Method and Apparatus for Crowdsourced Vehicle Identification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016358031-A1
Application number	US-201514729109-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 3, 2015
Priority date	Jun 3, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to obtain an image of a vehicle plate. The processor is also configured to determine identification characters present in the image. The processor is further configured to compare the identification characters to a list of sought-vehicle plates and report a match between the identification characters and a plate on the list of sought-vehicle plates.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system comprising:
a vehicle-based processor configured to: obtain an image of a vehicle plate through a connected camera; determine identification characters present in the image; compare the identification characters to a list of vehicle plates received from a remote server; and report a match between the identification characters and a plate on the list.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to report a partial match between the identification characters and the plate if only some of the identification characters present in the image can be determined.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to report a current vehicle heading of a vehicle containing the processor when reporting the match.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to report a current vehicle location of a vehicle containing the processor when reporting the match.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to report a current vehicle speed of a vehicle containing the processor when reporting the match.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to obtain the image of the vehicle plate through communication with a vehicle camera.

7 . A system comprising:
a processor configured to: receive a locate request to find a vehicle plate; verify that the vehicle plate is eligible as a search subject; send a search request to a plurality of reporting vehicles for a search for the vehicle plate; receive a match from a first reporting vehicle, responsive to the search request; and notify a requesting user of the match corresponding to the vehicle plate.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to verify that the vehicle plate is eligible as a search subject by determining if the vehicle plate is listed in a registered-plate database.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to verify that a search-requesting user is eligible to perform a search for the vehicle plate specified in the locate request.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured to verify that the search-requesting user is eligible to perform the search by determining a correspondence between the user and the vehicle plate in a registered-plate database containing a list of vehicle plates and corresponding registered searchers.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to add the vehicle plate to a list of requested vehicle plates to be sent in the search request.

12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to add vehicle last known location data to the search request.

13 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is configured to add a time at which a vehicle was last at a known location to the search request.

14 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a vehicle last-known location; and send the search request to reporting vehicles within a predetermined proximity to the last known location.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive a time at which a vehicle was at the last known location; and determine the predetermined proximity based on the received time.

16 . A system comprising:
a processor of a reporting vehicle configured to: receive a request to locate a missing vehicle; utilize a vehicle system to confirm an identity of the missing vehicle in proximity to the reporting vehicle; and report identification of the missing vehicle, as well as a GPS location of the reporting vehicle, upon confirmation of the identity of the missing vehicle.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle system includes a vehicle camera, and wherein the processor is configured to confirm the identity of the missing vehicle based on an image, captured by the vehicle camera, of a license plate affixed to the missing vehicle.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the image as part of the report of identification of the missing vehicle.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the vehicle system includes a wireless communication system and wherein the processor is configured to confirm the identity of the missing vehicle based on a vehicle identifier, received through the wireless communication system, corresponding to the missing vehicle.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to report a speed and heading of the reporting vehicle upon confirmation of the identity of the missing vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Miller Kenneth James
• Martin Douglas Raymond

Classifications

• G06K9/209

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06K9/00791

  Physics · mapped topic

• H04N7/185

  from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control · CPC title

• G06K2209/15

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06K9/3258 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic