Granted Patent B2

US 12,418,781 · App. 18/450,500 · Granted Sep 16, 2025

Inventor: Peter D. Karabinis (Cary, NC)

H04W4/40H04L5/0055H04L5/04H04L27/2636H04W4/44H04W8/24H04L27/2626

Abstract

Claims (129)

1. A system comprising electromechanical apparatus that is configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving information;

selecting a geographic area responsive to the information received;

wirelessly identifying a first motor vehicle that is within the geographic area selected;

wirelessly communicating with the first motor vehicle; and

wirelessly controlling a first distance between the first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle;

wherein said wirelessly communicating comprises wirelessly transmitting and/or wirelessly receiving.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said receiving information comprises receiving information regarding a weather condition, a time-of-day and/or an event.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said wirelessly identifying comprises detecting a unique code associated with the first motor vehicle.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each one of said wirelessly identifying, wirelessly communicating and wirelessly controlling is responsive to the information received.

5. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the weather condition comprises rain, ice, snow and/or fog and wherein the event comprises an accident.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

responsive to the information received, wirelessly identifying a plurality of motor vehicles by wirelessly detecting, for each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles, a respective unique code that is associated therewith;

wirelessly communicating with at least one motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles;

wirelessly controlling the first distance between the first motor vehicle and the second motor vehicle; and

wirelessly controlling a second distance between the second motor vehicle and a third motor vehicle.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein said wirelessly communicating with the at least one motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles comprises:

wirelessly and directly communicating with the at least one motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles; and/or

wirelessly and indirectly communicating with the at least one motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles.

8. The system according to claim 7 ,

wherein said wirelessly and directly communicating comprises communicating by using only one wireless link; and

wherein said wirelessly and indirectly communicating comprises communicating by using a plurality of wireless links separated from one another by at least one intervening element.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said wirelessly controlling the distance is responsive to having received an acknowledgement from the first motor vehicle.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:

prior to said wirelessly controlling, providing an option to the first motor vehicle to have said distance controlled; then

responsive to said providing an option, receiving from the first motor vehicle an acknowledgement to have said distance controlled; and then

controlling said distance.

11. The system according to claim 6 , wherein said operations further comprise:

receiving a signal comprising a position, a velocity and/or an acceleration of the first motor vehicle, second motor vehicle and/or third motor vehicle;

wherein the signal is based on processing of GPS signals.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

causing a payment to be made from an account associated with said first motor vehicle responsive to said wirelessly controlling.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said wirelessly controlling a first distance between the first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle comprises controlling a velocity and/or an acceleration.

14. A method of vehicular safety performed by electromechanical apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving information;

selecting a geographic area responsive to the information received;

wirelessly identifying a first motor vehicle that is within the geographic area selected;

wirelessly communicating with the first motor vehicle; and

wirelessly controlling a first distance between the first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle;

wherein said wirelessly communicating comprises wirelessly transmitting and/or wirelessly receiving.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said receiving information comprises receiving information regarding a weather condition, a time-of-day and/or an event.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said wirelessly identifying comprises detecting a unique code associated with the first motor vehicle.

17. The method according to claim 14 , wherein each one of said wirelessly identifying, wirelessly communicating and wirelessly controlling is responsive to the information received.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the weather condition comprises rain, ice, snow and/or fog and wherein the event comprises an accident.

19. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

responsive to the information received, wirelessly identifying a plurality of motor vehicles by wirelessly detecting, for each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles, a respective unique code that is associated therewith;

wirelessly communicating with at least one motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles;

wirelessly controlling the first distance between the first motor vehicle and the second motor vehicle; and

wirelessly controlling a second distance between the second motor vehicle and a third motor vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein said wirelessly communicating with the at least one motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles comprises:

wirelessly and directly communicating with the at least one motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles; and/or

wirelessly and indirectly communicating with the at least one motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles.

21. The method according to claim 20 ,

wherein said wirelessly and directly communicating comprises communicating by using only one wireless link; and

wherein said wirelessly and indirectly communicating comprises communicating by using a plurality of wireless links that are separated from one another by at least one intervening element.

22. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said wirelessly controlling the distance is responsive to having received an acknowledgement from the first motor vehicle.

23. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising:

prior to said wirelessly controlling, providing an option to the first motor vehicle to have said distance controlled; then

responsive to said providing an option, receiving from the first motor vehicle an acknowledgement to have said distance controlled; and then

controlling said distance.

24. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising:

receiving a signal comprising a position, a velocity and/or an acceleration of the first motor vehicle, second motor vehicle and/or third motor vehicle;

wherein the signal is based on processing of GPS signals.

25. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:

causing a payment to be made from an account associated with said first motor vehicle responsive to said wirelessly controlling.

26. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said wirelessly controlling a first distance between the first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle comprises controlling a velocity and/or an acceleration.

27. A method performed by electromechanical apparatus, the method comprising:

specifying a geographic area responsive to receiving information regarding a weather condition, a time-of-day and/or an event;

detecting a first motor vehicle that is within the geographic area;

communicating with the first motor vehicle that is detected;

wirelessly transmitting information to the first motor vehicle and/or wirelessly receiving information from the first motor vehicle; and

controlling a distance between the first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle.

28. The method according to claim 27 , wherein said detecting comprises:

identifying the first motor vehicle by wirelessly detecting a unique code associated therewith; and/or

identifying a plurality of motor vehicles by wirelessly detecting, for each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles, a respective unique code associated therewith.

29. The method according to claim 27 , wherein the event comprises an accident.

30. The method according to claim 27 , wherein the weather condition comprises rain, ice, snow, and/or fog.

31. The method according to claim 27 ,

wherein said detecting further comprises:

detecting a plurality of motor vehicles by wirelessly detecting, for each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles, a respective unique code that is associated therewith; and

wherein said communicating further comprises:

wirelessly transmitting data to each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles and/or wirelessly receiving data from each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles.

32. The method according to claim 31 , wherein said wirelessly transmitting data to each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles and/or wirelessly receiving data from each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles comprises:

wirelessly and directly transmitting/receiving data to/from a motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles and/or wirelessly and indirectly transmitting/receiving data to/from the motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles.

33. The method according to claim 32 ,

wherein said wirelessly and directly transmitting/receiving data to/from a motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles comprises: transmitting data to the motor vehicle, by a system that is communicating with the motor vehicle, and receiving the data that is transmitted by the system at the motor vehicle and/or transmitting data to the system by the motor vehicle and receiving the data that is transmitted by the motor vehicle at the system, via a direct wireless connection between the system and the motor vehicle; and

wherein said wirelessly and indirectly transmitting/receiving data to/from a motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles comprises: transmitting data to the motor vehicle, by the system that is communicating with the motor vehicle, and receiving the data that is transmitted by the system at the motor vehicle and/or transmitting data to the system by the motor vehicle and receiving the data that is transmitted by the motor vehicle at the system, via a communications link comprising a plurality of wireless links any two of which are separated from one another by one or more intervening elements.

34. The method according to claim 27 , further comprising:

receiving an acknowledgement from the first motor vehicle; and

controlling the distance, a velocity and/or an acceleration of the first motor vehicle responsive to the acknowledgement received.

35. The method according to claim 34 , further comprising:

prior to said controlling the distance, a velocity and/or an acceleration of the first motor vehicle, providing an option to the first motor vehicle to have said distance, said velocity and/or said acceleration controlled; then

wirelessly receiving from the first motor vehicle the acknowledgement to have said distance, velocity and/or acceleration controlled; and then

controlling said distance, velocity and/or acceleration of the first motor vehicle.

36. The method according to claim 27 , further comprising:

causing a payment to be made from an account associated with said first motor vehicle responsive to said controlling.

37. The method according to claim 27 , wherein said controlling a distance between the first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle comprises controlling a velocity and/or an acceleration.

38. A system comprising electromechanical apparatus that is configured to perform operations comprising:

specifying a geographic area responsive to receiving information regarding a weather condition, a time-of-day and/or an event;

detecting a first motor vehicle that is within the geographic area;

communicating with the first motor vehicle that is detected;

wirelessly transmitting information to the first motor vehicle and/or wirelessly receiving information from the first motor vehicle; and

controlling a distance between the first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle.

39. The system according to claim 38 , wherein said detecting comprises:

identifying the first motor vehicle by wirelessly detecting a unique code associated therewith; and/or

identifying a plurality of motor vehicles by wirelessly detecting, for each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles, a respective unique code associated therewith.

40. The system according to claim 38 , wherein the event comprises an accident.

41. The system according to claim 38 , wherein the weather condition comprises rain, ice, snow, and/or fog.

42. The system according to claim 38 ,

wherein said detecting further comprises:

detecting a plurality of motor vehicles by wirelessly detecting, for each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles, a respective unique code that is associated therewith; and

wherein said communicating further comprises:

wirelessly transmitting data to each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles and/or wirelessly receiving data from each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles.

43. The system according to claim 42 , wherein said wirelessly transmitting data to each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles and/or wirelessly receiving data from each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles comprises:

wirelessly and directly transmitting/receiving data to/from a motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles and/or wirelessly and indirectly transmitting/receiving data to/from the motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles.

44. The system according to claim 43 ,

wherein said wirelessly and directly transmitting/receiving data to/from a motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles comprises: transmitting data to the motor vehicle, by the system that is communicating with the motor vehicle, and receiving the data that is transmitted by the system at the motor vehicle and/or transmitting data to the system by the motor vehicle and receiving the data that is transmitted by the motor vehicle at the system, via a direct wireless connection between the system and the motor vehicle; and

wherein said wirelessly and indirectly transmitting/receiving data to/from a motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles comprises: transmitting data to the motor vehicle, by the system that is communicating with the motor vehicle, and receiving the data that is transmitted by the system at the motor vehicle and/or transmitting data to the system by the motor vehicle and receiving the data that is transmitted by the motor vehicle at the system, via a communications link comprising a plurality of wireless links any two of which are separated from one another by one or more intervening elements.

45. The system according to claim 38 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving an acknowledgement from the first motor vehicle; and

controlling the distance, a velocity and/or an acceleration of the first motor vehicle responsive to the acknowledgement received.

46. The system according to claim 45 , wherein the operations further comprise:

prior to said controlling the distance, a velocity and/or an acceleration of the first motor vehicle, providing an option to the first motor vehicle to have said distance, said velocity and/or said acceleration controlled; then

wirelessly receiving from the first motor vehicle the acknowledgement to have said distance, velocity and/or acceleration controlled; and then

controlling said distance, velocity and/or acceleration of the first motor vehicle.

47. The system according to claim 38 , wherein the operations further comprise:

causing a payment to be made from an account associated with said first motor vehicle responsive to said controlling.

48. The system according to claim 38 , wherein said event comprises an accident, a deployment of an air bag, an acceleration/deceleration, a velocity, a position, an electromagnetic radiation level, a sound that is humanly audible and/or otherwise, an artificial intelligence-based prediction/input and/or a sequence of occurrences leading up to said event including but not limited to a biological/physiological state and/or a biometric identifier of an occupant of the first motor vehicle.

49. The system according to claim 38 , wherein said controlling a distance between the first motor vehicle and a second motor vehicle comprises controlling a velocity and/or an acceleration.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (11)

References Cited (103)