Systems and methods for identifying tractor/trailers and components thereof
First Claim
1. A vehicle identification system, comprising:
- a vehicle comprising an electrical power bus which distributes electrical power to various electrical systems in the vehicle;
optical wavelength carrier communicating means connected to said vehicle for producing an optical identification signal representing an identity of said vehicle, said optical identification signal including an optical wavelength carrier signal, wherein said optical wavelength carrier communicating means comprises;
identification signal generating means for generating an identification signal representing an identity of said vehicle;
identity communication means responsive to said identification signal generating means for communicating said identification signal over said power bus, wherein said identity communication means communicates said identification signal using spread spectrum techniques; and
an optical transmitter, electrically connected to the power bus, for receiving electrical power and the identification signal and for producing an optical identification signal representing the identity of said vehicle from the received identification signal; and
identity determining means positioned external to said vehicle and responsive to said optical wavelength carrier communicating means for determining an identity of said vehicle from said optical identification signal.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle identification system is provided that has a vehicle, preferably including a tractor and a trailer mechanically connected to the tractor and a wavelength carrier communicator connected to the vehicle for producing an identification signal representing an identity of the vehicle. The identification signal preferably includes an optical wavelength carrier signal such as an infrared wavelength carrier signal. External to the vehicle, an identity of the vehicle is determined from the optical identification signal. The optical identification signal may be produced from an indicator mounted on the vehicle, preferably from an indicator which includes an indicator housing having a form factor similar to a standard truck light. In a standalone embodiment, an identification signal representing an identity of the vehicle is generated within the indicator and an optical identification signal is produced from the generated identification signal by an optical transmitter retained within the indicator. In a networked embodiment, the identification signal is generated elsewhere on the vehicle and communicated to an optical transmitter retained within the indicator which produces the optical identification signal from the communicated identification signal.
123 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A vehicle identification system, comprising:
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a vehicle comprising an electrical power bus which distributes electrical power to various electrical systems in the vehicle; optical wavelength carrier communicating means connected to said vehicle for producing an optical identification signal representing an identity of said vehicle, said optical identification signal including an optical wavelength carrier signal, wherein said optical wavelength carrier communicating means comprises; identification signal generating means for generating an identification signal representing an identity of said vehicle; identity communication means responsive to said identification signal generating means for communicating said identification signal over said power bus, wherein said identity communication means communicates said identification signal using spread spectrum techniques; and an optical transmitter, electrically connected to the power bus, for receiving electrical power and the identification signal and for producing an optical identification signal representing the identity of said vehicle from the received identification signal; and identity determining means positioned external to said vehicle and responsive to said optical wavelength carrier communicating means for determining an identity of said vehicle from said optical identification signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for identifying a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes an optical wavelength carrier communicator comprising an identification signal generator and an optical transmitter positioned on the vehicle, wherein the vehicle further includes an electrical power bus which distributes electrical power to various electrical systems in the vehicle, and wherein the method comprising the steps of:
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producing an optical identification signal representing an identity of the vehicle from the optical wavelength carrier communicator, the optical identification signal comprising an optical wavelength carrier signal, wherein the step of producing an optical identification signal comprises the steps of; generating an identification signal representing the identity of the vehicle in the identification signal generator; communicating the generated identification signal over the power bus to the optical transmitter using spread spectrum techniques; and producing the optical identification signal from the communicated identification signal in the optical transmitter; and determining an identity of the vehicle from the optical identification signal external to the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A vehicle identification system for communicating to a remote location identity information pertaining to a vehicle, wherein said system comprises:
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a vehicle having front and rear ends and side panels spanning between the front and rear ends; and optical wavelength carrier communicating means mounted to at least one of said side panels of said vehicle for producing an optical identification signal representing identity information pertaining to the vehicle, wherein said optical wavelength carrier communicating means is positioned on said side panels so as to facilitate the transmission of the identity information in a lateral direction outward from said side panel to the remote location. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A stand-alone vehicle identification indicator for communicating to a remote location identity information pertaining to a vehicle independent of a data communication link with the vehicle, wherein said indicator comprises:
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indicator housing including means for mounting said indicator on the vehicle, herein said indicator housing has a standard vehicle light form factor consistent with existing lights of the vehicle such that said indicator housing can replace an existing light of the vehicle in an inconspicuous manner; and optical wavelength carrier communicating means located in said indicator housing, wherein said optical wavelength carrier communicating means internally generates an identification signal representing an identity of the vehicle and transforms the identification signal into an optical identification signal for transmission to the remote location, wherein said optical wavelength carrier communicating means generates the identification signal independent of a data communication link with the vehicle, such that the vehicle identification indicator is stand-alone and does not require a data communication link between the vehicle and the stand-alone vehicle identification indicator. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification