# US 2008/0186205 A1 · Wireless Sensing and Communications System of Roadways > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0186205 A1 - Document ID: US20080186205A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/062,099 - Filed: 2008-04-03 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 1995-06-07 - Assignees: Intelligent Technologies International, Inc. - Inventors: David S. Breed - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080186205A1 ## CPC - G08G 1/017: identifying vehicles (G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence) - G08G 1/096716: {where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control} - G08G 1/096758: {where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information} - G08G 1/096783: {where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element} - H03H 9/642: {SAW transducers details for remote interrogation systems, e.g. surface acoustic wave transducers details for ID-tags (remote interrogation systems per se G06K7/10009, G01S13/74)} - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) - H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P) ## Abstract Driving condition monitoring system for a vehicle on a roadway includes stationary mounting structures arranged proximate the roadway, and sensors located in the mounting structures in a vicinity of the roadway and apart from the roadway. The sensors generate information about the roadway or an environment around the roadway. An arrangement on the vehicle or associated with the sensors initiates a transmission of the information generated by each sensor to the vehicle when the vehicle is proximate the sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A driving condition monitoring system for a vehicle on a roadway, comprising: stationary mounting structures arranged proximate the roadway; sensors located in said mounting structures in a vicinity of the roadway and apart from the roadway, said sensors being structured and arranged to generate information about the roadway or an environment around the roadway; and means for initiating a transmission of the information generated by each of said sensors to the vehicle when the vehicle is proximate said sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said sensors are structured and arranged to wirelessly transmit information in response to an activation signal, said initiating means comprising at least one interrogator arranged on the vehicle to wirelessly transmit an activation signal to said sensors to cause said sensors to wirelessly transmit the generated information and to receive the information generated and transmitted by said sensors. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein said at least one interrogator includes two receiving antennas whereby, by transmitting the activation signal from one of said antennas and receiving a return signal at both of said antennas, a position of the vehicle relative to said sensors is determinable. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of said sensors is a RFID type whereby said at least one sensor is arranged to return information immediately to said at least one interrogator in the form of a modulated RF signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensors includes power-receiving means for receiving power wirelessly from said at least one interrogator. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said sensors are arranged to generate information about travel conditions relating to the roadway or external objects on or in the vicinity of the roadway ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said sensors are structured to transmit an identification code indicative of their position with the information generated by said sensors such that the absolute position of the vehicle is determinable using a map and the known position of said sensors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensors is arranged to measure friction of a surface of the roadway, atmospheric pressure, measure atmospheric temperature, temperature of the roadway, moisture content of the roadway or humidity of the atmosphere. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said sensors each include a SAW device whereby said sensors are arranged to transmit information after a delay, said sensors being arranged to use time-multiplexing such that each sensor has a different delay. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein each of said sensors is structured and arranged to transmit information including an identification of said sensor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a communications device arranged on the vehicle for receiving the generated and transmitted information from said sensors and transmitting the information to a remote location. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising a location-determining system arranged on the vehicle for determining the location of the vehicle, said communications device further transmitting the determined location of the vehicle with the information to the remote location. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said sensors include a measuring or detecting component and an energy harvesting system for generating energy for providing energy for said measuring or detecting component. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said initiating means comprise a proximity sensor for sensing the presence of a vehicle, said sensor being arranged to transmit the generated information when said proximity sensor senses the presence of a vehicle proximate said sensor. ### Claim 15 A driving condition monitoring system for a vehicle on a roadway, comprising: sensors located on or in a vicinity of the roadway, said sensors being structured and arranged to generate information about the roadway or an environment around the roadway; initiating means for initiating a transmission of the information generated by each of said sensors to the vehicle when the vehicle is proximate said sensor; receiving means on the vehicle for receiving the transmitted information from said sensors; and a communications device arranged on the vehicle and coupled to said receiving means for transmitting the information generated by said sensors and received by said receiving means to a remote location spaced from the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein said sensors are embedded in the roadway or arranged in mounting structures proximate the roadway and spaced from the roadway. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein said sensors are structured and arranged to wirelessly transmit information in response to an activation signal, said initiating means comprising at least one interrogator arranged on the vehicle to wirelessly transmit an activation signal to said sensors to cause said sensors to wirelessly transmit the generated information and to receive the information generated and transmitted by said sensors. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising a location-determining system arranged on the vehicle for determining the location of the vehicle, said communications device further transmitting the determined location of the vehicle with the information to the remote location. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein said sensors include a measuring or detecting component and an energy harvesting system for generating energy for providing energy for said measuring or detecting component. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein said initiating means comprise a proximity sensor for sensing the presence of a vehicle, said sensor being arranged to transmit the generated information when said proximity sensor senses the presence of a vehicle proximate said sensor.