SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VIOLATION ENFORCEMENT UTILIZING VEHICLE IMMOBILIZATION

• US 20140201064A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endeavoring, LLC
• Original Assignee: Endeavoring, LLC
• Inventors: Jackson, Scott A., Smith, Luke
• Granted Patent: US 9,406,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/38
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0022 characterised by the communication link data switching networks in general H04L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/26 Government or public services business processes related to the transportation industry G06Q50/40
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/625 License plates
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A system for violation enforcement utilizing vehicle immobilization is provided. The system includes a database configured to store identifying information for a plurality of target vehicles subject to immobilization. The system includes a license plate recognition device configured identify a plurality of vehicles and a geographic locations associated with each vehicle. A data server receives the data identifying the plurality of vehicles and the plurality of geographic locations associated with each vehicle. An output processor is in operative communication with the data server and the database and is configured to process the received data and to compare the received data to the stored identifying information for the plurality of target vehicles. The output processor is further configured to generate and transmit a notification to a recovery vehicle when identifying information for one or more target vehicles matches the identifying information for one or more vehicles in the received data.

Claims

1. A system for violation enforcement utilizing vehicle immobilization, comprising:

a database configured to store identifying information for a plurality of target vehicles subject to immobilization;

a license plate recognition device configured identify a plurality of scanned vehicles and a geographic location associated with each scanned vehicle;

a data server configured to receive the data identifying the plurality of scanned vehicles and the geographic location associated with each scanned vehicle; and

an output processor in operative communication with the data server and the database configured to processed the received data and to compare the received data to the stored identifying information for the plurality of target vehicles,

wherein the output processor is further configured to generate and transmit a notification to a recovery vehicle when identifying information for one or more target vehicles matches the identifying information for one or more scanned vehicles in the received data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the notification contains the geographic location associated with each vehicle that was matched to the one or more target vehicles.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an immobilization device configured to immobilize or reinstate mobilization of a vehicle upon reception of an immobilization signal.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the immobilization device further comprises a telecommunications component and is configured to receive the immobilization signal utilizing the telecommunications component.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a communication server in operative communication with the telecommunications component and configured to generate the immobilization signal and transmit the immobilization signal to the immobilization device.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the immobilization device further comprises a keypad component and is configured to receive the immobilization signal using the keypad component.

7. The system of claim 3, further comprising a payment server configured to receive a payment from a vehicle owner.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the immobilization device is deactivated and mobilization reinstated when the vehicle owner submits the payment to the payment server.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a return container device configured to recognize reception of a returned immobilization device.

10. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein data representing instructions executable by a programmed processor for violation enforcement utilizing vehicle immobilization, the storage medium comprising instructions operative for:

storing data identifying a plurality of target vehicles subject to immobilization;

receiving the data identifying a plurality of vehicles and a plurality of geographic locations associated with each vehicle;

comparing the received data to the stored data to determine one or more matching vehicles having the same identifying data; and

generating a notification containing the geographic locations from the received data and associated with the one or more matching vehicles having the same identifying data; and

transmitting the notification to an immobilization agent.

11. The storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions operative for generating an immobilization signal to send to an immobilization device that is placed on one of the matching vehicles.

12. The storage medium of claim 11, wherein the immobilization device is configured to immobilize or reinstate mobilization of the matching vehicle upon reception of an immobilization signal.

13. The store medium of claim 11, further comprising instructions operative receiving a payment from a vehicle owner.

14. The storage medium of claim 14, further comprising instructions operative for generating a reinstate mobilization signal to send the immobilization device when the payment is received from the vehicle owner.

15. A computer-implemented method using at least one processor for violation enforcement utilizing vehicle immobilization, the method comprising:

receiving identification information identifying a plurality of vehicles and associated geographic locations;

comparing the received identification information to stored identification information for a plurality of target vehicles subject to immobilization;

transmitting an alert containing the received identification information and associated geographic location to a client device when the received identification information matches the stored identification for one or more target vehicle subject to immobilization; and

immobilizing the target vehicle using an immobilization device in response to the generated alert.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the target vehicle is immobilized by a remote signal transmitted over a telecommunications network.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the client device comprises a telecommunication device being used by an immobilization agent.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the client device comprises an automatic license plate recognition system.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving a payment from an owner of the immobilized target vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising reinstating mobilization of the target vehicle upon payment from the owner of the immobilized target vehicle.

21. A method for violation enforcement utilizing vehicle immobilization, the method comprising:

receiving a notification containing identifying information of a target vehicle subject to immobilization;

immobilizing the target vehicle using an immobilization device,

wherein the immobilization device is configured to receive a signal to reinstate immobilization of the target vehicle.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the immobilization device is further configured to receive the signal to reinstate immobilization of the vehicle over a telecommunications network.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising reinstating mobilization of the vehicle when the signal is received over the telecommunications network.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing a recovery bin configured to recognize the placement of the immobilization device in the recovery bin.

25. A system for violation enforcement utilizing vehicle immobilization, the system comprising:

a telecommunication device configured to receive a notification containing identifying information of a vehicle subject to immobilization;

an immobilization device configured to allow immobilization of a vehicle; and

a telematics device coupled to the immobilization device and configured to receive a remote mobilization signal over a wireless network,

wherein the immobilization device is further configured to reinstate vehicle mobilization when the remote mobilization signal is received by the telematics device.