Automotive user terminal and base station with associated printer

• US 20050206663A1
• Filed: 02/12/2003
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Silverbrook, Kia
• Application Number:
  US10/503,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20050206663A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 347/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 1/08 portable
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

An information retrieval system records at a predetermined location, particulars relating to an incident which has occurred at the predetermined location. The system includes a user terminal for recording particulars of the incident. A data collecting unit with which the user terminal communicates collects data relevant to the incident. A processor, in communication with the data collecting unit, processes the collected data to provide formatted data suitable for printing. A printing unit is associated with the user terminal for printing, at the location of the incident, the formatted data to provide information relating to the incident.

Claims

1. An information retrieval system for recording, at a predetermined location, particulars relating to an incident which has occurred at said predetermined location, the system including:

a user terminal for recording particulars of the incident;

a data collecting means with which the user terminal communicates for collecting data relevant to the incident;

a processing means, in communication with said data collecting means, for processing said collected data to provide formatted data suitable for printing; and

a printing unit associated with said user terminal for printing, at the location of said incident, said formatted data to provide information relating to said incident

2. The system of claim 1 which is carried in a conveyance, the user terminal being a portable unit for removal and use externally of the conveyance.

3. The system of claim 2 in which the printing unit is incorporated in the user terminal.

4. The system of claim 2 in which the data collecting means includes a location determining unit for determining said predetermined location.

5. The system of claim 4 in which the location determining unit provides data regarding the location as a set of co-ordinates.

6. The system of claim 5 in which the location determining unit comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

7. The system of claim 4 in which the data collecting means further includes an accessing means for accessing at least one database for obtaining further data relevant to the incident.

8. The system of claim 7 in which the accessing means includes a communications sub-system for accessing at least one remote database.

9. The system of claim 8 in which the communications sub-system is a wireless sub-system incorporated into the conveyance.

10. The system of claim 1 in which the processing means includes a layout engine in communication with the user terminal.

11. The system of claim 10 in which the layout engine performs, according to predetermined information, layout of data elements to be communicated to the printer so that, when printed on a suitable print media, the data are presented in a visually discernible form.

12. The system of claim 10 in which the processing means further comprises a data manipulating means in communication with the layout engine for manipulating the data to provide the formatted data.

13. The system of claim 12 in which the printing unit includes a printer controller, for receiving the formatted data to be printed, and a printer.

14. The system of claim 13 in which the printer is a full color printer.

15. The system of claim 14 in which said printer is a photo quality color printer.

16. The system of claim 14 in which the printer is an ink jet printer.

17. The system of claim 16 in which the printer comprises a pagewidth ink jet printhead.

18. The system of claim 17 in which the printhead comprises an array of nozzles, said array being fabricated by microelectromechanical techniques.

19. A method of retrieving information, at a predetermined location, of particulars relating to an incident which has occurred at the predetermined location the method including the steps of:

recording particulars of the incident which has occurred at said predetermined location;

collecting data relevant to the incident;

processing said collected data to provide formatted data suitable for printing; and

printing said formatted data, at said location of the incident and when required by a user, to provide the user with information relating to said incident.

20. The method of claim 19 which includes a user terminal mounted in a conveyance and a printer associated with the user terminal and in which the method includes printing the information via said printer.

21. The method of claim 19 which includes determining the location of the incident.

22. The method of claim 21 which includes providing the location of the incident as a set of co-ordinates.

23. The method of claim 19 which includes accessing at least one database for obtaining further data relevant to the incident.

24. The method of claim 23 which includes accessing at least one database remote from the location of the incident for obtaining further data relevant to the incident.

25. The method of claim 20 which includes performing, according to predetermined information, layout of content to be communicated to the printer so that, when printed on a suitable print media, the data are presented in a visually discernible form.

26. The method of claim 25 which includes manipulating said data prior to printing the data to provide said formatted data.

27. An information retrieval system for recording, at a predetermined location, particulars relating to an incident which has occurred at said predetermined location, the system being mounted in a vehicle and the system including:

a user terminal for recording particulars of the incident at said predetermined location, the user terminal being demountably arranged relative to the vehicle;

an onboard data collecting means with which the user terminal communicates for collecting data relevant to the incident;

a processing means, in communication with said data collecting means, for processing said collected data to provide formatted data suitable for printing; and

a printing unit arranged in said user terminal for printing said formatted data to provide information relating to said incident.

28. The system of claim 27 in which the data collecting means includes a location determining unit for determining the location of the vehicle.

29. The system of claim 28 which further includes a wireless communications sub-system for accessing at least one remote database to obtain details of at least one of a person involved in said incident and another vehicle involved in said incident.

30. A method of retrieving information, at a predetermined location and from a vehicle located at the location, of particulars relating to an incident which has occurred at the predetermined location, the method including the steps of:

recording, on a user terminal associated with said vehicle, particulars of the incident which has occurred at said predetermined location;

collecting data relevant to the incident;

processing said collected data to provide formatted data suitable for printing; and

printing said formatted data on a printer of the user terminal when required by a user to provide the user with information relating to said incident.

31. The method of claim 30 which includes determining the location of the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 31 which further includes accessing at least one remote database to obtain details of at least one of a person involved in said incident and another vehicle involved in said incident.

33. A system for retrieving and recording information relating to a traffic violation, the system being installed in a vehicle and the system including:

a user terminal operable by a user of the vehicle to record details of the traffic violation, the user terminal being demountably arranged relative to the vehicle;

a position sensing means carried by the vehicle for sensing the position of the vehicle to provide location data to the user terminal;

an accessing means, in communication with the user terminal, for accessing a database containing details of at least one of a driver which has committed the traffic violation and a vehicle involved in said traffic violation;

a layout engine responsive to the accessing means for processing data at least into textual data;

a pre-printing processing means which is connected to the layout engine and which processes the data from the layout engine to provide formatted data which is in a format which is suitable for printing; and

a printer contained in the user terminal for printing the formatted data, on demand, to provide at least one hard copy of a traffic infringement notice.

34. A method of retrieving and recording, from a vehicle, information relating to a traffic violation, the method including the steps of:

recording details of the traffic violation on a user terminal operable by a user of the vehicle, the user terminal being demountably arranged relative to the vehicle;

sensing the position of the vehicle to provide location data to the user terminal;

accessing a database containing details of at least one of a driver which has committed the traffic violation and a vehicle involved in said traffic violation;

processing data at least into textual data by means of a layout engine;

further processing the data from the layout engine to provide formatted data which is in a format which is suitable for printing; and

printing, on a printer contained in the user terminal, the formatted data, on demand, to provide at least one hard copy of a traffic infringement notice.