System and method for identifying vehicles and collecting fees for vehicle uses of land-ways, sea-ways and air-ways

• US 7,600,683 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dr. Paul A. Firestone
• Original Assignee: Dr. Paul A. Firestone
• Inventors: Firestone, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Franklin; Jamara A
• Application Number:
  US11/741,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20080129548A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 235/384, 705/13
• US Class Current: 235/384
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G

Abstract

The method implants passive bar-code or active transponder-type signaling devices on every vehicle, including cars, boats and aircrafts. The code is associated with the vehicle'"'"'s VIN vehicle identification number and with the registered owner/owners of the vehicle and is innutted into a central agency computer with other information such as vehicle title, insurance, driver license information, accident history, vehicular inspection and emissions. Vehicle VIN code scanner/readers are positioned in selected areas in the sky and on the ground near the entry of a transportation pathway and the VIN ID identification code are read by the scanner/readers, and communicated with a date and time and geographical location to the central agency. The user is then charged a relevant fee and a periodic report is issued.

Claims

1. A method for identifying and tracking vehicles and collecting vehicle related tolls and fees and for monitoring vehicular regulatory compliance, comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a regional or international treaty, including at least the United States, Canada and Mexico;

(b) implanting a plurality of active or passive signaling devices on every vehicle, to include cars, boats and aircrafts, that operate or enter into the territory governed by the United States, Canada or Mexico;

(c) issuing a mandatory unique vehicle identification code for each vehicle by a central registration agency, said code associated with at least the vehicle'"'"'s vehicle identification number (VIN) and with a registered owner / or owners of said vehicle;

(d) associating said vehicle identification code with said signaling devices;

(e) inputting information concerning said vehicle to said central agency, said information including vehicle title, insurance, driver'"'"'s license information, vehicle safety inspection, exhaust emissions control, and a chronology of accident reports;

(f) establishing an account at said central agency, said account not requiring a subscription;

(g) providing a vehicle identification code scanner or readers in satellite scanners equipped with global positioning systems in sky and on-ground scanners positioned on transportation pathways;

(h) reading said vehicle identification code with said vehicle code readers at periodic intervals when the vehicle is stationary and each time the vehicle passes the scanner on the transportation pathway;

(i) communicating said vehicle identification code with a date, a time and a vehicle geographical location to said central agency;

(j) using said vehicle identification code to charge relevant fees against said account incurred by said vehicle for transportation pathways'"'"' use during a period of time; and

(k) issuing a periodic report of said account to the registered owner of the vehicle containing identifications of time, place, fee charges and account balances.

2. A method for collecting vehicle related fees and for monitoring vehicular regulatory compliance of claim 1, further comprising:

equipping traffic managers with mobile vehicle code readers.

3. A method for collecting vehicle related fees and for monitoring vehicular regulatory compliance of claim 1, further comprising:

said relevant fee may include additional fees according to the type of vehicle and vehicle weight.

4. A method for collecting vehicle related fees and for monitoring vehicular regulatory compliance of claim 1, further comprising:

using said code to monitor and verify vehicular regulatory compliance relating to insurance, emissions, registration and title matters; and

issuing a periodic report to the title owner/owners of said vehicle containing regulatory compliance issues.