Vehicle over speed indicator
First Claim
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1. A method for providing an indication that a vehicle has exceeded a safe driving speed, the method comprising the steps of:
- measuring a current speed of said vehicle;
detecting an obstacle in the path of said vehicle and performing a measurement thereon;
calculating a predicted reaction time of a driver of said vehicle;
calculating a safe driving speed of the vehicle based on said predicted reaction time and said measurement performed on said obstacle; and
providing an indication when the measured current speed of the vehicle exceeds the calculated safe driving speed;
wherein the step of calculating a predicted reaction time of the driver comprises multiplying a generic driver reaction time by at least one scaling factor.
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for providing an indication that a vehicle has exceeded a safe driving speed. The speed and position of an obstacle are combined with a driver reaction time to arrive at a safe maximum speed. The driver reaction time is predicted based not only on generic values as in known systems, but also on at least one scaling factor which can be, for example, a scaling factor which penalises increased driving duration, or driver age, or experience, or weather conditions.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for providing an indication that a vehicle has exceeded a safe driving speed, the method comprising the steps of:
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measuring a current speed of said vehicle;
detecting an obstacle in the path of said vehicle and performing a measurement thereon;
calculating a predicted reaction time of a driver of said vehicle;
calculating a safe driving speed of the vehicle based on said predicted reaction time and said measurement performed on said obstacle; and
providing an indication when the measured current speed of the vehicle exceeds the calculated safe driving speed;
wherein the step of calculating a predicted reaction time of the driver comprises multiplying a generic driver reaction time by at least one scaling factor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus for providing an indication that a vehicle has exceeded a safe driving speed, the apparatus comprising:
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a speed measurement device for measuring a current speed of said vehicle;
a sensor for detecting an obstacle in the path of said vehicle and performing a measurement thereon;
a reaction time calculator for calculating a predicted reaction time of a driver of said vehicle;
a processor programmed to calculate a safe driving speed of the vehicle based on said predicted reaction time and said measurement performed on said obstacle; and
an output for providing an indication when the measured current speed of the vehicle exceeds the calculated safe driving speed;
wherein the reaction time calculator operates to calculate a predicted reaction time of the driver by multiplying a generic driver reaction time by at least one scaling factor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for providing an indication that a vehicle'"'"'s distance to an obstacle is less than the minimum required to safely avoid the obstacle, the method comprising the steps of:
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measuring a current speed of said vehicle;
detecting an obstacle in the path of said vehicle and measuring the distance thereto;
calculating a predicted reaction time of a driver of said vehicle;
calculating a safe minimum distance to the obstacle from the vehicle based on said predicted reaction time and said measured distance to said obstacle; and
providing an indication when the measured current distance to said obstacle is less than the calculated safe minimum distance;
wherein the step of calculating a predicted reaction time of the driver comprises multiplying a generic driver reaction time by at least one scaling factor. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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19-19. -19. (canceled)
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21. A method for providing an indication that a vehicle has exceeded a safe driving speed, the method comprising the steps of:
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measuring a current speed of said vehicle;
detecting an obstacle in the path of said vehicle and measuring the distance to said obstacle and the speed of said obstacle;
determining an estimated maximum deceleration speed of said obstacle;
determining an estimated reaction time of a driver of said vehicle;
calculating a safe driving speed of the vehicle based on;
the current speed of said vehicle;
the distance to said obstacle;
the speed of said obstacle;
the estimated maximum deceleration of said vehicle the estimated maximum deceleration of said obstacle; and
the estimated reaction time of said driver. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification