Method and apparatus for crowdsourced vehicle identification

• US 10,147,013 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Kenneth James, Martin, Douglas Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Cunningham, Gregory F
• Application Number:
  US15/782,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20180053066A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 382105
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 License plates
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/63 Scene text, e.g. street names
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to obtain an image of a vehicle plate. The processor is also configured to determine identification characters present in the image. The processor is further configured to compare the identification characters to a list of sought-vehicle plates and report a match between the identification characters and a plate on the list of sought-vehicle plates.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor of a reporting vehicle configured to;

receive a request to locate a missing vehicle;

utilize a vehicle system to confirm an identity of the missing vehicle in proximity to the reporting vehicle; and

report identification of the missing vehicle, as well as a GPS location of the reporting vehicle, upon confirmation of the identity of the missing vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle system includes a vehicle camera, and wherein the processor is configured to confirm the identity of the missing vehicle based on an image, captured by the vehicle camera, of a license plate affixed to the missing vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the image as part of the report of identification of the missing vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle system includes a wireless communication system and wherein the processor is configured to confirm the identity of the missing vehicle based on a vehicle identifier, received through the wireless communication system, corresponding to the missing vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to report a speed and heading of the reporting vehicle upon confirmation of the identity of the missing vehicle.

6. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a request to locate a missing vehicle at a reporting vehicle;

utilizing a vehicle sensor to identify the missing vehicle in proximity to the reporting vehicle; and

reporting identification of the missing vehicle, as well as a GPS location of the reporting vehicle, upon confirmation of the identity of the missing vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the vehicle sensor includes a vehicle camera, and wherein the method includes identifying the missing vehicle based on an image, captured by the vehicle camera, of a license plate affixed to the missing vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the image as part of the report of identification of the missing vehicle.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the sensor includes a wireless communication system and wherein the method includes identifying the missing vehicle based on a wireless vehicle identification, received through the wireless communication system, corresponding to the missing vehicle.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the method includes reporting a speed and heading of the reporting vehicle upon reporting the identification of the missing vehicle.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform the method comprising:

reporting identification of a missing vehicle and GPS location of a reporting vehicle, the identification detected by a reporting-vehicle sensor and detected in response to the reporting vehicle receiving a request to locate the missing vehicle.

12. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the vehicle sensor includes a vehicle camera, and wherein the method includes identifying the missing vehicle based on an image, captured by the vehicle camera, of a license plate affixed to the missing vehicle.

13. The storage medium of claim 12, the method further comprising transmitting the image as part of the report of identification of the missing vehicle.

14. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the sensor includes a wireless communication system and wherein the method includes identifying the missing vehicle based on a wireless vehicle identification, received through the wireless communication system, corresponding to the missing vehicle.

15. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method includes reporting a speed and heading of the reporting vehicle upon reporting the identification of the missing vehicle.