Vehicle speed monitoring system

• US 20070001830A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Sadekar, Varsha, Bartz, Daniel, Dagci, Oguz, Hermiz, Sarmad, Grimm, Donald, Hamilton, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,589,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• 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 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/103 by comparing the value of the measured signal with one or several reference values in general G01R17/00

Abstract

A method for monitoring vehicle speed is provided. The method includes receiving a current speed of a vehicle and a current speed limit associated with a current location of the vehicle. A current speed range is calculated by comparing the current speed of the vehicle to the current speed limit. Operator alert preferences including a caution range and a warning range are accessed. An alert responsive to the current speed range and to the operator alert preferences is communicated to the operator of the vehicle. The alert includes one or more caution attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the caution range. The alert includes one or more warning attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the warning range. The alert includes one or more at speed attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is not within the caution range or the warning range.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring vehicle speed, the method comprising:

receiving a current speed of a vehicle;

receiving a current speed limit associated with a current location of the vehicle;

calculating a current speed range by comparing the current speed of the vehicle to the current speed limit;

accessing operator alert preferences associated with an operator of the vehicle, wherein the operator alert preferences include a caution range and a warning range; and

communicating an alert to the operator of the vehicle, the alert responsive to the current speed range and to the operator alert preferences, wherein;

the alert includes one or more caution attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the caution range;

the alert includes one or more warning attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the warning range; and

the alert includes one or more at speed attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is not within the caution range or the warning range.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the output device includes a display device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the caution, warning and at speed attributes each specify one or more of a color, a text message, a blinking rate, a light level, a graph, and a graphic icon.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the communicating includes displaying the current speed limit.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising receiving an upcoming speed limit, wherein the communicating includes displaying the upcoming speed limit.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the communicating includes the display device displaying one or more of a speedometer gauge and graphics, the displaying with the caution, warning or at speed attributes applied.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the output device includes an audio device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the output device includes a haptic device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the output device includes two or more of a display device, an audio device and a haptic device.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving values for one or more of the caution, warning and at speed attributes from the operator.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving values for the caution range and the warning range from the operator.

12. A system for monitoring vehicle speed, the system comprising:

an output device; and

a processor in communication with the output device, the processor including instructions for facilitating;

receiving a current speed of a vehicle;

receiving a current speed limit associated with a current location of the vehicle;

calculating a current speed range by comparing the current speed of the vehicle to the current speed limit;

accessing operator alert preferences associated with an operator of the vehicle, wherein the operator alert preferences include a caution range and a warning range; and

communicating an alert to the operator of the vehicle via the output device, the alert responsive to the current speed range and to the operator alert preferences, wherein;

the alert includes one or more caution attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the caution range;

the alert includes one or more warning attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the warning range; and

the alert includes one or more at speed attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is not within the caution range or the warning range.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the output device is a display device.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the output device is an instrument panel in the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the current speed limit is determined by a GPS system and mapping software.

17. A computer program product for monitoring vehicle speed, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method, the method including;

receiving a current speed of a vehicle;

receiving a current speed limit associated with a current location of the vehicle;

calculating a current speed range by comparing the current speed of the vehicle to the current speed limit;

accessing operator alert preferences associated with an operator of the vehicle, wherein the operator alert preferences include a caution range and a warning range; and

communicating an alert to the operator of the vehicle, the alert responsive to the current speed range and to the operator alert preferences, wherein;

the alert includes one or more caution attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the caution range;

the alert includes one or more warning attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is within the warning range; and

the alert includes one or more at speed attributes when the current speed range of the vehicle is not within the caution range or the warning range.

18. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the output device includes a display device, and the caution, warning and at speed attributes each specify one or more of a color, a text message, a blinking rate, a light level, a graph, and a graphic icon.

19. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the output device includes a display device and the communicating includes displaying one or more of the current speed limit and an upcoming speed limit.

20. The storage medium of claim 17 wherein the output device is a display device and the communicating includes displaying one or more of a speedometer gauge and graphics with the caution, warning or at speed attributes applied.