US 6,982,654 B2
Automated license plate recognition system for use in law enforcement vehicles
William D. Rau, 35 Allard Blvd., New Orleans, La. 70119 (US); and Nathan M. Rau, 9345 Rath Pl., Eden Prairie, Minn. 55347 (US)
Filed on Nov. 14, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/713,995.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/426235, filed on Nov. 14, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2004/0104813 A1, Jun. 03, 2004
Int. Cl. G08G 1/017 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 340—937 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A law enforcement vehicle comprising:
a camera mounted on the law enforcement vehicle, the camera configured to identify a license plate on a vehicle, the camera further configured to identify additional information related to the vehicle displaying the license plate, and to provide an output signal indicative of the identified license plate and the additional information;
a processor configured to receive a signal from the camera indicative of the identified license plate, and to compare the received signal with a list of vehicle license plates, the processor further configured to compare stored information related to the vehicle with the identified license plate with the additional information provided by the camera;
a storage device coupled to the processor, the storage device configured to provide to the processor the list of vehicle license plates, and the stored information related to the vehicle associated with the license plate; and
an output device configured to provide an output detectable by a law enforcement officer indicating that a detected license plate matches a license plate in the list of vehicle license plates or that a discrepancy between the identified license plate and the identified vehicle information was found.