SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20060187086A1
• Filed: 02/23/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mel Francis P. Quintos
• Original Assignee: Mel Francis P. Quintos
• Inventors: Quintos, Mel Francis P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,242,281 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/936
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A speed control system employing a remote control system in which a vehicle is provided with a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device capable of receiving a signal to immediately stop the vehicle when the remote control system has detected the presence of a pedestrian at a location, like a crosswalk, and the presence of the approaching vehicle. When a detector detects the presence of a pedestrian at a location, like a crosswalk, the remote control system is placed on stand-by status so that when the remote control system further receives a signal of the presence of an approaching vehicle, either due to a vehicle driving over a road safety bar or the vehicle being detected by an infrared detector, the remote control system transmits a signal to a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device to disable the vehicle by either shutting down its vehicle engine and/or activating its brake system. The vehicle is thus stopped prior to reaching the crosswalk; thereby, allowing the pedestrian to safely traverse the crosswalk.

Claims

1. A speed control system, comprising:

a remote control system capable of receiving and transmitting signals;

a first detector placed across a road for informing the remote control system of the presence of a vehicle;

a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle for receiving a signal from the remote control system for at least one of disabling the engine of the vehicle and activating the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.

2. The speed control system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second detector for detecting the presence of a pedestrian near or at a crosswalk, wherein the second indicator, upon detection of the pedestrian, transmits a signal to the remote control system.

3. The speed control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the remote control system is placed on stand-by mode upon receipt of the signal from the second detector.

4. The speed control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first detector is a hinge-like plate.

5. The speed control system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the hinge-like plate has two pieces, one piece being mounted onto the road, while the other piece is movable and, upon the detection of the pedestrian by the first indicator, the remote control system sends a signal to the hinge-like plate to move the other piece thereof at an upstanding position, the remote control system and the hinge-like plate being operably connected, either mechanically or electrically.

6. The speed control system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the other piece of the hinge-like plate, when in the upstanding position, is pushed by tires of the vehicle when run over by the vehicle, and the remote control system then detects the presence of the vehicle and sends a signal to the vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.

7. The speed control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first detector is an infra-red sensor for detecting the presence of the vehicle, and upon a detection of the vehicle, transmits a signal to the remote control system, and the remote control system then detects the presence of the vehicle and sends a signal to the vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.

8. The speed control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the second detector is a push-button type, which can be operated by a pedestrian.

9. The speed control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the second detector is an infrared sensor, which detects the presence of a pedestrian and sends a signal to the remote control system upon the detection thereof of the pedestrian.

10. A speed control method, comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of a vehicle by a remote control system; and

thereafter, having the remote control system send a signal to a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.

11. The speed control method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising the steps of detecting the presence of a pedestrian and thereafter, transmitting a signal to the remote control system.

12. The speed control method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of detecting the presence of the vehicle includes the step of raising a portion of a hinge-like plate on the road so that upon the tires of the vehicle running over the portion of the hinge-like plate that is raised, the remote control system sends a signal to a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.

13. The speed control method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of detecting the presence of the vehicle includes the step of detecting by infrared sensor the presence of the vehicle, and thereafter sending a signal to a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.

14. The speed control method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the pedestrian operates a push-button type to signify his presence to the remote control system.

15. The speed control system as set forth in claim 10, the presence of the pedestrian is detected by an infrared sensor and sends a signal to the remote control system upon the detection thereof of the pedestrian.

16. The speed control system as set forth in claim 11, wherein upon the receipts by the remote control system of signals signifying the presence of the pedestrian and the vehicle, the remote control system transmits the signal to the vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.