Navigational-based speed limit recording and warning system

• US 20040088105A1
• Filed: 11/22/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cufer Asset Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Dean A. Craine
• Inventors: Craine, Dean A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,845,317 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/155 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/02 Arrangement of instruments arrangement of lighting devices for dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A motor-vehicle navigation-based speed limit recording and warning system designed to automatically inform drivers when they are exceeding the posted speed limit on a particular roadway. The system includes a navigational system that displays a plurality of roadways on a map and the motor vehicle'"'"'s location thereon. The navigational system also includes a “mark” point feature or function that enables a driver to manually enter “mark” points and assign a speed limit to each “mark” point. The “mark” point feature or function may be directly coupled to the motor vehicle'"'"'s speedometer so that the driver may simultaneously input both the motor vehicle'"'"'s current speed and the “mark” point on the roadway. Later when traveling on the same roadway, the relative locations of the “mark” points along with their assigned speed limits, and the current location and speed of the motor vehicle are displayed to the driver to inform him or her of the most recently passed posted speed limit and when the posted speed limit is exceeded.

Claims

1. A speed limit recording system, comprising:

a. a motor vehicle, said motor vehicle having a speed indicating means;

b. means for displaying the current speed of said motor vehicle to a driver of said motor vehicle; and

,

c. a navigational system located inside said motor vehicle, said navigational system including a visual display and a map database containing a plurality of roadways;

d. means for creating a “

mark”

location on a roadway; and

,

e. means for associating a speed limit with said “

mark”

location.

2. The speed limit recording system, as recorded in claim 1, wherein said means for displaying the current speed of said motor vehicle is a speedometer.

3. The speed limit recording system, as recorded in claim 1, wherein said means for displaying the current speed of said motor vehicle is said navigational system.

4. The speed limit recording system, as recorded in claim 1, wherein said means for inputting the said speed limit of a roadway on said map database is at least one “

mark”

input key and a plurality of movement input keys used to mark the location and input the posted speed limit numbers on a roadway to be associated with a speed limit.

5. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for inputting the speed limit into said navigational system is a mark input key used to record the current speed limit from the indicating means of said motor vehicle.

6. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said navigational system is a GPS-based navigational system.

7. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for selecting a location of a posted speed limit on a roadway is a “

mark”

input key coupled to said navigational system.

8. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 7, wherein said “

mark”

input key is provided on a steering wheel in said motor vehicle.

9. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 7 wherein said means for selecting a location of a posted speed limit and said means for associating the speed limit to said location are coupled together so that said motor vehicle'"'"'s current speed is automatically associated with said location.

10. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 9 wherein said means for selecting a location of a posted speed limit on a roadway is a combination button mounted on the steering wheel of said motor vehicle.

11. A motor vehicle speed limit recording system, comprising:

a. a navigational system capable of presenting a map with a plurality of roadways displayed thereon;

b. means for selectively designating “

mark”

locations on said roadways; and

,

c. means for assigning a speed limit to each said mark location.

12. The speed limit recording system as recited in claim 11, further including means for displaying the current speed of said motor vehicle.

13. The speed limit recording system, as recorded in claim 12, wherein said means for displaying the current speed of said motor vehicle is a speedometer.

14. The speed limit recording system, as recorded in claim 12, wherein said means for displaying the current speed of said motor vehicle is said navigational system.

15. The speed limit recording system, as recorded in claim 11, wherein said means for inputting the said speed limit of a roadway on said map database is a plurality of speed limit input keys.

16. The speed limit recording system as recited in claim 15, further including means for displaying the current speed of said motor vehicle.

17. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 12, wherein said means for inputting the speed limit into said navigational system is a combination mark and speed input key used to designate a “

mark”

location and to record the current speed limit of said motor vehicle.

18. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 12, wherein said means for selecting a location of a posted speed limit on a roadway is a “

mark”

button coupled to said navigational system.

19. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 18, wherein said “

mark”

button is located on the steering wheel in said motor vehicle.

20. The speed limit recording system, as recited in claim 12 wherein said means for assigning a speed limit to a “

mark”

location is an input key assigned to one speed limit value of the following groups of speed limit values;

10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75.