Automotive safety enhansing system

• US 20020019703A1
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Published: 02/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alfred B. Levine
• Original Assignee: Alfred B. Levine
• Inventors: Levine, Alfred B.
• Granted Patent: US 6,502,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/301
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A safety system for automotive vehicles to automatically detect and monitor various movements of a driven vehicle and automatically communicate such movements to others and to the police. Among others, the system detects violations of the traffic laws, including speeding, running stop signs, aggressive driving, tail gating and others. It also detects turns, lane changes, U turns, accelerations, decelerations, proximity to other vehicles, slow driving, weaving from lane to lane and others. Where a pattern of vehicle movements demonstrates aggressive driving of the vehicle a warning is given to other vehicles. The detected movements may be recorded and/or transmitted by wireless to the Police to enforce penalties against traffic violations. Warnings and other communications may be provided inside of the monitored vehicle to remind the driver and discourage future improper conduct and to assist impaired drivers that may lose concentration or hand-eye coordination in control of the vehicle. The exterior communication to others may include flashing lights, horn soundings, sirens and other. The interior communication to the monitored vehicle'"'"'s driver may be by a visual display, audible announcement, or other.

Claims

1. A reckless driving system for automotive vehicles for alerting other drivers about the improper handling and driving of a vehicle wherein said system monitors a continuing series of vehicle movements occurring within preset intervals to determine if an unacceptable pattern of such movements has occurred contrary to the driving habits being followed by more responsible and reasonable drivers of such vehicles, comprising:

Movement monitoring means for said vehicle for detecting each acceleration, deceleration, lane change, right and left turn, and vehicle braking, and generating a response signal for each such movement,

A timer operating for a preset period after each actuation thereof,

An accumulator energized by the timer and said response signals for summing the number of response signals being generated during the preset period of the timer, said accumulator generating a reckless driving signal after receiving a predetermined number of said response signals,

And warning means associated with the vehicle being energized by the reckless driver signal to warn other vehicles that the vehicle has been driven recklessly.

2. In the system of claim 1,

A recorder for recording the response signals constituting a reckless driving signal, thereby to provide a record of the detected reckless driving.

3. In the system of claim 1,

Said monitoring means additionally detecting violations of traffic laws and regulations, and generating a response signal in response to each violation.

4. In the system of claim 1, the addition of alerting means internally of the vehicle and

energized by the reckless driver signal.

5. In the system of claim 1,

Said monitoring means additionally detecting proximity of the vehicle to objects including other vehicles, and generating a response signal upon detecting proximity less than a preset distance.

6. In the system of claim 1,

Said monitoring means including a wireless reader for the vehicle for reading the content of coded signs proximate the roadways traveled by the vehicle.

7. In the system of claim 1,

Said monitoring means detecting vehicle turns and lane changes and energizing the turn indicators of the vehicle in response to each said movement.

8. In the system of claim 1,

Said monitoring means including a wireless reader for the vehicle for reading the content of coded traffic signs identifying the speed limit for the roadway and the presence of stop signs and indicators.

9. In the system of claim 1,

A wireless tranmitter associated with the system for wirelessly transmitting the reckless driving signal together with an identification of the vehicle, thereby to notify the police of the reckless driving occurrence.

10. In the system of claim 1,

Said monitoring means including accelerometers responsive to vehicle movements.

11. An automotive system for detecting unsafe operation of a vehicle by an impaired driver resulting from one or more of alcohol or substance abuse, driver disability from aging or illness, or other physical-mental disability comprising:

On-board sensors for detecting one of consistently low driving speed below the speed limits, excessive number of braking of the vehicle, and continual side movements within and between lanes in the roadway, and generating response signals,

An analyzer for responding to said signals,

And warning devices for said vehicle being energized by said analyzer to communicate said detected conditions to others located externally of the vehicle.

12. In the system of claim 11,

Said sensor detecting side movements of the vehicle within and between lanes comprising an on-board wireless detector for reading markings in the roadway traveled by the vehicle.

13.n. In the system of claim 11,

Said sensor detecting movements of the vehicle within and outside of a roadway lane comprising a sensor for the vehicle for detecting cyclically changing side movements of the vehicle.

14. In the system of claim 11,

Said sensor detecting movements of the vehicle by an impaired driver comprising a sensor for detecting cyclically changing sidewise movements of the vehicle and combined with detecting repeating braking of the vehicle.

15. In the system of claim 11,

Said sensor detecting control of the vehicle by an impaired driver detecting a pattern of repeated braking of the vehicle combined with repeated changes in vehicle speed.

17. In the system of claim 16,

The addition of sensors for determining changes in speed of the vehicle, and energizing warning indicators external of the vehicle to alert other vehicles of such changes in speed.

19. In the system of claim 18, said sensor comprising a wireless reader

For reading coded street signs referencing the speed limit.

20. In the system of claim 18, said sensor additionally determining a

Traffic requirement to stop the vehicle, and said system determining if the vehicle fails to stop to generate a stop violation signal to warn other vehicles of the violation.

21. In the system of claim 18, the addition of communicating means

Internally of the vehicle and energized by the speeding signal to alert and warn the vehicle driver of the speeding violation.

16. An on-board vehicle system for warning other vehicles of unsignaled movements of a vehicle comprising:

An onboard sensor for detecting turning movements of the vehicle,

And warning indicators coupled to the sensor to be energized in response to such turning movements thereby to alert other drivers of such movements.

18. An on-board system for monitoring the movements of automotive vehicles with respect to the traffic laws and regulations and warning other vehicles when such laws and regulations have been violated comprising:

A sensor for detecting the posted speed limit at each different location of a moveable vehicle, and a speed detector for the vehicle for concurrently determining the vehicle existing speed, and generating a speeding signal where the vehicle speed exceeds the speed limit,

And warning means for the vehicle being energized by the speeding signal to warn other vehicles of the violation of the speed limit.

22. An on-board system for monitoring the movements of a movable

Automotive vehicle with respect to traffic regulations,including one of speed limits, and stop requirements, and warning when such Regulations have been violated,

Means for detecting each different location of said movable vehicle, and determining the traffic regulations at said different locations,

Monitoring means for the vehicle for determining whether the vehicle has violated a traffic regulation and generating a warning signal if a violation has occurred,

And communicating means energized by said warning signal to notify others of such violation.

24. In the system of claim 23,

Said traffic requirements for each different location of the vehicle Being referenced by a coded street-roadway sign at that location,

And said receiver having a reader for reading said coded signs.

25. In the system of claim 23,

Said traffic requirements for each different location being stored in Memory in said receiver,

And said location detection means downloading the receiver memory for each detected location to display the traffic requirements for that location.

26. In the system of claim 23,

Said display panel including an audible announcer to audibly announced the traffic requirements for each location of the vehicle, thereby to remind the vehicle driver of such traffic requirements.

23. In a vehicle warning system for a movable vehicle for determining the changeable locations of the vehicle and the traffic requirements at each different location,

an on-board display panel located interiorly of the vehicle for displaying the traffic requirement to the driver of the vehicle,

and an on-board receiver for the vehicle for determining the traffic requirements referenced to each detected location of the vehicle to energize the on-board display panel, thereby to communicate the traffic requirements to the driver of the vehicle.