Vehicle identification means detection and evasion system

• US 20040181328A1
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ron Yaacov Davidson
• Original Assignee: Ron Yaacov Davidson
• Inventors: Davidson, Ron Yaacov, Davidson, Nathaniel, Lauenburg, Naum
• Granted Patent: US 7,076,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0258 for navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/10 Registration, licensing, or like devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/105 Licence- or registration plates, provided with mounting means, e.g. frames, holders, retainers, brackets
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/054 photographing overspeeding vehicles

Abstract

A system for detecting and evading vehicle identification means (VIM), comprising: locating means, control means having a plurality of I/O channels, each adapted to receive or transmit serial or parallel data, processing means, electronic storage means comprising at least one database of known VIM coordinates and identification prevention device (IPD) adapted to automatically prevent identification of the vehicle'"'"'s license plate number, owner or driver.

Claims

1. A system for detecting and evading vehicle identification means (VIM), comprising:

locating means;

control means connected with said locating means, said control means having a plurality of I/O channels, each said I/O channels adapted to receive or transmit one of serial data and parallel data;

processing means connected with said control means;

electronic storage means connected with said processing means, said electronic storage means comprising at least one database of known VIM coordinates; and

at least one identification prevention device (IPD) connected with said control means, said IPD adapted to prevent identification of at least one of said vehicle'"'"'s license plate number, said vehicle'"'"'s owner and said vehicle'"'"'s driver, said control means adapted to automatically enable and disable at least one of said at least one IPD.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said locating means comprise an antenna and a GPS receiver/decoder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said locating means comprises a cellular locating device.

4. The system of claim 1, additionally comprising at least one VIM detector.

5. The system of claim 4, additionally comprising a single-wire communication channel between said control means and said at least one VIM detector, said single-wire communication channel adapted to enable fast deployment of at least one of said IPDs.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said serial data channels comprise RS232 channels.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said parallel data channels comprise USB channels.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said processing means comprises a PDA.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one database comprises a plurality of databases, each said databases comprising VIM coordinates for a predefined VIM type.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said predefined VIM type is selected from the group comprising:

speed traps, red-light traps, stop-sign traps and inter-vehicle distance traps.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said database additionally comprises auxiliary coordinates.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said IPD comprises one of a license plate cover, an ID-sticker cover and passenger concealing means.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said IPD comprises one of the group comprising light-scattering LCD glass, polarization LCD glass and electrochromic glass.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said IPD comprises a license-plate flipper.

15. A method of detecting and evading vehicle identification means (VIM), comprising the steps of:

providing a VIM detection and evasion system, comprising;

locating means;

control means connected with said locating means, said control means having a plurality of I/O channels, each said I/O channels adapted to receive or transmit one of serial data and parallel data;

processing means connected with said control means;

electronic storage means connected with said processing means, said electronic storage means comprising at least one database of known VIM coordinates; and

at least one identification prevention device (IPD) connected with said control means, said IPD adapted to prevent identification of at least one of said vehicle'"'"'s license plate number, said vehicle'"'"'s owner and said vehicle'"'"'s driver,

said control means adapted to automatically enable and disable at least one of said at least one IPD;

reading current location indication from said locating means;

comparing said current location indication with at least part of said VIM coordinates in said at least one database; and

automatically operating, based on said step of comparing, at least one of said at least one IPD.

16. The method of claim 15 additionally comprising, following said step of operating, the steps of:

reading current location indication from said locating means;

comparing said current location indication with at least part of said VIM coordinates in said at least one database; and

automatically disabling, based on said second step of comparing, said at least one of said at least one IPD.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said locating means comprises an antenna and a GPS receiver/decoder.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said locating means comprises a cellular locating device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said at least one database comprises a plurality of databases, each said databases comprising VIM coordinates for a predefined VIM type.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said predefined VIM type is selected from the group comprising:

speed traps, red-light traps, stop-sign traps and inter-vehicle distance traps.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein said database additionally comprises auxiliary coordinates.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of comparing additionally comprises the step of comparing said current location indication with at least part of said auxiliary coordinates.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein said step of operating said IPD comprises the steps of:

receiving a command comprising said IPD'"'"'s address from said processing device; and

sending an ON signal to said addressed IPD.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein said VIM detection and evasion system additionally comprises at least one VIM detector.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of operating said IPD comprises the steps of:

receiving a VIM identification signal from one of said at least one VIM detectors;

communicating said signal to said processing means;

receiving a command from said processing device for activating one of said at least one IPD; and

sending an ON signal to said IPD.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of operating said IPD comprises the steps of:

receiving a VIM identification signal from one of said at least one VIM detectors; and

sending an ON signal to a predefined one of said at least one IPD.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein said at least one IPD comprises at least one of a license-plate cover and an ID sticker cover.

28. The method of claim 15, wherein said IPD comprises a license-plate flipper.

29. A license-plate flipping device for flipping a vehicle'"'"'s license plate 180 degrees around a horizontal or vertical pivot axis, wherein the distance of said pivot axis from said vehicle'"'"'s body is less than half said license-plate'"'"'s size in the dimension orthogonal to said pivot axis, and wherein no changes are made to said vehicle'"'"'s body for the purpose of mounting said flipping device thereto.

30. The license-plate flipping device of claim 29, comprising:

a power source;

a panel attached to said license-plate along the back thereof;

two gear motors having respective shafts, said shafts respectively connected with said panel on said panel'"'"'s two horizontal sides;

two arms connected respectively at one end thereof with said two motor shafts;

two beams connected respectively to the other end of said two arms;

a rod spanning said two beams parallel to the longitudinal axis of said license-plate;

two torque springs, each respectively mounted between one of said arms and one of said beams;

two micro-switches attached to one of said motor shafts; and

a leaf spring adapted to alternately exert force on each of said micro-switches.