COOPERATIVE VEHICULAR IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20080001718A1
• Filed: 09/14/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Odyssey Wireless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Odyssey Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Karabinis, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,642,897 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements

Abstract

Cooperative Vehicular Identification Systems and Methods, capable of monitoring and recording vehicular law violations, with the assistance and cooperation of the vehicles in violation, are disclosed. Real-time information from vehicular sensors is communicated to a Central Processing Unit (CPU). Strategically located Interrogator devices, on roads/highways, at intersections, in and around school zones, integrated with traffic lights, etc., issue inquiries/interrogations to passing-by vehicles. Vehicles proximate to such Interrogators respond with unique identifying information and with parameter lists provided by their vehicular sensors. Each Interrogator inquiry can provide data, including the lawful parameter limits (i.e. speed limit) associated with its location. In response to having successfully decoded an inquiry, and in response to the state of its vehicular sensors, a vehicular Transponder may transmit information to the specific Interrogator that has issued an inquiry. The Interrogator then relays relevant identifying information to the CPU for further processing.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring a state of an entity, the method comprising:

receiving a signal at the entity from a device external to the entity;

transmitting data from the entity responsive to the receiving; and

refraining from further responding to at least one other signal that is received at the entity from the device external to the entity responsive to having received a confirmation signal at the entity indicating that data that has been transmitted from the entity has been received.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing data at the entity responsive to the entity and/or a content thereof having violated at least one aspect of law and responsive to having received the confirmation signal.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting data from the entity comprises transmitting data that is associated with the entity and/or a content of the entity and data that is associated with the device external to the entity.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the data that is associated with the device external to the entity is received at the entity from the device external to the entity.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving and transmitting are based upon a Time Division Duplex (TDD) protocol.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein refraining comprises refraining over a predetermined time interval.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving comprises receiving at the entity first and second signals from respective first and second devices external to the entity and wherein transmitting comprises transmitting responsive to having received the first and second signals.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the first device is configured to transmit to the entity and receive from the entity and wherein the second device is configured to transmit to the entity and not to receive from the entity.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the entity is a motor vehicle.

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

processing data that has been transmitted from the entity at a device external to the entity.

11. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

retrieving data that has been stored at the entity using a device external to the entity; and

/or

providing data to the entity using a device external to the entity.

12. A transponder comprising:

a receiver that is configured to receive a signal from an interrogation device; and

a transmitter that is configured to transmit data responsive to the receiver having received the signal;

wherein the transmitter is configured to refrain from responding to at least one other signal that is received by the receiver from the interrogation device responsive to having received by the receiver a confirmation signal indicating that data that has been transmitted by the transmitter has been received.

13. A transponder according to claim 12, further comprising:

a memory configured to store data responsive to a violation of at least one aspect of law and responsive to having received the confirmation signal;

wherein the violation of at least one aspect of law is associated with an entity that is associated with the transponder and/or with a content of the entity.

14. A transponder according to claim 12, wherein the transmitter transmits data that relates to an entity that is associated with the transponder and/or data that relates to a content of the entity and data that relates to the interrogation device.

15. A transponder according to claim 14, wherein the data that relates to the interrogation device is received by the receiver from the interrogation device.

16. A transponder according to claim 12, wherein the receiver and the transmitter are configured to receive and transmit, respectively, based upon a Time Division Duplex (TDD) protocol.

17. A transponder according to claim 12, wherein the transmitter is configured to refrain from responding over a predetermined time interval.

18. A transponder according to claim 12, wherein the receiver is configured to receive first and second signals from respective first and second devices and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit in response to having received the first and second signals.

19. A transponder according to claim 18, wherein the first device is configured to transmit to the receiver and to receive from the transmitter and wherein the second device is configured to transmit to the receiver and not to receive from the transmitter.

20. An interrogator comprising:

a transmitter that is configured to transmit a signal that includes an identity associated with the interrogator; and

a receiver that is configured to receive data from a transponder;

wherein the data includes the identity associated with the interrogator;

wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit a confirmation signal to the transponder in response to having received the data from the transponder; and

wherein the confirmation signal suppresses the transponder from providing at least one additional response to a respective at least one additional signal that is received by the transponder from the interrogator after the confirmation signal is received by the transponder.

21. An interrogator according to claim 20, wherein the transmitter and the receiver are configured to transmit and receive, respectively, based upon a Time Division Duplex (TDD) protocol.

22. An interrogator according to claim 20, wherein data that is received by the receiver is transmitted to a processing unit for further processing.