Arrangement for identifying motor vehicles

• US 5,396,233 A
• Filed: 10/01/1992
• Issued: 03/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wilhelm H. Hofmann
• Original Assignee: Wilhelm H. Hofmann
• Inventors: Hofmann, Wilhelm H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US07/930,518
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/933, 340/928, 340/905, 340/901, 364/424.01, 364/424.04, 364/436, 307/10.5, 235/384, 180/287
• US Class Current: 340/933
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/10 Registration, licensing, or like devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

The invention is directed to an arrangement for the identification, central registration and checking of motor vehicles. At least one electronic identification plate (2, 3) which is securely connected by mechanical means with the motor vehicle (1) and connected to an on-board computer (15) in the motor vehicle (1) comprising a reader (16) for data carriers (49-52) is associated with every motor vehicle (1). The coding of the data carriers can be established, read, modified and registered by a central computer (43) and is required for switching on and off at least the electronic identification plates (2, 3) of the motor vehicle (1).

Claims

1. An arrangement for an identification, a central registration, and a checking of motor vehicles, comprising:

at least one electronic license plate screen which contains at least one of light emitting diode and liquid crystal display elements, wherein said at least one electronic license plate screen is connected to a motor vehicle;

an on-board computer in said motor vehicle, wherein said at least one electronic license plate screen is connected to said on-board computer;

a reading means for data carriers, wherein said data carriers includes a first data carrier having a coding which can be used for switching said at least one electronic license plate screen on and off,

wherein said first data carrier is utilized as a switching element and as a component of a motor vehicle registration system, wherein said motor vehicle registration system further comprises;

a central computer, and at least one of a licensing office computer and a checking or monitoring computer in a designated official vehicle, wherein said central computer, said licensing office computer, said checking or monitoring computer of said designated official vehicle and said on-board computer having a capability to transfer data between each other, and further wherein said system can at least one of establish, read, change and register in accordance with data representative of said motor vehicle; and

wherein said on-board computer, said central computer, said licensing bureau computer and said reading means are coupled with one another in such a manner that an alarm is triggered in said computers by one of said data carriers which is incorrectly coded in comparison with stored data.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein said reading means is configured as a feed-through reader.