Method and apparatus for controlling alarms in an automobile information system

• US 6,621,447 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2002
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cobra Electronics Corp. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Electronics Corp. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Thistlethwaite, Philip E., Formanek, Vincent C., Kainuma, Hiroshi, Park, Hee-Gyoung
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALSOMIRI, ISAM A
• Application Number:
  US10/040,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20030128148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 342/20, 342/70-72, 342/106, 342/104
• US Class Current: 342/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/022 Road traffic radar detectors

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting a radar signal is disclosed. The method includes counting pulses emanating from an engine of a motor vehicle. An operating mode is determined in response to a moving average of pulses counted. An alarm signal is transmitted in response to detection of a radar signal and the operating mode.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a motorist driving a motor vehicle of a detection of a radar signal, the method comprising the steps of:

setting a reference threshold limit, the reference threshold limit defining an operating mode;

counting pulses derived from an electrical generator operably coupled to the motor vehicle;

storing a pulse count, the pulse count representing the pulses counted during a predetermined time period;

calculating a moving average of the pulse count over a predetermined time duration, the predetermined time duration comprising at least one predetermined time period;

determining the operating mode in response to the calculated moving average of the pulse count over the predetermined time duration and the reference threshold limit; and

,

transmitting an alarm signal in response to the detection of the radar signal and the operating mode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein calculating the moving average of pulse count comprises the steps of:

summing the amount of pulses counted during the predetermined time duration and dividing the sum by an amount of predetermined time periods constituting the predetermined time duration; and

,

monitoring the average with respect to the pulse reference limit wherein an existence above or below the limit for a predetermined time establishes the operating mode.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the steps of:

determining the rate of change of pulses occurring during the predetermined time period; and

,

utilizing the rate of change of pulses occurring during the predetermined time period wherein the time duration is responsive to the rate of change of pulses occurring.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein determining the rate of change of pulses occurring during the predetermined time period comprises the steps of:

sampling the pulse count during the predetermined time period, the sampling rate being approximately 100 mS.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

adjusting the time duration in response to the rate of change exceeding a predetermined change rate.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein adjusting the time duration comprises the step of:

reducing the time duration by one or more time periods.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

adjusting the reference threshold limit; and

, storing the adjusted reference threshold limit.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

indicating the operating mode.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting an audio alarm in response to the alarm signal;

suspending the counting of the pulses;

reducing audio alarm; and

, continuing the counting of the pulses.

10. A method for alerting a motorist driving a motor vehicle of a detection of a radar signal, the method comprising the steps of:

setting a velocity reference threshold limit, the velocity reference threshold limit defining an enable operating mode and a disable operating mode;

measuring an acceleration of the motor vehicle;

integrating the acceleration to determine a velocity of a motor vehicle;

transmitting an alarm signal in response to detection of the radar signal and an operating mode responsive to the determined velocity; and

,

certifying the accuracy of the determined velocity, wherein certifying the accuracy of the determined velocity comprises the steps of;

counting pulses being related to the speed of an electrical generator operably coupled to the motor vehicle;

storing the pulse count occurring during a predetermined time period;

converting the pulse count to a value indicative to the motor vehicle'"'"'s velocity; and

,

verifying the determined velocity with the converted velocity.

11. A radar detection device for use with a motor vehicle, the motor vehicle having an electrical generator capable of supplying power to the radar detection device, the radar detection device comprising:

a power cord for connecting to the power supply of the motor vehicle;

a counter being operably connected to the power cord, the counter for counting pulses generated from the electrical generator, the pulses being generated from the electrical generator and being proportional to the motor vehicle'"'"'s engine speed;

a first reference limit defining a first operating mode, the first operating mode comprising a first enable mode and a first disable mode, the first operating mode being responsive to the pulses counted on the power cord;

a detector for detecting a radar signal;

an alarm signal being generated in response to the first operating mode and the detector;

an alarn being responsive to the alarm signal; and

,

a calculator being capable of determining a running average of pulses counted over a predetermined time duration, the time duration comprising a plurality of time frames wherein each time frame includes a pulse count, the first operating mode being operably responsive to the running average of pulses.