Electronic license plate system changing displayed information and method for the same

• US 20070008084A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hao-Lan Tang, Sen-Jia Wu, Yu-Tang Huang, Yu-Tsung Hsu
• Original Assignee: Hao-Lan Tang, Sen-Jia Wu, Yu-Tang Huang, Yu-Tsung Hsu
• Inventors: Wu, Sen-Jia, Tang, Hao-Lan, Huang, Yu-Tang, Hsu, Yu-Tsung
• Application Number:
  US11/172,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20070008084A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.500
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence

Abstract

An electronic license plate system capable of changing information displayed thereon and method for the same is a display device installed on in a motor vehicle showing information according to random instructions given by a traffic control system, serving as an illuminated license plate for easy visual identification. The displayed contents of the license plate varies with time and location to prevent counterfeiting or a shut-down event, and alertness and road security may be raised in areas with poor visibility due to the illuminated license plate. The electronic license plate working with the traffic control system may reach the functions of unmanned charge, dynamic geographic information, unmanned traffic control, road use information, and traffic statistics, and may provide a functional intelligent traffic system (ITS) for prevention of license plate counterfeiting and vehicle theft.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic license plate system capable of changing information displayed thereon, working with a traffic control system, the method comprising:

receiving a wireless signal transmitted from the traffic control system;

determining whether the wireless signal is identification information; and

displaying the identification information if the wireless signal is identification information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the wireless signal transmitted from the traffic control system further comprises receiving a signal from a vehicle information device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the wireless signal is identification information is determined through a processing device, further comprising:

determining whether the wireless signal is information for updating a database of the electronic license plate system, and updating the database if the wireless signal is information for updating the database of the electronic license plate system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of determining whether the wireless signal is the step of updating the identification information, further comprising:

determining whether the signal is that an updating setting if the wireless signal is not information for updating the database.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein whether the wireless signal is a signal updating setting is determined, and if the wireless signal is the signal updating setting, a set condition of the electronic license plate system is updated.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying identification information is accomplished with a display device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of updating the information of database comprises updating an identification code, a piece of request information, a piece of vehicle information, a piece of vehicle-inside information, a piece of real-time information, a piece of emergency information, or a set condition.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identification code is a license plate number of the system, an engine number, a serial number of the vehicle using the electronic license plate system, or a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying identification information further comprises transmitting a signal of identification information, and the step of transmitting the signal of identification information and receiving a signal corresponding to the electronic license plate system is implemented through a wireless communication device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the identification information further comprises displaying a piece of real-time information, a piece of vehicle-inside information, a piece of emergency information, or any piece of information in the database.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of transmitting the identification information further comprises transmitting a piece of real-time information, a piece of vehicle-inside information, a piece of emergency information, or any piece of information in the database.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification information is characters, figures, images, or a combination thereof.

13. An electronic license plate system capable of changing information displayed thereon, working with a traffic control system, the electronic license plate system comprising:

at least a wireless communication device;

a display device;

a database; and

a processing device, electrically connected to the wireless communication device, the display device, and the database, wherein the processing device uses the wireless communication device to transmit and receive signals to and from the traffic control system, accesses the database according to the requests of the received signals, and transmits information in the database through the wireless communication device or displays the information through the display device.

14. The electronic license plate system of claim 13, wherein the signal is a piece of information updating the database or an update setting.

15. The electronic license plate system of claim 14, wherein the system updates a set condition according to the signal updating setting.

16. The electronic license plate system of claim 13, wherein the database stores at least a piece of identification information, an identification code, or a piece of information under a set condition.

17. The electronic license plate system of claim 13, wherein the display device is an LED, an OLED, or an LCD.

18. The electronic license plate system of claim 13, further comprising a power supply to provide an uninterruptible power supply thereto.

19. The electronic license plate system of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication device is a communication module for an integrated wireless LAN, a GPS, and a GPRS.

20. The electronic license plate system of claim 13, wherein the wireless communication device comprises a 2.4 GHz antenna, a 5.8 GHz antenna, and an antenna of wireless RFID chip embedded with the GPS.

21. The electronic license plate system of claim 13, further comprising:

a vehicle information device, electrically connected to the processing device, transmitting the vehicle-inside information or a piece of information to the processing device storing the information in the database upon request, or transmitting information or information in a database through the wireless communication device, or displaying information or information in the database through the display device, and also transmitting the signal received by the wireless communication device or information in the database to the vehicle information device.

22. The electronic license plate system of claim 16, wherein the database further stores at least a piece of vehicle information or at least a piece of vehicle-inside information.

23. The electronic license plate system of claim 22, wherein the vehicle information is a vehicle state, a piece of information of situation on road, a charge information, a notice for guarding against theft, a piece of vehicle-inside information, an emergency notice, or a combination thereof.