RADAR/LASER DETECTION DEVICE WITH MULTI-SENSING AND REPORTING CAPABILITY

• US 20010013835A1
• Filed: 09/08/1999
• Published: 08/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PNI Corporation (PNI Digital Media)
• Original Assignee: PNI Corporation (PNI Digital Media)
• Inventors: HSU, GEORGE, SHERER, CHRISTINE ANNETTE, OH, CHUNG-A BECKY
• Granted Patent: US 6,297,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies

Abstract

A combination radar/laser detector with environmental sensors is programmed to provide a range of functions, including weather information, road conditions and the like, and in some cases to incorporate road-specific information in functionality. The road-specific information may be provided by roadside RF broadcast terminals. In a preferred embodiment the system monitors characteristics that indicate a driver'"'"'s state of awareness, and audio alerts are provides when the system determines a driver is dozing or drifting toward a dozing state. In various embodiments a broad range of functionality is provided based on received and sensed parameters.

Claims

1. A detection and reporting system for a vehicle, comprising:

one or both of a radar and a laser detector for sensing radar or laser signals directed on the vehicle to track vehicle speed;

one or more environmental sensors mounted on or in the vehicle for sensing environmental characteristics;

a microcontroller for managing system functions;

an electronic memory for storing data, algorithms, and operating routines; and

a display for reporting system results to a user;

wherein the system monitors input from one or both of the radar and laser detector and from at least one environmental sensor, and uses the input in conjunction with system control routines to provide reports to the user via the display.

2. The system of

claim 1

wherein the one or more environmental sensors include sensors for one or more of inside temperature, outside temperature, acceleration/deceleration, wind velocity, wind direction, air pressure, humidity, or the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

3. The system of

claim 2

wherein the one or more environmental sensors wherein one of the sensors is a magnetometer for sensing the Earth'"'"'s magnetic field, and the system comprises circuitry and software enabling the microprocessor to cause to be displayed on the display at the user'"'"'s choice, vehicle compass direction derived from readings from the magnetometer as well as detection of either radar or laser signals directed onto the vehicle.

4. The system of

claim 1

further comprising an interactive user interface enabling the user to at least select alternative functions for the system.

5. The system of

claim 1

further comprising an RF receiver enabled to receive and decode data transmitted from extra-vehicular sources.

6. The system of

claim 5

further comprising one or more roadside RF transmitters transmitting data and messages to the RF receiver in the vehicle.

7. The system of

claim 6

wherein messages transmitted by roadside transmitters include data on road characteristics to be soon encountered by the vehicle.

8. The system of

claim 7

wherein the road characteristics include one or more of curve characteristics for the roadway and incline characteristics for the roadway.

9. The system of

claim 2

wherein the user is a driver of the vehicle, and further comprising an audio system and doze-alert software executed in the background at times the vehicle is in motion, the system, via the doze-alert software, gathering sensor data and processing same, and comparing with stored data to make a determination as to the driver'"'"'s state of awareness, and, in the event of determining the may doze or is dozing, sounding an audible warning alert to the driver.

10. The system of

claim 9

wherein the doze-alert software operates on an escalating scheme, wherein separate determinations are made based on sensor inputs as to a level of danger, and separate alerts are made, each one more urgent than the last as determined danger increases.

11. A method for alerting a driver of a vehicle to impending danger occasioned by the driver'"'"'s level of awareness, comprising steps of:

(a) determining vehicle characteristics that evidence lack of driver awareness;

(b) providing sensors in the vehicle enabled to monitor the vehicle characteristics;

(c) programming an electronic warning system to store characteristics as a standard that indicates lack of awareness, and to compare real-time characteristics to the stored standard; and

(d) comparing real-time vehicle characteristics with the stored standard and sounding an alert for the driver if a match is found.

12. The method of

claim 11

wherein, in step (b) patterns of movement of the vehicle'"'"'s steering mechanisms are monitored, and in step (c) real-time movement of steering mechanisms are compared with the standard.

13. The method of

claim 11

wherein, in step (c) the programming stores plural standards indicating different levels of awareness, and in step (d) escalating alerts are sounded.