Method, system, and program for auditing driver compliance to a current speed limit

• US 6,462,675 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2000
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schroeder, Frank, Wagner, Jonathan Mark, Humphrey, Randy Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/689,951
• Time in Patent Office: 725 Days
• Field of Search: 340/995, 340/905, 340/988, 340/441, 340/936, 701/119
• US Class Current: 340/905
• 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 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a position of a vehicle is detected by a receiver at the vehicle from a global positioning system. A speed limit associated with the position is determined from a centralized database accessible via a wireless network. An actual speed of the vehicle at the detected position is compared with the determined speed limit for the detected position, such that if it is determined that the actual speed exceeds the determined speed limit at the detected position, the driver may be alerted.

Claims

1. A method applicable within an on-board vehicle speed monitoring system for determining whether a vehicle is traveling within a designated speed limit, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one vehicle operator output preference within a vehicle speed controller application, wherein said selected vehicle operator output preference includes a speed governor setting associated with a vehicle operator;

receiving, at said vehicle speed controller application, a position of said vehicle from a global positioning system;

accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position;

comparing said accessed speed limit with said speed governor setting to determine an acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle in accordance with said position and the identity of said vehicle operator; and

comparing an actual speed detected for said vehicle at said position with said determined acceptable range of speeds to determine whether said actual speed complies with said acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle operator at said position.

2. The method according to claim 1, said step of accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising the step of:

transmitting said position to said remote server system via a wireless connection, wherein said transportation database is a centralized database.

3. The method according to claim 1, said step of accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising the step of:

receiving at said vehicle speed controller application, from said transportation database, a plurality of road conditions associated with said position.

4. The method according to claim 1, said step of accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising the steps of:

receiving at said vehicle speed controller application, a range of position-associated speed limits from said transportation database, wherein said range of position-associated speed limits includes said current position of said vehicle; and

accessing said speed limit from among said range of position-associated speed limits according to said detected position of said vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 1, said step of accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a vehicle type identifier to said transportation database; and

accessing, from said transportation database, said speed limit associated with said position and said vehicle type.

6. The method according to claim 1, said step of accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising the step of:

accessing, from said transportation database, said speed limit associated with said position and a conditional speed limit factor.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

alerting said vehicle operator by said vehicle speed controller application when said actual speed does not comply with said determined acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle in accordance with said position and the identity of said vehicle operator.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

automatically adjusting, by said vehicle speed controller application, said actual speed of said vehicle to within said determined acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle operator at said position.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one vehicle operator output preference further includes vehicle operator perceptible communication output preferences associated with said vehicle operator, said method further comprising the step of:

outputting results of said comparison of said actual speed at said position with said determined acceptable range of speeds to an output interface within said vehicle in accordance with said vehicle operator perceptible communication output preferences.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

storing said at least one vehicle operator output preference in association with a vehicle operator identifier within said vehicle speed controller application.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said vehicle operator identifier is a biometric identifier, said method further comprising, selecting said at least one vehicle operator output preference in accordance with at least one biometric parameter input by said vehicle operator.

12. A system for use with an on-board vehicle speed monitoring system for determining whether a vehicle is traveling within a designated speed limit, said system comprising:

means for selecting at least one vehicle operator output preference within a vehicle speed controller application, wherein said selected vehicle operator output preference includes a speed governor setting associated with a vehicle operator;

means for receiving, at said vehicle speed controller application, a position of said vehicle from a global positioning system;

means for accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position;

means for comparing said accessed speed limit with said speed governor setting to determine an acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle in accordance with said position and the identity of said vehicle operator; and

means for comparing an actual speed detected for said vehicle at said position with said determined acceptable range of speeds to determine whether said actual speed complies with said acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle operator at said position.

13. The system according to claim 12, said means for accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising:

means for transmitting said position to said remote server system via a wireless connection, wherein said transportation database is a centralized database.

14. The system according to claim 12, said means for accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising:

means for receiving at said vehicle speed controller application, from said transportation database, a plurality of road conditions associated with said position.

15. The system according to claim 12, said means for accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising:

means for receiving at said vehicle speed controller application, a range of position-associated speed limits from said transportation database, wherein said range of position-associated speed limits includes said current position of said vehicle; and

means for accessing said speed limit from among said range of position-associated speed limits according to said detected position of said vehicle.

16. The system according to claim 12, said means for accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising:

means for transmitting a vehicle type identifier to said transportation database; and

means for accessing, from said transportation database, said speed limit associated with said position and said vehicle type.

17. The system according to claim 12, said means for accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position, further comprising:

means for accessing, from said transportation database, said speed limit associated with said position and a conditional speed limit factor.

18. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for alerting said vehicle operator by said vehicle speed controller application when said actual speed does not comply with said determined acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle in accordance with said position and the identity of said vehicle operator.

19. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for automatically adjusting, by said vehicle speed controller application, said actual speed of said vehicle to within said determined acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle operator at said position.

20. The system according to claim 12, wherein said at least one vehicle operator output preference further includes vehicle operator perceptible communication output preferences associated with said vehicle operator, said system further comprising:

means for outputting results of said comparison of said actual speed at said position with said determined acceptable range of speeds to an output interface within said vehicle in accordance with said vehicle operator perceptible communication output preferences.

21. The system according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for storing said at least one vehicle operator output preference in association with a vehicle operator identifier within said vehicle speed controller application.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein said vehicle operator identifier is a biometric identifier, said system further comprising, means for selecting said at least one vehicle operator output preference in accordance with at least one biometric parameter input by said vehicle operator.

23. A program applicable within an on-board vehicle speed monitoring system for determining whether a vehicle is traveling within a designated speed limit, residing on a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means, said program comprising:

program instruction means for selecting at least one vehicle operator output preference within a vehicle speed controller application, wherein said selected vehicle operator output preference includes a speed governor setting associated with a vehicle operator;

program instruction means for receiving a position of said vehicle from a global positioning system;

program instruction means for accessing, from a transportation database within a remote server system, a speed limit associated with said position;

program instruction means for comparing said accessed speed limit with said speed governor setting to determine an acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle in accordance with said position and the identity of said vehicle operator; and

program instruction means for comparing an actual speed at said position with said determined acceptable range of speeds to determine whether said actual speed complies with said acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle operator at said position.

24. The program according to claim 23, further comprising:

program instruction means for delivering said position to said database via a wireless connection, wherein said database is a centralized database.

25. The program according to claim 23, further comprising:

program instruction means for receiving, from said transportation database, a plurality of road conditions associated with said position.

26. The program according to claim 23, further comprising:

program instruction means for receiving a range of position-associated speed limits from said transportation database, wherein said range of position-associated speed limits includes said current position of said vehicle; and

program instruction means for accessing said speed limit from said range of positions associated speed limits according to said detected position of said vehicle.

27. The program according to claim 23, further comprising:

program instruction means for delivering a vehicle type identifier to said transportation database; and

program instruction means for accessing said speed limit associated with said position and said vehicle type.

28. The program according to claim 23, further comprising:

program instruction means for accessing said speed limit associated with said position and a conditional speed limit factor.

29. The program according to claim 23, further comprising:

program instruction means for alerting said vehicle operator when said actual speed does not comply with said determined acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle in accordance with said position and the identity of said vehicle operator.

30. The program according to claim 23, further comprising:

program instruction means for automatically adjusting said actual speed of said vehicle to within said determined acceptable range of speeds for said vehicle operator at said position.

31. The program according to claim 23, wherein said at least one vehicle operator output preference further includes vehicle operator perceptible communication output preferences associated with said vehicle operator, further comprising:

program instruction means for outputting results of said comparison of said actual speed at said position with said determined acceptable range of speeds to an output interface within said vehicle in accordance with said vehicle operator perceptible communication output preferences.

32. The program according to claim 23, further comprising:

program instruction means for storing said at least one vehicle operator output preference in association with a vehicle operator identifier within said vehicle speed controller application.

33. The program according to claim 32, wherein said vehicle operator identifier is a biometric identifier, said program further comprising, program instruction means for selecting said at least one vehicle operator output preference in accordance with at least one biometric parameter input by said vehicle operator.