Mobile enforcement reader
First Claim
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1. A mobile enforcement reader (MER) disposed in a vehicle, the MER for reading signals from a transponder and the MER comprising:
- an antenna configured to receive signals in a plurality of different antenna receive directions with at least two of the plurality of antenna receive directions being orthogonal to each other;
a reader coupled to receive signals from said antenna; and
a control/display unit (CDU) coupled to said reader and in response to signals from said reader, said CDU provides an output signal having information concerning the transponder, said CDU for selecting one of the plurality of different antenna receive directions and for processing transponder signals provided thereto from said reader wherein, said reader reads from the transponder;
a Transponder ID;
a location of the last toll point;
a time of the last toll point that data was collected from; and
agency data including the agency and vehicle classification, wherein at least one of the plurality of different antenna receive directions is a direction which is substantially orthogonal to a direction of travel of the vehicle in which the MER is disposed.
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Abstract
A mobile enforcement reader (MER) includes an antenna, a reader coupled to receive signals from the antenna and a control/display unit (CDU) coupled to the reader. The CDU selects a receive direction and processes signals provided thereto from the reader. When the MER and a transponder are in proximity, the MER interrogates the transponder and receives information related to toll payment. The MER allows enforcement officials to monitor payment by single occupancy vehicle (SOV) traffic for use of high occupancy traffic (HOT) lanes.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A mobile enforcement reader (MER) disposed in a vehicle, the MER for reading signals from a transponder and the MER comprising:
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an antenna configured to receive signals in a plurality of different antenna receive directions with at least two of the plurality of antenna receive directions being orthogonal to each other; a reader coupled to receive signals from said antenna; and a control/display unit (CDU) coupled to said reader and in response to signals from said reader, said CDU provides an output signal having information concerning the transponder, said CDU for selecting one of the plurality of different antenna receive directions and for processing transponder signals provided thereto from said reader wherein, said reader reads from the transponder;
a Transponder ID;
a location of the last toll point;
a time of the last toll point that data was collected from; and
agency data including the agency and vehicle classification, wherein at least one of the plurality of different antenna receive directions is a direction which is substantially orthogonal to a direction of travel of the vehicle in which the MER is disposed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A mobile enforcement reader (MER) for reading signals from a transponder, the MER disposed in a vehicle and the MER comprising:
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an antenna; a reader coupled to receive signals from said antenna; a control/display unit (CDU) coupled to said reader and in response to signals from said reader, said CDU provides an output signal having information concerning the transponder, said CDU for selecting an antenna receive direction and for processing transponder signals provided thereto from said reader wherein, said reader reads from the transponder;
a Transponder ID;
a location of the last toll point;
a time of the last toll point that data was collected from; and
agency data including the agency and vehicle classification; anda dynamic read zone circuit for adjusting at least one of a size and a shape of a MER read zone wherein said CDU is adapted to select at least one of a plurality of receive directions wherein at least one of the plurality of receive directions is a direction which is orthogonal to a direction of travel of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A mobile enforcement reader (MER) coupled to a first, law-enforcement vehicle and configured to read signals from a toll transponder coupled to a second vehicle, the MER comprising:
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an antenna; a reader coupled to receive signals from the antenna; and a control/display unit (CDU) coupled to the reader and configured to provide an output signal comprising information associated with the transponder in response to signals comprising toll data from the reader, the CDU being configured to allow selection of an antenna receive direction to receive the signals from the transponder and to process transponder signals provided by the reader, wherein the reader reads the signals from the transponder comprising; a transponder ID; a location of the last toll point; a time of the last toll point that data was collected from; and agency data comprising an agency and vehicle classification, wherein the antenna comprises;
a first antenna configured to receive signals emanating from a first direction corresponding to a direction which is toward a rear of the first vehicle and along a central longitudinal axis of the vehicle; and
a second antenna configured to receive signals emanating from a second direction which is substantially orthogonal to the central longitudinal axis of the first vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification