RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION NUMBERING FOR CORRECT DIRECTION INDICATION

• US 20080068165A1
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Levine, Frank Eliot, DeWitt, Jimmie Earl, Pineda, Enio Manuel, Hussain, Riaz Y.
• Application Number:
  US11/531,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20080068165A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/075 Ramp control

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for determining a proper direction of travel of a vehicle. A first value is received from a first radio frequency identification tag by the vehicle. A second value is received from a second radio frequency identification tag by the vehicle. A first value and a second value associated with the radio frequency identification tags are identified. A determination is made whether the second value is in an ordinal sequence with the first value to denote the proper direction of travel. In response to a determination that the second value is not in sequence with the first value, a signal is sent that the direction of travel of the vehicle is contrary to the proper direction of travel.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for determining a proper direction of travel of a vehicle, the computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a first value from a first radio frequency identification tag by the vehicle;

receiving a second value from a second radio frequency identification tag by the vehicle;

identifying a first value associated with the first radio frequency identification tag and a second value associated with the second radio frequency identification tag;

determining whether the second value is in an ordinal sequence with the first value to denote the proper direction of travel; and

responsive to a determination that the second value is not in ordinal sequence with the first value, signaling that the direction of travel of the vehicle is contrary to the proper direction of travel.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is any of a car, truck, bus, train, bicycle, motorcycle, boat, or plane on a ground surface, and wherein the vehicle is equipped with a radio frequency identification tag reader.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading the first radio frequency identification tag;

reading the second radio frequency identification tag;

comparing read times for the first radio frequency identification tag and the second radio frequency identification tag; and

timing out if the read times do not occur within a specified interval of time.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first value and the second value is a number, wherein the ordinal sequence is stored in a known bit position within the first radio frequency identification tag and the second radio frequency identification tag.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the ordinal sequence comprises incremental or decreasing values.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the ordinal sequence is a repeating ordinal sequence.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first value and the second value are time-stamped when read and are stored in a memory.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, identifying, determining, and signaling steps are performed continuously while the vehicle is in motion.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the signaling step further comprises:

signaling the driver with an alert indicator.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein the alert indicator is any of an audio, visual, or tactile alert.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the ordinal sequence is any of non-repeating ordinal sequence and a reoccurring sequence within a set of radio frequency identification tags.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first radio frequency identification tag and the second radio frequency identification tag are activated by any of vehicle pressure, motion, sound or proximity of a radio frequency identification tag reader.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the reading, identifying, determining, and signaling steps are performed by the data processing system of the vehicle.

14. A direction indication system comprising:

a roadway including a set of radio frequency identification tags including at least a first tag and a second tag;

a vehicle including a computing platform wherein the computing platform further comprises;

a radio frequency identification tag reader for reading information from the set of radio frequency identification tags including a first value associated with the first tag and a second value associated with the second tag;

a computing system controlling functionality of the vehicle for processing the first value and the second value to determine a direction of travel; and

an alert system for alerting a driver that the direction of travel of the vehicle is contrary to a proper direction of travel.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the vehicle further comprises:

a communication system for communicating with individuals and devices to alert the individuals and devices when the driver is traveling contrary to the proper direction of travel.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first radio frequency identification tag and the second radio frequency identification tag are embedded in the roadway and store information.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the set of radio frequency identification tags are part of any of lane indicators, paint, speed bumps, guard rails, curbs, and reflector poles.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the computing platform includes a global positioning system for displaying and receiving information from a user.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium including computer usable program code for determining a proper direction of travel of a vehicle, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving a first value from a first radio frequency identification tag by the vehicle;

computer usable program code for receiving a second value from a second radio frequency identification tag by the vehicle;

computer usable program code for identifying a first value associated with the first radio frequency identification tag and a second value associated with the second radio frequency identification tag;

computer usable program code for determining whether the second value is in an ordinal sequence with the first value to denote the proper direction of travel; and

computer usable program code responsive to a determination that the second value is not in sequence with the first value, for signaling that the direction of travel of the vehicle is contrary to the proper direction of travel.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, comprising computer usable program code for determining whether the second radio frequency identification tag was read within a specified time of the first radio frequency identification tag for determining whether a timeout has occurred.