RFID system in communication with vehicle on-board computer

• US 6,112,152 A
• Filed: 08/20/1999
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Round Rock Research LLC
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Tuttle, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuen, Henry C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Hieu T.
• Application Number:
  US09/378,435
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 701/102, 701/114, 701/101, 701/33, 701/115, 701/117, 340/438, 340/991, 340/933, 340/539, 340/825.34, 455/546
• US Class Current: 701/115
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A system comprising a vehicle on-board computer; and a wireless transponder device coupled to the vehicle on-board computer. The system performs a variety of functions because of its ability to transmit and receive data from other transponders which may be remote from the vehicle or located in the vehicle at a location spaced apart from the system. Remote transponders are spaced apart from the vehicle. The remote transponders can be positioned, for example, at a gas station, toll booth, service center, dealership, parking lot, or along a roadside.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising:

a battery;

an electric motor coupled to the battery to receive power from the battery;

a sensor measuring a parameter of the electric motor;

a vehicle on-board computer; and

a radio frequency transponder in communication with the vehicle on-board computer and transmitting information measured by the sensor by radio frequency in response to a radio frequency interrogation by an interrogator.

2. An electric vehicle comprising:

an electric motor;

a control system controlling the electric motor;

a sensor providing a signal indicative of speed of the vehicle;

a vehicle on-board computer in communication with the control system and selectively causing the control system to adjust at least one operating parameter of the electric motor; and

a radio frequency transponder in communication with the vehicle on-board computer, and causing the control system to adjust the operating parameter of the electric motor to reduce speed of the vehicle in response to receiving an adjustment signal from the interrogator via radio frequency.

3. A vehicle comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a control system controlling the internal combustion engine;

a sensor providing a signal indicative of speed of the vehicle;

a vehicle on-board computer in communication with the control system and selectively causing the control system to adjust at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine; and

a radio frequency transponder in communication with the vehicle on-board computer, and causing the control system to adjust the operating parameter of the internal combustion engine to reduce speed.

4. A vehicle comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a control system controlling at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine;

a plurality of sensors measuring a plurality of parameters of the internal combustion engine;

a vehicle on-board computer in communication with the control system and selectively causing the control system to adjust the at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine; and

a radio frequency transponder in communication with the vehicle on-board computer and transmitting information measured by the sensors by radio frequency in response to a radio frequency interrogation by an interrogator, and causing the on-board computer to adjust the at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine in response to receiving an adjustment signal from the interrogator via radio frequency.

5. A vehicle in accordance with claim 4 and further comprising an electronic ignition system in communication with the internal combustion engine and controlling timing of the internal combustion engine, and wherein the on-board computer adjusts timing of the internal combustion engine in response to receiving an adjustment signal from the interrogator via radio frequency.

6. A vehicle in accordance with claim 4 wherein the sensors comprise an exhaust sensor.

7. A vehicle in accordance with claim 4 wherein the sensors comprise an engine knock sensor.

8. A vehicle in accordance with claim 4 wherein the sensors comprise an engine RPM sensor.

9. A system for telemetry of vehicle performance data in a vehicle including an internal combustion engine, the system comprising:

a vehicle on-board computer;

a radio frequency transponder in communication with the vehicle on-board computer, the radio frequency transponder including an integrated circuit having a transmitter, a receiver, and a microprocessor coupled to the transmitter and receiver;

an engine temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the engine; and

a battery voltage sensor, wherein the radio frequency transponder is configured to transmit information measured by a selected one of the sensors by radio frequency transmission in response to a radio frequency interrogation by an interrogator and depending on what information is requested by the interrogator.

10. A system for telemetry of vehicle performance data, the system comprising:

a vehicle on-board computer system;

a radio frequency identification device in communication with the on-board computer system, the radio frequency identification device including an integrated circuit having a transmitter, a receiver, and a microprocessor;

an oil pressure sensor, the oil pressure sensor being in communication with the on-board computer system and configured to communicate oil pressure to the on-board computer system,

the radio frequency identification device transmitting the data communicated to the on-board computer system in response to a radio frequency interrogation being received by the radio frequency identification device from an interrogator; and

a battery voltage sensor, wherein the radio frequency transponder transmits information measured by a selected one of the sensors by radio frequency in response to a radio frequency interrogation by an interrogator and depending on what information is requested by the interrogator.

11. A method of logging vehicle history, the method comprising:

supporting a memory in a vehicle, the vehicle having a transmission;

coupling a wireless communication device to a vehicle on-board computer of the vehicle, the wireless communication device including an integrated circuit having a transmitter, and a receiver coupled to the memory;

periodically storing information representative of transmission performance in the memory; and

communicating with the wireless communication device to read the data representative of transmission performance from the memory from a location spaced apart from the vehicle.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising storing data representative of transmission performance in the memory and selectively reading the data representative of transmission performance from the memory via wireless communications.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising storing a vehicle maintenance record in the memory and selectively reading the vehicle maintenance record from the memory via wireless communications.

14. A method in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising storing information identifying the owner of the vehicle in the memory and selectively reading the information identifying the owner from the memory via wireless communications.

15. A method in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising storing information indicative of the purchase price of the vehicle in the memory and selectively reading the information indicative of purchase price from the memory via wireless communications.

16. A method in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising storing information indicative of the purchase date of the vehicle in the memory and selectively reading the information indicative of purchase price from the memory via wireless communications.

17. A method in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising storing information indicative of vehicle installed options in the memory and selectively reading the information indicative of vehicle installed options from the memory via wireless communications.

18. A method in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising storing information indicative of repairs made to the vehicle and selectively reading the information indicative of repairs from the memory via wireless communications.

19. A method of logging vehicle history, the method comprising:

providing a memory in a vehicle, the vehicle having an engine and a vehicle on-board computer coupled to the engine;

coupling a wireless communication device to the vehicle on-board computer, the wireless communication device including an integrated circuit having a transmitter, a receiver;

periodically storing information from the vehicle on-board computer in the memory; and

communicating with the wireless communication device and reading from the memory at a location spaced apart from the vehicle.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 and further comprising storing data representative of engine performance in the memory and selectively reading the data representative of engine performance from the memory via wireless communications.

21. A method in accordance with claim 19 and further comprising storing a vehicle maintenance record in the memory and selectively reading the vehicle maintenance record from the memory via wireless communications.

22. A method in accordance with claim 19 and further comprising storing information identifying the owner of the vehicle in the memory and selectively reading the information identifying the owner from the memory via wireless communications.

23. A method in accordance with claim 19 and further comprising storing information indicative of the purchase price of the vehicle in the memory and selectively reading the information indicative of purchase price from the memory via wireless communications.

24. A method in accordance with claim 19 and further comprising storing information indicative of the purchase date of the vehicle in the memory and selectively reading the information indicative of purchase price from the memory via wireless communications.

25. A method in accordance with claim 19 and further comprising storing information indicative of vehicle installed options in the memory and selectively reading the information indicative of vehicle installed options from the memory via wireless communications.

26. A method in accordance with claim 19 and further comprising storing information indicative of repairs made to the vehicle and selectively reading the information indicative of repairs from the memory via wireless communications.

27. A method of logging data from vehicles, the method comprising:

providing a system including a radio frequency transponder device, and a vehicle on-board computer in a vehicle, the radio frequency transponder device including an integrated circuit having a memory configured to store data identifying the vehicle and having a microprocessor coupled to the memory;

providing a mileage sensor in the vehicle, in communication with the radio frequency transponder device, the mileage sensor being configured to generate mileage information;

locating a remote transponder at a controlled access point of a vehicle facility; and

causing the remote transponder to communicate with the radio frequency transponder device so as to receive via wireless communications the identifying data and mileage information when the vehicle passes the controlled access point and thereby determine that the vehicle has passed the controlled access point.

28. A method in accordance with claim 27 and further comprising providing an additional sensor in communication with the radio frequency transponder device, and causing the remote transponder to communicate with the radio frequency transponder device so as to receive via wireless communications data sensed by the additional sensor when the vehicle passes the controlled access point.

29. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the additional sensor is a fuel level sensor.

30. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the additional sensor is an oil pressure sensor.

31. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the additional sensor is an engine knock sensor.

32. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the additional sensor is an engine temperature sensor.

33. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the additional sensor is an exhaust gas sensor.

34. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the additional sensor is a battery voltage sensor.

35. A method in accordance with claim 28 wherein the additional sensor is an alternator current sensor.

36. A vehicle system for communicating with radio frequency interrogators provided along a road or highway, the system receiving a signal indicative of vehicle speed from a speed sensor, the system comprising:

a vehicle on-board computer in communication with the speed sensor; and

a radio frequency identification device in communication with the vehicle on-board computer, the radio frequency identification device providing an identification code identifying the vehicle;

the radio frequency identification device being operable to transmit the identification code to interrogators that the vehicle passes and receives information from the interrogator representative of the location of the interrogator;

wherein the on-board computer predicts the present location of the vehicle based on when the radio frequency identification device communicated with interrogators, the locations of those interrogators, and the speed of the vehicle read by the speed sensor.

37. A method of determining the location of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of radio frequency interrogators at various locations;

providing a radio frequency identification device in the vehicle, the radio frequency identification device including an integrated circuit having a memory, a transmitter, a receiver, and a microprocessor, and providing an identification code identifying the vehicle;

causing individual interrogators to determine the identification code when the vehicle passes sufficiently close to the individual interrogators that the radio frequency identification device is within communication range;

storing the time the vehicle passed a given interrogator; and

predicting the present location of the vehicle based on when the radio frequency identification device communicated with individual interrogators and the locations of those individual interrogators.

38. A method of determining the location of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of radio frequency interrogators at various locations;

providing a vehicle speed sensor in the vehicle;

providing a vehicle on-board computer in communication with the speed sensor;

connecting a radio frequency identification device to the vehicle on-board computer, the radio frequency identification device providing an identification code identifying the vehicle;

causing individual interrogators to determine the identification code when the vehicle passes sufficiently close to the interrogator that the radio frequency identification device is within communication range;

storing the time the vehicle passed a given interrogator; and

predicting the present location of the vehicle based on when the radio frequency identification device communicated with individual interrogators, the locations of those individual interrogators, and the speed of the vehicle read by the speed sensor.

39. An automatic parking fee payment system for a vehicle, for paying a parking fee and gaining access to a parking lot while the vehicle moves, comprising:

a vehicle on-board computer system;

a radio frequency transponder device in communication with the on-board computer system, the radio frequency transponder device including an integrated circuit having a transmitter, a receiver, and a microprocessor;

a memory storing a credit balance, the system being configured to reduce the credit balance being reduced when the radio frequency transponder device receives a radio frequency communication indicating that parking payment is due, the radio frequency transponder device communicating to the parking lot that payment for parking was made; and

circuitry which restricts access to the memory such that available credit can only be increased using a password.

40. A method of paying for vehicle maintenance, the method comprising:

supporting a radio frequency transponder device on the vehicle, the radio frequency identification device including a single integrated circuit having a transmitter, receiver, memory, and microprocessor, the radio frequency transponder device including a memory storing a credit balance; and

causing the radio frequency transponder to selectively reduce the credit balance in response to a radio frequency command from an interrogator indicating that payment is due for maintenance supplied to the vehicle.

41. A method of paying for vehicle maintenance, the method comprising:

supporting a radio frequency transponder device from the vehicle, the radio frequency identification device including a single integrated circuit having a transmitter, receiver, memory, and microprocessor, the radio frequency transponder device including debit card information and a memory storing a credit balance; and

causing the radio frequency transponder to selectively reduce the credit balance in response to a radio frequency command from an interrogator indicating that payment is due for maintenance supplied to the vehicle.