Vehicle inspection enforcement system and method offering multiple data transmissions on the road

Abstract

Abstract of Disclosure A vehicle inspection, diagnosing and maintenance system and method of inspecting, diagnosing and maintaining a vehicle includes providing a vehicle unit and a communications network. The vehicle unit receives vehicle data, such as exhaust emission data, and includes a wireless communication transceiver and a control for controlling the wireless communication transceiver. The control includes memory for storing vehicle data from the vehicle diagnostic system. A communication network provides wireless communication with the vehicle unit. The communication network is made up of a plurality of geographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communication transceivers. The vehicle unit communicates the exhaust emission data in its memory to a stationary transceiver in the vicinity of the vehicle.

Claims 
     
         1.  A vehicle inspection system, comprising: 
       a vehicle unit comprising a vehicle wireless communication transceiver and a control for controlling said wireless communication transceiver, said control including memory for storing vehicle data including exhaust emission parameters from a vehicle diagnostic system; and 
       a communication network for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, said communication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communication transceivers, wherein one of said stationary transceivers activates said vehicle wireless communication transceiver when in a vicinity of that stationary transceiver to communicate vehicle data in said memory to that stationary transceiver. 
         
     
     
         2.  The system of  claim 1  wherein said communication network including network connection at said stationary wireless communication transceivers with a wide area network, said wide area network retrieving vehicle data from said stationary wireless communication transceivers and providing access to the retrieved vehicle data at locations remote from said stationary transceivers. 
         
     
     
         3.  The system of  claim 2  wherein said communication network includes a host computer system on said wide area network operative to receive data from said stationary transceivers and a database for storing historical vehicle data from said vehicle unit. 
         
     
     
         4.  The system of  claim 3  wherein current vehicle data is compared with historical vehicle data to determine if the vehicle is operating outside of normal operation. 
         
     
     
         5.  The system of  claim 1  wherein environmental authority is provided access to said communication network for compliance verification. 
         
     
     
         6.  The system of  claim 1  wherein a vehicle owner is provided access to said communication network for vehicle performance monitoring. 
         
     
     
         7.  The system of  claim 1  including a unique vehicle identification code, wherein said identification code is transmitted with the vehicle data to that stationary transceiver. 
         
     
     
         8.  The system of  claim 6  wherein said vehicle data includes auxiliary data in addition to the exhaust emission parameters. 
         
     
     
         9.  The system of  claim 2  wherein said network connection comprises at least one chosen from a high speed installed connection, a wireless connection and a satellite connection. 
         
     
     
         10.  The system of  claim 1  wherein said control is programmable through said vehicle transceiver with code received from said stationary transceivers. 
         
     
     
         11.  The system of  claim 1  wherein said communication network tracks the geographic location of said vehicle unit. 
         
     
     
         12.  The system of  claim 1  wherein said communication network includes cameras with said stationary transceivers operable to capture images of vehicles communicating exhaust emission data. 
         
     
     
         13.  A vehicle inspection system, comprising: 
       a vehicle unit comprising an adapter configured to connect with a vehicle diagnostic port of a vehicle diagnostic system for receiving vehicle data including exhaust emission parameters, a vehicle wireless communication transceiver and a control for controlling said adapter and said wireless communication transceiver, said control including memory for storing vehicle data from the vehicle diagnostic system; and 
       a communication network for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, said communication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communication transceivers, wherein said vehicle wireless communication transceiver communicates vehicle data in said memory to a stationary transceiver in a vicinity of that said vehicle unit. 
         
     
     
         14.  The system of  claim 13  wherein said communication network including network connection at said stationary wireless communication transceivers with a wide area network, said wide area network retrieving vehicle data from said stationary wireless communication transceivers and providing access to the retrieved vehicle data at locations remote from said stationary transceivers. 
         
     
     
         15.  The system of  claim 14  wherein said communication network includes a host computer system on said wide area network operative to receive data from said stationary transceivers and a database for storing historical vehicle data from said vehicle unit. 
         
     
     
         16.  The system of  claim 15  wherein current vehicle data is compared with historical vehicle data to determine if the vehicle is operating outside of normal operation. 
         
     
     
         17.  The system of  claim 13  wherein environmental authority is provided access to said communication network for compliance verification. 
         
     
     
         18.  The system of  claim 13  wherein a vehicle owner is provided access to said communication network for vehicle performance monitoring. 
         
     
     
         19.  The system of  claim 13  including a unique vehicle identification code, wherein said identification code is transmitted with the vehicle data to that stationary transceiver. 
         
     
     
         20.  The system of  claim 19  wherein said vehicle data includes auxiliary data in addition to the exhaust emission parameters. 
         
     
     
         21.  The system of  claim 14  wherein said network connection comprises at least one chosen from a high speed installed connection, a wireless connection and a satellite connection. 
         
     
     
         22.  The system of  claim 13  wherein said control is programmable through said vehicle transceiver with code received from said stationary transceivers. 
         
     
     
         23.  The system of  claim 13  wherein said communication network tracks the geographic location of said vehicle unit. 
         
     
     
         24.  The system of  claim 13  wherein said communication network includes cameras with said stationary transceivers operable to capture images of vehicles communicating exhaust emission data. 
         
     
     
         25.  A method of inspecting a vehicle, comprising: 
       providing a vehicle unit comprising a vehicle wireless transceiver and a memory; 
       storing in said memory vehicle data including exhaust emission parameters from a vehicle diagnostic system; 
       providing a communication network for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, said communication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communication transceivers; 
       activating said vehicle wireless communication transceiver with one of said stationary transceivers when said vehicle wireless communication transceiver is in a vicinity of that stationary transceiver to communicate the stored vehicle data to that stationary transceiver. 
         
     
     
         26.  The method of  claim 25  including providing a network connection at said stationary wireless communication transceivers with a wide area network; and 
       retrieving vehicle data from said stationary wireless communication transceivers with said wide area network and providing access to the retrieved vehicle data at locations remote from said stationary transceivers. 
         
     
     
         27.  The method of  claim 26  including providing a host computer system on said wide area network for receiving data from said stationary transceivers and a database for storing historical vehicle data from said vehicle unit with said database. 
         
     
     
         28.  The method of  claim 27  including comparing current vehicle data with historical vehicle data to determine if the vehicle is operating outside of normal operation. 
         
     
     
         29.  The method of  claim 27  including providing access by environmental authority to said database for compliance verification. 
         
     
     
         30.  The method of  claim 27  including providing access by a vehicle owner to said database for vehicle performance monitoring. 
         
     
     
         31.  The method of  claim 25  including providing a unique vehicle identification code and transmitting said identification code with the vehicle data. 
         
     
     
         32.  The method of  claim 31  wherein said vehicle data includes auxiliary data in addition to the exhaust emission. 
         
     
     
         33.  The method of  claim 26  wherein said network connection comprises at least one chosen from a high speed installed connection, a wireless connection and a satellite connection. 
         
     
     
         34.  The method of  claim 25  including programming said vehicle unit through said vehicle transceiver with code received from said stationary transceivers. 
         
     
     
         35.  The method of  claim 25  including tracking the geographic location of said vehicle unit with said communication network. 
         
     
     
         36.  The method of  claim 25  including providing cameras with said stationary transceivers and capturing images with said cameras of vehicles communicating exhaust emission data. 
         
     
     
         37.  A method of inspecting a vehicle, comprising: 
       providing a vehicle unit comprising an adapter and a vehicle wireless transceiver; 
       connecting said vehicle unit with a diagnostic port of a vehicle diagnostic system and receiving vehicle data including exhaust emission parameters with said vehicle unit; 
       storing vehicle data from the vehicle diagnostic port; 
       providing a communication network for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, said communication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communication transceivers; and 
       communicating the stored exhaust emission data to that stationary transceiver in a vicinity of that vehicle unit. 
         
     
     
         38.  The method of  claim 37  including providing a network connection at said stationary wireless communication transceivers with a wide area network; and 
       retrieving vehicle data from said stationary wireless communication transceivers and with said wide area network and providing access to the retrieved vehicle data at locations remote from said stationary transceivers. 
         
     
     
         39.  The method of  claim 38  including providing a host computer system on said wide area network for receiving data from said stationary transceivers and a database for storing historical vehicle data from said vehicle unit with said database. 
         
     
     
         40.  The method of  claim 39  including comparing current vehicle data with historical vehicle data to determine if the vehicle is operating outside of normal operation. 
         
     
     
         41.  The method of  claim 39  including providing access by environmental authority to said database for compliance verification. 
         
     
     
         42.  The method of  claim 39  including providing access by a vehicle owner to said database for vehicle performance monitoring. 
         
     
     
         43.  The method of  claim 37  including providing a unique vehicle identification code and transmitting said identification code with the vehicle data. 
         
     
     
         44.  The method of  claim 43  wherein said vehicle data includes auxiliary data in addition to the exhaust emission. 
         
     
     
         45.  The method of  claim 38  wherein said network connection comprises at least one chosen from a high speed installed connection, a wireless connection and a satellite connection. 
         
     
     
         46.  The method of  claim 37  including programming said vehicle unit through said vehicle transceiver with code received from said stationary transceivers. 
         
     
     
         47.  The method of  claim 37  including tracking the geographic location of said vehicle unit with said communication network. 
         
     
     
         48.  The method of  claim 37  including providing cameras with said stationary transceivers and capturing images with said cameras of vehicles communicating exhaust emission data. 
         
     
     
         49.  A vehicle diagnosing and maintenance system, comprising: 
       a vehicle unit comprising a vehicle wireless communication transceiver and a control for controlling said wireless communication transceiver, said control including memory for storing vehicle data including exhaust emission parameters from a vehicle diagnostic system; and 
       a communication network for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, said communication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communication transceivers, wherein said vehicle wireless communication transceiver communicates vehicle data in said memory to a stationary transceiver in a vicinity of that said vehicle unit; 
       said communication network automatically determining if the vehicle data is out of specification and automatically notifying a vehicle owner thereof. 
         
     
     
         50.  A method of inspecting a vehicle, comprising: 
       providing a vehicle unit comprising a vehicle wireless transceiver and a memory; 
       storing in said memory vehicle data including exhaust emission parameters from a vehicle diagnostic system; 
       providing a communication network for two-way wireless communication with said vehicle unit, said communication network made up of a plurality of geographically dispersed generally stationary wireless communication transceivers; 
       communicating the stored exhaust emission data to that stationary transceiver in a vicinity of that vehicle unit; and 
       automatically determining with said communication network if the vehicle data is out of specification and automatically notifying with said communication network a vehicle owner thereof.