Method and apparatus for storing, accessing, generating and using information about speed limits and speed traps
First Claim
1. A control method comprising the steps of:
- determining a first speed limit, corresponding to an area to be entered, as a function of both position information and a direction of travel, from stored information indicating the legal speed limit at each of a plurality of different geographic locations;
determining a second speed limit, corresponding to a current position as a function of said position information, from said stored information indicating the legal speed limit at each of a plurality of different geographic locations; and
performing, when said first determined speed limit is lower than said second determined speed limit, a control operation as a function of said first determined speed limit.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for storing, accessing, generating and using information about speed limits and speed traps are described. The system includes a positional sensor such as a GPS device. Position information is used to access a database of speed limit and/or speed trap information. The database may be local or remote. Access to a remote database may be achieved using a wireless communications device such as a wireless (cellular) modem. Encountered speed traps are logged in response to the activation of a speed trap alert button by a user of the device or the output of a radar/laser detector. Speed trap position, date and time information is transmitted to the remote database system. Speed limit information is used to control the speed of the automobile as part of a cruise control operation and/or is used to provide the motor vehicle operator with warnings, e.g., that the applicable speed limit is being exceeded. Speed trap information which is retrieved using positional information provided by the GPS device is used to warn the user of the device of speed traps in the user'"'"'s vicinity as the user approaches the location of the known speed trap.
190 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A control method comprising the steps of:
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determining a first speed limit, corresponding to an area to be entered, as a function of both position information and a direction of travel, from stored information indicating the legal speed limit at each of a plurality of different geographic locations;
determining a second speed limit, corresponding to a current position as a function of said position information, from said stored information indicating the legal speed limit at each of a plurality of different geographic locations; and
performing, when said first determined speed limit is lower than said second determined speed limit, a control operation as a function of said first determined speed limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
obtaining said position information from a global positioning device.
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3. The method of claim 2, wherein said control operation includes a speed reduction operation.
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4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
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comparing a current speed to said second speed limit; and
alerting the user if a current speed differs from the second speed limit by a set amount, where the set amount is a negative amount resulting in notification when the current speed drops below said speed limit by the set amount.
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5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:
calculating the current speed from changes in position information obtained from the global positioning device over a period of time.
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6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:
periodically updating the stored information indicating the legal speed limit by downloading update information over the Internet.
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7. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of:
storing said set amount as a speed limit offset value.
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8. The method of claim 1, wherein said first speed limit corresponds to an area about to be entered by a vehicle and wherein said control operation includes adjusting the speed of said vehicle.
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9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is further directed to generating speed trap alert notifications, the method further comprising:
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comparing position information to information on the location of known speed traps; and
generating an alert signal when said comparing operation indicates that the current position is approaching the location of a known speed trap.
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10. A method of controlling a speed of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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determining, as a function of both direction of motion and position information, first and second speed limits, the first speed limit corresponding to an area to be entered, the second speed limit corresponding to the current position of the vehicle; and
modifying the speed of the vehicle as a function of at least one of the determined first and second speed limits. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
receiving said position information from a global positioning system device;
determining a speed set relative to the second determined speed limit as a function of the second determined speed limit and a stored speed offset value; and
wherein the step of modifying the speed of the vehicle includes;
comparing the speed set relative to the second determined speed limit to a current speed of the vehicle; and
controlling the speed of the vehicle to reduce any difference between the speed set relative to the applicable speed limit and the current speed of the vehicle.
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13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:
determining the current speed of the vehicle from changes in position information over time.
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14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of:
updating the stored legal speed limit information using speed limit information received over the Internet.
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15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
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accessing stored information indicating a speed at which a user has requested to receive a speed alert; and
comparing the speed of the vehicle to a speed at which the user has requested a speed alert; and
providing a speed alert to the user when the speed of the vehicle matches a speed at which the user has requested to receive a speed alert.
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16. A vehicle speed control system, comprising:
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a database of legal speed limit information;
a global positioning device for indicating the position of the vehicle;
means for determining from the database of speed limit information the legal speed limit that will be applicable to the vehicle upon entry into an area in the direction of vehicle travel based on the vehicle'"'"'s current location as indicated by the global positioning device and the direction of vehicle travel, said means for determining being able to determine the legal speed limit that will be applicable when said legal speed limit that will be applicable differs from a speed limit that is applicable to the vehicle at its current location; and
cruise control circuitry for controlling the speed of the vehicle as a function of the determined legal speed limit.
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17. A vehicle speed control system, comprising:
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a database of legal speed limit information;
a global positioning device for indicating the position of the vehicle;
means for accessing the database of speed limit information as a function of position information provided by the global positioning device to determine the legal speed limit applicable to the vehicle based on its current location; and
cruise control circuitry for controlling the speed of the vehicle as a function of the determined legal speed limit;
means for predicting when the vehicle is about to enter an area having a lower legal speed limit than the current determined legal speed limit; and
means for controlling the cruise control circuitry to reduce the speed of the vehicle as a function of the lower legal speed limit.
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18. A method of controlling the speed of a vehicle, the method comprising:
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determining the position of the vehicle;
determining from a database of speed limit information the current applicable speed limit based on the determined position of the vehicle;
determining from said database of speed limit information the applicable speed limit of an area to be entered by said vehicle; and
automatically controlling the speed of the vehicle as a function of the determined applicable speed limit of the area to be entered when the speed limit of the area to be entered is less than the current applicable speed limit. - View Dependent Claims (19)
repeating each of the recited steps of claim 18, the step of automatically controlling the speed of the vehicle including reducing the speed limit of said vehicle prior to entering said area to be entered by said vehicle when the speed limit of the area to be entered is less than the current applicable speed limit.
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Specification