System and method for display radar data

• US 6,853,314 B1
• Filed: 07/16/2003
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Concepts Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Applied Concepts Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Vanman, Robert V., Gammenthaler, Robert S., Aker, John L., Mead, Alan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/620,401
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 340/902, 340/903, 340/905, 340/933, 340/936, 340/937, 340/435, 340/441, 342/104, 342/112, 342/114, 342/115, 342/116, 701/36
• US Class Current: 340/936
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/589 measuring the velocity vector
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/92 for velocity measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/06 Cathode-ray tube displays or other two dimensional or three-dimensional displays
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

A system for displaying radar data from two or more areas of interest is provided, such as for simultaneously showing vehicle speeds in the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle and in the same lane behind the patrol vehicle. The system includes a first display that shows the speed of vehicles in the first area, such as the opposite lane in front of the patrol vehicle, and a second display that shows the speed of vehicles in the second area, such as the same lane behind the patrol vehicle.

Claims

1. A system for displaying radar data comprising:

an opposite lane display system;

a same lane display system;

a front display system;

a back display system; and

wherein a combination of one or more of the opposite lane system and the same lane system with one or more of the front display system and the back display system can be selected by a user to provide a display of radar data from one or more user-selected areas of view.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a vehicle tracking system identifying one or more vehicles in each user-selected area of view and tracking each vehicle over time.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a history system receiving vehicle historical speed data and generating user-readable vehicle historical speed display data.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a fastest speed system displaying a speed of a fastest-moving vehicle in at least one of the user-selected areas of view.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a strongest signal system displaying a speed of a vehicle having a strongest reflected signal in at least one of the user-selected areas of view.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a preset system storing one or more combinations of user-selected areas of view.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the user-selected areas of view include one or more of a front-opposite lane area of view, a front-same lane area of view, a back-opposite lane area of view, and a back-same lane area of view.

8. A method for displaying radar data for two or more vehicles comprising:

receiving a user selection of whether to display radar data for vehicles in front of a view point;

receiving a user selection of whether to display radar data for vehicles behind a view point;

receiving a user selection of whether to display radar data for vehicles in a same lane of travel relative top a view point;

receiving a user selection of whether to display radar data for vehicles in an opposite lane of travel relative to a view point; and

generating one or more displays of radar data based on the user selections.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a user selection to display speed data for a vehicle having a fastest speed in one or more of the user-selected displays.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a user selection to display speed data for a vehicle having a strongest reflected signal in one or more of the user-selected displays.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising receiving a user selection to display historical speed data for a vehicle in one or more of the user-selected displays.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

storing one or more user-selected displays as a preset display selection; and

recalling the preset display selection by selection of a single preset display control.

13. A controller for use in selecting the display at radar data for two or more vehicles comprising:

a front select control allowing a user to select radar data for vehicles traveling in front of an observation point;

a rear select control allowing the user to select radar data for vehicles traveling behind the observation point;

a same lane select control allowing the user to select radar data for vehicles traveling in a same lane relative to the observation point;

an opposite lane select control allowing the user to select radar data for vehicles traveling in an opposite lane relative in the observation point; and

wherein a user-readable display generates radar data for vehicles in one or more user-selected areas of view based on user selections from the front select control, the rear select control, the same lane select control, and the opposite lane select control.

14. The controller of claim 13 wherein the controller further comprises an infrared remote controller.

15. The controller of claim 13 wherein the controller further comprises a touch-sensitive display.

16. The controller of claim 13 further comprising a user-selectable fastest vehicle control causing fastest vehicle speed data to be generated for one or more of the user-selected areas of view.

17. The controller of claim 13 further comprising a user-selectable strongest vehicle control causing vehicle speed data to be generated for a vehicle having a strongest reflected signal in one or more of the user-selected areas of view.

18. The contoller of claim 13 further comprising a user-selectable historical vehicle control causing historical speed data to be generated for one or more vehicles in one or more of the user-selected areas of view.