GB2510869A - Vehicle document validity display device - Google Patents

Abstract

A wireless mobile device capable of communicating with a host computer at a central controlling office using network infrastructure, displays the validity of legal vehicle document requirements, such as road tax, test certificate, valid insurance and the vehicle registered owner's driving licence status, by displaying symbols and messages for the driver, the passenger and for the public to observe. The device also provides an accurate geographical position of the vehicle obtained from GPS. The device is installed on the inside of the front windscreen with a luminous colour symbol transmitter facing outwards and a LCD display screen facing inwards to display the text message for the driver and the passenger's attention. Information regarding vehicles document status is transmitted from the central controlling computer where it is received by the mobile device on board the vehicle. This information is then displayed in coloured luminous symbols and a written text message.

Description

Technical Field

[000llThe present invention relates to a stand-alone mobile communication device which is capable of receiving radio«=ignals for the purpose of communicating with a host computer and transforms these signals to ahxternally visible illuminated coloured symbol to represent validity status of the vehicle legal documentation, display status update in a written text message format to the driver and provide a real time vehicle ground location using GPS.

Field of Invention

[0002] Vehicle technology is actively developing and vehicles are becoming more efficient, greener and more economical. Computers are an essential part of the modern vehicle, performing critical tasks such as engine management to monitoring fuel consumption, road condition or the cabin temperature, helping to improve the vehicle efficiency and ultimately improving the driving experience and help to reduce the vehicle's carbon foot print.

However despite the advancement in the vehicle design and manufacture, the system of vehicle legal compliance and its monitoring has hardly undergone any changes and has not kept pace with today's modern technology.

According to the UK government statistics there were 34.3 million road registered vehicles in the first quarter of 2012. At a rate of 4 pieces of documentation per vehicle, this equates to approximately 137 million pieces of documentation floating in the system, which have to be checked, monitored and processed by the owners and authorities on an on-going basis. This is a costly and tedious process, which generates millions of unnecessary pieces of documentation and correspondence, effecting the earth natural resources. The system will undoubtedly, due to errors and inefficiencies, allow a percentage of vehicles not be checked correctly, thereby thousands of vehicles with inadequate legal requirements can be going on public roads undetected by the authorities or the public.

The present invention proposes to overcome and simplifythis process by using the available GSM mobile technology to connect the vehicle to a host computer and enable it to communicate and receive a command transmission and display document validity status by way of simple symbols to understand coloured illuminated symbols and plain text message, eliminating the need for paper document presentation, streamlining the document processing and follow up procedure and provide a simple visual representation to authorities and the public about the vehicle's legal status This invention provides a tamper proof, independent and driver and public friendly device, which provides the vehicle's legal status and location at all times.

The present invention proposes, by connecting the vehicle via mobile device to a network, it makes it completely independent of its location and therefore increases effIciency and traceability.

Traditionally vehicles have had their documentation in paper form including the vehicle registration document, Insurance document, MOT test certificate and Tax disc. The tax disc is to be displayed on the inside of the wind screen at all times. More recently the advancement of technology has made it possible to check vehicle documentation and driver's licence status through police and DVI.A computerised data banks. However, this data is not publicly available and even the police have to check a vehicle's status either using the police vehicle on board communication device which retrieves the data from the central database or for the officer to contact their base to have the information retrieved, thereby incurring extra cost and time against a system that can provide current information about the vehicle's legal status at all times. The invention could also be used to provide information on a multinational or international basis such as the European Economic Community member countries on an agreed format. Currently it is a very difficult for authorities to check the legally required documents for visiting vehicles from overseas. This invention could provide authorities with such information without the need to have the documents translated or contacting the sources for verification, all of which can be very lengthy and extremely costly.

Background of the Invention

[00031 It is thus the object of the present invention to manipulate and use mobile technology to provide a device that connects the vehicle to a central hosting computer in order to broadcast a vehicle's legal documentation validity/status in real time illuminated in symbol display format, a written text display message for the driver and the passengers of the vehicle and using combined network and GPS information provide the hosting computer with information that can provide an exact geographical location of the vehicle.

The present invention aims to provide vehicle licensing controls and authorities, the driver and the passenger of the vehicle with up to date information about the legal status of the vehicle and its geographical location. The capabilities that this invention delivers are, a more efficient document management service, vehicle monitoring, time saving in retrieving data and data management, eliminate paperwork and costs savings and current information to drivers and the public regarding the legal status of the vehicle. In addition connectivity will lead to a considerable reduction in natural resource consumption.

Integrated with the traffic control and management system, it will provide increased efficiency and intelligent transport system, helping to combat vehicle crime. The system also opens huge opportunities for various other vehicle services to the vehicle users such as integration with the road toll system for pre paid or paid on account road usage and congestion charges. The vehicle location facility of this device can help to reduce the insurance premium for the vehicle. The facility can also provide further assistance in fleet management, company car monitoring and much more.

By using 3G &46 technology this invention aims to improve real time traceability, vehicle identification, documentation process, passenger security, reduce vehicle crime, control trafficflow and deliver an efficient customer service and road safety.

The use of mobile network technology and GPS is known in many applications in the prior art. More specifically, vehicle devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of similar technology, however, the present invention has been developed for an application which non-of prior arts have anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested or even implied.

There are number of prior art in various applications, these patents are divided into the following five groups; Group 1: patents in this group are for vehicle Anti-Theft and security CN202320196, CN102407826, CN101206790, TW200906659, 1W1330602, TWM322900, CN2420653, KR20040111262, CN202138336, KR100507614, and CN2688558.

Group 2: patent in this group are for vehicle geographical positioning and related applications; CN 102520420, CN 202221478, CN 20 2281837,CN 202189146,CN 202256680,CN 202033613, US2O1 1220 697,CN 202102113,CN 202057 795, CN 2020022655, CN 202022154, US2010057358,CN 201170729,CN19 808692, HK1068045,CN1704287,CN100358751,CN1704286,CN13 19780,CN 2702323,CN2698557, DEl 0315047,JP2004271425,JP2004117265,JP2003279352,JP3984112,CN 1437032,CN1317565,DE198481 92,JP4286976,JP4062490,JP2196975,US4837700.

Group3: patents in this group are for devices which communicate with a host transmitter and gather data in various forms, CN202221477, CN202171870, CN101887127, CN201421335, CN201359500, 6B2458513, W02008110654, W02007074197, CN2835952, CN1570588, DE10241661, JP2003207344, W00179876, JP2002223195, DE10046166, W0030058, DE19948794, KR20000038164, KR20000038163, DE19842966, DE19842966, DE19837488, JP9042964, and US2011313593.

Group4 These patents are designed to gather audio visual and multimedia data GN202261823, G07C5/08, GN201984554, GN101510322, GN201156401, CN2929857, W02008086656, TW200809704, and DE10311241.

GroupS The following patents are associated in one way or another either as accessories or as a remote control device with an in-car GPS system; US2011313593, CN201619461, W02011040666, JP2010284983, CN201251624, USD592041, CN201104233, W02007073829, USD524665, FR2876977, kR20050003651, KR20045129, JP70527, JP4359177.

The many aforementioned patents are all products designed with capability of communicating with a host computer, however none of these products offer the capabilities of the invention and the applications for which it is designed for.

The invention is designed to transform and improve service delivery within the way in which vehicle document information is processed through creating a smart system and eliminating unnecessary paper work.

In general for every vehicle to be legally used on a public highway the following valid documentation is required; a vehicle registration document, MOT test certificate unless the vehicle is under 3 years old, a road tax licence, a valid insurance certificate and a valid drivers licence. These documents are issued to the owner/keeper of the vehicle in paper format and in United Kingdom are required by law to be kept up to date at all times.

In the United Kingdom, currently all this information, except information on the driver's driving licence, is held for every vehicle in a hosting computer at DVLA and participating vehicle testing stations (centres to test for MaT) are obliged to provide DVLA with a vehicle up to date information.

Objects of the Invention - [0004] The present invention is designed to receive radio signals and respond by producing appropriate illuminated coloured symbols which are a representation of a vehicle's legal document validity, to produce written text messages for driver and the passengers' attention and to communicate on demand with the host computer to deliver other logistically associated services to increase efficiency and road safety.

The order of coloured symbols and message translations are as follows: 10005] Green luminous Spot is displayed when all documents are valid and up to date, with a written text message showing Document Valid on the reverse screen.

[00061 Amber Circle replaces the green spot when one or more of the legal requirement reaches the last 30 days of Its validity. The text message on the reverse screen then changes informing the driver the appropriate action which needs to be taken.

[00011 Red Cross when any of the legal requirements reach the end of its validity or have expired or cancelled. The written text message showing Illegal to drive the vehicle' followed by the required action.

[0008] In the event of the vehicle being stolen, once the authorities are informed, the symbol is commanded to changes to Red, this symbol also appears if the main driver of the vehicle has their licence revoked with the text message showing either as a stolen vehicle or to call the police or the driver's driving licence not valid.

10009] The body of the device is encased in a supple polymeric rubber which enables it to follow the contours of vehicle wind screen and offers good contact adhesion.

[00101 The device has also a built in tamper proof mechanism which in the event of unauthorised removal disables the device, sends a tamper message to the hosting computer and automatically sets it to display a Red Cross symbol with a text message showing tamper.

10011] The device can only be removed by authorised centres appointed by the DVLA.

[0012] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that methodology conception, upon which this invention is based, may readily be utilised to deliver other services, methods and designs for carrying out various tasks insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention [0013] It is object of the present invention to produce and construct a device that is durable, reliable, easily and cost effectively manufactured.

[0014] An even further object of the present invention is to produce an efficient and reliable system which cuts everyday chores, saves natural resources, makes economic sense and provides a whole new scope in vehicle services intelligent system applications.

Brief Description of the Drawing

10015] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example with references to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which; (00161 Fig lisa schematic plan view of the invention's luminous display unit, displaying the configuration of the display symbols, miniature solar panels and polymeric surround casing.

[00171 Fig 2 is a 3D perspective embodiment of front and reverse of the present invention, displaying the LED luminous screen on the front and the LCD screen on the reverse.

(0018) Fig 315 a 3D perspective view enibodirnent of the present invention in a rectangular body form design.

[0019] Fig 4 diagrammatically illustrates the device as it is on display attached to a windscreen of a vehicle.

Detailed Description of Drawing

[0020] Referring to the drawing in figure 1. A schematic disssembled view of the luminous screen 4a.represents a display screen made up from 4 sections encased in a supple polymeric holder4 which enables the device to adhere to the contours of various screens, protects the device from shocks and vibrations.

[0021] A polarity of Led lights is configured to display 3 primary display symbols, Red Crossl, Amber Circle Ring2, and Green Circle Spot3.

[0022] The Green Circle Spot3 isa polarity of LED bulbs positioned in the centre of the display unit; the illuminated Green Circle Spot is a representation of an All OK sign.

[00231 The Amber Circle2 is a polarity of LED bulbs positioned to form a ring around the Green circle spot3, this section when illuminated, forms an Amber circle to represent an Early Warning signal.

[0024] The Red Cross is a configuration of LED bulbs to form an X shaped symbol, the illumination of this symbol represents Warning Vehicle not legal.

(0025] positioned in between the 3 symbols are 4 quarter sections of miniature solar panels 5 to provide alternative power supply to the device.

[0026] The device outer shell 4 is made from a supple polymeric material which enables it to follow contours of the screen and provide perfect adhesion between the display unit and screen.

(0027] Figure 2 illustrates a plan view of the invention in circular shape, the illuminated display screen 4a, the reverse LCD display screen 6, various control switches, a power switch sand adjustment switches 7.

[0028] Figure 3 is a plan view of the embodiment of rectangular design version of the invention.

(0029] Figure 4 illustrates yet another embodiment of the present invention on display attached to a wind screen on a vehicle, with internal and external views.