Device, system and method for controlling speed of a vehicle using a positional information device

• US 20070067086A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Reagan Inventions L.L.C. (Leigh M. Rothschild)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh
• Granted Patent: US 7,783,406 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/93
• 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 2050/146 Display 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: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 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 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/00 Traffic control systems for marine craft marking of navigational route B63B22/16, B63B51/00

Abstract

A device, system and method for controlling speed of a vehicle are provided. The device includes a locational information module for determining location information and speed; a storage module for storing at least one geographic map including at least one route and a speed limit for the at least one route; a processing module configured to receive the location information, retrieve at least one geographic map based on the location information, determine a speed limit based on the location information and compare the speed of the device to the determined speed limit; and a display module for alerting a user if the speed of the device exceeds the determined speed limit. The present disclosure further provides for a system and method for communicating a subject vehicle'"'"'s speed to a central server where it can be utilized to analyze traffic congestion patterns or notify selected companies or individuals.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a locational information module for determining location information and speed of the device;

a storage module for storing at least one geographic map including at least one route and a speed limit for the at least one route;

a processing module configured to receive the location information, retrieve at least one geographic map based on the location information, determine a speed limit based on the location information and compare the speed of the device to the determined speed limit; and

a display module for alerting a user if the speed of the device exceeds the determined speed limit.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein the storage module is removable storage memory.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein the storage module is internal storage memory.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein the display module displays at least one of the geographic map, a current speed of the device and the determined speed limit.

5. The device as in claim 4, wherein if the speed of the device exceeds the determined speed limit, the display modules overlays the current speed of the device on the geographic map.

6. The device as in claim 1, wherein the display module further includes a speaker for audibly producing the alert.

7. The device as in claim 1, wherein the device is disposed in a vehicle, further comprising a speed control module for reducing the speed of the vehicle below the determined speed limit.

8. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a time and date module for determining and correlating sampling time periods to a speed of the device and the processor being adapted to determine if a predetermined period of time has elapsed between a change in the speed limit and alerting the user a different speed limit may be in effect.

9. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a time and date module for determining a time and date, wherein the processing module will correlate the time and date to at least one location and speed at the at least one location and will store the time, date, location and speed in the storage module.

10. The device as in claim 9, wherein the processing module encrypts the time, date, location and speed before storing the time, date, location and speed in the storage module.

11. The device as in claim 10, wherein the storage module is removable storage memory or internal storage memory.

12. A method for controlling speed of a vehicle comprising:

determining location information of the vehicle;

retrieving at least one geographic map based on the location information, the at least one geographic map including at least one route and a speed limit for the at least one route;

determining a speed of the vehicle;

determining a speed limit based on the location information;

comparing the speed of the vehicle to the determined speed limit; and

alerting a user if the speed of the vehicle exceeds the determined speed limit.

13. The method as in claim 12, wherein the alerting further includes audibly producing the alert.

14. The method as in claim 12, further comprising reducing the speed of the vehicle below the determined speed limit.

15. The method as in claim 12, further comprising determining if a predetermined period of time has elapsed between a change in the speed limit and alerting the user a different speed limit may be in effect.

16. A system for processing location information comprising:

at least one device comprising;

a locational information module for determining location information and speed of the at least one device; and

a transmission module for transmitting the location information and speed of the at least one device to a server;

the server including a database for storing at least one geographic map including at least one route and a speed limit for the at least one route, the server being adapted to access at least one map based on the transmitted location information and to determine if the speed of the at least one device is within the speed limit; and

a communications network for coupling the at least one device to the server.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the server is adapted to receive location information and speed of a plurality of devices and to determine an average speed of the plurality of devices for the location.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the server is adapted to compare the average speed of the plurality of devices to the speed limit of the location less a predetermined offset and, if the average speed is less than the speed limit of the location less the predetermined offset, to generate a congestion alert.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the server transmits the alert to at least one of the plurality of devices.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the server transmits to the at least one of the plurality of devices an alternate route.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the server transmits the received location information and speed to a predetermined computing device.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein if the speed of the at least one device is above the speed limit, the server transmits an alert to a predetermined computing device.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the server is adapted to determine a density of the plurality of devices for the location, wherein if the density is less than a predetermined density and if the average speed is less than the speed limit of the location less the predetermined offset, the server will generate a weather alert.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein if the server determines the average speed for the plurality of devices is zero, the server will generate an traffic accident alert.

25. A method for processing location information comprising:

receiving location information and speed from at least one device;

accessing at least one geographic map based on the location information, the at least one geographic map including at least one route and a speed limit for the at least one route;

determining a speed limit based on the location information;

comparing the speed of the vehicle to the determined speed limit; and

transmitting an alert if the speed of the device exceeds the determined speed limit.