining alert message notification of the sequence based upon a cancellation command response from a user having already received the alert message notification.

Abstract: A vehicle tracking unit may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller. The controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device for sending vehicle position information to a monitoring station. The controller may also monitor operation of the vehicle, determine a fault condition of at least one of the vehicle position determining device and the wireless communications device based upon a failure thereof over a predetermined pattern of vehicle operation, store the fault condition, and permit retrieval of the stored fault condition.

Abstract: A vehicle tracking unit may include a user indicator, a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller. The controller is preferably switchable between an unregistered mode and a registered mode. In the registered mode, the controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device to determine and send vehicle position information to the monitoring station. In the unregistered mode, the controller may activate the user indicator to encourage registration by the user. The controller may be switchable to the registered mode based upon an activation message from the monitoring station, and, conversely, the controller may be switchable to the unregistered mode based upon a deactivation message from the monitoring station. The user indicator may also be activated based upon a warning message from the monitoring station indicating that the user's registration is about to expire.

Abstract: A vehicle security system programmer includes a housing and a plurality of manually settable switches carried by the housing. The vehicle security system is switchable to a programming mode responsive to a programming mode signal, and when in the programming mode sets a plurality of programmable features responsive to feature programming signals. The programmer also includes a programming mode circuit for communicating to the programmable vehicle security system a programming mode signal. Accordingly, the programmer can set the vehicle security system to the programming mode. In addition, the programmer also includes a feature programmer circuit for communicating to the programmable vehicle security system a plurality of feature programming signals based upon the plurality of manually settable switches. The programmer may be set for a number vehicle security systems, and sequentially connected to the vehicle security systems' for programming.

Abstract: A vehicle security system is for a vehicle having a door lock circuit including a door lock switch, and a door lock controller responsive to the door lock switch. The security system includes a security controller for operating the door lock controller, and a multi-vehicle compatible interface module for interfacing to the door lock circuit of a given vehicle from among a plurality of different vehicles. In particular, the vehicle may include a single-wire door lock circuit having at least one of a lock resistance and an unlock resistance associated with a door switch. The multi-vehicle compatible interface module may include a circuit board carrying at least one variable resistor that is settable to match the lock/unlock resistance and thereby permit the security controller to operate the door lock controller.

Abstract: A vehicle tracking unit may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller for cooperating with the vehicle position determining device to determine vehicle position information based upon the vehicle changing a direction of travel by greater than a threshold. Moreover, the controller may also cooperate with the wireless communications device to send the vehicle position information to a monitoring station based upon each occurrence of the vehicle changing the direction of travel by greater than the threshold.

Abstract: A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type including at least one security device may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device for communicating with a monitoring station, a security device detection circuit for the at least one security device, and a controller. The controller may be connected to the wireless communications device, the security device detection circuit and the vehicle position determining device for sending security signals to the monitoring station. Furthermore, the controller may also perform at least one predetermined vehicle function and while bypassing the security device detection circuit based upon receiving a corresponding command signal via the wireless communications device.

Abstract: A vehicle tracking system for a vehicle of a type including at least one vehicle sensor may include a vehicle tracking unit including a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller connected to the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device. Furthermore, the controller may cooperate with the vehicle position determining device and the wireless communications device to send an alert message based upon the at least one vehicle sensor. The controller may also be switchable to an override mode to prevent sending of the alert message based upon receiving an alert override message. The vehicle tracking system may further include a monitoring station for receiving the alert message and for sending the alert override message.

Abstract: A vehicle alerting system includes at least one security device at the vehicle for generating security signals on the data communications bus, a remote receiver to be carried by a user, a local transmitter at the vehicle, and a paging controller at the vehicle. The paging controller is connected to the local transmitter and data communications bus. The paging controller is for causing the local transmitter to transmit to the remote receiver based upon security signals on the data communications bus to thereby alert the user when away from the vehicle. The system may further include an indicator connected to the remote receiver for providing an indication to the user relating to security of the vehicle. The at least one security device may comprise at least one of a door switch, trunk switch, hood switch, motion sensor, and proximity sensor. The at least one security device may also or alternately comprise a security controller.

Abstract: A vehicle control system includes a tracking unit and a function unit cooperating therewith. The tracking unit may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a tracking controller cooperating with the vehicle position determining device and the wireless communications device to send vehicle position information to a monitoring station. Further, the function unit may include at least one uniquely coded transmitter to be carried by a user, a receiver at the vehicle for receiving signals from the at least one uniquely coded transmitter, and a function controller at the vehicle and connected to the receiver for learning the at least one uniquely coded transmitter to permit control of a vehicle function by the user. The function controller may advantageously cooperate with the wireless communications device of the tracking unit for sending an alert indication of whether at least one new uniquely coded transmitter has been learned.

Abstract: A vehicle tracking unit may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller. The controller may cooperate with the vehicle position determining device and the wireless communications device to send vehicle position information to a monitoring station based upon receiving an activation signal via a communications network. Furthermore, the controller may selectively cause the vehicle tracking unit to be in a low power mode to conserve power. Also, the controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device to intermittently awaken the vehicle tracking unit from the low power mode to poll the communications network to thereby determine whether the activation signal has been directed to the vehicle tracking unit.

Abstract: A vehicle tracking unit may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller cooperating with the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device for determining vehicle position information and for periodically sending vehicle position information to a monitoring station. Furthermore, the controller may vary a period between successive sendings of vehicle position information based upon a triggering event. By way of example, the triggering event may include a vehicle speed exceeding a threshold, a period change signal from the monitoring station, and/or the passing of time. Additionally, the controller may include a memory for storing the vehicle position information, and the triggering event may include the memory reaching a predetermined capacity.

Abstract: A method of providing a customer-selected remote control feature package in a vehicle may include installing in the vehicle a universal remote control device operable according to a plurality of different remote control feature packages, and negotiating a sale or lease of the vehicle with a customer. Negotiating a sale or lease of the vehicle may include offering the different remote control feature packages to the customer, and accepting an order for the customer-selected remote control feature package from the customer. The method of providing a customer-selected remote control feature package may further include filling the order for the customer-selected remote control feature package by providing the customer with at least one respective remote transmitter for operating the universal remote control device according to the customer-selected remote control feature package from among a plurality of different remote transmitters for different remote control feature packages.

Abstract: A remote start control system may include an engine speed data bus reader at the vehicle for reading the engine speed signal on the vehicle data communications bus, and a remote start controller at the vehicle and connected to a receiver and the engine speed data bus reader for operating the engine starter based upon a remote start transmitter and based upon the engine speed signal. In some embodiments, the engine speed signal may include a digital code, and the engine speed data bus reader reads the digital code and converts the digital code into a pulsed tachometer emulation signal for the remote start controller. In other embodiments, the engine speed data bus reader generates an output level based upon the digital code exceeding at least one threshold, such as an engine started or engine overspeed threshold. The remote start control system is readily interfaced to a vehicle having a data communications bus to thereby be able to operate using an engine speed signal.

Abstract: A control system includes a transmitter, a receiver for receiving signals from the transmitter, and a multi-vehicle compatible controller cooperating with the transmitter and receiver. The multi-vehicle compatible controller is for storing a set of device codes for a given vehicle device for a plurality of different vehicles, for reading a device code from a data communications bus, and for determining a match between a read device code and the stored device codes to thereby provide compatibility with a plurality of different vehicles. Such an arrangement provides for a relatively simple and straightforward approach to interface with a vehicle having a data communications bus. The multi-vehicle compatible controller may include a memory for the stored device codes, and a processor cooperating with the memory for determining the match between the read device code and the stored device codes.

Abstract: A vehicle security system includes at least one security sensor and a security controller switchable between armed and disarmed modes. The vehicle includes a horn being electrically operable, a horn switch permitting selective occasional operation of the horn by a user, at least one light being electrically operable, and a light switch permitting selective occasional operation of the light by the user. The security controller also operates the light in a second pattern when switching between modes and the siren is sounded to supplement the light flashing.

Abstract: A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type including at least one vehicle device may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller. The controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device to determine and send vehicle position information to a monitoring station. Furthermore, the controller may include at least one pair of switchable polarity output terminals for the at least one vehicle device.

Abstract: A vehicle tracking unit for a vehicle of a type including at least one vehicle sensor may include a vehicle position determining device, a wireless communications device, and a controller connected to the wireless communications device and the vehicle position determining device for sending vehicle position information to a monitoring station. Furthermore, the controller may cooperate with the wireless communications device to send an alarm indication alert to the monitoring station based upon the at least one vehicle sensor. Additionally, the controller may stop sending of further alarm indication alerts upon reaching a predetermined number thereof.

Abstract: A vehicle remote control and air treatment system includes a selectively operable air treatment device. The air treatment device may be an electrically powered ion generator for selectively generating ions in the vehicle, for example. The vehicle remote control and air treatment device may also include at least one remote transmitter, a receiver at the vehicle for receiving signals from the at least one remote transmitter, and a controller at the vehicle. The controller may be connected to the receiver for performing at least one vehicle function based upon signals from the remote transmitter, and may also selectively operate the air treatment device.