Method and apparatus for remotely controlling motor vehicles

• US 20020116117A1
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bryan E. Markle, Daniel Martens, Larry Martens
• Original Assignee: Bryan E. Markle, Daniel Martens, Larry Martens
• Inventors: Martens, Daniel, Martens, Larry, Markle, Bryan E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,470,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/115
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

In the Police Chase Eliminator (PCEL), a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic may be apprehended by first identifying vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle, following the targeted vehicle until it is the only vehicle remaining of the originally identified vehicles, and then apprehending the targeted vehicle. This process may also be carried out by first identifying a select group of vehicles using vehicle descriptor limitations. The system for remotely controlling a targeted vehicle comprises a control unit which would normally be located in a police car and vehicle modules which are installed in motor vehicles. The control unit transmits activate commands to the vehicle modules which respond by either transmitting back a visual signal or an electronic signal. The control unit may also transmit control commands to the vehicle modules to control the operation of the vehicle. The activate control commands may include a vehicle “Find” command and/or a vehicle “Flash” command. The vehicle “Find” command seeks an electronic response identifying a vehicle by it descriptors which may include vehicle VIN, vehicle type, vehicle color and vehicle make. The vehicle “Flash” command initiates a visual indicator response from the vehicle such as the operation of its four-way flashers. The control commands include, a vehicle “Slow” command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “Stop” command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “Reset” command for resetting the vehicle module.

Claims

1. A system for remotely controlling a vehicle comprising:

a control unit comprising;

communications means for transmitting command signals;

processor means for processing the transmitted command signals;

interface means coupled to the processor means for instructing the processor means; and

a vehicle module for installation in a motor vehicle comprising;

communications means for receiving the transmitted command signals;

processor means for processing the received signals;

controller means coupled to the processor means for controlling the vehicle in response to the received signals.

2. A system for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle module further includes:

memory means coupled to the vehicle module processor means for storing the vehicle descriptors of the vehicle in which the vehicle module is installed.

3. A system for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 2 wherein the interface means includes:

means for providing vehicle descriptors to the control unit processor means for encoding into the transmitted command signals; and

means for providing control commands to the control unit processor means for encoding into the transmitted command signals whereby the vehicle module processor directs the control commands to the controller means when the stored vehicle descriptors match the transmitted vehicle descriptors.

4. A system for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 3 wherein the descriptors are selected from vehicle VIN, vehicle type, vehicle color and vehicle make.

5. A system for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control commands include a vehicle “

Flash”

command for initiating a vehicle'"'"'s visual indicator, a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “

Reset”

command for resetting the vehicle module.

6. A system for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the control commands include a vehicle “

Find”

command for seeking a vehicle descriptor response, a vehicle “

Flash”

command for initiating a vehicle'"'"'s visual indicator, a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “

Reset”

command for resetting the vehicle module.

7. A system for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle module communications means includes means for communicating with the control unit.

8. A system for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 7 wherein the vehicle module communications means includes means for communicating the vehicle descriptors to the control unit.

9. A vehicle module for installation on a vehicle comprising:

a communications means for receiving vehicle descriptor and command signals;

processor means coupled to the communication means for processing the received signals;

memory means coupled to the processor means for storing descriptors of the vehicle in which the module is installed;

controller means for controlling a vehicle visual indicator and a vehicle control in response to processed signals by the processor means.

10. A vehicle module as claimed in claim 9 wherein the vehicle descriptors include the VIN, vehicle type, vehicle color and vehicle make.

11. A vehicle module as claimed in claim 9 wherein the communications means includes means for transmitting the vehicle descriptors.

12. A vehicle module as claimed in claim 9 wherein the vehicle visual indicator includes four-way flashers.

13. A vehicle module as claimed in claim 9 wherein the vehicle control includes vehicle ignition circuits.

14. A vehicle module as claimed in claim 9 wherein the vehicle control includes vehicle fuel system.

16. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 15 which further includes memory means coupled to the processor means.

17. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 14 wherein the interface means includes:

means for providing vehicle descriptors to the control unit processor means for encoding into the transmitted command signals; and

means for providing control commands to the control unit processor means for encoding into the transmitted command signals.

18. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein the descriptors are selected from VIN, vehicle type, vehicle color and vehicle make.

19. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein the control commands include a vehicle “

Flash”

command for initiating a vehicle'"'"'s visual indicator, a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “

Reset”

command for resetting the vehicle module.

20. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein the control commands include a vehicle “

Find”

command for seeking a vehicle descriptor response, a vehicle “

Flash”

command for initiating a vehicle'"'"'s visual indicator, a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “

Reset”

command for resetting the vehicle module.

21. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein the interface includes a keyboard and a display screen.

22. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein the interface includes a cartridge slot and a removable panic button cartridge for communicating with the control unit.

23. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 17 wherein the interface includes data receiving means for receiving data from a central computer.

24. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 23 wherein the data receiving means includes a coupler for connecting a cable to the central computer.

25. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 23 wherein the data receiving means includes a disc drive for receiving a data disc.

26. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 23 wherein the data receiving means includes a wireless transceiver for receiving signals from a central computer.

27. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle as claimed in claim 15 in which the transmitted command signals are cyclically repetitive.

29. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 28 wherein step (a) includes selecting a group of vehicles to be identified.

30. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 29 wherein the vehicle group is selected by vehicle style, vehicle color and/or vehicle make.

15. A control unit for remotely controlling a vehicle comprising:

communications means for transmitting command signals to the vehicle;

processor means for processing the transmitted signals; and

interface means coupled to the processor means for instructing the processor means.

28. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic comprising:

a. identifying all vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle;

b. following the targeted vehicle until it is the only vehicle remaining of the originally identified vehicles;

C. apprehending the targeted vehicle.

31. A method for remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic using a system having a control unit for transmitting activate and control command signals to vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle and vehicle modules installed in motor vehicles to produce a response to the activate command signals and to control the operation of the vehicle by the control command signal, comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting activate command signals to the vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle and receiving their response;

b. following the targeted vehicle until it is the only vehicle responding to the activate command signal; and

c. controlling the operation of the targeted vehicle by a control command signal.

32. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 31 wherein step (a) includes a visual response from the vehicles.

33. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 31 wherein step (a) includes a response that provides the vehicle'"'"'s descriptors.

34. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 33 wherein the vehicle descriptors are selected from VIN, vehicle style, vehicle color and vehicle make.

35. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 31 wherein:

a. the activate command signals may include a vehicle “

Find”

command for seeking a vehicle descriptor response and a vehicle “

Flash”

command for initiating a vehicle'"'"'s visual indicator; and

b. the control command signals may include a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “

Reset”

command for resetting the vehicle module.

37. A method for remotely controlling vehicles in traffic as claimed in claim 36 which includes the following step:

controlling the operation of the targeted vehicle by a control command signal.

38. A method for remotely controlling vehicles in traffic as claimed in claim 37 wherein the control command signal may include a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down and a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop.

36. A method for remotely controlling vehicles in traffic using a system having a control unit for transmitting activate and control command signals to vehicles in the vicinity of the control unit and vehicle modules installed in motor vehicles to produce a response to the activate command signals and to control the operation of the vehicle by the control command signal, comprising the step of:

a. transmitting activate command signals to the vehicles in the vicinity of control unit to activate the vehicles'"'"' visual indicators.

39. A method for remotely identifying vehicles in traffic using a system having a control unit for transmitting activate and control command signals to vehicles in the vicinity of the control unit and vehicle modules installed in motor vehicles to produce a response to the activate command signals and to control the operation of the vehicle by the control command signal, comprising the step of:

a. transmitting activate command signals to the vehicles in the vicinity of control unit to cause the vehicles to transmit their vehicle descriptors to the control unit.