Granted Patent B2

US 7,327,238 · App. 11/145,669 · Granted Feb 5, 2008

Abstract

Claims (31)

1. A method for monitoring and detecting a tailgate event between two vehicles moving in a forward motion, the two vehicles comprising a first vehicle and a second vehicle, one of the two vehicles being an offending vehicle and the other of the two vehicles being an affected vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a distance between the two vehicles, the first vehicle in front of the second vehicle;

calculating a safe distance range between the two vehicles based upon at least one of speed, weight, and safe braking range values of at least one of the two vehicles;

comparing the distance and the safe distance range;

based upon the comparing, activating a recording device on the affected vehicle if the distance is less than the safe distance range indicating an unacceptable distance range value, the offending vehicle being responsible for causing the unacceptable distance range value;

wherein the weight is obtained via at least one of:

a memory device that stores the pre-programmed weight;

a user input via a weight calibration device;

a weigh in motion scale on a roadway, the weight transmitted from the weigh in motion scale to the weighed vehicle over a network via at least one of a monitoring vehicle and a weigh in motion terminal within transmission range of the weighed vehicle, wherein the weighed vehicle is the offending vehicle; and

an estimated calculation based upon at least one of a vehicle make and model, a number of attached trailers, and a number of axels, wherein the vehicle make and model, the number of attached trailers, and the number of axels are captured by a camera near the roadway and transmitted over a network to the offending vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

based upon the comparing, activating a timer device on the affected vehicle if the distance is less than the safe distance range;

recalculating the distance and the safe distance range;

comparing the recalculated distance and safe distance range and generating an incident report if the recalculated distance is less than the recalculated safe distance value for a specified time period measured by the timer, the incident report including results of the recording.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the incident report further includes at least one of:

a license number of the offending vehicle;

a speed of the affected vehicle;

safe braking range of the affected vehicle;

weight of at least one of the affected vehicle and the offending vehicle;

steering maneuvers of the affected vehicle;

braking operation of the affected vehicle; and

air bag deployment status of the affected vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising transmitting the incident report to at least one of:

a law enforcement entity;

an insurance company; and

a registry service or host system.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle further includes validating the distance using at least one of:

a laser range finding device; and

optical range marker.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining a distance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle is performed by at least one of a front facing range sensor and a rear-mounted range sensor affixed to the affected vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the weighed vehicle transmits the weight via a transceiver, and wherein further, responsive to receiving the weight at the affected vehicle and determining a distance between the vehicles, the affected vehicle uses the weight to calculate a safe braking distance.

Assignments (6)