Electronic display license plate

• US 5,105,179 A
• Filed: 06/28/1990
• Issued: 04/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smith J. Wise
• Original Assignee: Smith J. Wise
• Inventors: Smith, J. Wise
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US07/544,932
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 340/468-473, 340/463, 340/464, 340/479, 340/485, 340/723, 340/724, 340/789, 340/790, 340/461, 340/462, 340/815.01, 40/910, 364/424.01, 364/424.03
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/56 for illuminating registrations or the like , e.g. for licence plates

Abstract

An electronic display license plate and message center for use on automobiles and other vehicles. The electronic display license plate is a replacement for the standard metal license plate, and may be constructed as a part of the car, such as an integral part of the taillight assembly, or may be constructed as a bolt-on replacement module for existing license plates. The display may be constructed from an array of light-emitting diodes, or a liquid crystal display, or from an electroluminescent panel. A configuration cartridge, typically containing a read only memory (ROM) circuit, contains license plate information such as state, county, license number, and expiration date, configures the display for the particular vehicle. The electronic display license plate may also contain circuitry to detect the expiration of the license and appropriately indicate that expiration by flashing or inverting the display, or causing it to go blank.

Claims

1. An electronic display license plate for use with a vehicle, comprising:

(a) electronic display means for displaying license plate information; and

,

(b) configuration means for configuring the display means to correspond to license plate information,

said configuration means comprising tailoring means for constraining said configuration means to configure said display means for display of only the particular license plate information corresponding to said vehicle and no other vehicle, said tailoring means being alterable only under the direction of an appropriate authority having responsibility and control for said particular license plate information.

2. An electronic display license plate as recited in claim 1, in which the electronic display means comprises an array of light-emitting diodes.

3. An electronic display license plate as recited in claim 1, in which the electronic display means comprises a liquid crystal display.

4. An electronic display license plate as recited in claim 1, in which the electronic display means comprises an electroluminescent panel.

9. An electronic display license plate as recited in claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8, in which the configuration means comprises a read-only memory circuit.

5. An electronic display license plate for use as an integral part of the taillight assembly of a vehicle, comprising:

(a) electronic display means for displaying license plate information; and

,

(b) configuration means for configuring the display means to correspond to license plate information,

said configuration means comprising tailoring means for constraining said configuration means to configure said display means for display of only the particular license plate information corresponding to said vehicle and no other vehicle, said tailoring means being alterable only under the direction of an appropriate authority having responsibility and control for said particular license plate information.

6. An electronic display license plate as recited in claim 5, in which the electronic display means comprises an array of light-emitting diodes.

7. An electronic display license plate as recited in claim 5, in which the electronic display means comprises a liquid crystal display.

8. An electronic display license plate as recited in claim 5, in which the electronic display means comprises an electroluminescent panel.

10. An electronic display license plate for use with a vehicle, comprising:

(a) electronic display means for displaying license plate information; and

,

(b) configuration means for configuring the display means to correspond to the particular license plate information corresponding to the vehicle, said configuration means comprising;

i. read-only memory circuit means for containing the particular license plate information; and

,

ii. detection means for detecting the expiration of the particular license plate information,

said electronic display means comprising control means responsive to said detection means for retrieving the particular license plate information from said read-only circuit means and for causing said display means to indicate the expiration of the particular license plate information.

12. An electronic display license plate as recited in claims 10 or 11, in which the electronic display means comprises an array of light-emitting diodes.

13. An electronic display license plate as recited in claims 10 or 11, in which the electronic display means comprises a liquid crystal display.

14. An electronic display license plate as recited in claims 10 or 11, in which the electronic display means comprises an electroluminescent panel.

11. An electronic display license plate for use as an integral part of the taillight assembly of a vehicle, comprising:

(a) electronic display means for displaying license plate information; and

,

(b) configuration means for configuring the display means to correspond to the particular license plate information corresponding to the vehicle, said configuration means comprising;

i. read-only memory circuit means for containing the particular license plate information; and

,

ii. detection means for detecting the expiration of the particular license plate information,

said electronic display means comprising control means responsive to said detection means for retrieving the particular license plate information from said read-only circuit means and for causing said display means to indicate the expiration of the particular license plate information.

15. An electronic display license plate for use with a vehicle, comprising:

(a) electronic display means for displaying license plate information; and

,

(b) configuration means for configuring the display means to correspond to the particular license plate information corresponding to the vehicle, said configuration means comprising detection means for detecting the expiration of the particular license plate information,

said electronic display means comprising control means responsive to said detection means for causing said display means to indicate the expiration of the particular license plate information.

16. An electronic display license plate for use as an integral part of the taillight assembly of a vehicle, comprising:

(a) electronic display means for displaying license plate information; and

,

(b) configuration means for configuring the display means to correspond to the particular license plate information corresponding to the vehicle, said configuration means comprising detection means for detecting the expiration of the particular license plate information,

said electronic display means comprising control means responsive to said detection means for causing said display means to indicate the expiration of the particular license plate information.