System and method for enforcing a vehicle code

• US 7,463,896 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleet Connect Solutions LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Richard B. Himmelstein
• Inventors: Himmelstein, Richard B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US11/524,850
• Publication Number:
  US 20070054677A1
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 455/402.2, 455/404.2, 455/423, 4554561-457, 455/415, 455/9, 455/550.1, 455/569.2, 455/521, 455/345, 455/517, 455/524, 340 761- 762, 340/7.55, 340/534, 340/539.1, 340/426.15, 340/426.19, 340/426.2, 340/426.22, 709/211, 709/29, 709/9, 709/1, 709/2, 701/211, 701/29, 701/213, 701/9, 701/1, 701/2, 701/207, 342/357.01, 342/352, 342/357.02, 342/357.06, 342/357.09, 342/357.12
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0265 Vehicular advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3805 with built-in auxiliary receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/03 Protecting confidentiality, e.g. by encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for enforcing a vehicle code. The systems and methods employ wireless communication signals transmitted and received by mobile units, including mobile telephones, palm devices and base stations.

Claims

1. A method for enforcing a vehicle code, comprising:

receiving a wireless communication signal by a first mobile unit having a unique identifier, the wireless communication signal transmitted by a second mobile unit associated with a vehicle;

downconverting data in the received wireless communication signal from radio frequency to baseband;

determining based on the downconverted data;

a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle, and

a GPS position associated with the vehicle;

determining by a system administrator a status of the vehicle using the vehicle identifier to monitor the vehicle for code enforcement, wherein the determining the status includes parsing the received wireless communication signal to determine the status of the vehicle;

generating baseband message data indicating the status by constructing at least one data packet from a plurality of data fields, the data fields including the unique identifier of the first mobile unit and the vehicle identifier; and

upconverting the baseband message data to radio frequency for transmission to the second mobile unit, thereby transmitting the upconverted baseband message data indicating the status of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fist mobile unit comprises a base station.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle identifier is uniquely associated with the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle identifier is a vehicle identification number (“

VIN”

).

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the status of the vehicle represents vehicle registration.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the status of the vehicle represents vehicle insurance.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the status of the vehicle represents driver licensing.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the status of the vehicle is an expiration of a driving privilege.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the status of the vehicle is an expiration of a vehicle registration.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the status of the vehicle is an expiration of insurance.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the status of the vehicle is expiration within a specified time period.

12. The method of claim 1 further including displaying the status of the vehicle via an audio-visual interface.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notice indicating the status of the vehicle to a physical address associated with an owner of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein upconverting the baseband message data includes transmitting a radio frequency signal to a radio within the vehicle configured to reproduce the message via an audio signal.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein upconverting the baseband message data comprises transmitting an instruction operative to exert electromechanical control over the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the instruction is operative to limit speed of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining by the system administrator the status of the vehicle using the vehicle identifier includes using a global computer network.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the first mobile unit comprises a repeater.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless communication signal includes the vehicle identifier and the status of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the wireless communication signal is performed upon request.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the wireless communication signal is performed automatically.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the first mobile unit is associated with a law enforcement official.

23. A system for enforcing a vehicle code, comprising:

means for receiving a wireless communication signal by a first mobile unit having a unique identifier, the wireless communication signal transmitted by a second mobile unit associated with a vehicle;

means for downconverting data in the received wireless communication signal from radio frequency to baseband;

means for determining based on the downconverted data a vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle and GPS position associated with the vehicle;

means for determining by a system administrator status of the vehicle using the vehicle identifier to monitor the vehicle for code enforcement, wherein the determining the status includes parsing the received wireless communication signal to determine the status of the vehicle;

means for generating baseband message data indicating the status by constructing at least one data packet from a plurality of data fields, the data fields including the unique identifier of the first mobile unit and the vehicle identifier associated with the vehicle; and

means for upconverting the baseband message data to radio frequency for transmission to the second mobile unit, thereby transmitting the up converted baseband message data indicating the status of the vehicle.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the means for determining by the system administrator the status of the vehicle is a global computer network.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the first mobile unit comprises a base station.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the first mobile unit comprises a repeater.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein the wireless communication signal includes the vehicle identifier and the status of the vehicle.

28. The system of claim 23 further including means for requesting the wireless communication signal upon request.

29. The system of claim 23 further including means for requesting the wireless communication signal automatically.

30. The system of claim 23 further comprising an audio-visual interface for displaying the status of the vehicle.

31. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for upconverting the baseband message data is operative to transmit a radio frequency signal to a radio within the vehicle configured to reproduce the message via an audio signal.

32. The system of claim 23 wherein the means for upconverting the baseband message data is operative to transmit an instruction operative to exert electromechanical control over the vehicle.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the instruction is operative to limit speed of the vehicle.

34. The system of claim 23 wherein the first mobile unit is associated with a law enforcement official.