Patent ID: 6873246
Filing Date: 2005-03-29
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A method of verifying and disabling a suspect vehicle, said method employing a central database station, a law enforcement unit associated with a law enforcement officer, and a vehicle control unit contained within the suspect vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: (a) the law enforcement officer observing the suspect vehicle; (b) the law enforcement officer transmitting an inquiry signal from the law enforcement unit to the vehicle control unit; (c) transmitting an identification code that is associated with the suspect vehicle, from the vehicle control unit in response to the inquiry signal; (d) receiving the identification code at the central database station, the identification code being associated with a first vehicle authorization code; (e) identifying the first vehicle authorization code associated with the identification code; (f) transmitting the first vehicle authorization code to the vehicle control unit; (g) in the vehicle control unit, comparing the first vehicle authorization code with a second vehicle authorization code pre-stored in the vehicle control unit; (h) generating an authorization acknowledgment at the suspect vehicle if there is a match between the first vehicle authorization code and the second vehicle authorization code; (i) enabling the vehicle control unit to receive a stop command signal if there is a match between the first vehicle authorization code and the second vehicle authorization code; (j) the law enforcement officer observing the authorization acknowledgment; (k) the law enforcement officer transmitting a stop command signal from the law enforcement unit in response to the authorization acknowledgment; (l) receiving the stop command signal at the vehicle control unit; and (m) disabling operation of the suspect vehicle in response to the stop command signal.