System and Method for Wirelessly Rostering a Vehicle

• US 20160368456A1
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Published: 12/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chris Outwater, William Redmann
• Original Assignee: Chris Outwater, William Gibbens Redmann
• Inventors: Outwater, Chris, Redmann, William Gibbens
• Granted Patent: US 10,391,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/103 Near field communication [NFC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/25 using biometry
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/302 using recording means, e.g. black box

Abstract

A system and method for wirelessly generating a roster of drivers and passengers in transportation vehicles. A driver'"'"'s or passenger'"'"'s smartphone can communicate using short-range communications with the vehicle, or a smartphone in the vehicle, so that the ID associated with the phone can be linked to a vehicle ID, date and time stamped, and stored in a log or database. Any unauthorized person can be refused admittance (by not permitting the vehicle to start or otherwise being denied the right to be a driver or passenger). A downloaded application is used for this purpose. The invention also can include a secure, remote database as well as a mobile device such as a smartphone running the application, a wireless receiver/transmitter in the vehicle, and a wireless communication network such as a cellular network.

Claims

1. A method of automatically generating a roster of drivers and passengers for a particular vehicle comprising:

a) determining an identification associated with a first person occupying a vehicle by at least one of;

establishing communication between an occupant recognition module and a mobile device of the first person, in response to which the identification is provided by the mobile device to the occupant recognition module, and

detecting biometric data of the first person by the occupant recognition module, the biometric data corresponding to the identification;

b) making a first record comprising the identification in a memory of the occupant recognition module, the first record further comprising a timestamp;

c) repeating steps a) and b) at predetermined times;

whereby a roster of occupants for the vehicle comprises the first records.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined times comprise when any person enters the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined times comprise when any person exits the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined times comprise a fueling event.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification provided by the mobile device is a unique identifier associated with the mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification provided by the mobile device is a digital certificate.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the biometric data of the first person is an image of the first person, the image captured by a camera of the occupant recognition module.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first record further comprises a location.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

d) obtaining an identification of the vehicle by the occupant recognition module;

wherein the first record further comprises the identification of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the identification of the vehicle is provided as a barcode of the vehicle and step d) comprises scanning the barcode.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

d) detecting by a weight sensor associated with a seat of the vehicle, the sensor communicating to the occupant recognition module that a second person occupies the seat;

e) determining by the occupant recognition module that the second person is not the first person, and that no identification is associated with the second person; and

,

f) making a second record that no identification is associated with the second person in the seat in a memory of the occupant recognition module.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of:

g) prohibiting departure of the vehicle at least until an identification of the second person is determined.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

d) providing an audio acknowledgement in response to step a).

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

d) determining with a database in communication with the occupant recognition module, an identity of a user logically connected with the identification;

wherein the first record further comprises the identity.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the database contains a list of allowed passengers.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the database contains a list of allowed drivers.

17. A method of automatically generating a roster of drivers and passengers for a particular vehicle comprising:

a) determining an identification associated with a first person occupying a vehicle by at least one of;

establishing communication between an occupant recognition module and a mobile device of the first person, in response to which the identification is provided by the mobile device to the occupant recognition module, and

detecting biometric data of the first person by the occupant recognition module, the biometric data corresponding to the identification;

b) determining with a database in communication with the occupant recognition module an identity of the first person, the identity logically connected with the identification in the database;

c) making a first record comprising the identity in a memory of the occupant recognition module, the first record further comprising at least one of;

a timestamp, an identification of the vehicle identification, and a location;

d) repeating steps a)-c) at different times;

whereby a roster of occupants for the vehicle comprises the first records.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the different times comprise at least one of when any person enters the vehicle, when any person exits the vehicle, and a fueling event of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the biometric data of the first person is an image of the first person, the image captured by a camera of the occupant recognition module.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the vehicle is self-driving.