License Plate Holder

A license plate holder has a perimeter capable of holding a number plate. The perimeter has a upper rim, a right rim, a left rim and a lower rim forming an opening through which a license place may be visible. The license plate has both at least one camera lens and at least one proximity sensor attached to it.

SUMMARY

An improved license plate holder is presented herein.

There are several patents related to license plate holders with one or more cameras. Also, there are several patents related to proximity sensors on a bumper of a vehicle. Some of the examples are (1) U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,542, by Buck et al, (2) U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,975, by Truesdell, et al, (3) U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,623, by Moon, (4) U.S. Pat. No. 7,195,405, by Son, (5) U.S. Pat. No. 8,4332,446, by Son, and (6) U.S. Pat. No. 9,088,282, by Holenarsipur, et al. Applicant hereby incorporates each of the above cited patents in its entirety herein. Although a camera has been mounted on a license plate holder, there has been no disclosures for a license plate holder with both a camera and a proximity sensor. Thus, a license plate holder with both one or more cameras and one or more proximity sensors is needed and is descried herein.

A license plate holder described herein has a perimeter. The perimeter is formed by a upper rim, a right rim, a left rim and a lower rim forming an opening. The perimeter is capable of holding a license plate or a number plate so that the license plate is visible through the opening and the perimeters securely holds a first camera lens and a first proximity sensor on the perimeter. The first camera lens is attached to the upper rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the lower rim.

Various alternate designs may be obtained by placing the first camera lens and other additional camera lenses (such as a second camera lens) and the first proximity sensor and other additional proximity sensors (such as a second proximity sensor) at various rims. The examples, including but not limited to, are (1) the first camera lens is attached to the upper rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the left rim, (2) the first camera lens is attached to the upper rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the right rim, (3) the first camera lens is attached to the upper rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the left rim with a second proximity sensor attached to the right rim, (4) the first camera lens is attached to the lower rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the upper rim, (5) the first camera lens is attached to the lower rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the left rim, (6) the first camera lens is attached to the lower rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the right rim, (7) the first camera lens is attached to the lower rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the left rim with a second proximity sensor attached to the right rim, (8) the first camera lens is attached to the upper rim and the first proximity sensor is also attached to the upper rim, (9) the first camera lens is attached to the lower rim and the first proximity sensor is also attached to the lower rim, (10) the first camera lens is attached to the upper rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the left of the first camera lens on the upper rim and the second proximity sensor is attached to the right of the first camera lens on the upper rim, (11) the first camera lens is attached to the lower rim and the first proximity sensor is attached to the left of the first camera lens on the lower rim and the second proximity sensor is attached to the right of the first camera lens on the lower rim, (12) the first camera lens is attached to the left rim and the first proximity sensor is also attached to the left rim, or (13) the first camera lens is attached to the right rim and the first proximity sensor is also attached to the right rim. Additional combinations are available.

The proximity sensors used may be any commercially available sensors, including but not limited to, a microwave radar, any proximity sensors described in the cited prior art referenced and incorporated herein, any proximity sensors for airplanes, ships or non-moving premises, such as a front door of a house or an entrance way. Although a preferred proximity sensor for this license plate holder is a microwave proximity sensors, different proximity sensors may be used or in combination thereof.

Additional variations of the license plate holder may be achieved by having more than one camera lenses mounted on the upper rim and having more than one proximity sensors are mounted on the lower rim. In addition, one or more camera lenses and one or more proximity sensors may be placed on each of the upper rim, left rim, right rim or the lower rim. Also, a camera lens and a proximity sensor may be alternatingly mounted on any of the rims of the license plate holder.

One of the benefits of the license plate holder is that the bumpers of automobiles do not need to be holed or pre-fitted to install proximity sensors or camera lenses. Also, because the license plate holder is easily detachable, the license plate holder as described in this disclosure can be moved from a vehicle to a different vehicle. Moreover, the license plate holder may easily be replaced in contrast to the bumper mounted sensors. Furthermore, the license plate holder does not require modifications to vehicles, such as drilling holes to the bumpers. In addition, a combination of a camera and a proximity sensor for a vehicle may be produced at very low cost compared to installing them directly on a vehicle. This is especially true for older vehicles and other vehicles that does not have the proximate sensors installed by the factory.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A license plate holder is described in detail as shown on the Figs.

FIG. 1shows the license plate holder10. A perimeter15is formed by four sides20which will be referred to as rims.

The perimeter15is formed by a upper rim25, a right rim30, a left rim35and a lower rim40forming an opening45. The perimeter25is capable of holding a license plate (not shown) or a number plate so that the license plate is visible through the opening. The perimeter15also securely holds a first camera lens50and a first proximity sensor55. The first camera lens50is attached to the upper rim25and the first proximity sensor55is attached to the lower rim40.

The first camera lens50may be mounted on a first camera-mounting platform60which may be a strip of material to securely hold the first camera lens50or a hole designed to securely hold the first camera lens50. The first proximity sensor55may be mounted on a first proximity-sensor-mounting platform65which may be a strip of material to securely hold the first proximity sensor55or a hole designed to securely hold the first proximity sensor55.

The first proximity-sensor-mounting platform65may have a cover (not shown) to protect the first proximity sensor55. The first proximity sensor55may be mounted on the license plate holder without the corresponding proximity-sensor-mounting platform65. Also, a various alternate designs may be obtained by placing the first camera lens50and other additional camera lenses (such as a second camera lens70, seeFIG. 7) and the first proximity sensor55and other additional proximity sensors (such as a second proximity sensor75, SeeFIG. 2) at various rims.

The perimeter15also has vehicle-mounting holes (not shown, but there are often two on the upper rim and two on the lower rim; see FIG. 1 of the U.S. Pat. No. 8,432,446 for an example) for removably attaching the license plate holder10to a vehicle.

FIG. 2shows a variation of the license plate holder10. The license plate holder10has the first camera lens50placed on the upper rim25and three proximity sensors located on the lower rim40(the first proximity sensor55, the second proximity sensor75and the third proximity sensor80.) Having a plurality of the proximity sensors improve the sensitivity of the overall proximity sensor function (such as detection and distance measurement) as each proximate sensor could be directionally oriented, whether they are mounted on the upper rim25, the lower rim40, left rim35or the right rim30. For example, a proximity sensor on the left side of the license plated may be installed facing a bit toward the left side of the back of the car (as looking from behind the car), a proximity sensor at the center of the license plated may be installed facing directly backward of the car and a proximity sensor on the right side of the license plated may be installed facing a bit toward the right side of the back of the car (as looking from behind the car).

FIG. 3shows another variation of the license plate holder10. The license plate holder10has the first camera lens50placed on the upper rim25with the first proximity sensor55located on the left rim35and the second proximity sensor75located on the right rim30.

FIG. 4shows another variation of the license plate holder10. The license plate holder10has the first camera lens50placed on the lower rim40with the first proximity sensor55located on the upper rim25.

FIG. 5shows another variation of the license plate holder10. The license plate holder10has the first camera lens50placed on the lower rim40with the first proximity sensor55located on the left rim35and the second proximity sensor75located on the right rim30.

FIG. 6shows another variation of the license plate holder10. The license plate holder10has the first camera lens50placed on the upper rim25with the first proximity sensor55located left of the first camera lens50and the second proximity sensor75located right of the first camera lens50, both proximity sensors also located on the upper rim25.

FIG. 7shows another variation of the license plate holder10. The license plate holder10has the first camera lens50placed on the lower rim40with the first proximity sensor55located left of the first camera lens50and the second proximity sensor75located right of the first camera lens50, both proximity sensors also located on the lower rim40.

FIG. 8shows another variation of the license plate holder10. The license plate holder10has the first camera lens50placed on the left rim35with the first proximity sensor55also located on the left rim35and the second camera lens70placed on the right rim30with the second proximity sensor75also located on the right rim30. Although the first camera lens50and the second camera lens70are placed above the first proximity sensor55and the second proximity sensor75, respectively, another variation may have the first camera lens50and the second camera lens70placed below the first proximity sensor55and the second proximity sensor75.

FIG. 9shows another variation of the license plate holder10. The license plate holder10has the first camera lens50placed on the upper rim25with a second camera lens85placed on the left of the first camera lens50and a third camera lens90placed on the right of the first camera lens50. The first proximity sensor55is placed on the left of the second camera lens85and the second proximity sensor75is placed on the right of the third camera lens90, both proximity sensors placed also on the upper rim25. Alternate design, although not shown is that the second camera lens85and the third camera lens90may be replaced by one or more light source, such as LED lights.

FIG. 10shows another variation of the license plate holder10. The license plate holder10has the first camera lens50placed on the upper rim25and the first proximity sensor55is placed on the lower rim40. The first proximity sensor55shown is an elongated sensor plate95(a description of an elongated sensor plate95is described in U.S. Pat. No. 644,623, by Moon).

Although it is not shown in any of the Figs, a cover may be placed on any of the proximity sensors so that the sensors may be protected. Also, a transparent cover may be placed on any of the camera lenses to protect the lenses from becoming dirty or being damaged.

In addition, the proximity sensors used may be any commercially available sensors, including but not limited to, a microwave radar, any proximity sensors described in the cited prior art referenced and incorporated herein, any proximity sensors for automobiles and/or any proximity sensors for airplanes, ships or non-moving premises, such as a front door of a house or an entry/exit way. Although a preferred proximity sensor for this license plate holder is a microwave radar proximity sensors, different proximity sensors may be used or in combination thereof.

The images from the camera may be displayed on a video display of the vehicle, as well as being recorded into a recorder. Likewise, signals from the proximity sensors may also be displayed by a display (the same one or a separate display), as well as linked to a proximity alarms. Either or both the cameras and the proximity sensors may be connected to a main processor that controls any of or all of the video displays, the recorder and the proximity alarms.

While the description, drawings and references have presented, shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. For an example, the license plate holder is described to be installed on the rear of a vehicle, but it may be installed on the front of the vehicle. Also, the license plate holder may be installed on the front of the vehicle and another license plate holder may be installed on the rear of the vehicle. In addition, the first camera lens50may be attached to the left rim35and the first proximity sensor55is attached to the right rim, or vise versa. All such uses are in the scope of the description and the claims.