Vehicular speed management system

• US 6,016,458 A
• Filed: 08/20/1998
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alan David Robinson, West, William
• Original Assignee: Alan David Robinson, West, William
• Inventors: West, William, Robinson, Alan David
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/137,045
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 701/96, 701/119, 73/488, 73/499, 346/18, 116/62.3, 235/492, 345/205, 340/936, 342/70
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A vehicular speed control system is provided including a radio transmitter for transmitting a speed signal indicative of an upper speed limit. Also included is a vehicle having a controller with a first mode of operation for allowing a user to control a speed of a vehicle and a second mode of operation for lowering the speed of the vehicle. The controller operates in the second mode of operation only during the receipt of a disable signal. The vehicle further includes a receiver for receiving the speed signal via free space, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a current speed of the vehicle, and a comparator for transmitting the disable signal to the controller while the current speed is greater than the upper speed limit received via the speed signal.

Claims

1. A vehicular speed control system comprising, in combination:

a radar gun with a speed detection mechanism and a display for depicting a speed of a vehicle at which the speed detection mechanism is directed, the radar gun further including a radio transmitter for transmitting a speed signal indicative of a user selected upper speed limit;

a speed limit sign mounted on a post with speed limit indicia printed thereon, the speed limit sign further including a transmitter powered by at least one solar cell, wherein the transmitter of the speed limit sign is adapted to continuously transmit a speed signal that is indicative of an upper speed limit that corresponds to the speed limit indicia; and

a vehicle including an acceleration control mechanism having a first mode of operation for allowing a user to control a speed of a vehicle and a second mode of operation for unconditionally imparting a low predetermined speed on the vehicle, wherein the acceleration control mechanism operates in the second mode of operation only during the receipt of a disable signal, the vehicle further including a receiver for receiving the speed signal via free space, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a current speed of the vehicle, a storage medium for storing a maximum override speed, and a comparator having a first mode of operation upon the lack of depression of an override button for transmitting the disable signal to the acceleration control mechanism while the current speed is greater than the upper speed limit received via the speed signal, the comparator further having a second mode of operation for only a predetermined amount of time upon the instantaneous depression of an override button during which the comparator is adapted for transmitting the disable signal to the acceleration control mechanism upon the current speed being greater than the maximum override speed stored in the storage medium;

said vehicle further including a warning lamp mounted on a dash of the vehicle and connected to the comparator for illuminating during the receipt of the disable signal, an override lamp mounted on the dash of the vehicle and connected to the override button for illuminating for the predetermined amount of time upon the depression of the override button, and rear warning lights mounted on a rear of the vehicle and connected to the comparator for illuminating during the receipt of the disable signal.

2. A vehicular speed control system comprising:

a radio transmitter for transmitting a speed signal indicative of an upper speed limit; and

a vehicle including a controller having a first mode of operation for allowing a user to control a speed of a vehicle and a second mode of operation for lowering the speed of the vehicle, wherein the controller operates in the second mode of operation only during the receipt of a disable signal, the vehicle further including a receiver for receiving the speed signal via free space, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a current speed of the vehicle, and a comparator for transmitting the disable signal to the controller while the current speed is greater than the upper speed limit received via the speed signal.

3. A vehicular speed control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the vehicle further includes a warning lamp mounted on a dash of the vehicle and connected to the comparator for illuminating during the receipt of the disable signal.

4. A vehicular speed control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the vehicle further includes at least one rear warning light mounted on a rear of the vehicle and connected to the comparator for illuminating during the receipt of the disable signal.

5. A vehicular speed control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the transmitter is mounted on a radar and the upper speed limit is user-selected.

6. A vehicular speed control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the transmitter is mounted on a speed limit sign with speed limit indicia printed thereon, the transmitter of the speed limit sign being adapted to continuously transmit the speed signal that is indicative of the upper speed limit which corresponds to the speed limit indicia.

7. A vehicular speed control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the vehicle further includes a storage medium for storing a maximum override speed and the comparator has a second mode of operation upon the depression of an override button during which the comparator is adapted for transmitting the disable signal to the controller upon the current speed being greater than the maximum override speed stored in the storage medium.

8. A vehicular speed control system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the comparator operates in the second mode for only a predetermined amount of time upon the depression of the override button.

9. A vehicular speed control system as set forth in claim 7 wherein the vehicle further includes an override lamp mounted on the dash of the vehicle and connected to the override button for illuminating upon the depression of the override button.