System and Method for Enforcing a Vehicle Code

• US 20070054677A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleet Connect Solutions LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Richard Himmelstein
• Inventors: Himmelstein, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,463,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A vehicle and system for providing a communication link among a plurality of mobile vehicles comprises a broadband RF transceiver with antenna, a GPS receiver, an audio-visual interface, and a microprocessor with associated memory, whereby said microprocessor generates a communication by constructing data packets from a plurality of data fields, including sender information and receiver information.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A method for enforcing a vehicle code, comprising:

receiving a signal transmitted by a mobile unit associated with a vehicle;

determining based on the signal a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle;

determining a status of the vehicle using the vehicle identifier to monitor the vehicle for code enforcement; and

transmitting a message indicating the status.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of receiving a signal comprises receiving a signal at a base station.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of receiving a signal further comprises receiving a radio frequency signal.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the vehicle identification is uniquely associated with the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the vehicle identification is a vehicle identification number (“

VIN”

).

27. The method of claim 22 wherein the status represents vehicle registration.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the status represents vehicle insurance.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the status represents driver licensing.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein the status is an expiration of a driving privilege.

31. The method of claim 22 wherein the status is an expiration of a vehicle registration.

32. The method of claim 22 wherein the status is an expiration of insurance.

33. The method of claim 22 wherein the status is expiration within a specified time period.

34. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of transmitting includes transmitting a radio frequency signal to the mobile unit.

35. The method of claim 22 further including displaying the message via an audio-visual interface.

36. The method of claim 22 wherein the message is sent to a physical address associated with an owner of the vehicle.

37. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of transmitting includes transmitting a radio frequency signal to a radio within the vehicle configured to reproduce the message via an audio signal.

38. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of transmitting a message comprises transmitting an instruction operative to exert electromechanical control over the vehicle.

39. A method for enforcing a vehicle code, comprising:

transmitting a signal from a transmitting mobile unit associated with a vehicle to a receiver, the signal to be used to monitor the a status of the vehicle for code enforcement;

receiving a message indicating the status; and

presenting an indication of the status to an operator of the vehicle.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising the steps of:

receiving and storing information in the mobile unit.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of receiving and storing includes reading a smart card containing the information.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the smart card is a license.

43. The method of claim 39 further comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction directing the mobile unit to exert electromechanical control over the vehicle; and

exerting electromechanical control over the vehicle in accordance with the instruction.

44. A system for enforcing a vehicle code, comprising:

means for receiving a signal transmitted by a mobile unit associated with a vehicle;

means for determining based on the signal a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle;

means for determining a status of the vehicle using the vehicle identifier to monitor the vehicle for code enforcement; and

means for transmitting a message indicating the status.

45. A system for enforcing a vehicle code, comprising:

means for transmitting a signal from a transmitting mobile unit associated with a vehicle to a receiver, the signal to be used to monitor the a status of the vehicle for code enforcement;

means for receiving a message indicating the status; and

means for presenting an indication of the status to an operator of the vehicle.