Power And Communication Modes For Digital License Plate

• US 20180186311A1
• Filed: 01/05/2018
• Published: 07/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ReviverMx, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ReviverMx, Inc.
• Granted Patent: US 10,589,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/56 for illuminating registrations or the like , e.g. for licence plates
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/105 Licence- or registration plates, provided with mounting means, e.g. frames, holders, retainers, brackets
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 13/00 Indicating or recording presence, absence, or direction, of movement electric switches H01H; counting moving objects G06M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3206 Monitoring of events, devices or parameters that trigger a change in power modality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• 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: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A digital license plate system having various power and communication modes to improve performance and increase expected battery life is disclosed. In one embodiment, a response to a sensor triggered plate event requires determination of whether a vehicle is running, parked or in-motion. This determination involves waking the processor, establishing wireless connectivity, and determining if the vehicle is in motion based on local sensor data.

Claims

1. A power system for a digital license plate comprising:

multiple sensors providing status data to a processor in the digital license plate, with at least one of the multiple sensors acting to measure battery charge;

a protection circuitry module attachable to a vehicle power supply; and

a battery charger power path control module, controlled by the processor, and attached to the protection circuitry module to trigger state changes and route power depending on system state as determined by at least one the multiple sensors.

2. The power system for a digital license plate of claim 1, wherein state changes include an off state, a sleep state, a wake state, and a semi-wake state.

3. The power system for a digital license plate of claim 1, wherein state changes are triggered in response to detected vehicle voltage.

4. The power system for a digital license plate of claim 1, wherein state changes are triggered in response to vehicle motion.

5. The power system for a digital license plate of claim 1, wherein state changes are triggered in response to wireless connection status.

6. The power system for a digital license plate of claim 1, wherein state changes are triggered in response to location or location changes.

7. The power system for a digital license plate of claim 1, further comprising multiple connected batteries, with each battery able to be separately charged.

8. The power system for a digital license plate of claim 1, wherein state changes are triggered in response to available battery power.

9. A power system for a digital license plate comprising:

a digital license plate attached to a vehicle and connected to receive data through a wireless connection, wherein the digital license plate has a SLEEP mode, an ON mode, and an In Motion mode; and

wherein

a trigger to move from a sleep mode to an ON mode includes at least one of detected voltage, vehicle motion, vehicle location, button press, and wireless connection status.

10. The power system for a digital license plate of claim 9, further comprising an accelerometer capable of detecting door opening and closure.

11. The power system for a digital license plate of claim 9, further comprising an accelerometer capable of detecting engine operation.

12. A method for switching between power and operational states in a digital license plate, comprising the steps of

in response to a sensor triggered plate event, determining if a vehicle is running, parked or in-motion by:

waking the processor;

establishing wireless connectivity; and

determining if the vehicle is in motion based on local sensor data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of

waiting a predetermined time if the vehicle is not in motion;

and

entering a sleep mode.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of

waiting a predetermined time if the vehicle is not in motion;

changing the display presentation; and

entering a sleep mode.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of

turning on location information services if the vehicle is in motion;

and

connecting to a cloud for data receipt and transfer.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor triggered plate event is detected vehicle voltage.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor triggered plate event is based on accelerometer data.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor triggered plate event is detected engine operation.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor triggered plate event is based on wireless connection status.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the sensor triggered plate event is based on smartphone wireless connection status.

21. A digital license plate system, comprising:

a digital license plate attachable to a vehicle, the digital license plate having a display,

a first long range wireless communication system;

a second short range wireless communication system being connectable to send and receive wireless data via a user'"'"'s mobile phone, with the second wireless communication system using less power than the first wireless communication system; and

wherein connection between the user'"'"'s mobile phone and the second short range wireless communication system is used to determine driver presence in the vehicle.

22. The digital license plate system of claim 21, wherein the first wireless communication system is LTE.

23. The digital license plate system of claim 21, wherein the second wireless communication system is BTLE.

24. The digital license plate system of claim 21, wherein the second wireless communication system is WiFi.

25. The digital license plate system of claim 21, wherein the second wireless communication system is connectable at a range of up to about 10 meters.

26. The digital license plate system of claim 21, wherein messages are first sent to the user'"'"'s mobile phone and then re-sent from the user'"'"'s mobile phone to the digital license plate when the user'"'"'s mobile phone is connected to the digital license plate by the second short range wireless communication system.

27. The digital license plate system of claim 21, wherein the vehicle is indicated as parked when the user'"'"'s mobile phone connection to the digital license plate by the second short range wireless communication system is interrupted.

28. The digital license plate system of claim 21, wherein messages related to vehicle status are sent to the user'"'"'s mobile phone when the digital license plate is moving and the user'"'"'s mobile phone is not connected to the digital license plate by the second short range wireless communication system.

29. The digital license plate system of claim 21, wherein the display is modified when the vehicle is indicated as parked following interruption of the user'"'"'s mobile phone connection to the digital license plate by the second short range wireless communication system.

30. The digital license plate system of claim 21, wherein the display is modified when the digital license plate is moving and the user'"'"'s mobile phone is not connected to the digital license plate by the second short range wireless communication system.