GB2523795A - Anyplate - Google Patents

Abstract

A licence plate system comprises an electronically-generated rear registration plate, a keyboard for inputting vehicle registration characters, electronics and means for self-illumination. The system may be used on trailers. Light emitting diodes are preferably used to provide the illumination of a yellow plate background. Power may be provided by a vehicle battery or alternatively by solar energy. The system allows trailer plate characters to be readily changed when a trailer is transferred to a different vehicle.

Description

I

DESCRIPTION OF THE "ANYPLATE"

INTRODUCTION

This report provides details of an idea originally conceived by Jonathan James Nutter. The idea was later further worked on by John, in conjunction with Brian Lees.

What is now proposed by both men is to take out a patent for the invention, as conceptualised, before progressing to the practical development phase.

AN ELECTRONICALLY SETTABLE REGISTRATION PLATE FOR TRAILERS

The fixed, (and none self-illuminating), registration plates on UK vehicles are very familiar to the British public. On the front plate, black characters appear on a white rectangular background. A similar arrangement applies with regard to the rear plate, except that the background colour is yellow.

When a trailer is attached to a vehicle, laws in the UK require it to carry a rear plate, (only), that is nominally identical to the rear plate of the vehicle its attached to, before it can appear on a public road. Should a trailer be transferred to a different vehicle, the trailer plate characters must be changed to that of the new vehicle.

Since trailers are frequently so transferred, ensuring that the correct plate details are always displayed represents a major inconvenience. Such an inconvenience is overcome with the ability to electronically choose any required combination of trailer letters and numbers.

The electronic plate would conform with the necessary black /yellow colour scheme as well as the required character shapes and dimensions.

TECHNICAL OVERVIEW

The intention is to design a plate that displays a yellow colour in the areas that are lit, (see later notes in this section), with the unlit parts, (i.e. the characters) being the required black. Hence it will be necessary for much of the plate to possess the property of being able to "change colour" so that all possible character combinations can be realised. The present thinking is that a translucent black plate would have yellow illuminators fitted behind it that are capable of being switched on and off as required.

Light emitting diodes, (LED's), are considered to be the preferred illumination method at this stage, but other possible technologies are not ruled out. A significant

DESCRIPTION OF THE "ANYPLATE"

quantity of such diodes, (small in size), will be needed, (many connected strictly in parallel, via resistors), in order to achieve the needed character quality.

A keyboard fitted on the trailer will be used to facilitate selection of the appropriate character combination, exploiting a programmable controller, or similar. The whole set up will be powered by the vehicle's battery system, which may be nominally 12 volt DC or 24 volt DC, (but see the next section). A non-volatile controller would be used, so that a temporary loss of sufficient battery power does not mean re-selection of the required characters when adequate power is re-applied.

Because LED circuitry needs to be fed by a lower voltage in order to achieve reasonable power efficiency, a switched mode power supply, (SMPS), will be used to realise the reduction without introducing significant losses. The SMPS will be versatile enough to accommodate either a 12V or a 24V battery without using additional components. Such a power supply will also ensure a steady LED rail, even though the battery voltage may vary with the state of charge.

A POSSIBLE REFINEMENT

It ought to be feasible for solar energy, when available via the Sun, to (partially or totally) "takeover" from the battery in powering the electronic plate.

Such a feature would obviously be an environmental as well as a fuel cost benefit. At the same time, the solar energy could be arranged to increase the LED voltage /illumination with increased daylight, improving plate visibility when its advantageous to do so.

AN ADDITIONAL INNATE ADVANTAGE

A further interesting feature of the idea is that the present use of plate illumination, so that traditional characters can be read at night, would not be necessary in the case of an "Anyplate".