Devices, systems and methods for detecting a traffic infraction

• US 8,493,234 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rector, Jay Daryl, McNamara, Justin Michael Anthony, Davis, III, John Potts
• Primary Examiner(s): MCNALLY, KERRI L
• Application Number:
  US12/632,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20110133952A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed for identifying a driver within a vehicle using short range wireless communication in order to ticket or alert the driver in response to a traffic infraction by the driver. In exemplary embodiments, a short range wireless communication device registers drivers of vehicles at a certain location. The registration captures a unique identifier for each driver at the location from the driver'"'"'s wireless communication device. When a vehicle commits a traffic infraction, the unique identifier is used to reference a database to determine the identity and address of the driver. The driver may then be sent a notification of the infraction as well as payment options. This notification may be sent directly to the wireless communication device of the driver. In embodiments of the present invention, a smart vehicle acts as a proxy to capture the unique identifier from the driver'"'"'s wireless communication device and communicates with the short range wireless communication device.

Claims

1. A system for notifying a driver, the system comprising:

a network;

an infraction detector in communication with the network, the infraction detector for determining a traffic infraction by a vehicle and recording information concerning the traffic infraction;

a wireless communication device in communication with the infraction detector;

an infraction server on the network, the infraction server including a user account for a user of the wireless communication device corresponding to a unique identifier of the wireless communication device, the user account including an address of the user;

an infraction logic on the infraction detector to retrieve the unique identifier from the wireless communication device, pair the unique identifier with the information concerning the traffic infraction, and transmit the unique identifier and details of the traffic infraction to the infraction server; and

a server logic on the infraction server to associate the unique identifier with the user account, determine the address for the user, and send a notification of the traffic infraction to the address;

wherein the address is an address of the wireless communication device and the infraction server sends the notification to the address in one or more of an e-mail, a voice call, or a text message.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the infraction detector further comprises a Doppler radar unit to detect a speed of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the infraction detector is in communication with a traffic light.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the unique identifier is one or more of a MSISDN, a IMSI, and a MAC address.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the infraction detector retrieves the unique identifier using short range wireless communication.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a smart vehicle having client logic to proxy the wireless communication device by receiving the unique identifier from the wireless communication device and sending the unique identifier to the infraction detector.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the smart vehicle further comprises a biometric sensor in the smart vehicle to determine an identity of the user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication device is a contactless smart card.

9. A method for notifying a driver, the method comprising:

requesting a unique identifier from a wireless communication device;

receiving the unique identifier from the wireless communication device;

determining a vehicle has committed a traffic infraction by detecting a speed of the vehicle using a Doppler radar unit;

correlating the vehicle with the unique identifier;

determining an identity of a driver in possession of the wireless communication device and a driver address based upon the unique identifier by sending the unique identifier to an infraction server and matching the unique identifier with a user account; and

notifying the driver of the traffic infraction by selecting an address from the user account; and

sending a notification to the address;

wherein the address is an address of the wireless communication device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining the vehicle has committed the traffic infraction further comprises optically sensing the vehicle running a red light.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the receiving the unique identifier is accomplished through short range wireless communication.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising sending one of an e-mail and a text message to the wireless communication device.

13. An infraction detector, comprising:

a sensor;

a processor in communication with the sensor;

a memory in communication with the processor;

a transceiver in communication with the processor;

an antenna coupled to the transceiver; and

an infraction logic on the memory to

retrieve a unique identifier from a wireless communication device via the antenna and transceiver,

determine a traffic infraction through inputs from the sensor,

correlate the unique identifier with the traffic infraction, and

send the unique identifier and traffic infraction to an infraction server,

wherein the infraction server determines a user of the wireless communication device and an address for the user based upon the unique identifier and sends a notification to the user;

wherein the address is an address of the wireless communication device and the infraction server sends the notification to the address in one or more of an e-mail, a voice call, or a text message.

14. The infraction detector of claim 13, wherein the sensor is a Doppler radar unit.

15. The infraction detector of claim 13, wherein the sensor is a camera.