WO2008093925A1

WO2008093925A1 - Hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method and apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2008093925A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/005144
Authority: WO
Inventors: Han Sik Lee; Mi Jin Lee
Original assignee: Han Sik Lee; Mi Jin Lee
Priority date: 2007-01-29
Filing date: 2007-10-19
Publication date: 2008-08-07
Also published as: KR20070078738A; KR100763322B1

Abstract

Hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method and apparatus are disclosed. The hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method uses driving information which includes time-based location information, driving speed information, deceleration information, acceleration information, brake operating information, handle manipulating information, and air back operating information. The hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method includes obtaining first information including an accident location and an accident hours; wirelessly transmitting the first information to a first vehicle group previously selected based on a driving region; comparing the first information to driving information stored in each of vehicles belonging to the first vehicle group to detect second information including driving information which is substantially identical to the first information; and wirelessly obtaining the second information to select a second vehicle group comprised of vehicles storing the second information and a suspect vehicle.

Description

HIT-AND-RUN SUSPECT VEHICLE TRACKING METHOD

AND APPARATUS

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method and apparatus, and more particularly, to hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method and apparatus in which a hit-and-run suspect vehicle is easily tracked by a means for recording and storing driving information such as time-based location information, driving speed information, deceleration information, acceleration information, brake operating information, handle manipulating information, and air back operating information. Background Art

[2] A vehicle is one of the necessaries of life in a modern society. For example, the number of registered vehicles in Korea exceeds fifteen (15) million on February, 2005, and as the number of vehicles is increased, the number of car accidents is also increased as much. If there is no eyewitness in a car accident, a suspect sometimes reports to a police due to fear of punishment and runs away. So, such a hit-and-run accident attracts public attention as a big social problem.

[3] According to the Korean National Statistical Office, hit-and-run accidents occur at an average annual rate of more than 15,000 cases between 1990 and 2005, and the number of persons killed by the hit-and-run accident reaches about 600 and the number of the wounded reaches about 20,000. The problem of the hit-and-run accident is that the victim and family are continuously increased who suffer not only mental anguish resulting from a hit-and-run but also an economic burden since they can not be appropriately compensated for the accident.

[4] In most of hit-and-run accidents, there is no eyewitness or an eyewitness can not remember a vehicle number, and so a method for arresting a hit-and-run suspect is very restricted. For this reason, the National Police Agency databasizes major vehicle parts, vehicle maintenance shops and part shops and tracks a suspect vehicle based on a part or a tire mark of an accident vehicle which remains at an accident spot through its network. But, there exist lots of doubts about its effectiveness.

[5] Korean Publication nos. 1997-41951 and 2001-59434 disclose an apparatus for tracking an accident vehicle in which a vehicle comprises an impact sensor and a signal generating portion connected to the impact sensor and information of an accident vehicle is automatically transmitted by an impact when a traffic accident happens. However, in this case, it depends on only the impact sensor to determine whether a traffic accident happens or not, and thus it is impossible to discriminate a hit-and-run traffic accident. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[6] It is an object of the present invention to provide hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method and apparatus in which driving information stored in a vehicle is used to arrest a suspect vehicle. Technical Solution

[7] One aspect of the present invention provides a hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method using driving information which includes time-based location information, driving speed information, deceleration information, acceleration information, brake operating information, handle manipulating information, and air back operating information, comprising: obtaining first information including an accident location and an accident hours; wirelessly transmitting the first information to a first vehicle group previously selected based on a driving region; comparing the first information to driving information stored in each of vehicles belonging to the first vehicle group to detect second information including driving information which is substantially identical to the first information; and wirelessly obtaining the second information to select a second vehicle group comprised of vehicles storing the second information and a suspect vehicle.

[8] The accident location of the first information is indicated by GPS coordinates. The second information further comprises a registration number of a vehicle and driver information. The first information further comprises an ID number of a vehicle.

[9] Another aspect of the present invention provides a hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus, comprising: a driving information unit for recording and storing driving information including at least one of time-based location information, driving speed information, deceleration information, acceleration information, brake operating information, handle manipulating information, and air back operating information; a wireless communication unit connected to the driving information unit and exchanging information of the vehicle by a wireless communication technique; an identifying unit connected to the driving information unit and the wireless communication unit, comparing first information including an accident location and an accident hours to second information stored in the driving information unit and detecting third information substantially identical to the first information from the second information; and a control unit connected to the identifying unit and the wireless communication unit and controlling an operation for externally transmitting the third information detected by the identifying unit through the wireless communication unit. [10] The driving information unit comprises a GPS portion for obtaining time-based location information of a vehicle; a computing portion for obtaining information of the vehicle from a control system installed in the vehicle; and a storage portion for storing information obtained by the GPS portion and the computing portion.

[11] The hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus further comprises a portable communication terminal connected to the driving information unit by using a wireless local area network (LAN) technique or a wire line communication technique to read the second information. Brief Description of the Drawings

[12] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[13] FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

[14] FIGs. 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams illustrating the hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Mode for the Invention

[15] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various types. Therefore, the present exemplary embodiments are provided for complete disclosure of the present invention and to fully inform the scope of the present invention to those ordinarily skilled in the art.

[16] Hit-and-Run Suspect Vehicle Tracking Method

[17] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[18] The hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention is realized by a means (e.g., black box for vehicle) for recording and storing driving information such as time-based location in formation (e.g., accident location information and accident hours information), driving speed information, deceleration information, acceleration information, brake operating information, handle manipulating information, and air back operating information.

[19] Referring to FIG. 1, first information for an accident vehicle is obtained (Sl 10). The first information may be collected by a reporter who goes by an accident spot or a police or a crime lab who goes out to investigate an accident spot. Here, the first information comprises accident location information and accident hours information. Information such as a road name, an address, and GPS coordinates may be used as the accident location information. Preferably, the GPS coordinates which can indicate an accurate location are used as the accident location information.

[20] The accident hours may be inferred based on evidence found in the accident spot such as a victim, damaged things, or a tire mark if it is difficult to find out an exact accident time. The collected information is transmitted to a police control center through a police communication network, so that the first information which includes the accident location and the accident hours is obtained.

[21] Next, the first information is wirelessly transmitted to a first vehicle group (S 120).

The first vehicle group may be selected based on a region. For example, all vehicles in the whole country may be classified into the first vehicle group. The first information is transmitted to the whole country through a wireless communication network and is received by all vehicles through a wireless communication unit of a hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus such as a GPS black box.

[22] Alternatively, depending on the contents of the first information, the first vehicle group may be restricted to all vehicles which are located in a certain region or may be restricted to a certain kind of vehicles which are moving in a certain region (e.g., passenger cars in Seoul).

[23] Subsequently, the received first information and information stored in each of the vehicles belonging to the first vehicle group are compared to retrieve second information having driving information which is substantially identical to the first information (S 130). For example, information identical to the first information can be retrieved from information stored in the vehicle by an identifying unit mounted in each vehicle. For example, it is possible to determine whether a distance between locations stored in each of the vehicles of the first vehicle group at the accident location and the accident hours is within a previously set error range or not. Preferably, the locations are accurately indicated by the GPS coordinates.

[24] Thereafter, the detected second information is obtained by a wireless communication method, so that a second vehicle group which is comprised of vehicles storing the second information which are hit-and-run suspect vehicles is selected (S 140). For example, if information matched with the first information among information of the vehicles is detected, the second information is automatically transmitted to the police control center through the wireless communication unit. Here, the second information may comprise the driving information identical to the first information, a registration number of the vehicle, driver information, and real-time location information of the vehicle, and the driving information may comprise time-based location information, driving speed information, deceleration information, acceleration information, brake operating information, handle manipulating information, and air back operating information.

[25] The police control center analyzes the second information of each of the vehicles belonging to the second vehicle group by comparing them to data collected at the accident spot to thereby detect a suspect vehicle among the vehicles of the second vehicle group. The police control center can track the suspect vehicle using the location information (e.g., GPS coordinates) of the suspect vehicle through the driving information unit and the wireless communication unit mounted in the suspect vehicle and thus, it is easy to arrest the hit-and-run suspect.

[26] Since it is difficult to perceive an accurate accident time in case of a hit-and-run accident, a plurality of suspect vehicles which are doubted as an accident vehicle are detected and are grouped into the second vehicle group. For example, the accident hours of the first information is set at an interval of 30 minutes. All vehicles which go through the accident location at the accident hours are grouped into the second vehicle group. The number of vehicles grouped into the second vehicle group can be greatly reduced according to information collected at the accident spot.

[27] If the second information is insufficient, the steps SI lO to S 130 may be repetitively performed to detect the suspect vehicle. In more detail, if it is difficult to detect the suspect vehicle by the second information wirelessly transmitted from the second vehicle group, third information for the accident vehicle which is different from the first information is obtained. For example, the third information may be more detail information collected by an observer, a police or a crime lab. The third information may comprise a kind of a vehicle, a vehicle color, a driver's sex, and a part of a registration number of a vehicle which are obtained by a CCTV installed at a place around the accident spot. The third information is transmitted to a third vehicle group by a wireless communication method. The third vehicle group may be the first vehicle group, the second vehicle group or a newly selected vehicle group.

[28] Next, the third information is compared to driving information stored in each of vehicles belonging to the third vehicle group to obtain fourth information transmitted from a fourth vehicle group which contains the accident vehicle within the third vehicle group. For example, the third information is compared to the driving information stored in each of the vehicles belonging to the third vehicle group, and if the matched information is detected among the driving information, it is automatically transmitted to the police control center through the wireless communication unit. Therefore, the police control center obtains the fourth information which includes the driving information matched with the third information, the registration number of the vehicle, the driver information, and the real-time location information of the vehicle from the driving information stored in each of the vehicles belonging to the third vehicle group. The fourth vehicle group is formed by the smaller number of vehicles than the second vehicle group, and thus a time for arresting the suspect can be greatly reduced. [29] Hit-and-Run Suspect Vehicle Tracking Apparatus

[30] FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[31] Referring to FIG. 2, the hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus comprises a driving information unit 110, a wireless communication unit 120 connected to the driving information unit 110, an identifying unit 130 connected to the driving information unit 110 and the wireless communication unit 120, and a control unit 140 connected to the identifying unit 130 and the wireless communication unit 120.

[32] The driving information unit 110 is preferably installed inside the vehicle to be connected to a control system of the vehicle. The driving information unit 110 records and stores driving history which includes time-based location information, driving speed information, deceleration information, acceleration information, brake operating information, handle manipulating information, and air back operating information. The driving information unit 110 may comprise a GPS portion 112 for receiving the GPS coordinates of the vehicle from GPS satellites, a computing portion 114 connected to the control system of the vehicle to process vehicle information transmitted from the control system of the vehicle, and a storage portion 116 connected to the GPS portion 112 and the computing portion 114 to record all information generated from the GPS portion 112 and the computing portion 114.

[33] The wireless communication unit 120 is connected to the driving information unit

110 and exchanges information of the vehicle through a wireless communication technique. For example, the wireless communication unit 120 exchanges information with the police control center through a wireless link with a wireless base station. As a wireless communication technique, a code division multiple access (CDMA), a time division multiplex access (TDMA), or a Wibro may be used.

[34] The identifying unit 130 is connected to the driving information unit and the wireless communication unit 120 and compares the first information externally received to the second information stored in the storage unit 116 of the driving information unit 110 to detect the third information which is substantially identical to the first information from the second information. For example, the identifying unit 130 performs a function for comparing the accident hours and the accident location received from the police control center to the driving location of the accident hours stored in the storage portion 116.

[35] The control unit 140 is connected to the identifying unit 130 and the wireless communication unit 120 and performs a control function through which the third information identified by the identifying unit 130 is externally transmitted by the wireless communication unit 120. The result of the comparison performed by the identifying unit 130 is inputted to the control unit 140, and the control unit 140 transmits the second information of the vehicle to the police control center according to the comparison result. The second information may comprise the driving information of the vehicle identical to the first information such as the GPS coordinates of the vehicle of the accident hours, the registration number of the vehicle, the driver information, and the real-time GPS coordinates.

[36] Preferably, the control unit 140 may compare the comparison result to the previously set error range to selectively transmit the vehicle information. For example, if a distance between locations of the vehicle which has received the first information is within an error range of the location of the accident vehicle of the accident hours, the control unit 140 determines the vehicle as a preliminary suspect vehicle and so commands it to transmit the second information of the vehicle to the police control center through the wireless communication unit 120. However, if it is beyond the error range, the control unit 140 may command not to transmit the second information. Here, the error range may be changed by the police control center, and so since information of a group of vehicles doubted as the suspect vehicle can be selectively obtained, it is easy to identify the suspect vehicle.

[37] The first information may be any of the second information which can be retrieved in the driving information unit 110. For example, if the first information is an ID number (or certification number) of a stolen vehicle, the identifying unit 130 can easily determine whether the vehicle is a stolen vehicle or not by comparing the ID number of the stolen vehicle received to the ID number of the vehicle which has received the first information.

[38] The hit-and-fun suspect vehicle tracking apparatus 100 may further comprise a portable communication terminal 190 which is connected to the driving information unit 110 by a wireless local area network (LAN) such as Bluetooth or a communication technique such as USB to read the second information. For example, the portable communication terminal 190 is made in a design that a police is convenient to carry and is wirelessly connected to the driving information unit 110 to download the driving information of the suspect vehicle. Therefore, a police can submit the downloaded driving information of the accident vehicle as evidence.

[39] FIGs. 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams illustrating the hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[40] In FIGs. 3 and 4, let us assume that all vehicles have the hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking device. The vehicle receives its location information such as the GPS coordinates from the GPS satellites and stores them, for example, for at least 48 hours. If a hit-and-run accident happens, the police control center receives accident information DlOO which includes the accident location information and the accident hours information from a reporter and transmits them to all vehicles through a wireless com- munication network. The accident information DlOO is compared to the driving information stored in each of all vehicles.

[41] A vehicle DlOO which passed through the accident spot at the other hours than the accident hours and a vehicle D400 which was not at the accident spot at the accident hours do not transmit their driving information because their driving information are not identical to the accident information. On the other hand, the driving information of the vehicle D300 which was at the accident location at the accident hours and run away is automatically transmitted to the police control center because it is identical to the accident information. Therefore, the police can track the current location of the hit- and-run suspect vehicle to arrest a hit-and-run suspect.

[42] As described above, according to the present invention, there is an advantage in that a hit-and-run suspect vehicle can be tracked in a short time by using small accident information such as the accident location and the accident hours.

[43] If the hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus is mandatorily mounted to all vehicles, the hit-and-run accident rate can be significantly reduced, and even through a suspect runs away, a suspect arresting rate can be remarkably improved.

Claims

[1] A hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method using driving information which includes time-based location information, driving speed information, deceleration information, acceleration information, brake operating information, handle manipulating information, and air back operating information, comprising: obtaining first information including an accident location and an accident hours; wirelessly transmitting the first information to a first vehicle group previously selected based on a driving region; comparing the first information to driving information stored in each of vehicles belonging to the first vehicle group to detect second information including driving information which is substantially identical to the first information; and wirelessly obtaining the second information to select a second vehicle group comprised of vehicles storing the second information and a suspect vehicle.

[2] The hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method of claim 1, wherein the accident location of the first information is indicated by GPS coordinates.

[3] The hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method of claim 1, wherein the second information further comprises a registration number of a vehicle and driver information.

[4] The hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking method of claim 1, wherein the first information further comprises an ID number of a vehicle.

[5] A hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus, comprising: a driving information unit for recording and storing driving information including at least one of time -based location information, driving speed information, deceleration information, acceleration information, brake operating information, handle manipulating information, and air back operating information; a wireless communication unit connected to the driving information unit and exchanging information of the vehicle by a wireless communication technique; an identifying unit connected to the driving information unit and the wireless communication unit, comparing first information including an accident location and an accident hours to second information stored in the driving information unit and detecting third information substantially identical to the first information from the second information; and a control unit connected to the identifying unit and the wireless communication unit and controlling an operation for externally transmitting the third information detected by the identifying unit through the wireless communication unit.

[6] The hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus of claim 5, wherein the driving information unit comprises a GPS portion for obtaining time-based location information of a vehicle; a computing portion for obtaining information of the vehicle from a control system installed in the vehicle; and a storage portion for storing information obtained by the GPS portion and the computing portion.

[7] The hit-and-run suspect vehicle tracking apparatus of claim 5, further comprising, a portable communication terminal connected to the driving information unit by using a wireless local area network (LAN) technique or a wire line communication technique to read the second information.