Traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage apparatus

• US 6,720,889 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Issued: 04/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaki, Tomokazu, Nishizaka, Tsutomu
• Primary Examiner(s): Goins, Davetta W.
• Application Number:
  US09/862,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20020036572A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 340/933, 340/935, 340/936, 340/905, 340/995, 340/438, 340/441, 340/539, 340/990, 340/439, 701/119, 701/200, 701/207, 701/213, 701/117
• US Class Current: 340/933
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

A vehicle location detector detects the vehicle state such as the location and speed from a GPS signal. Memory stores map data and traffic regulation data in advance. It is determined whether there is the possibility that a driver commits traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and traffic regulation data on the road where the vehicle is traveling. In case it is determined that there is the possibility that the driver commits traffic violations, a traffic violation warning is output via voice and displayed on a display. It is also determined whether the driver has committed traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and traffic regulation data. In case it is determined that the driver has committed traffic violations, the traffic violation details are recorded in traffic violation memory.

Claims

1. A traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage apparatus comprising:

a vehicle location detector which detects the location and vehicle state of a vehicle to output vehicle state information;

a memory which stores at least one of map data, traffic regulation data and penal regulation data;

a traffic violation memory which stores personal information in advance;

a first determination unit which determines whether there is a possibility that a driver commits traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data;

a warning unit which issues a traffic violation warning in case there is the possibility that the driver commits traffic violations;

a second determination unit which determines whether the driver has committed traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data; and

a violation recording unit which records a traffic violation details in the traffic violation memory in case the driver has committed traffic violations.

2. A traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an encryption/decryption unit which encrypts the traffic violation details to be stored in the traffic violation memory in case the driver has committed traffic violations.

3. A traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a traffic light state receiver for receiving traffic light state information.

5. A traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a traffic regulation data receiver which receives temporarily or permanently modified traffic regulation data.

7. A traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a penal regulation data receiver for receiving modified penal regulation data.

4. A traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage system comprising:

a traffic light state transmitter for transmitting traffic light state information obtained from a traffic light controller for controlling traffic lights;

a traffic light state receiver for receiving traffic light state information;

a vehicle location detector which detects the location and vehicle state of a vehicle to output vehicle state information;

a memory which stores at least one of map data, traffic regulation data and penal regulation data;

a traffic violation memory which stores personal information in advance;

a first determination unit which determines whether there is a possibility that a driver commits traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data;

a warning unit which issues a traffic violation warning in case there is the possibility that the driver commits traffic violations;

a second determination unit which determines whether the driver has committed traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data; and

a violation recording unit which records a traffic violation details in the traffic violation memory in case the driver has committed traffic violations.

6. A traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage system comprising:

a traffic regulation data transmitter for transmitting traffic regulation data on the road where the vehicle is traveling and its vicinity; and

a traffic regulation data receiver which receives temporarily or permanently modified traffic regulation data;

a vehicle location detector which detects the location and vehicle state of a vehicle to output vehicle state information;

a memory which stores at least one of map data, traffic regulation data and penal regulation data;

a traffic violation memory which stores personal information in advance;

a first determination unit which determines whether there is a possibility that a driver commits traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data;

a warning unit which issues a traffic violation warning in case there is the possibility that the driver commits traffic violations;

a second determination unit which determines whether the driver has committed traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data; and

a violation recording unit which records a traffic violation details in the traffic violation memory in case the driver has committed traffic violations.

8. A traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage system comprising:

a penal regulation data transmitter for transmitting penal regulation data on the road where the vehicle is traveling and its vicinity;

a penal regulation data receiver for receiving modified penal regulation data;

a vehicle location detector which detects the location and vehicle state of a vehicle to output vehicle state information;

a memory which stores at least one of map data, traffic regulation data and penal regulation data;

a traffic violation memory which stores personal information in advance;

a first determination unit which determines whether there is a possibility that a driver commits traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data;

a warning unit which issues a traffic violation warning in case there is the possibility that the driver commits traffic violations;

a second determination unit which determines whether the driver has committed traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data; and

a violation recording unit which records a traffic violation details in the traffic violation memory in case the driver has committed traffic violations.

9. A traffic violation management apparatus comprising:

a traffic violation memory reading unit which reads traffic violation details and personal information stored in the traffic violation memory of the traffic violation warning and traffic violation storage apparatus comprising;

a vehicle location detector which detects the location and vehicle state of a vehicle to output vehicle state information;

a memory which stores at least one of map data, traffic regulation data and penal regulation data;

a traffic violation memory which stores personal information in advance;

a first determination unit which determines whether there is a possibility that a driver commits traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data;

a warning unit which issues a traffic violation warning in case there is the possibility that the driver commits traffic violations;

a second determination unit which determines whether the driver has committed traffic violations based on the vehicle state information and the traffic regulation data;

a violation recording unit which records a traffic violation details in the traffic violation memory in case the driver has committed traffic violations;

a management memory which stores the traffic violation details and the personal information;

a management display which displays the traffic violation details and the personal information;

an input unit which accepts various operations; and

a management controller which controls the functional sections.