Speed limit indicator

• US 6,388,578 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2000
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David Fagan, Gary Taaffe, John Mcevoy, Joseph Fagan
• Original Assignee: David Fagan, Gary Taaffe, John Mcevoy, Joseph Fagan
• Inventors: Fagan, David, Fagan, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jefffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US09/554,768
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/905, 340/906
• US Class Current: 340/901
• 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 speed limit indicator for, for example, a four-lane highway (1) having left lanes (3) and right lanes (4), the direction of travel indicated by the arrows. Road markings (11, 12 and 13) of different colors are used to provide an indication of the speed limit for the particular speed zone. The invention also provides a transmitter which is sited usually at the entrance to a speed zone and a receiver in a vehicle which are used to signal the speed limit to a driver.

Claims

1. A speed limit indicator for use in conjunction with a vehicle travelling on a roadway comprising visual indication member for indicating a maximum particular vehicle speed on a particular speed zone of the roadway being travelled, the visual indication member includes indicia of a plurality of colours affixed to the roadway, each chosen colour being indicative of a vehicle speed appropriate for a particular speed zone, and an orientation of some of the indicia on the roadway being inclined to a direction of travel along the roadway for indicating desirable changes in the chosen speed for that particular speed zone.

2. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 1, in which all the roadway markings are of the chosen colour within that speed zone.

3. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 1, in which all associated traffic information signs incorporate the colour appropriate to that speed zone.

4. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 1 in which there is provided a speedometer for a vehicle which includes the same colours for its speed indicia as the chosen colours.

5. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 1 comprising a sheet for affixing to the interior of a car within sight of a driver, said sheet having indicia printed thereon identifying the speed appropriate to the chosen colours.

6. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 1, in which there is provided an indicator lamp in the car, which indicator lamp transmits light of the chosen colour appropriate to the speed being travelled.

7. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 1, in which there is provided on the exterior of the car an indicator lamp which transmits light of the colour appropriate to the speed being travelled.

8. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 1, in which there is provided a receiver in the car associated with an indicator lamp which transmits light of different colours and a transmitter on the roadway for transmitting a speed limit signal to the receiver to cause the lamp to display the colour appropriate to the speed zone.

9. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 8, in which there are members associated with the receiver to cause the light to operate intermittently for indicating that the speed limit is being exceeded.

10. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 9, in which the colour changes on the speed limit being exceeded.

11. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 10, in which lights external of the car operate intermittently on the speed limit being exceeded.

12. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 9, in which there is an additional audible warning device of the speed limit being exceeded.

13. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 8, in which the receiver incorporates memory to retain the speed limit signal until another speed limit signal is received.

14. The speed limit indicator as claimed in claim 13, in which the memory retains a record of the vehicle speed over a preset period of the vehicle travel time.