MONITORING SYSTEM FOR TRACKING VEHICLES

SYSTEME DE SURVEILLANCE POUR LE SUIVI DE VEHICULES

English Abstract

Described herein is a monitoring system and a method fortracking vehicles comprising one or more optical readers configured to acquire at least two different machine-readable codes printed in different regions of a license plate mounted to a vehicle, wherein the one or more optical readers are configured as standard or long-range code scanners having a range of up to 21 meters. The monitoring system stores the machine-readable codes or associated data in an electronic database to reference a unique number assigned to a particular vehicle. The system acquires scans of the machine-readable codes to track vehicles, with reference to the electronic database, and may store information such as a time of day and a location of where the machine-readable codes associated with a particular vehicle was scanned, which may be further sorted in the database, to track the vehicle.

French Abstract

Il est décrit un système de surveillance et un procédé de suivi de véhicules comprenant un ou plusieurs lecteurs optiques configurés pour acquérir au moins deux codes différents lisibles par machine imprimés dans différentes régions d'une plaque d'immatriculation montée sur un véhicule, dans lequel le ou les lecteurs optiques sont configurés comme des scanners de code standard ou à longue portée ayant une portée allant jusqu'à 21 mètres. Le système de surveillance stocke les codes lisibles par la machine ou les données associées dans une base de données électronique pour référencer un numéro unique attribué à un véhicule particulier. Le système acquiert des balayages des codes lisibles par la machine pour suivre les véhicules, en se référant à la base de données électronique, et peut stocker des informations telles qu'une heure de la journée et un emplacement où les codes lisibles par la machine associés à un véhicule particulier ont été balayés, qui peuvent être encore triés dans la base de données, pour suivre le véhicule.

Claims

11
Patent claims
1. Monitoring system for vehicle tracking, for example cars,
buses or yachts, comprising optical reading devices (3) that are
designed to capture machine-readable codes (2) wherein the
machine-readable codes (2) are affixed to vehicles, in particular
to the number plates of the vehicles.
2. Monitoring system according to claim 1, characterized in that
the data of the machine-readable codes (2) are encrypted.
3. Monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in
that the machine-readable codes (2) or the data of the
machine-readable codes (2) are stored in an electronic database
and preferably comprise a number uniquely assigned to the vehicle,
in particular the registration number of the vehicle.
4. Monitoring system according to claim 3, characterized in that
the time and location of a detection by an optical reader (3) are
stored in the electronic database.
5. Monitoring system according to any one of claim 1 to 4,
characterised in that a system is provided comprising a main
computer (5), a number plate with a machine-readable code (2), in
particular a barcode, an optical reading device (3), in particular
a standard or long-range scanner, a payment system for toll road
fees (6), a terminal for bank payments (7), an office scanner (8),
a mobile phone (9) assigned to a receiver, a mobile modem for
transmission of a dataset (10) and a control unit (11).

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6. Monitoring system according to claim 5, characterised in that
the dataset includes at least the phone number of a competent police
station and a receipt for payment of the fee.
7. Monitoring system according to claim 5 or 6, characterised
in that the system is designed to routinely transmit the dataset
via the control unit (11).
8. Monitoring system according to one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized in that at least one optical reader (3) is designed
as a stationary reader and preferably at least one optical reader
(3) is designed as a mobile reader.
9. Monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
characterized in that more than one machine-readable code (2) is
arranged on the vehicle.
10. Monitoring system according to claim 9, characterized in that
two different machine-readable codes (2) are arranged on the
vehicle, which preferably have substantially the same data, in
particular a unique vehicle identifier.
11. Method for monitoring of vehicles, e.g. cars, buses or yachts,
wherein machine-readable codes (2) are captured by optical reading
devices (3), wherein the machine-readable codes (2) are affixed
to vehicles, in particular included on vehicle number plates (1).
12. A number plate for use in a method according to claim 11,
comprising at least one machine-readable code (2).
13. Number plate according to claim 12, characterized in that the

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number plate (1) has at least two machine-readable codes (2) , which
are preferably different from each other.

Description

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Monitoring system for tracking vehicles
The invention relates to a monitoring system for tracking vehicles,
for example cars, buses or yachts.
The use of such a system will allow monitoring of vehicles of all
kinds, especially cars, buses or yachts, and also allow indirect
monitoring of persons inside such vehicles and allow tracking of
their routes. Technical equipment will hereby be used to capture
the position of such vehicles. It will, in particular, be possible
to determine times of entry or exit of such vehicles into/out of
cities or countries or times spent driving on motorways, other
roads or waterways.
Monitoring systems known to prior art are, however, relatively
cumbersome and slow. The aim of the invention therefore is to
provide a simple and fast method of capturing and tracking vehicles
of all kinds.
The invention thus provides for a monitoring system for tracking
of vehicles such as cars, buses or yachts, comprising optical
reading devices that are designed to capture machine-readable
codes mounted on vehicles, in particular on the number plates of
vehicles. The monitoring system thus comprises at least one optical
reading device and a machine-readable code affixed to a vehicle.
The present invention allows machine-readable codes printed, for
example, on number plates, to be quickly read at ranges up to 21
meters everywhere, using optical reading devices, in particular
standard or long-range (bar)code scanners for quick checks on road
traffic or in water . The flow of traffic will thus not be interrupted
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and cars with fake or stolen number plates will be quick and easy
to seize.
If the machine-readable code(s) is/are arranged on one or more
numberplates, the system according to the invention also includes
the number plates.
Machine readable codes, especially barcodes, will in a preferred
version of the invention be printed on vehicle number plates.
Printing codes on vehicles is prior art and relatively inexpensive.
Such codes may alternatively also be affixed to vehicles in other
ways, especially on number plates. The codes or code data will,
in a preferred version of the invention, be stored in an electronic
database and will preferentially comprise a uniquely assigned
vehicle number, especially the official vehicle identification
code.
In order to prevent or make it more difficult to forge the codes,
the data of the machine-readable codes are preferably encrypted.
Machine-readable codes, especially barcodes 2D codes (e.g.
Datamatrix or QR-codes) or 3D-Codes, may be read automatically
using scanners, wherein the machine-readable code will represent
the data (information) by the arrangement and width of lines or
fields and spaces.
Barcodes and 2D codes are normally captured using special scanners
and devices with translation software which will convert such
information into human readable symbols, in particular letters or
digits. Corresponding applications on mobile phones or other
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portable electronic devices may alternatively also be used to
capture such codes.
Especially one-dimensional barcodes are widely available in the
form of application software for businesses and controllers,
wherein staff are enabled to check work assignments, track their
hours of work and check on specific goods.
Code scanners are able to read codes better and faster than people
in many areas, e.g. in warehouses, supermarkets and hotels. These
code scanners may be connected to a computer either by cable or
preferably wireless, e.g. via Bluetooth, for further processing
of the scanner data. Wireless scanners are particularly
advantageous where the distance to the user is far and/or in
labyrinthine conditions.
Standard barcode scanners are designed to read barcodes near the
scanner and are used, for instance, in retail business, the health
sector and in offices to check and manage inventories. Long-range
scanners (with ranges up to 21 meters), on the other hand, are
particularly useful in areas where codes are hard to access, e.g.
in warehouses, courtyards or in manufacturing plant. Long-range
code scanners will, for example, enable staff to scan codes affixed
to goods on a high shelf or goods on a forklift loading platform
without needing to position the scanner close to such codes.
According to the invention, the use of a long-distance scanner
enables a code to be read out from a further distance, for example
by scanners positioned on the roadside.
The long-range descriptor does not imply that such code scanners
will not be just as effective at close range. Devices operating
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as effectively as possible at distances of a few centimetres to
21 metres (ca. 70 feet) are here preferred.
According to the invention, especially car and vehicle number
plates with machine-readable codes, barcodes in particular, are
provided for. This implies barcode numberplates which can be read
by standard or long-range code scanners everywhere, even at ranges
up to 21 metres. This enables fast, reliable and easy recognition
of vehicles via their machine-readable code and checks on their
information. This will render falsification and abuse of number
plates much more difficult, especially if number plates are
uniquely assigned to a vehicle.
The present invention is particularly advantageous since standard
or long-range (bar)code scanners will allow fast monitoring and
inspection of cars and other vehicles without disrupting traffic,
because vehicles do not need to be stopped for monitoring.
On one hand, the system according to the invention may be used to
check and control vehicles and their identification, especially
for their validity.
On the other hand, using standard or long-range (bar) code scanners
and associated computers, the system according to the invention
will also, together with systems for electronic payment of road
tolls, allow automatic monitoring and tracking of vehicles
entering, for instance, a city. The recorded data on vehicle
movements may then be used to determine and settle due charges via
conventional payment systems. The use of stationary code scanners
located, for instance, at entrances to cities would here be
preferred. The invention will furthermore allow faster and more
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efficient levying of parking tickets if parking supervisory
authorities are equipped with mobile code scanners to simply scan
in a vehicle's code to produce a parking ticket, as needed.
In a preferred implementation of the invention, scanning of a code
would trigger immediate payment, especially in terms of toll fees
or parking tickets. Vehicle identification codes may, for instance,
be linked to the settlement account of the owner of a vehicle via
a central database. The code will be captured via a scanner and
preferentially transmitted to a control unit together with
information such as the relevant time and place of the event. Fees
will there be calculated based on the scanned code and debited to,
for instance, the settlement account. The system may also include
sending confirmation of payment to the mobile phone (or other
electronic device) of the owner of the car. The owner of the car
will in this way receive immediate confirmation of payment.
Confirmation may, for instance, be by e-mail or text message.
Rescue teams or family members will, furthermore, in the event of
an accident involving a coded vehicle, be able to establish the
location of the owner of a vehicle based on the most recently
captured machine readable code of that vehicle. This will
facilitate determining the approximate location of the vehicle
when the accident occurred. In this case, preferably data such as
the time and the location of a scanner detection are stored in the
electronic database. Preferably, the electronic database here
includes all recordings of a code, as a result of which a movement
profile of the vehicle can be created. Each individual scanner can
be connected to a computer on which the electronic database is
stored, either using a cable or wirelessly. The data are preferably
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transmitted to the electronic database automatically after a
scanning process.
The system should, in a preferred implementation of the invention,
include the following components: a main computer, identification
number plate with a machine readable code, an optical reading
device, in particular a standard or long-range code scanner, a
payment system for toll road charges, a terminal for bank payments,
an office scanner, a mobile phone assigned to a receiver, a mobile
modem for transmission of datasets and a control unit. These
components will allow electronic registration of toll road
payments and thereby enable electronic monitoring and processing
of roads of entry to and exit from a city. Codes may be registered
on the main computer and assigned, for instance, to the driver's
licence of the vehicle owner. Identification codes will, in
operation, be captured by a scanner and sent to the toll road payment
system. Confirmation of payments may be sent to the mobile phone
of the vehicle owner.
A preferred embodiment of the invention would furthermore include
a dataset with at least the phone number of a competent police
station and a confirmation of payments.
The system should, in a preferred implementation of the invention,
be designed to regularly transmit its dataset via the control unit.
It is further preferred that at least one optical reader is designed
as a stationary reader and preferably at least one optical reader
is designed as a mobile, preferably portable, reader.
In a particularly preferred embodiment, more than one
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machine-readable code, for example two or three machine-readable
codes, are arranged on the vehicle. Furthermore, preferably there
are two different codes, for example a barcode and a 2D code, which
preferably have essentially the same data (the same information) ,
as a particular unique vehicle identifier. Also, this creates a
redundant system in which only one of several codes has to be
readable, while the others may be dirty or damaged. Furthermore,
the counterfeiting security is increased because two codes have
to be counterfeited at the same time.
Preferably, several, for example two or three, machine-readable
codes are arranged on a number plate in different areas of the number
plate.
In accordance with the invention, a method to monitor vehicles such
as cars, buses or yachts, wherein optical reading devices capture
machine-readable codes affixed to vehicles, in particular to
vehicle number plates, is also provided.
According to the invention, further a number plate is provided,
comprising at least one machine-readable code.
Here, it is preferably provided that the number plate has at least
two machine-readable codes, which are preferably different from
each other.
The invention will be explained in more detail below, based on a
drawing depicting a schematic embodiment of the invention. In this
drawing, Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show the components of a system in
accordance with the invention, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show exemplary
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flow diagrams of a system in accordance with the invention and Fig.
number plates according to the invention.
Fig. 1 shows examples of different number plates 1 with a machine
readable code 2, e.g. a barcode. The barcode should preferably be
printed on the number plates. Also shown is an optical reading
device 3 deployable within the framework of the invention, a mobile
phone with a scanning application and a server 4 to communicate
with the mobile phone.
Fig. 2 shows more components of the monitoring system. The system
comprises a main computer 5, a vehicle identification plate with
a machine readable code 2, an optical reading device, embodied as
a standard or long-range barcode scanner 3, a toll road payment
system 6, a terminal for bank payments 7, an office scanner 8, a
mobile phone 9, a mobile modem for transmission of a dataset 10
and a control unit 11. Connecting lines 12, 13 and 14 are also shown.
These components will allow electronic registration of toll road
payments, in this way to allow electronic monitoring and processing
of entries and exits to and from cities. The invention makes
particular provision for the vehicle code to be communicated to
the official register of drivers' licences and the fee payment
system.
Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 shows an overview schematic of the control unit
11 (Fig. 2) .
It comprises opening and closing, including data in Block 1 to Block
6 (Q1 to Q6) .
Block 1: The mobile modem line opens to transmit information.
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Block 2: A message with data is transmitted as receipt of payment
of the toll road fee, including place, time and date, vehicle number
and its code as printed on the licence. The information is processed
by a fee payment system.
Block 3: Mobile modem OK.
Block 4: Information for the driver, including the fee and the phone
number of the traffic police for the motorway section is
transmitted to the mobile phone.
Block 5: Transmit
Block 6: The mobile modem connection is closed.
The functions are summarised in the Table below.
Q1: Opening of the mobile modem connection 1 second ¨ 1.50 seconds
Q2 Message with data and image of fee payment process
3 seconds ¨ 1.50 seconds
Q3 Mobile modem OK
4 seconds ¨ 1.50 seconds
Q4 The information for the driver, the fee, and the
phone number of the traffic police for the motorway section is
transmitted to the mobile phone.
seconds ¨ 1.50 seconds
Q5 OK
7 seconds ¨ 1.50 seconds
Q6 closes the mobile modem.
9 seconds ¨1.50 seconds
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In Fig. 5, a number plate 1 with a machine-readable code 2 formed
as a barcode is shown above, while in a below part a number plate
1 with a barcode 2 as well as an additional 2D code 2 is shown.
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Representative Drawing