RFID based system and method for vehicle and driver verification

• US 8,754,751 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GTBM, Inc.
• Original Assignee: GTBM, Inc.
• Inventors: Picolli, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US13/525,943
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/10 Registration, licensing, or like devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/30 Detection related to theft or to other events relevant to anti-theft systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/75 using transponders powered from received waves, e.g. using passive transponders , or using passive reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/751 wherein the responder or reflector radiates a coded signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/785 Distance Measuring Equipment [DME] systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus and system that provides for the wireless receiving, storing and analysis of digital data as part of an RFID enabled motor vehicle license plate in wireless communication with a mobile interrogator for obtaining data such as license plate number and optionally, a VIN. When combined with additional RFID tags, information such as wireless driver license data retrieval, VIN, and other user defined information such as data relating to insurance policy information, addresses, registration information, driving records, driving restrictions and the like may be accessed. Data is wirelessly passed upon receipt of a valid request signal from a law enforcement vehicle, through a law enforcement portal to centralized databases in order analyze and verify the same. The invention also provides for non-law enforcement information such as parking and repossession information, which would be similarly processed for parking and repossession agents, but through separate non-law enforcement databases.

Claims

1. A wireless data dissemination and analysis system for identification of motor vehicles and drivers comprising:

a mobile wireless interrogator unit connected to at least one centralized motor vehicle database and at least one centralized criminal database, said wireless interrogator unit having a visual based input-output display device and a master antenna;

said master antenna being formed from a remote interfacing antenna unit for at least receiving Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wireless signals from slave antennae of a plurality of motor vehicle and driver related RFID sources comprising at least;

one Enhanced Driver License Identification (EDLID), one Automobile Identification (AUTOID) tag, and one License Plate Identification (LPID) tag, said remote interfacing antenna unit producing a complimentary radio frequency signal for interacting with said RFID wireless signals from said plurality of motor vehicle and driver related RFID sources in order to provide enhanced efficiency of law enforcement queries;

said mobile wireless interrogator unit being provided with triangulation features that analyze said RFID wireless signals from slave antennae of a plurality of motor vehicle and driver related RFID sources and provides a spatially relative output in at least a two-dimensional spatial grid so as to depict a subject vehicle and any documented occupants therein in relation to both said wireless interrogator unit and in relation to position within said motor vehicle;

said mobile wireless interrogator unit being further provided with a conversion feature for graphic depiction of said spatially relative output through a screen on said visual based input-output display device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a license plate unit for affixment to at least one motor vehicle, wherein said license plate unit comprises said at least one LPID tag having;

an integral wireless tracking and data dissemination circuitry module that stores and processes secure transmittable data relating to at least a license plate number related particulars of said at least one motor vehicle;

a slave antenna projecting from said license plate unit for receiving and transmitting digital information via a radio frequency signal;

an enclosure affixed to said license plate unit, said enclosure housing at least said integral wireless tracking and data dissemination circuitry module; and

a repeater in wireless connectivity with said slave antenna for redundant relaying RFID wireless signals from said plurality of motor vehicle and driver related RFID sources to outside of said at least one motor vehicle.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said integral wireless tracking and data dissemination circuitry module further includes an RFID tag relating to registration information of said at least one motor vehicle and an RFID tag relating to a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of said at least one motor vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said integral wireless tracking and data dissemination circuitry module further includes an RFID tag relating to at least one of the following of:

i. insurance policy information of said at least one motor vehicle, or

ii. user defined information.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said mobile wireless interrogator unit is provided on a law enforcement vehicle or as a fixed-position reader.

6. A wireless data dissemination and analysis system for identification of motor vehicles for parking and possession purposes comprising:

a mobile wireless interrogator unit connected to at least one centralized motor vehicle database and at least one of the following of a centralized possession database, registration information database, or a parking database, said wireless interrogator unit having a visual based input-output display device and a master antenna;

said master antenna being formed from a remote interfacing antenna unit for at least receiving Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) wireless signals from at least one slave antenna of a motor vehicle RFID source chosen from a group comprising;

one Automobile Identification (AUTOID) tag, and one License Plate Identification (LPID) tag, or one parking tag, said remote interfacing antenna unit producing a complimentary radio frequency signal for interacting with said RFID wireless signals from said plurality of motor vehicle related RFID sources in order to provide enhanced efficiency of parking and possession queries;

said mobile wireless interrogator unit being provided on at least an interrogator vehicle, and wherein mobile wireless interrogator unit is provided with a payment assessment features that analyze said RFID wireless signals from said slave antenna of a motor vehicle and provides a payment status output of said motor vehicle;

said mobile wireless interrogator unit being further provided with a conversion feature for input-output display device;

wherein said LPID tag is provided with;

an integral wireless tracking and data dissemination circuitry module that stores and processes secure transmittable data relating to at least one of the following of a license plate number related particulars of said at least one motor vehicle or registration information;

a slave antenna projecting therefrom for receiving and transmitting digital info a ton via a radio frequency signal;

an enclosure for enclosing said LPID tag;

said enclosure housing at leas said integral wireless tracking and data dissemination circuitry module; and

a repeater in wireless connectivity with said slave antenna for redundant relaying RFID wireless signals from said LPID tag to outside of said at least one motor vehicle.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said AUTOID tag is provided with:

an integral wireless tracking and data dissemination circuitry module that stores and processes secure transmittable data relating to at least one of the following of a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of said at least one motor vehicle or registration information;

a slave antenna projecting therefrom for receiving and transmitting digital information via a radio frequency signal;

an enclosure for enclosing said AUTOID tag, said enclosure housing at least said integral wireless tracking and data dissemination circuitry module; and

a repeater in wireless connectivity with said slave antenna for redundant relaying RFID wireless signals from said AUTOID tag to outside of said at least one motor vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said mobile wireless interrogator is provided on at least one of the following of an authorized repossession agent vehicle or a parking agent vehicle, and wherein said payment status output of said mobile wireless interrogator includes one of the following of a financial payment status, registration information or a parking payment status.