Vehicle speed monitoring system and method

• US 20020173881A1
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Beacon Wireless Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Lash, Anthony B., Lash, David M.C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/047 the memory being digital
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/185 connected to the speedometer display, e.g. by sensors or switches responsive to the position of the indicator needle arrangement of pointers in automobile speedometers for indicating predetermined speeds by the detection of the position of the indicator needle G01P1/11
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0063 Manual parameter input, manual setting means, manual initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/103 Speed profile
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

The present invention comprises a vehicle speed monitoring device which enables a driver to enter a speed tolerance profile that represents the driver'"'"'s personal travel speed preferences and which alerts the driver when the vehicle speed falls outside the speed tolerance profile. Specifically, the speed tolerance profile consists of a number of speed tolerance ranges, each associated with a particular posted speed limit. As the vehicle travels through various map zones, the applicable posted speed limit is determined using a customized GPS map. The device determines the vehicle location, speed and the posted speed limit and then compares the vehicle speed using a running average to see whether vehicle speed is within the driver'"'"'s speed tolerance profile and if not, the device provides the driver with a visual and/or audible warning according to the driver'"'"'s operational preferences. Finally, if certain speeding incident conditions are met, the device uses a wireless or cellular transmitter to send information to a remote location over a communications network for alerting purposes. This information can include the past and present physical location of the vehicle. A cellular receiver is also used to receive periodical updates thorugh a wireless link in order to dynamically update information within GPS map.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring the speed of a vehicle in relation to a posted speed limit, said device comprising:

(a) a GPS receiver for determining the location and speed of the vehicle;

(b) an input device on which a driver may select a speed tolerance profile; and

(c) a processor coupled to said GPS receiver and said input device for determining the posted speed limit, said processor including a comparator for comparing the speed of the vehicle with the posted speed limit and generating a warning when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a display coupled to the processor to display flashing text when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a speech synthesizer for providing a spoken audible warning when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a buzzer for providing a buzzer warning when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said processor is adapted to store a GPS map, said posted speed limit being determined from said GPS map in conjunction with the location of the vehicle.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said GPS map has a plurality of posted speed limit zones and said processor generates a warning when the location and direction of the vehicle as determined by the GPS receiver in conjunction with said GPS map indicates that the vehicle is about to enter a different posted speed limit zone.

7. The combination of the device of claim 1 and a cruise control system for a vehicle, the cruise control system being operable at a selected cruise control speed, said cruise control system being interruptible to become inactive when the vehicle undergoes braking, and said warning system being operable at a selected warning speed higher than the cruise control speed.

8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cellular modem for transmitting an alerting signal when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile a predetermined number of times.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cellular modem for transmitting an alerting signal to a designated remote location when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined variance from the speed tolerance profile.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cellular modem for providing a wireless data link for providing map related data.

11. A method for monitoring the speed of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) determining the location and speed of the vehicle;

(b) allowing the driver to select a speed tolerance profile;

(c) determining the posted speed limit that corresponds to the location of the vehicle;

(d) comparing the speed of the vehicle with the posted speed limit; and

(e) generating a warning when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile.

12. The method of claim 11, where step (e) includes the displaying of flashing digits when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile.

13. The method of claim 11, where step (e) includes the provision of a spoken audible warning when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile.

14. The method of claim 11, where step (e) includes the provision of a buzzer sound when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein step (c) comprises determining the posted speed limit from a GPS map in conjunction with the location of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of generating a warning when the location and direction of the vehicle indicates that the vehicle is about to enter a different posted speed limit zone.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting an alerting signal when the speed of the vehicle falls outside the speed tolerance profile a predetermined number of times.