Vehicle monitoring and control using radio frequency identification

• US 7,333,012 B1
• Filed: 05/25/2004
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin Khang Nguyen
• Original Assignee: Martin Khang Nguyen
• Inventors: Nguyen, Martin Khang
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, LAM P
• Application Number:
  US10/853,445
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/539, 340/10.1, 340/5.1, 340/5.8, 340/457.2, 340/3, 340/905, 340/933, 340/936, 340/539.1, 340/928, 340/426.1, 340/427, 340/426.11, 340435-436, 340/572.2, 701/1, 701/36, 701/41, 701/51, 701/70, 701 99-115, 701/300
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/06 operating on the vehicle transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/08 operating on brakes or brake systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/10 actuating a signalling device
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

An embodiment of the present invention includes a technique to monitor a vehicle. A radio frequency (RF) identification (RFID) tag is installed in a vehicle to transmit vehicle information to a vehicle monitor. The vehicle monitor transmits a command to the vehicle upon receipt of the vehicle information based on a vehicle condition. A controller activates a control action to a mechanism controlling the vehicle in response to the command. In another embodiment of the invention, the vehicle monitor includes a field generator, an RFID reader, and a controller. The field generator generates a radio frequency (RF) field to awaken a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag installed in a vehicle driven by a driver. The RFID reader receives vehicle information transmitted by the RFID tag when the RFID tag is awaken by the field generator. The controller is communicatively coupled to the RFID reader to transmit a command to the vehicle based on the vehicle information and a vehicle condition.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle detector to detect a vehicle condition of a vehicle; and

a vehicle monitor coupled to the vehicle detector to monitor the vehicle, the vehicle monitor comprising;

a field generator to generate a radio frequency (RF) field in a field region to awaken a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag installed in the vehicle driven by a driver when the vehicle is within the field region,

a RFID reader to receive vehicle information transmitted by the RFID tag when the RFID tag is awaken by the field generator, and

a monitor controller communicatively coupled to the RFID reader to transmit a command to the vehicle based on the vehicle information and a vehicle condition.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the monitor controller comprises:

a transmitter to transmit the command; and

a processing unit coupled to the transmitter to generate the command when the vehicle condition is detected by the vehicle detector.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the vehicle condition is one of a loss condition, a speed condition, and a lighting condition.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the command is one of an ignition command, a brake command, an acceleration command, a gear command, a light command, a steering command, and an alarm command.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle information includes at least one of a vehicle identifier, a control type, a vehicle status, and a registration information.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a vehicle control subsystem in the vehicle comprising the RFID tag to transmit the vehicle information; and

a vehicle controller to activate a control action to a mechanism controlling the vehicle in response to the command.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the vehicle controller comprises:

a receiver to receive the command; and

a processing unit coupled to the receiver to generate a control signal to the mechanism corresponding to the control action in accordance to the command.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the control action is one of an ignition control, a brake control, an acceleration control, a gear control, a light control, a steering control, and an alarm control.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the mechanism is one of a ignition mechanism, a brake mechanism, an acceleration mechanism, a gear mechanism, a light mechanism, a steering mechanism, and an alarm mechanism.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the vehicle controller activates the ignition control to the ignition mechanism to turn off engine of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the vehicle controller activates the brake control to the biake mechanism if the brake mechanism is not activated by the driver of the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the vehicle controller activates the light control to the light mechanism to turn on a light of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the vehicle controller activates the steering control to the steering mechanism to steer the vehicle away from an object.