Vehicle-integrated automatic identification apparatus

摘要

An automatic identification apparatus includes a control module configured as an integrated component of a vehicle and an electrical power interface receptive to a power signal from the vehicle. The electrical power interface provides electrical power to the control module. The automatic identification apparatus also includes an antenna electrically connected to the control module. The antenna transmits a radio wave indicative of a unique identification. The antenna is configured as an integrated component of the vehicle and is located to communicate the radio wave external of the vehicle. The automatic identification apparatus further includes a memory interface assembly configured as an integrated component of the vehicle. The memory interface assembly is receptive to a memory device encoded with the unique identification. The memory interface assembly communicates the unique identification to the control module when the memory device is received in the memory interface assembly.

主权项

1. An automatic electronic toll collection (ETC) identification system, comprising:
an ETC control module configured as an integrated component of a vehicle; an electrical power interface receptive to an electrical power signal provided from the vehicle, the electrical power interface electrically connected to the ETC control module to provide electrical power thereto, the electrical power interface configured as an integrated component of the vehicle; a radio frequency identification (RFID) antenna electrically connected to the ETC control module, the radio frequency identification antenna responsive to the control module transmits a radio wave indicative of a unique ETC identification, the radiofrequency identification antenna configured as an integrated component of the vehicle and located to communicate the radio wave external of the vehicle; and a wireless interface communicatively coupled to the ETC control module, the wireless interface configured to receive the unique ETC identification; a user mobile communication device comprising a software application configured to receive the unique ETC identification from an ETC service provider, to store the unique ETC identification in memory within the user mobile communication device, and to control communication of the unique ETC identification; wherein the user mobile communication device and the wireless interface are configured to operate using a Bluetooth™ communication protocol to form a wireless network when the user mobile communication device is within communication range of the ETC control module, and wherein the ETC controller accesses the unique ETC identification stored in the user mobile communication device memory each time it is required for communication to an RFID reader device of the ETC identification system for toll collection, and does not store the unique ETC identification within the ETC controller.