Automated Vehicle Tracking via OCR Database Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for locating vehicles subject to repossession are inefficient and costly, as they rely on manual cross-referencing of license plates by agents, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially when vehicles are hidden or located at undisclosed sites.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle tracking and locating system that includes a database controller, request server, input processor, and output processor, enabling users to request and receive information on vehicles of interest through various communication devices, utilizing license plate recognition and optical character recognition systems to match plate numbers with database records, and providing authorized users with detailed vehicle information.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual cross-referencing of license plates by agents is used, then the system can locate vehicles, but the process becomes time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of agents physically viewing license plates with an automated optical character recognition (OCR) system that captures and reads license plate numbers electronically. This substitution eliminates the need for human agents to manually search and cross-reference documents, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and time loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service through automated database queries where the OCR system independently extracts license plate information and automatically cross-references it with vehicle records without requiring human intervention. This self-service mechanism speeds up the locating process while reducing the time agents would otherwise spend on manual searches.
2Loss of information
If agents manually cross-reference documents with suspect license plates, then vehicle information can be obtained, but the process becomes expensive and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual document cross-referencing with an automated computer-based system that uses optical character recognition to extract license plate numbers and electronically queries databases for vehicle information. This mechanical substitution eliminates the inefficient manual process while ensuring complete and accurate vehicle information retrieval.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary automated processing layer between license plate capture and vehicle information retrieval. The OCR system and database query mechanism serve as intermediaries that automatically bridge the gap between identifying a vehicle and obtaining its records, thereby improving efficiency while maintaining information completeness.
3Reliability
If skip-tracers and spotters randomly view license plates in areas frequented by the debtor, then the vehicle may be located, but the process becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the automated system continuously updates and refines search criteria based on vehicle location data and debtor movement patterns. This feedback loop enables the system to focus search efforts on high-probability locations while maintaining high accuracy, thereby reducing the time required compared to random searching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-processing and analyzing available data about debtor locations and vehicle patterns before the actual search begins. The system pre-identifies likely search areas and prepares query parameters in advance, enabling faster and more targeted vehicle location while maintaining high reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle tracking and locating system provides information to a user about a vehicle of interest, and includes a database controller in operative communication with a database, and configured to receive data corresponding to vehicles from a plurality of client sources, and configured to save the data as information records corresponding to each client source. A plurality of external communication devices transmit a data request by the user corresponding to the vehicle of interest. A request server receives the data request in one a variety of communication formats. An input request processor operatively coupled to the request server is configured to obtain information records from the database corresponding to the data request. An output processor operatively coupled to the request server provides data of interest from the obtained information records for transmission to the respective communication device to satisfy the user request.