Vehicle drive override system

• US 20030014176A1
• Filed: 09/09/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• 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 6,643,578 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/16 responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels brake control systems for vehicle drive stability B60T8/1755; arrangements responsive to a speed condition for adjusting wheel braking force B60T8/32; control of vehicle driving stability otherwise than by controlling the propulsion unit only B60W30/02; preventing wheel slippage by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• 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 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/30 Arrangements interacting with transmitters or receivers otherwise than by visible means, e.g. using radar reflectors or radio transmitters E01F11/00 takes precedence
• 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 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates 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 1/096783 : where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 : Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

An electronic subsystem for automotive vehicles for overriding the manual control of the vehicles and substituting limited automatic control in response to onboard sensors detecting external and internal conditions that are in violation of the traffic laws or adverse to the normal manually controlled operation of the vehicle. Traffic laws and regulations are digitally detected from the vehicle by wireless acquisition, and the vehicle is automatically controlled to insure compliance. The system detects adverse environmental conditions, including degraded traction and visibility, proximity of other vehicles and objects, uncontrolled vehicle movements, including skidding and fishtailing, and others, and overrides the manual control of the vehicle to minimize the effects of such conditions. The system also provides for monitoring traffic flow along roadways and wirelessly regulating such flow.

Claims

1. A vehicle modifying subsystem for a driver operated automotive vehicle enabling the driver to normally control the acceleration-deceleration of the vehicle but imposing limited reductions in the extent of acceleration-deceleration in response to detected adverse conditions affecting the safety of the vehicle and its occupants, said adverse conditions including one of restrictive traffic regulations, adverse external environment, and uncontrolled movements of the vehicle, said subsystem comprising:

sensor means onboard of the vehicle for detecting said adverse condition,

performance modifying means adapted to be coupled to the vehicle for controlling its acceleration-deceleration,

said performance modifying means energized by said sensor means to reduce the acceleration-deceleration of the vehicle responsively to said detected adverse condition,

whereby the driver controlled performance of the vehicle is diminished to compensate for the detected adverse condition.

2. In the subsystem of claim 1,

said performance modifying means including a time delay and a magnitude reducer,

thereby to time delay and reduce the extent of acceleration-deceleration of the vehicle responsive to driver controlled operation.

3. A hybrid control system for an automotive vehicle that permits manual control of the automotive vehicle unless traffic laws have been violated and driving hazards exist, including adverse weather conditions, and in response thereto overriding the manual control and substituting limited automatic control of the vehicle, comprising:

an onboard system for the automotive vehicle having a controller and a plurality of sensor means coupled to the controller for detecting various driving conditions affecting operation of the automotive vehicle,

said plural sensor means including a sensor for continually detecting traffic laws and regulations as the vehicle proceeds from location to location,

a weather sensor means for detecting adverse weather conditions affecting the safe driving of the vehicle,

a proximity sensor means for detecting the nearby presence of other vehicles and objects that may present a hazard to the vehicle, and

a movement sensor means for detecting uncontrolled movement of the vehicle, including skidding of the vehicle,

said controller responding to said plurality of sensors to override the manual control of the automotive vehicle and substitute limited automatic control of the vehicle movement, speed, and rate of acceleration thereby to comply with the traffic laws and regulations and to compensate for the detected conditions that adversely affect the driving of the vehicle.

4. In the hybrid system of claim 3,

said sensor means detecting the traffic laws and regulations including detecting the posted speed limit for different locations, and said controller overriding the manual control of the vehicle to limit its maximum speed to the posted limits

5. In the hybrid system of claim 3,

said sensor means detecting the proximity of other vehicles and objects, and said controller overriding the manual control of the vehicle to limit vehicle movements toward such other vehicles and objects.

6. In the hybrid system of claim 3,

said sensor means detecting adverse weather conditions, and detecting reduced wheel traction with the roads, and detecting reduced optical vision in advance of the vehicle;

and said controller overriding the manual control of the vehicle to limit the vehicle maximum speed and rate of acceleration.

7. In the hybrid system of claim 3,

said sensor means detecting uncontrolled movements of the vehicle, including skidding, and said controller overriding the manual control of the vehicle to limit its maximum speed and rate of acceleration.

8. In the hybrid system of claim 3,said weather sensor including

means for detecting reduced wheel traction of the vehicle with the road.

9. In the hybrid system of claim 3,

said sensor means for detecting weather conditions including means for detecting impaired visibility in front of the vehicle.

10. A hybrid system for automotive vehicles for overriding driver control of a vehicle to comply with traffic laws, and to compensate for roadway and traffic conditions that are hazardous to the vehicle comprising:

an onboard controller for overriding the driver controlled speed of the vehicle and its acceleration, and a plurality of sensors energizing the onboard controller, said sensors comprising,

a wireless traffic law sensor continually detecting traffic laws and regulations as the vehicle proceeds,

a vehicle movement sensor monitoring the movements of the vehicle,

a roadway and weather sensor for detecting degraded roadway conditions and reduced optical visibility ahead of the vehicle,

an uncontrolled movement sensor for detecting skidding of the vehicle and other uncontrolled movements,

and a proximity sensor for detecting other vehicles and objects near the automotive vehicle,

said controller responding to said sensors to override the manual control of the vehicle and regulate its maximum speed and acceleration, to comply with the traffic laws and regulations, to compensate for degraded roadway and reduced visibility conditions, and to compensate for uncontrolled vehicle movements

11. In the system of claim 10,

said controller including a time delay means to delay subsequent acceleration-speed of the vehicle that may be initiated by the driver.

12. In the system of claim 10,

said controller including a fuel flow modifier to reduce the quantity of fuel to the vehicle initiated by subsequent driver'"'"'s manual control.

14. In the subsystem of claim 13,

said controller including a time delay energized by said output signal to adjustably time delay the acceleration-deceleration response of the automotivevehicle to actuation by the driver.

15. In the system of claim 13,

said controller including a reduction means energized by said output signal to adjustably reduce the extent of acceleration-decelaration response of the vehicle to actuation by the driver.

16. In the system of claim 13,

said controller including a time delay means and a magnitude modifier means, both energized by the output signal, to both time delay and change the extent of acceleration-deceleration response of the vehicle to actuation by the driver.

17. In the system of claim 13,

said sensor means including a proximity detecting sensor for detecting a nearby presence of other vehicles or object and generating a proximity signal,

and said controller energized by said proximity signal to inhibit the vehicle from the nearby presence of other vehicle or object.

20. In the performance modifying system of claim 19,

the addition of means for modifying the error signal according to the manufacturer'"'"'s established performance characteristics for the automotive vehicle and additionally according to the current speed of the automotive vehicle when detecting the restrictive condition.

21. In the performance modifying subsystem of claim 19, said sensor means including a speed sensor for detecting the speed of the vehicle, and said controller being energized by said speed sensor to modify the error signal.

13. An automatic control system for a manually controlled automotive vehicle for overriding the manual control of the vehicle upon detecting that the vehicle is being driven in a reckless manner,

a controller that is connectable to the vehicle for overriding manual control of the vehicle,

sensor means for detecting repetitive changes in operation of the vehicle that are indicative of reckless driving, including one of repetitive changes in acceleration during a short time periods;

and approaches too closely to other vehicles,

timing means operating for a preset time interval,

analyzer means responsive to said sensor means and timing means for determining the number of said repetitive changes occurring within said preset time period and generating an output signal,

said controller being energized by said output signal to override manual control of the vehicle and automatically change its performance.

18. , An override subsystem for automatically overriding the performance of a driver controlled automotive vehicle, said override subsystem being responsive to detected adverse conditions affecting the safety of the vehicle and its occupants,

said subsystem comprising a plurality of onboard sensors for detecting external and internal conditions affecting the vehicle including adverse external weather conditions;

including impaired optical visibility and reduced traction;

including excessive vehicle speed over the speed limit;

uncontrolled movements of the vehicle;

including skidding;

traffic requirements to stop; and

includingproximity ofother vehicles,

a controller adapted to be connected to the automotive vehicle,

said controller being energized by said sensors to override the driver control of the automotive vehicle to a limited extent necessary to compensate for said detected adverse conditions.

19. , A performance modifying subsystem for an automotive vehicle that is normally under the control of a driver,

sensor means onboard the vehicle for detecting a restrictive condition affecting the automotive vehicle including adverse weather, to generate an error signal,

a controller connectable to the vehicle to automatically regulate its acceleration performance,

said controller energized by said error signal to partially override control of the vehicle by the dricer and reduce its acceleration according to the error signal,

whereby upon the system detecting said restrictive condition, the acceleration performance of the vehicle is subsequently automatically reduced to modify the effect of said restrictive condition.

22. A control system for automotive vehicles for automatically overriding manually operated control of the vehicle in response to detection of a restrictive condition,

said restrictive condition including one of a violation of a traffic law, an adverse weather condition, and an uncontrolled movement of the vehicle,

sensor means for detecting said restrictive condition,

a controller adapted to be coupled to the vehicle for controlling the acceleration performance of the vehicle,

said controller being energized by said sensor means for automatically regulating the acceleration performance of the vehicle according to the detected restrictive condition,

said controller being additionally energized according to the speed of the vehicle to modify the regulation of the acceleration performance of the vehicle.