Police radar/laser detector with integral vehicle parameter display

• US 6,587,068 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Escort Incorporated (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Escort Incorporated (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Clawson, Jeffrey J., Kuhn, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US09/973,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20030067407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 342/20, 342/70, 342/71, 342/72, 342/54, 342/104, 342/114, 342/115, 342/176, 342/182, 342/183, 340/903, 340/435, 340/436, 455/227, 455/228
• US Class Current: 342/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/022 Road traffic radar detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4806 Road traffic laser detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

A police radar and/or laser detector senses radiant electromagnetic signals (e.g. radar, laser) characteristic of a police traffic surveillance device and responds thereto with a displayed and/or audible alert. During periods when no alert is necessary, the detector senses and displays, in numeric or bar graph form, vehicle parameters, such as sound pressure level and acceleration. In addition, calculations based on acceleration provide 0-60 m.p.h. time and quarter mile time. Thereby, the detector enhances information available to the driver without the inconvenience, expense, and clutter of multiple displays.

Claims

1. A detector, comprising:

a display;

a receiver operably configured to sense electromagnetic signals in at least one frequency band characteristic of police traffic surveillance devices;

a sound pressure transducer configured to sense cockpit sound pressure level in the cockpit of a vehicle within which the detector is located; and

a controller configured to initiate an alert in response to a sensed electromagnetic signal and to initiate depiction by the display of a sensed cockpit sound pressure level.

2. The detector of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect and to display a peak, average, or real time value of cockpit sound pressure level.

3. The detector of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to initiate depiction by the display of the cockpit sound pressure level as a bar graph.

4. The detector of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to detect a peak, average, or real time value of the cockpit sound pressure level and to update the display of the bar graph to the peak, average, or real time value.

5. The detector of claim 1, further comprising a housing that encompasses the display, receiver and controller, wherein the sound pressure transducer is remotely positioned from the housing.

6. The detector of claim 1, further comprising a housing that encompasses the display, receiver, sound pressure transducer, and controller.

7. The detector of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to initiate the alert by displaying the alert on the display.

8. The detector of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a microphone for sensing a sound pressure vehicle parameter.

9. The detector of claim 8, further comprising sound measuring circuitry including a gain amplifier for amplifying the sensed sound pressure, wherein the controller is further configured to sense a level of the sensed sound pressure and to command a selected gain by the gain amplifier in response thereto.

10. The detector of claim 9, wherein the sound measuring circuitry further comprises peak hold circuitry operative to sense a peak level of the sensed sound pressure, wherein the controller is further configured to selectably reset the peak hold circuitry.

11. The detector of claim 9 further comprising an audio speaker, wherein the controller is further configured to initiate the alert as an audible output by the audio speaker.

12. The detector of claim 1 further comprising an accelerometer for sensing an acceleration vehicle parameter.

13. The detector of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to display the sensed acceleration vehicle parameter.

14. The detector of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to calculate a current velocity based on the sensed acceleration vehicle parameter.

15. The detector of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to track and display a time required for the current velocity to reach a velocity threshold.

16. The detector of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to track and display the time required for the current velocity to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour.

17. The detector of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to calculate and to display a time required to travel a distance in response to the sensed acceleration vehicle parameter and to the calculated current velocity.

18. The detector of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to calculate and to display a time required to travel a quarter mile in response to the sensed acceleration vehicle parameter and to the calculated current velocity.

19. The detector of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to respond to an axis selection operation to calculate and to display a selected one from a group consisting of lateral acceleration and longitudinal acceleration.

20. The detector of claim 19, wherein the axis selection operation comprises a user input selection.

21. The detector of claim 19, wherein the axis selection operation comprises installation of the detector on a lateral side, wherein the detector is further configured to respond to a constant one G force lateral acceleration by determining the axis selection operation to be longitudinal acceleration.

22. The detector of claim 21, wherein the detector is further configured to respond to a constant one G force lateral acceleration by rotating alphanumeric characters displayed for upright viewing.

23. The detector of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to calibrate a currently sensed acceleration vehicle parameter to 0 G force in response to a user input.

24. A method of detecting a police traffic surveillance device with a detector, comprising:

receiving electromagnetic signals in at least one frequency band characteristic of the police traffic surveillance device;

sensing a value of a vehicle cockpit sound pressure level;

generating an alert on the detector in response to detecting a received electromagnetic signal; and

displaying on the detector the sensed value of the cockpit sound pressure level.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein sensing the vehicle parameter comprises sensing sound pressure with a microphone remote from the location of the detector.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

amplifying an input signal of the sensed sound pressure; and

changing the amplification of the input signal in response to the amplified input signal approaching an operating limit.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising sensing acceleration.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising calculating a selected one of a group consisting of lateral acceleration and longitudinal acceleration.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein calculating the selected one comprises calculating longitudinal acceleration, the method further comprising:

calculating an integral value of the longitudinal acceleration for velocity; and

displaying a time required for the integral value to reach a selected threshold.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein calculating the selected one comprises calculating longitudinal acceleration, the method further comprising;

calculating an integral value of the longitudinal acceleration for velocity;

calculating the velocity integral value for distance; and

displaying a time required for the distance integral value to reach a selected threshold.

31. An acceleration detector, comprising:

a display;

an acceleration sensor configured to sense an acceleration; and

a controller configured to respond to detection of a constant acceleration by said sensor by determining an orientation of said detector.

32. The detector of claim 31 wherein said display displays alphanumeric characters and said controller is configured to set an orientation of said alphanumeric characters in response to said orientation of said detector.

33. The detector of claim 31 wherein said controller is configured to identify a direction of acceleration to display based upon the orientation of the detector.