Wireless intelligent vehicle speed control or monitoring system and method

• US 6,246,948 B1
• Filed: 12/10/1998
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Thakker, Kaushal
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/209,921
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 701/110, 701/70, 701/200, 180/170, 180/171, 123/351
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A system (12) and method for automatically monitoring and/or controlling the actual speed of a vehicle (10) relative to the legal speed limit of the geographic area the vehicle is located in. A wireless transmission (32) containing location or legal speed limit information is received from a transmission source (24). If location information is obtained, database (40) is queried to obtain legal speed limit information for the physical location of the vehicle. The legal speed limit is stored into a memory space (36). Alternatively, the legal speed limit is used to control the actual speed of the vehicle. In a monitor mode, the system (12) compares the actual speed of the vehicle to the legal speed limit with a processor (37), and the relative information may be communicated to the driver. In an offset mode, the system (12) controls the actual speed of the vehicle to an offset amount relative to the legal speed limit, where the offset amount is set by the driver of the vehicle. The transmission source (24) may be a GPS-compatible satellite network (30) or a transmitter (28) on a traffic sign (26).

Claims

1. A public utility device for transmitting wireless legal speed limit information for a geographic region, said device comprising;

a power source;

a wireless transmitter powered by said power source for transmitting said legal speed limit; and

a memory coupled to said transmitter and said power source, said memory containing the legal speed limit for said geographic region.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said legal speed limit stored in said memory is changeable by an external source.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said power source is selected from the group consisting of a battery, permanently wired AC current or DC current, and a solar power supply.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said public utility device is selected from the group consisting of a traffic sign, a traffic signal, a traffic light switching terminal, or a street curb.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said wireless transmitter transmits Radio Frequency (RF) signals.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said wireless transmitter transmits encrypted signals.

7. In a vehicle having a speed sensor and a cruise control device, an automatic vehicle speed control system adapted to receive wireless signals from a transmission source comprising a satellite network, said speed sensor coupled to the vehicle for sensing the actual speed of said vehicle, said cruise control device having a speed controller, said control system comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive said wireless signals, wherein said receiver comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver adapted to receive the current location of said vehicle from said satellite network;

a memory space coupled to said receiver for storing a legal speed limit of a current geographic location of said vehicle;

a processor coupled to said receiver and said memory space, said processor adapted to control said actual speed of said vehicle in relation to said stored legal speed limit of said current geographic location of said vehicle; and

a legal speed limit database coupled to said processor, wherein said legal speed limit of said current geographic location of said vehicle is obtainable from said legal speed limit database.

8. In a vehicle having a speed sensor and a cruise control device, an automatic vehicle speed monitoring system adapted to receive wireless signals from a transmission source comprising a satellite network, said cruise control device having a speed controller, said speed sensor sensing the actual speed of said vehicle, said monitoring system comprising:

a receiver adapted to receive said wireless signals, wherein said receiver comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver adapted to receive the current physical location of said vehicle from said satellite network;

a memory space coupled to said receiver for storing a legal speed limit of a current geographic location of said vehicle;

a processor coupled to said receiver and said memory space, said processor adapted to compare said actual speed of said vehicle with said stored legal speed limit of said current geographic location of said vehicle; and

a legal speed limit database coupled to said processor, wherein said legal speed limit of said current geographic location of said vehicle is obtainable from said legal speed limit database.

9. A method for automatically controlling the speed of a vehicle, said vehicle having a cruise control device and a speed sensor for sensing the actual speed of said vehicle, said cruise control device having a speed controller, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a wireless signal;

storing a legal speed limit of said current geographic location of said vehicle;

controlling said actual speed of said vehicle with said stored legal speed limit of said current geographic location of said vehicle; and

limiting the actual speed of said vehicle relative to the legal speed limit of said current geographic location.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of receiving a wireless signal is followed by the step of retrieving a legal speed limit of said current geographic location from a legal speed limit database.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of receiving a wireless signal further comprises the step of receiving a transmission from a public utility device, said public utility device comprising a traffic sign.