Vehicle identification system

• US 10,169,987 B1
• Filed: 01/03/2018
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RideShare Displays Inc.
• Original Assignee: RideShare Displays Inc.
• Inventors: Demisse, Dereje M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl
• Application Number:
  US15/860,939
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• Field of Search: 3404255, 3404261, 3405391
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence

Abstract

A vehicle identification system includes one or more displays associated with a vehicle, a transceiver, and a controller communicatively coupled to the transceiver. The one or more displays are located to be visible from an exterior of the vehicle. The controller is adapted to generate a first signal to be transmitted by the transceiver to a mobile communication device associated with a driver of the vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a specific location. The mobile communication device associated with the driver is adapted to generate a second signal to be transmitted to the one or more displays. The second signal represents an indicator.

Claims

1. A vehicle identification system, comprising:

a display associated with a vehicle, wherein the display is located to be visible from an exterior of the vehicle by a rider;

a controller communicatively coupled to a network and configured to, in response to receipt of a signal from a user, generate and transmit a first signal representing an indicator via the network to a mobile communication device associated with a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein, in response to receiving the first signal, the mobile communication device associated with the driver of the vehicle generates and transmits a second signal representing the indicator to the display, the indicator identifies the vehicle.

2. The vehicle identification system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a third signal representing the indicator to a mobile communication device associated with the rider, the indicator identifies the vehicle.

3. The vehicle identification system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device associated with the driver is configured to transmit a third signal representing the indicator which is transmitted to a mobile communication device associated with the rider, the indicator identifies the vehicle.

4. The vehicle identification system of claim 1, including a transceiver which receives and transmits signals from the controller to the mobile communication devices.

5. The vehicle identification system of claim 1, including a panic button.

6. The vehicle identification system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is an identifier in the form of an alphanumeric string.

7. The vehicle identification system of claim 1, wherein the indicator is an identifier in the form other than an alphanumeric string.

8. A vehicle identification system, comprising:

a display associated with a vehicle, wherein the display is located to be visible from an exterior of the vehicle by a rider;

a controller communicatively coupled to a network and configured to, in response to receipt of a signal from a user, generate and transmit a first signal representing an indicator via the network to a mobile communication device associated with a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein, in response to receiving the first signal, the mobile communication device associated with the driver of the vehicle generates and transmits a second signal representing the indicator to the display, the indicator identifies the vehicle; and

wherein the indicator is displayed on the mobile communication device associated with the driver, the mobile communication device associated with the rider and the display associated with a vehicle.

9. An identification system, comprising:

a display associated with a driver, the display is adapted to be worn by the driver;

a controller communicatively coupled to a network and configured to, in response to receipt of a signal, to generate and transmit via the network a first signal representing an indicator to a mobile communication device associated with a driver of the vehicle; and

wherein the mobile communication device associated with the driver of the vehicle generates and transmits a second signal representing the indicator to the display, the indicator identifies the driver.

10. The identification system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a third signal representing the indicator to a mobile communication device associated with a user requesting service, the indicator identifies the driver.

11. The identification system of claim 9, wherein the mobile communication device associated with the driver is configured to transmit a third signal representing the indicator to a mobile communication device associated with a user requesting service, the indicator identifies the driver.

12. The identification system of claim 9, including a transceiver which receives and transmits signals from the controller to the mobile communication devices.

13. A vehicle identification system, comprising:

a display associated with a vehicle, wherein the display is located to be visible from an exterior of the vehicle;

a controller communicatively coupled to a network and configured to, in response to receipt of a signal, generate and transmit via the network a first signal representing an indicator to a mobile communication device associated with a driver of the vehicle;

wherein the mobile communication device associated with the driver of the vehicle generates and transmits a second signal representing the indicator to the display, the indicator identifies the vehicle; and

a panic button.

14. The vehicle identification system of claim 13, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a third signal representing the indicator to a mobile communication device associated with a rider, the indicator identifies the vehicle.

15. The vehicle identification system of claim 13, wherein the indicator is in the form of an alphanumeric string.

16. The vehicle identification system of claim 13, wherein the indicator is an identifier is in the form other than an alphanumeric string.

17. A vehicle identification system, comprising:

a display associated with a vehicle, wherein the display is located to be visible from an exterior of the vehicle;

a controller communicatively coupled to a network and configured to, in response to receipt of a signal, generate and transmit via the network a first signal representing an indicator to a mobile communication device associated with a driver of the vehicle;

wherein the mobile communication device associated with the driver of the vehicle generates and transmits a second signal representing the indicator to the display, the indicator identifies the vehicle;

a panic button; and

wherein the indicator is displayed on the mobile communication device associated with the driver, the mobile communication device associated with the rider and the display associated with a vehicle.