Compact radar vehicle speed monitor

• US 7,180,428 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2004
• Issued: 02/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin Levan, Thomas Costan
• Original Assignee: Martin Levan, Thomas Costan
• Inventors: Costan, Thomas, LeVan, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees; Edny
• Application Number:
  US10/790,682
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/902, 340/905, 340/908, 340/933, 340/934, 340/988, 340/989, 340/937, 340/936, 340/931, 340/944, 362/812, 362/414, 701/118, 701/119
• US Class Current: 340/936
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

A display indicates speed in GREEN when the approaching vehicle is traveling below or equal to the user set compliance speed. The primary display flashes RED when the approaching vehicle is exceeding the preset compliance speed. A rear mounted control panel and LCD display is provided for easy entry of compliance speed, operational settings and data recovery. The rear control panel is used for the following: set compliance speed; set max speed cutoff; retrieve traffic count; retrieve average speed; retrieve number of violations; retrieve maximum speed recorded; display battery status. Automatic dimming of the primary display is provided during night use.

Claims

1. A compact, easily transportable radar vehicle speed monitor apparatus, comprising a casing including an open front, a rear panel, a top panel, a pair of side panels and a bottom panel, a speed indicator support mounted on the casing, numerical speed indicators mounted on the support, the top and side panels extending outwardly beyond the speed indicator support and forming a hood for screening the numerical speed indicators from sunlight, a cover hingedly attached to the casing base panel for selectively closing the front of the casing, a power supply connected to the numerical speed indicators for energizing the numeral speed indicators, a display differentiator connected to the numerical speed indicators for differentiating displays on the support, red and green indicators on the numerical speed indicators for indicating overspeed or compliant speed respectively, wherein the indicators change between flashing red and steady green displays responsive to whether the speed of approaching vehicles is above, at or below a set compliance speed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller for controlling numerical indications on the display, a set compliance speed control connected to the controller for setting compliance speed and differentiating overspeed, and a speed sensor connected to the controller for sensing speed of approaching vehicles and providing the sensed speed to the controller.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a segmental digital display for illuminating segments and displaying side-by-side numbers, and wherein each segment comprises red and/or green light.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each segment includes light-emitting diodes for producing light selectively in green or red wavelengths.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the light-emitting diodes in each segment are arranged in arrays.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the each segment has relatively bright light emitters for illuminating the segments and colored light emitters for illuminating the segments with color.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hood has varied color lights lighting the entire inside of the hood, said lights flashing red to indicate overspeed and steady green to indicate compliant speed.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a memory connected to the controller for storing information of time and number of vehicles, number of vehicle speeds sensed, number of vehicle overspeeds sensed, and average vehicle speed.

17. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the light-emitting diodes are dual color light-emitting diodes.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the casing includes a handle affixed to the top panel for easy movement of the monitor apparatus.

9. A method of speed monitoring, comprising providing compact, easily transportable radar vehicle speed monitor with a case including an open front, a rear panel, a top panel, a pair of side panels and a bottom panel and a speed indicator support mounted on the case, providing numerical speed indicators mounted on the support with the top and side panels extending outwardly beyond the speed indicator support forming a hood for screening the numerical speed indicators from sunlight, providing a cover hingedly attached to the base panel for selectively closing the front of the case, providing a power supply connected to the numerical speed indicators for energizing the numeral speed indicators, providing a display differentiator connected to the numerical speed indicators for differentiating displays the support and providing red or green indicators for indicating overspeed or compliant speed in distinct ways, and changing the indicators between flashing red and steady green depending on whether the speed of an approaching vehicle is above, at or below a set compliance speed.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a controller for controlling numerical indications on the display, providing a set compliance speed control connected to the controller for setting compliance speed and differentiating overspeed, and providing a speed sensor connected to the controller, sensing speed of approaching vehicles, and providing the sensed speed to the controller.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a segmental digital display for illuminating segments and displaying side-by-side numbers, and producing red or green light in each segment.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing light-emitting diodes in each segment for producing light selectively in green or red wavelengths.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing the light-emitting diodes in each segment arranged in arrays.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing relatively bright light emitters in each segment, and illuminating the segments with the bright light emitters and the colored light emitters for illuminating the segments with color.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing the hood with varied color lights, lighting the entire inside of the hood with said lights, lighting the lights flashing red to indicate overspeed and steady green to indicate compliant speed.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing a memory connected to the controller for storing information of time and number of vehicles, number of vehicle speeds sensed, number of vehicle overspeeds sensed, and average vehicle speed, racing speed measurements and times of occurrence, and providing an output from the memory.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing light-emitting diodes that are dual color light-emitting diodes.

20. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a handle affixed to the top panel for easy movement of the monitor apparatus.