Vehicle violation enforcement system and method

• US 7,731,088 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IPT, LLC
• Original Assignee: IPT, LLC
• Inventors: Berman, Larry, Marchasin, Cory, Johnson, Josiah, Moynihan, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Koyama; Kumiko C
• Application Number:
  US11/122,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20050279820A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,860 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 235/492, 340/5.2, 702/26
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/093 comprising ground-engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5841 Rotation blocking

Abstract

A PDA device is used to record the ID of a vehicle boot RFID tag and to transmit to the tag and to a host entity violation data such as summons number, license number, time and date stamp, issuing person ID, location of the vehicle, scofflaw data and so on. This data may be entered into the PDA electronically via a communication network such as the internet or LAN system or manually via a keyboard. The host entity has a data base which is uploaded with this information and has correlation of RFID tag numbers to an unlock combination number for each boot. When the boot is attached to a vehicle, this PDA data is transmitted to the host entity whose contact telephone number is attached to the vehicle being booted. The driver contacts the entity to pay the fine and receive in return the unlock combination. The driver thus can release and remove the boot within minutes of returning to the vehicle and can return the boot at his leisure.

Claims

1. A motor vehicular parking enforcement system comprising:

a vehicle wheel boot for immobilizing a parking violation vehicle, the boot having a lock encoded with a boot release code for releasing the boot from the wheel;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag having a unique identification (ID) attached to the boot including memory and a transmitter/receiver communication arrangement for receiving, storing and transmitting first information includes the tag unique ID;

a handheld personal digital assistant (PDA) device includes an RFID reader and transmitter, the device for entering, receiving, storing and transmitting second information at least to and from the tag, the second information including the tag unique ID and violation data of the parking violation; and

a communications system for communicating the second information to an entity host computer system.

2. The enforcement system of claim 1 wherein the device includes a camera for taking and transmitting a photograph of the violation vehicle to the entity host computer system.

3. The enforcement system of claim 1 further including a summons issuing governing body database (SDB) containing scofflaw data and wherein the host computer system includes a link to the communication system for communicating with the SDB to determine the scofflaw status of the violation vehicle and for communicating this status to the entity host computer system.

4. The enforcement system of claim 1 wherein the device includes a communication arrangement for communicating with a summons issuing governing body data base (SDB) containing scofflaw data for storing the scofflaw data in the device memory.

5. The enforcement system of claim 4 wherein the host system includes a communication link for communicating with the SDB to determine and store the scofflaw status of the violation vehicle in the host system memory.

6. The enforcement system of claim 1 wherein the entity host system includes a data base containing the boot release code corresponding to the unique RFID tag ID, the host system including a CPU for corresponding the release code to the boot unique ID for accessing and permitting the communication of the release code to the person associated with the violation vehicle in return for payment of all outstanding fine(s) due from the person.

7. The enforcement system of claim 1 wherein the PDA includes a key pad for entering summons data wherein the data entered includes the name and/or related information regarding the person issuing the summons for the violation, the date, the time, the location selected from codes stored in memory, the license number and state of the vehicle registration, the summons number, and a violation code.

8. The enforcement system of claim 1 wherein the PDA includes a modem for communicating to the host system summons and RFID tag data to the host system and for communicating to a municipality computer system containing scofflaw data for transferring scofflaw data to the PDA.

9. The enforcement system of claim 1 wherein the host system includes a data base with all boot release codes and a CPU for accessing the release code from the host data base for all RFID tags and the corresponding unique RFID codes for which a summons is issued for a parking violation.

10. The enforcement system of claim 1 wherein the PDA includes a memory for storing entered current vehicle violation data representing the summons being issued for the current violation and RFID read data including the unique RFID code and a communication system for communicating the stored violation data including scofflaw data from past vehicle violations that have been ignored, the RFID read data and the current violation data to the host system.

11. The enforcement system of claim 1 wherein the host system includes a communication link for communicating to a tow operator the status of the fine payment, the location of the parking violation vehicle and the unlock code for the boot for removal of the boot and towing of the parking violation vehicle by the tow operator.

12. A system for enforcing parking violations comprising:

a personal digital assistant (PDA) including information comprising scofflaw status of a vehicle and a location and unique identification (ID) of a vehicle locking boot attached to the vehicle, the PDA also communicates the information to a host system; and

a system providing identification of a parking enforcement entity to an owner of the vehicle for payment of a fine,

the host system including a computer and data base storing the boot ID and a boot release code, the host system providing the boot release code to the owner upon payment of the fine.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the boot includes an RFID tag having memory and a unique ID associated with the boot, the PDA having an RFID tag reader and including a memory and keypad for receiving and storing the scofflaw status of the violation vehicle and for recording the details of the violation data, the boot RFID tag ID and location of the boot.

14. The system of claim 12 including a further communication system permitting the host system and PDA to communicate to a summons issuing governing body data base to determine the scofflaw violation data status of the vehicle and communication to an entity data base the details of the scofflaw violation data, the boot ID and location of the boot.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the further communicating system is arranged to permit the PDA to communicate with the host system for transferring violation data stored in its memory.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the PDA includes an RFID reader and the boot includes an RFID tag.

17. The system of claim 12 further including an ID medium with the identity of the parking enforcement entity contact information imprinted thereon for attachment to the violation vehicle.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the host system includes a database in which a boot RFID unique ID is correlated with a corresponding boot release code.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the PDA includes a key pad for entering PDA data and wherein the PDA data entered includes the name of the person issuing the summons for the violation, an RFID unique code, a date, a time, the location selected from codes stored in memory, a license number and state of the vehicle registration, a summons number, a violation code, and scofflaw status data.

20. The system of claim 12 further including a governing body data base of scofflaw data, a card reader/writer associated with the governing body data base for copying scofflaw data to a card associated with the reader/writer, the card for transferring the scofflaw data to the PDA.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the PDA includes a card reader for copying scofflaw data into the PDA.