Automobile insurance warning system

• US 7,023,328 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yuhara, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/693,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20040130443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/539.1, 340/457, 340/901, 340/933, 340/426.1, 340/426.15, 340/426.22, 340/384.1, 235/384
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/06 operating on the vehicle transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/104 characterised by the type of theft warning signal, e.g. visual or audible signals with special characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/24 using electronic identifiers containing a code not memorised by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/04 Access control involving a hierarchy in access rights
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/207 with respect to certain areas, e.g. forbidden or allowed areas with possible alerting when inside or outside boundaries

Abstract

Herein disclosed is a warning apparatus for an automobile, comprising: a receiving unit for receiving a driver'"'"'s information from a memory device memorizing said driver'"'"'s information; a memorizing unit for memorizing a automobile insurance information; a determining unit for determining whether or not the driver is an insurant on the basis of said driver'"'"'s information and the automobile insurance information; and a warning unit for warning the driver not to drive when the determining unit has determined that the driver is not said insurant.

Claims

1. A warning apparatus for an automobile, comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving a driver'"'"'s information from a memory device memorizing said driver'"'"'s information;

a memorizing unit for memorizing an automobile insurance information;

a determining unit for determining whether or not said driver is an insurant on the basis of said driver'"'"'s information and said automobile insurance information;

a warning unit for warning said driver not to drive said automobile when said determining unit has determined that said driver is not said insurant; and

a permission signal producing unit for producing a permission signal to allow said driver to operate said automobile when said determining unit has determined that said driver is said insurant.

2. A warning apparatus as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a prevention signal producing unit for producing a prevention signal to prevent said driver from operating said automobile when said determining unit has determined that said driver is not said insurant.

3. A warning apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said receiving unit is operative to receive said driver'"'"'s information from said memory device by performing wireless communications with said memory device.

4. A warning apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said memorizing unit is constituted of a detachable memory device having memorized said automobile insurance information.

5. A warning apparatus as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a communications unit for obtaining an automobile insurance information from said server memorizing said automobile insurance information;

and in which said memorizing unit is operative to memorize said automobile insurance information obtained by said communications unit.

6. A warning apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which said determining unit is operative to determine whether or not said driver is an insurant on the basis of said automobile insurance information memorized in said memorizing unit when said determining unit has determined that said driver is not said insurant.

7. A warning system, comprising:

a server having automobile insurance information; and

a warning apparatus for an automobile, said warning apparatus, including;

a receiving unit for receiving driver'"'"'s information;

a communications unit for obtaining said automobile insurance information from said server by performing communications with said server;

a memorizing unit for memorizing said automobile insurance information obtained by said communications unit;

a determining unit for determining whether or not said driver is an insurant by comparing said driver'"'"'s information received by said receiving unit with said automobile insurance information obtained by said communications unit; and

a warning unit for warning said driver not to drive when said determining unit of said warning apparatus has determined that said driver is not said insurant.

8. A warning system as set forth in claim 7, in which said warning apparatus further includes a permission signal producing unit for producing a permission signal to permit said driver to operate said automobile when said determining unit of said warning apparatus has determined that said driver is said insurant.

9. A warning system as set forth in claim 8, in which said warning apparatus further includes a prevention signal producing unit for producing a prevention signal to prevent said driver from operating said automobile when said determining unit of said warning apparatus has determined that said driver is not said insurant.

10. A warning system as set forth in claim 7, in which said receiving unit of said warning apparatus is operative to receive said driver'"'"'s information by performing wireless communications.

11. A warning system as set forth in claim 7, in which said determining unit of said warning apparatus is operative to determine whether or not said driver is an insurant on the basis of said driver'"'"'s information received by said receiving unit of said warning apparatus and said automobile insurance information memorized in said memorizing unit of said warning apparatus when said automobile insurance information is not obtained from said server by said communications unit of said warning apparatus within a predetermined time period.

12. A warning system as set forth in claim 7, which further comprises a memory device having driver'"'"'s information, and in which said receiving unit of said warning apparatus is operative to receive said driver'"'"'s information from said memory device.

13. A warning system as set forth in claim 12, in which said memory device is constituted of an electronic key to said automobile.

14. A warning system as set forth in claim 12, in which said memory device is constituted of an electronic driver'"'"'s license having license information on said automobile.

15. A warning system as set forth in claim 14, in which said warning apparatus further includes a determining unit for determining whether or not said license information is legitimate on the basis of said license information memorized in said electronic driver'"'"'s license.

16. An automobile, comprising:

an engine control unit for controlling an engine; and

a warning apparatus for said automobile,

said warning apparatus, including;

a receiving unit for receiving driver'"'"'s information from a memory device memorizing driver'"'"'s information;

a memorizing unit for memorizing automobile insurance information;

a determining unit for determining whether or not a driver is an insurant by comparing said driver'"'"'s information received by said receiving unit with said automobile insurance information memorized in said memorizing unit; and

a permission signal producing unit for producing a permission signal to permit said driver to operate said automobile when said determining unit has determined that said driver is said insurant, and

said engine control unit is operative to have said engine start in response to said permission signal produced by said permission signal producing unit of said warning apparatus.

17. An automobile as set forth in claim 16, in which said warning apparatus further includes a warning unit for warning said driver on the basis of results determined by said determining unit when said determining unit has determined that said driver is said insurant.

18. An automobile as set forth in claim 16, in which said receiving unit of said warning apparatus is operative to receive said driver'"'"'s information from said memory device by performing wireless communications with said memory device.

19. An automobile as set forth in claim 18, in which a communications unit of said warning apparatus for obtaining automobile insurance information from said server memorizing said automobile insurance information, said communications unit of said warning apparatus being operative to obtain;

and in which said memorizing unit of said warning apparatus is operative to memorize said automobile insurance information obtained by said communications unit of said warning apparatus.

20. An automobile as set forth in claim 19, in which said determining unit of said warning apparatus is operative to determine whether or not said driver is an insurant on the basis of said automobile insurance information memorized in said memorizing unit of said warning apparatus when said automobile insurance information is not obtained from said server by said communications unit of said warning apparatus within a predetermined time period.

21. An automobile as set forth in claim 16, in which said memorizing unit of said warning apparatus is constituted of a detachable memory device previously have memorized therein said automobile insurance information.

22. A warning apparatus to be installed into an automobile, and operable in combination with a memory device having driver'"'"'s information on personal details, comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving said driver'"'"'s information from said memory device;

a memorizing unit having automobile insurance information on a requirement for being insurant;

a first determining unit for determining whether or not said personal details are conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance by comparing said driver'"'"'s information received by said receiving unit with said automobile insurance information memorized in said memorizing unit;

a warning unit for warning said driver on the basis of results determined by said first determining unit when said first determining unit is operated to determine that said personal details are not conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance; and

a permission signal producing unit for producing a permission signal to permit said driver to operate said automobile when said first determining unit is operated to determine that said personal details are conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance.

23. A warning apparatus as set forth in claim 22, which further comprises a prevention signal producing unit for producing a prevention signal to prevent said driver from operating said automobile when said first determining unit is operated to determine that said personal details are not conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance.

24. A warning apparatus as set forth in claim 22, which further comprises a communications unit operable in combination with a server having said automobile insurance information on said contract basis of said automobile insurance, said communications unit being operative to obtain said automobile insurance information from said server by performing communications with said server;

and in which said memorizing unit is operative to have memorized therein said automobile insurance information obtained by said communications unit.

25. A warning apparatus as set forth in claim 24, in which said first determining unit is operative to determine whether or not said personal details are conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance on the basis of said automobile insurance information memorized in said memorizing unit when said automobile insurance information is not obtained from said server by said communications unit within a predetermined time period.

26. A warning system, comprising:

a server having insurance information on a requirement for being insurant; and

a warning apparatus to be installed into an automobile, said warning apparatus, including;

a receiving unit for receiving driver'"'"'s information;

a communications unit for obtaining said automobile insurance information from said server by performing communications with said server;

a memorizing unit having memorized therein said automobile insurance information obtained by said communications unit;

a first determining unit for determining whether or not said personal details are conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance by comparing said driver'"'"'s information received by said receiving unit with said automobile insurance information obtained by said communications unit; and

a warning unit for warning a driver on the basis of results determined by said first determining unit when said first determining unit of said warning apparatus is operated to determine that said personal details are not conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance.

27. A warning system as set forth in claim 26, in which said warning apparatus further includes a permission signal producing unit for producing a permission signal to permit said driver to operate said automobile when said first determining unit of said warning apparatus is operated to determine that said personal details are conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance.

28. A warning system as set forth in claim 27, in which said warning apparatus further includes a prevention signal producing unit for producing a prevention signal to prevent said driver from operating said automobile when said first determining unit of said warning apparatus is operated to determine that said personal details are not conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance.

29. A warning system as set forth in claim 26, in which said receiving unit of said warning apparatus is operative to receive said driver'"'"'s information by performing wireless communications.

30. A warning system as set forth in claim 26, in which said first determining unit of said warning apparatus is operative to determine whether or not said personal details are conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance on the basis of said driver'"'"'s information received by said receiving unit of said warning apparatus and said automobile insurance information memorized in said memorizing unit of said warning apparatus when said automobile insurance information is not obtained from said server by said communications unit of said warning apparatus within a predetermined time period.

31. An automobile, comprising:

an engine control unit for controlling an engine; and

a warning apparatus operable in combination with a memory device having driver'"'"'s information on personal details,

said warning apparatus, including;

a receiving unit for receiving said driver'"'"'s information from said memory device;

a memorizing unit having automobile insurance information on a requirement for being insurant;

a first determining unit for determining whether or not said personal details are conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance by comparing said driver'"'"'s information received by said receiving unit with said automobile insurance information memorized in said memorizing unit; and

a permission signal producing unit for producing a permission signal to permit said driver to operate said automobile when said first determining unit is operated to determine that said personal details are conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance, and

said engine control unit is operative to have said engine start in response to said permission signal produced by said permission signal producing unit of said warning apparatus.

32. An automobile as set forth in claim 31, in which said warning apparatus further includes a warning unit for warning said driver on the basis of results determined by said first determining unit when said first determining unit is operated to determine that said personal details are not conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance.

33. An automobile as set forth in claim 31, in which said warning apparatus further includes a communications unit of said warning apparatus operable in combination with a server having said automobile insurance information on said contract basis of said automobile insurance, said communications unit of said warning apparatus being operative to obtain said automobile insurance information from said server by performing communications with said server;

and in which said memorizing unit of said warning apparatus is operative to have memorized therein said automobile insurance information obtained by said communications unit of said warning apparatus.

34. An automobile as set forth in claim 33, in which said first determining unit of said warning apparatus is operative to determine whether or not said personal details are conformable to said contract basis of said automobile insurance on the basis of said automobile insurance information memorized in said memorizing unit of said warning apparatus when said automobile insurance information is not obtained from said server by said communications unit of said warning apparatus within a predetermined time period.