Information system

• US 6,606,033 B1
• Filed: 10/05/2000
• Issued: 08/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Last Mile Communications/Tivis Limited
• Original Assignee: Last Mile Communications/Tivis Limited
• Inventors: Crocker, Timothy R., Bishop, Frank M, Brandwood, John D
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu; Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/680,348
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901,903,905,936,438,441
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 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 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

An information system is provided for transmitting data into a local area surrounding the transmitter. The transmitter may be used to provide information to pedestrians, or to passing road traffic. Data is stored in a local memory 64 associated with the transmitter such that data stored in the memory can be repeatedly and frequently transmitted to users 70 having suitable reception apparatus 18 in the vicinity of the transmitter.

Claims

1. A vehicle information system comprising a vehicle mounted for recieving data receiver responsive to local data transmissions from roadside transmitters and a communications device for providing at least one of audio and visual communication for communicating information to an occupant of a vehicle, in which the transmitters include an updatable memory, the data is cached in the memory within the transmitter, and the data includes messages from traders and retailers and at least one of emergency services, public authorities, local services and entertainment material and in which the vehicle further includes a rear facing transmitter for transmitting at least part of said data to a following vehicle for use by that vehicle, and wherein the memory is updatable over a telecommunications link such that the cache can be updated occasionally.

2. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the data is also indicative of a local speed limit.

3. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 2, in which the speed limit data is compared with data representing the vehicle'"'"'s speed and the result of the comparison is indicated to an occupant of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 3, in which a warning is given to a driver of the vehicle when the vehicle is exceeding the speed limit.

5. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 4, in which the warning is given as an audible message.

6. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 2, in which the vehicle information system provides data to at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s engine management system and a cruise control system so as to cause the vehicle to stay within the speed limit until such time as the driver intervenes to exceed the speed limit.

7. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the receiver looks forward from the vehicle.

8. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 7, in which the receiver has a narrow acceptance aperture such that it is responsive substantially only to a signal coming from a predetermined direction with respect to the vehicle.

9. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 8, in which the receiver'"'"'s acceptance aperture is restricted in the horizontal plane and can view from the horizontal towards the vertical in the vertical plane.

10. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the system employs at least one of radio and microwaves for transmission of data.

11. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 10, in which all the roadside transmitters transmit at the same frequency.

12. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the data transmitted by a transmitter includes the distance to the next transmitter.

13. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 12, in which a data processor compares the distance traveled from a previous transmitter to the vehicle'"'"'s present location with the indication of distance given by the last transmitter and asserts a warning if the distance traveled exceeds the distance indicated by the last transmitter as the distance to the next transmitter.

14. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which each transmitter has an identity code.

15. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 14, in which each transmitter transmits the identity code of the next transmitter in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

16. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 14, in which the receiver analyses the transmitter identity codes to determine the position of the vehicle.

17. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the transmitters transmit information relating to distances to other roads and speed limits on the roads.

18. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the transmitter signals include one of the direction indicating signals and carriageway encoding such that the receiver can distinguish between multiple transmissions to select the one appropriate for the vehicle.

19. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which a vehicle carries a transmitter such that the vehicle can transmit data to a telecommunication network via road side receivers associated with the roadside transmitters.

20. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 19, in which the information system is arranged to perform at least one command selected from a list comprising:

asserting a panic signal in response to actuation of a driver operated input device; and

negotiating with road toll systems.

21. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 19, in which the information system is arranged to assert an alert signal in the event that vehicle systems determine that the vehicle has been involved in an accident.

22. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 19, in which the information system is arranged to alert authorities when a driver commits a traffic offence.

23. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which a vehicle system is responsive to the vehicle information system such that the vehicle system can act on instructions to limit the vehicle'"'"'s speed or to disable the vehicle.

24. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the data communication to a vehicle occurs via a infrared link.

25. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which a vehicle data communication to a vehicle occurs via a magnetic link.

26. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the vehicle transmits a message for reception by a following vehicle, the message includes at least one of data received by the vehicle from a roadside transmitter and data generated by the vehicle.

27. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 26, in which a vehicle imposes a vehicle identity code on data that it transmits.

28. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 26, in which a random delay is introduced before a vehicle retransmits data.

29. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 26, in which the receiver is associated with a data processor, and in the event that multiple broadcasts are received simultaneously or near simultaneously the data processor performs an arbitration in order to decide which broadcast to rely upon.

30. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 26, in which the message transmitted from one vehicle to another includes a generation tag, and a receiving vehicle examines the generation tag in order to determine if it should retransmit the message to a subsequent vehicle.

31. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 30, in which the generation tag is modified at each retransmission.

32. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 26, in which a data processor associated with the vehicle makes a decision on whether to retransmit a message based on rate of message reception.

33. A vehicle information as claimed in claim 1, in which a vehicle has forward and rearward facing antennas, and the vehicle intermittently transmits from the antennas so as to alert other vehicles to its presence.

34. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 33, in which a power level indication is transmitted such that vehicle receiving the transmission can estimate the intervehicle distance.

35. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, further including a transmitter for use in association with the vehicle information system, in which the transmitter is arranged to transmit local road data to passing vehicles, and in which the transmitter includes a data processor for controlling the exchange of data with a remote site via a telecommunications network such that the data in the cache can be updated.

36. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 35, further including a receiver for receiving data from passing vehicles.

37. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, further including a vehicle.

38. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one transmitter transmits data defining the position of the transmitter.

39. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 38, in which the receiver is responsive to the data defining the transmitter position.

40. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the vehicle carries a transmitter which can be used to request information from the roadside transmitter.

41. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which vehicles perform doppler shift analysis of received signals to estimate vehicle speed or relative speeds.

42. A vehicle information system as claimed in claim 1, in which the transmitters operate in a RADAR mode to obtain estimates of range to vehicles.