Vehicular monitoring system

• US 20040263357A1
• Filed: 05/06/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Hamilton
• Original Assignee: John Hamilton
• Inventors: Hamilton, John
• Application Number:
  US10/841,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20040263357A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/936
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence

Abstract

A vehicular monitoring system that includes a brain box is described. The brain box is connected with a vehicle and transmits vehicular data obtained from a plate tag on a license plate to a mainframe located away from the vehicle. The system may have the license plate mounted on the brain box. The system may also have the plate tag be a bar code or a radio frequency tag. The system may also have the brain box include a plate scanner for obtaining the vehicular data from the plate tag, a central processing unit, a memory, and a transmitter. The central processing unit is in communication with the plate scanner and the memory is in communication with the central processing unit for storing the vehicular data. The transmitter is in communication with the central processing unit for transmitting the vehicular data to the mainframe.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring a vehicle comprising:

obtaining vehicular data from a plate tag on a license plate connected to a vehicle; and

transmitting the vehicular data from the vehicle to a mainframe located away from the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the vehicular data in a brain box connected with the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the vehicle is activated and transmitting the vehicular data once the vehicle is activated.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising obtaining vehicular system data from a vehicular system connected to the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the vehicular system data comprises data regarding the vehicle'"'"'s speed.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising storing the vehicular system data into the brain box.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether the vehicle is in motion;

and obtaining the vehicular system data once the vehicle is in motion.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving road data from the mainframe, wherein the road data indicates the speed limit.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising storing the road data into the brain box.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining whether the vehicle exceeds the speed limit by comparing data received from a vehicular system to the road data.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising activating an indicator light when it is determined that the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving mainframe data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mainframe data comprises a notification of an infraction data or data with information about a speed limit.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising adjusting the vehicle speed upon receiving the data with information about a speed limit.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the vehicle is deactivated and receiving mainframe data when it is determined that the vehicle is deactivated.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mainframe data includes a notification of an infraction or vehicle deactivation control sequence for shutting off the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting local data from the vehicle to a mainframe located away from the vehicle.

18. A method for vehicular monitoring according to claim 1, wherein the vehicular data comprises a vehicle identification number.

19. A method for vehicular monitoring according to claim 8, wherein the road data further comprises location information, weather information, road condition information, or traffic infraction information.

35. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting driver data obtained from a license tag on a driver'"'"'s license to a mainframe located away from the vehicle.

20. A vehicular monitoring system comprising:

a brain box connected with a vehicle, wherein the brain box transmits vehicular data obtained from a plate tag on a license plate to a mainframe located away from the vehicle.

21. The vehicular monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the license plate is mounted on the brain box.

22. The vehicular monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the plate tag is a bar code or a radio frequency tag.

23. The vehicular monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the brain box comprises:

a plate scanner for obtaining the vehicular data from the plate tag;

a central processing unit in communication with the plate scanner;

memory in communication with the central processing unit for storing the vehicular data;

a transmitter in communication with the central processing unit for transmitting the vehicular data to the mainframe.

24. The vehicular monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the brain box further comprises a receiver in communication with the central processing unit for receiving mainframe data from the mainframe.

25. The vehicular monitoring system of claim 20 further comprising a license scanner located in the vehicle for obtaining the driver data from a license tag located on a driver'"'"'s license, wherein the license scanner is in communication with the central processing unit.

26. The vehicular monitoring system of claim 20 further comprising:

a traffic control device located on an intelligent roadway and in communication with the brain box, wherein the traffic control device receives the vehicular data from the brain box.

27. The vehicular monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the traffic control device transmits location data to help determine the location and the speed of the vehicle.

28. The vehicular monitoring system of claim 27, wherein the traffic control device receives mainframe data and road data from the mainframe and transmits the mainframe data and road data to the brain box.

29. The vehicular monitoring system of claim 26 further comprising an electronic management station located near the intelligent roadway, wherein the electronic management station comprises memory and is in communication with the brain box and stores data received from the brain box in the memory.

30. A method for monitoring a vehicle comprising:

receiving vehicular data obtained from a plate tag on a license plate in a mainframe located away from a vehicle;

comparing the vehicular data to a database stored on the mainframe; and

transmitting mainframe data upon comparing the vehicular data, wherein the mainframe data includes instructions for reducing the speed of the vehicle or an ignition start procedure sequence for allowing the vehicle to operate.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

receiving driver data obtained from a license tag on a driver'"'"'s license in a mainframe located away from a vehicle.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

comparing the driver data to a database stored on the mainframe; and

transmitting mainframe data upon comparing the driver data.

33. The method of claim 30 further comprising transmitting road data from the mainframe to a brain box.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the road data comprises information indicating the current speed limit the vehicle 108 is allowed to travel.