Method and apparatus for remotely controlling motor vehicles

• US 6,411,887 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: P-Cell Research Incorporated
• Original Assignee: P-Cell Research Incorporated
• Inventors: Martens, Daniel, Martens, Larry, Markle, Bryan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US09/564,228
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 123/478, 123/480, 123/486, 701/1, 701/2, 701/25, 701/101, 701/102, 701/103, 701/104, 701/105, 701/115, 701/117, 180/167, 180/168, 180/169, 180/287, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/463, 340/468, 340/902, 340/989, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.5
• US Class Current: 701/115
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

In the Police Chase Eliminator (PCEL), a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic may be apprehended by first identifying vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle, following the targeted vehicle until it is the only vehicle remaining of the originally identified vehicles, and then apprehending the targeted vehicle. This process may also be carried out by first identifying a select group of vehicles using vehicle descriptor limitations. The system for remotely controlling a targeted vehicle comprises a control unit which would normally be located in a police car and vehicle modules which are installed in motor vehicles. The control unit transmits activate commands to the vehicle modules which respond by either transmitting back a visual signal or an electronic signal. The control unit may also transmit control commands to the vehicle modules to control the operation of the vehicle. The activate control commands may include a vehicle “Find” command and/or a vehicle “Flash” command. The vehicle “Find” command seeks an electronic response identifying a vehicle by it descriptors which may include vehicle VIN, vehicle type, vehicle color and vehicle make. The vehicle “Flash” command initiates a visual indicator response from the vehicle such as the operation of its four-way flashers. The control commands include, a vehicle “Slow” command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “Stop” command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “Reset” command for resetting the vehicle module.

Claims

1. A method for remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through vehicular traffic using a system having a control unit for transmitting activate and control command signals to vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle and vehicle modules installed in vehicles to produce a vehicle descriptor response to the activate command signal and to control the operation of the vehicle by the control command signals, comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting an activate command signal to the vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle and receiving vehicle identification responses from the activated vehicles;

b. repeating step a. while following the targeted vehicle until the vehicle identification responses include substantially only one vehicle identification that is common to the repeated series of responses received; and

c. controlling the operation of the vehicle having the common identification by a control command signal.

2. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle descriptor is selected from VIN, vehicle style, vehicle color and vehicle make.

3. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

the activate command signal may include a vehicle “

Find”

command for seeking a vehicle descriptor response and a vehicle “

Flash”

command for initiating a vehicle'"'"'s visual indicator; and

the control command signals may include a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “

Reset”

command for resetting the vehicle module.

4. A method for remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through vehicular traffic using a system having a control unit for transmitting activate and control command signals to vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle and vehicle modules installed in vehicles to produce a visual response to the activate command signal and to control the operation of the vehicle by the control command signals, comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting an activate command signal to the vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle and receiving visual responses for a predetermined period of time from the activated vehicles;

b. following the targeted vehicle until it is substantially the only vehicle producing the visual response; and

c. controlling the operation of the vehicle by control command signals.

5. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 4 wherein the visual response from the vehicle comprises the operation of the vehicle flashers.

6. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 4 wherein the control command signals include a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “

Reset”

command for resetting the vehicle module.

7. A method for remotely controlling vehicles in traffic using a system having a control unit for transmitting activate and control command signals to vehicles in the vicinity of the control unit and vehicle modules installed in vehicles to produce a visual response to the activate command signals and to control the operation of the vehicle by the control command signal, comprising the step of:

a. periodically transmitting activate command signals to the vehicles in the vicinity of control unit to activate visual responses from the vehicles.

8. A method for remotely controlling vehicles in traffic as claimed in claim 7 wherein the visual responses are operating vehicle flashers.

9. A method for remotely controlling vehicles in traffic as claimed in claim 7 which includes the further step:

b. transmitting command control signals to the activated vehicles to control the operation of the vehicles.

10. A method for remotely controlling vehicles in traffic as claimed in claim 9 wherein the control command signal may include a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down and a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop.

11. A method for remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic using a system having a control unit for transmitting activate and control command signals to vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle and vehicle modules installed in vehicles to respond to the activate command signal and to control the operation of the vehicle by the control command signals, comprising the steps of:

a. transmitting an activate command signal to the vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle and receiving responses from the activated vehicles;

b. following the targeted vehicle until it is substantially the only vehicle responding to the activate command signal; and

c. controlling the operation of the targeted vehicle by a control command signal.

12. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 11 wherein the activated vehicle responses include a visual response.

13. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 11 wherein the activate command signal includes a vehicle “

Flash”

command for initiating the vehicle visual indicator and control command signals include a vehicle “

Slow”

command for causing the vehicle to slow down, a vehicle “

Stop”

command for causing the vehicle to stop and a vehicle “

Reset”

command for resetting the vehicle module.

14. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 11 wherein the activated vehicle responses include one or more vehicle descriptors.

15. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 14 wherein the vehicle descriptors are selected from VIN, vehicle style, vehicle color and vehicle make.

16. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 11 wherein step (a) includes selecting a group of vehicles in the vicinity of the targeted vehicle.

17. A method of remotely controlling a targeted vehicle being pursued through traffic as claimed in claim 16 wherein the vehicle group is selected by vehicle style, vehicle color and/or vehicle make.