ETE announces MobileTrak
SAN DIEGO — May 11, 1995 — ETE Inc. announced the addition of MobileTrak, a portable, low-cost, Automatic Vehicle Locating (AVL) system, to the ETE line of wireless communications products.
MobileTrak combines wireless, two-way packet data communications with satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation technology to create a low-cost, ''off-the-shelf,'' AVL system.
The MobileTrak system depicts vehicle location on a full-color map on either a laptop or desktop PC or Macintosh that can be integrated with wireless dispatch products from ETE and other companies. MobileTrak provides transportation companies, government agencies and other businesses with two-way wireless communications, vehicle tracking, asset location and accountability.
The MobileTrak system consists of three major components:
— The MobileTrak Remote
The MobileTrak Remote is a compact, self-contained position- tracking and reporting system. Each MobileTrak Remote contains a wireless digital packet radio and a Global Positioning System receiver with special enhancements for high reliability in urban areas. MobileTrak Remotes can be easily mounted in any vehicle or used as a portable tracking system. MobileTrak Remotes can be powered through a direct connection to a vehicle's power system or operate for up to 10 hours with rechargeable Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries. Remotes come equipped with two input/output ports for connection to other vehicle sensor systems. In addition, the MobileTrak Remote can be connected to a mobile data terminal or PDA for use as a complete wireless communications and navigation system. MobileTrak Remote can be configured to support most public, digital packet data networks, worldwide.
— The MobileTrak Mapping Display Software
The MobileTrak Mapping Display Software displays vehicles or other mobile assets equipped with MobileTrak Remotes on a full-color, real-time, moving map display of the area in which the vehicle is traveling. The MobileTrak Mapping Display Software includes a wealth of features that enhance the ability to track vehicles, including zooming, panning, address location, heading and velocity labels, and two-way (''chat'') messaging. The Mapping Display Software can remotely control a MobileTrak Remote via commands sent over the wireless data communications network. The MobileTrak Remote can be queried as required or function autonomously to send information back to a host at specific, programmable time intervals.
— The MobileTrak Wireless Agent
The MobileTrak Wireless Agent is a software product that supports wireless communications between the MobileTrak Mapping Display Stations and vehicles or assets in the field equipped with MobileTrak Remotes. Up to 100 MobileTrak Display Stations can be supported by a single MobileTrak Wireless Agent connected to a digital packet data network (WWAN). Operating system and communications network independence of the MobileTrak Wireless Agent was achieved through the utilization of the ETE QuickFlight Wireless Architecture. In the United States, the MobileTrak Wireless Agent supports two public, digital packet radio networks, RAM Mobile Data and ARDIS. Internationally, the MobileTrak Wireless Agent supports the DataTAC and Mobitex wireless networks. ETE plans to offer support for CDPD and GSM cellular data networks in the fourth quarter of 1995. The MobileTrak Wireless Agent runs on the Apple ''MacOS'' and Microsoft Windows 3.1 operating systems.
Configurable options of the MobileTrak AVL system include host system addressing, position-reporting rates, enable/disable tracking mode, power-on notification sequencing and sleep-mode programming. The programming capabilities of the ETE MobileTrak AVL system host sites can remotely control and report the behavior of local, regional and nationwide requirements.
MobileTrak's position-reporting capabilities can be configured for maximum economy or performance. MobileTrak Remotes and MobileTrak Mapping Display Software can be modified by ETE to meet the specific requirements of customers.
The MobileTrak AVL System is expandable as requirements increase. Through additional programming, information provided to the serial ports can be transmitted to the host system via the wireless communications network.
Additionally, equipment attached to the serial ports on the MobileTrak Remote can be controlled from the host system. Serial devices may include bar-code and magnetic-card readers, printers, vehicle sensors or other data-collection equipment.
Product Description and Pricing
1. MobileTrak Mapping Display Software — composed of MobileTrak traffic database and moving map technologies, this product comes equipped with one area map of customer's choice and one database license. A minimum of one is required per system. $ 2,995
2. MobileTrak Remote — an intelligent, mobile communications device equipped with GPS receiver and digital packet radio utilizing ETE proprietary technology. One MobileTrak Remote is required per vehicle or asset to be tracked. $ 1,795-$ 1,995
3. MobileTrak Wireless Agent — this ETE QuickFlight-enabled software provides wireless communication services between the MobileTrak Mapping Display Software and MobileTrak Remotes. One MobileTrak Wireless Agent is required per network and will support up to 100 MobileTrak Mapping Displays. $ 995
4. MobileTrak Wireless Modem — a portable Packet Radio modem that attaches to the MobileTrak Wireless Agent. This wireless modem supports the RAM Mobile Data Network or ARDIS networks and will support 10 MobileTrak Remotes. One MobileTrak Wireless Modem is required for small AVL applications. $ 795-$ 995
5. MobileTrak Accelerator — software for larger environments. This add-on provides high-speed connection to a digital packet network, which allows the tracking of hundreds of vehicles. (X.25 line or other physical line not included.) This option can be used to replace the MobileTrak Wireless Modem. $ 1,495
6. MobileTrak Starter Kit — a bundled configuration with the minimum requirements to deploy an asset-tracking system. Includes the following MobileTrak components: Mapping Display Software with one area map of customer's choice, one Wireless Agent, one Remote, one Wireless Modem for connection to a desktop computer, and one ETE Battery Charger. $ 5,995
The ETE MobileTrak AVL system can be further expanded for use with the entire ETE Wireless product line, including the addition of Newton PDA devices (i.e., Apple's MessagePad 110 or 120) to allow for real-time, two-way communications and applications such as dispatching, field service or other database information-gathering applications.
The MobileTrak Wireless Agent and MobileTrak Mapping Display Software are currently available for Apple Macintosh computers. Releases for Microsoft Windows are under development, and rollout is scheduled for the third quarter of this year. Target markets for the MobileTrak product line are local and regional transportation systems and city, state and federal governments.
ETE
ETE is a leader in wireless technologies. The company is an integrator, manufacturer and supplier of hardware products and software technology for use in advanced wireless communications and telecommunications systems worldwide. The company's activities embrace wireless computing, navigation and communications over wireless wide-area networks (WWANs).
The ETE Wireless family of products includes the ETE Communicator and MobileTrak hardware product lines, the ETE QuickFlight software-development tools and wireless engineering services to select clientele.
For more information on MobileTrak, the ETE Communicator, ETE Wireless and ETE QuickFlight products, call 619/793-5400. ETE is located at 12526 High Bluff Drive, Suite 300, San Diego, Calif. 92130; fax 619/793-6060; Internet ETE(at-sign)applelink.apple.com or 74601,2766(at-sign)compuserve.com. Media contact: Howard Griffith, director of marketing. Prices quoted herein are subject to change without notice.
NOTE TO EDITORS: ETE Communicator is a registered trademark and QuickFlight and MobileTrak are trademarks of ETE Inc. Other names and product names may be registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective companies.
CONTACT:
ETE Inc., San Diego
Howard Griffith, 619/793-5400
619/793-6060 (fax)
ETE(at-sign)applelink.apple.com
74601,2766(at-sign)compuserve.com