Vehicle emissions testing and toll collection system
First Claim
1. A method for testing a motorized vehicle'"'"'s exhaust emissions during toll collection, the method comprising:
- using a sensor fixed to a toll collection structure to query an electronic tag fixed to a motor vehicle as said vehicle passes through a lane of said toll collection structure, said tag responding with information about said vehicle and further responding with a date of said vehicle'"'"'s last emissions test;
determining, based upon said date of said vehicle'"'"'s last emissions test, whether said vehicle requires an emissions test; and
based upon said date of said vehicle'"'"'s last emissions test, performing emissions testing on said vehicle as said vehicle passes through said toll collection structure, said testing comprising;
using at least one emissions detector fixed to said toll collection structure to capture an image of an exhaust plume emitted by said vehicle;
analyzing said image to determine concentrations of any of;
N2, COx, NOx, O3, CxHy, and particulate matter, a result of said analysis producing emissions data;
comparing said emissions data to an emissions standard set for said vehicle to determine whether said vehicle meets said standard;
updating said vehicle'"'"'s electronic tag with a date of said emissions test;
deducting a cost of said emissions test from an account associated with said vehicle'"'"'s electronic tag;
notifying an authority in response to said vehicle not meeting said standards;
notifying a registered owner of said vehicle of a result of said emissions test;
associating said vehicle'"'"'s emissions data with information obtained from said vehicle'"'"'s electronic tag; and
storing said vehicle'"'"'s emissions data to a database.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
What is disclosed is a system and method for testing a motorized vehicle'"'"'s exhaust emissions in a non-controlled emissions testing environment. In one embodiment, the present system comprises a toll collection structure having a sensor for obtaining information about a registered owner of a motor vehicle and about the motor vehicle itself, as the vehicle travels on a lane which passes through the structure. At least one emissions detector, which is fixed to the toll collection structure, performs an emissions test on the vehicle by analyzing an exhaust plume emitted by the vehicle. Speed/acceleration of the vehicle is also measured. In various embodiments hereof, the emissions detector comprises a combination of dispersive or non-dispersive infrared detector and a dispersive or non-dispersive ultraviolet detector. Emissions data collected is automatically compared to emissions standards and an authority is notified if that the vehicle does not meet those standards. Various embodiments are disclosed.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for testing a motorized vehicle'"'"'s exhaust emissions during toll collection, the method comprising:
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using a sensor fixed to a toll collection structure to query an electronic tag fixed to a motor vehicle as said vehicle passes through a lane of said toll collection structure, said tag responding with information about said vehicle and further responding with a date of said vehicle'"'"'s last emissions test; determining, based upon said date of said vehicle'"'"'s last emissions test, whether said vehicle requires an emissions test; and based upon said date of said vehicle'"'"'s last emissions test, performing emissions testing on said vehicle as said vehicle passes through said toll collection structure, said testing comprising; using at least one emissions detector fixed to said toll collection structure to capture an image of an exhaust plume emitted by said vehicle; analyzing said image to determine concentrations of any of;
N2, COx, NOx, O3, CxHy, and particulate matter, a result of said analysis producing emissions data;comparing said emissions data to an emissions standard set for said vehicle to determine whether said vehicle meets said standard; updating said vehicle'"'"'s electronic tag with a date of said emissions test; deducting a cost of said emissions test from an account associated with said vehicle'"'"'s electronic tag; notifying an authority in response to said vehicle not meeting said standards; notifying a registered owner of said vehicle of a result of said emissions test; associating said vehicle'"'"'s emissions data with information obtained from said vehicle'"'"'s electronic tag; and storing said vehicle'"'"'s emissions data to a database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A toll collection system for testing a motorized vehicle'"'"'s exhaust emissions during toll collection, said system comprising:
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a toll collection structure comprising; a sensor fixed to a toll collection structure which queries an electronic tag fixed to a motor vehicle as said vehicle passes through a lane of said toll collection structure, said tag responding with information about said vehicle and further responding with a date of said vehicle'"'"'s last emissions test; and at least one emissions detector; and a processor in communication with a memory and executing machine readable instructions for performing; determining, based upon said date of said vehicle'"'"'s last emissions test, whether said vehicle requires an emissions test; based upon said date of said vehicle'"'"'s last emissions test, performing emissions testing on said vehicle as said vehicle passes through said toll collection structure, said testing comprising; signaling said emissions detector to capture an image of an exhaust plume emitted by said vehicle; analyzing said image to determine concentrations of any of;
N2, COx, NOx, O3, CxHy, and particulate matter, a result of said analysis producing emissions data;comparing said emissions data to an emissions standard set for said vehicle to determine whether said vehicle meets said standard; and updating said vehicle'"'"'s electronic tag with a date of said emissions test; deducting a cost of said emissions test from an account associated with said vehicle'"'"'s electronic tag; notifying an authority in response to said vehicle not meeting said standards; notifying a registered owner of said vehicle of a result of said emissions test; associating said vehicle'"'"'s emissions data with information obtained from said vehicle'"'"'s electronic tag; and storing said vehicle'"'"'s emissions data to a database. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification