Granted Patent B2

US 11,778,432 · App. 17/812,112 · Granted Oct 3, 2023

Inventor: Peter D. Karabinis (Cary, NC)

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

Abstract

Claims (63)

1. A system 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 at least one motor vehicle that is within the geographic area;

communicating with the at least one motor vehicle that is detected;

wirelessly transmitting information to the at least one motor vehicle and/or wirelessly receiving information from the at least one motor vehicle;

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

controlling a second distance between a third motor vehicle and a fourth motor vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said detecting comprises:

identifying a 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.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the event comprises an accident.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the weather condition comprises rain, ice, snow, and/or fog.

5. The system according to claim 1 ,

wherein said detecting 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 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.

6. The system according to claim 5 , wherein said wirelessly transmitting comprises:

wirelessly transmitting to each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles a command directly thereto and/or indirectly thereto.

7. The system according to claim 6 , wherein transmitting to each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles a command indirectly thereto comprises:

transmitting information to a first motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles via a second motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said operations further comprise:

controlling a velocity of the at least one motor vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said operations further comprise:

receiving data from the at least one motor vehicle;

responsive to said receiving data, providing an option to the at least one motor vehicle to have its velocity and/or acceleration controlled by the system; and

electing by the at least one motor vehicle the option provided to have its velocity and/or acceleration controlled by the system.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said detecting comprises:

receiving at least one signal identifying a position of each motor vehicle of the at least one motor vehicle.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one signal is based upon processing of GPS signals.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise: causing a payment to be received from an account associated with a motor vehicle of said at least one motor vehicle and/or from an account associated with an occupant of the motor vehicle of the at least one motor vehicle responsive to the motor vehicle of the at least one motor vehicle having been identified as being within the geographic area.

13. A method comprising:

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

detecting at least one motor vehicle that is within the geographic area;

communicating with the at least one motor vehicle that is detected;

wirelessly transmitting information to the at least one motor vehicle and/or wirelessly receiving information from the at least one motor vehicle;

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

controlling a second distance between a third motor vehicle and a fourth motor vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said detecting comprises:

identifying a 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.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the event comprises an accident.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the weather condition comprises rain, ice, snow, and/or fog.

17. The method according to claim 13 ,

wherein said detecting 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 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.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein said wirelessly transmitting comprises:

wirelessly transmitting to each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles a command directly thereto and/or indirectly thereto.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein transmitting to each motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles a command indirectly thereto comprises:

transmitting information to a first motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles via a second motor vehicle of the plurality of motor vehicles.

20. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

controlling a velocity of the at least one motor vehicle.

21. The method according to claim 13 , further compn sing:

receiving data from the at least one motor vehicle;

responsive to said receiving data, providing an option to the at least one motor vehicle to have its velocity and/or acceleration controlled; and

electing by the at least one motor vehicle the option provided to have its velocity and/or acceleration controlled.

22. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said detecting comprises:

receiving at least one signal identifying a position of each motor vehicle of the at least one motor vehicle.

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the at least one signal is based upon processing of GPS signals.

24. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:

causing a payment to be received from an account associated with a motor vehicle of said at least one motor vehicle and/or from an account associated with an occupant of the motor vehicle of the at least one motor vehicle responsive to the motor vehicle of the at least one motor vehicle having been identified as being within the geographic area.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (10)