Vehicle speed limiting device

• US 7,184,873 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Peter Sodo
• Original Assignee: Stanox Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Creagan, Bryan Leonard, Pepin, Alexandre J. G. R., Idsinga, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US11/418,120
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 701/94, 701/95, 701/96, 701/110, 180170-179
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/02 including electrically actuated servomechanism including an electric control system or a servomechanism in which the vehicle velocity affecting element is actuated electrically
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for preventing selected users from driving a vehicle above a particular speed. The speed limit value can be programmed by the selected users by driving the vehicle at a desired speed limit and providing programming instruction. The device provides, from acceleration control signals received from the acceleration pedal, altered acceleration control signals. When in non speed limiting mode, the device simply forwards the acceleration control signals to the engine control unit or the electronic throttle controller. When in speed limiting mode, the device makes no change to the acceleration control signals if the vehicle speed is below the speed limit value and alters the acceleration control signals if the vehicle speed reaches the speed limit value, in order to limit the speed of the car.

Claims

1. A speed limiting device for installation in a vehicle and for preventing a value of a speed of said vehicle from exceeding a speed limit value, said device comprising:

an input for receiving a first and a second input acceleration control signals and a vehicle speed signal representative of said speed value, wherein a ratio between the first and second input acceleration control signals defines an input ratio; and

a main unit, linked to said input, for generating, from said first and said second input acceleration control signals, a first and a second output acceleration control signals, at least one of said first and said second output acceleration control signals for controlling said speed, wherein a ratio between said first and said second output acceleration signals defines an output ratio that is substantially equal to said input ratio, said main unit being capable of adopting a speed limiting mode wherein said first and said second output acceleration control signals are such that said speed value is prevented from increasing beyond said speed limit value while said input and said output ratios remain substantially equal.

2. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a user interface for receiving a programming instruction and for providing a programming signal to be transmitted to said main unit, said main unit being capable of adopting a programming mode for programming said speed limit value as being equal to said speed value, whereby a user associated with said user interface may, by driving said vehicle at said speed, provide said programming instruction to program said speed limit value.

3. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said main unit comprises a memory for storing said speed value upon reception of said programming signal to provide said speed limit value.

4. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, in said speed limiting mode, said first output acceleration control signal and said first input acceleration control signal are functionally similar when said speed value is lower said speed limit value, and, when said speed value reaches said speed limit value, said first output acceleration control signal is different from said first input acceleration control signal.

5. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an output, linked to said main unit, for substituting said first and said second output acceleration control signals for said first and said second input acceleration control signals.

6. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said user interface comprises a remote unit.

7. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said remote unit comprises a key fob.

8. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main unit is further capable of adopting a non speed limiting mode, wherein, in said non speed limiting mode, said first output acceleration control signal and said first input acceleration control signal are functionally similar.

9. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a user interface for receiving activating and deactivating instructions and for providing activating and deactivating signals to be forwarded to said main unit, wherein said activating signal is to activate said speed limiting mode and said deactivating signal is to activate said non speed limiting mode.

10. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one of said first and said second output acceleration control signals controls said speed by controlling at least one of a throttle valve signal, injector pulses and gear selection.

11. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first output acceleration control signal comprises a high voltage signal and said second output acceleration control signal comprises a low voltage signal.

12. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one key tag associated with an output user and for differentiating said output user from other users.

13. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main unit comprises a signal generating unit for storing said input ratio, wherein said second output acceleration control signal is generated from said first output acceleration control signal using said input ratio.

14. The speed limiting device as claimed in claim 13, wherein said signal generating unit comprises a digital potentiometer.

15. A method for preventing a value of a speed of a vehicle from exceeding a speed limit value, said method comprising:

receiving a first and a second input acceleration control signals, wherein a ratio between said first and said second input acceleration control signals defines an input ratio;

receiving a vehicle speed signal representative of said speed; and

generating, from said first and said second input acceleration control signals, a first and a second output acceleration control signals, wherein a ratio between said first and said second output acceleration signals defines an output ratio that is substantially equal to said input ratio, said generating comprising, in a speed limiting mode, preventing said speed value from increasing beyond said speed limit value using said first and said second output acceleration control signal, said input and said output ratios remaining substantially equal; and

controlling said speed using at least one of said first and said second output acceleration control signals.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising driving said vehicle at a desired speed limit, providing a programming instruction and programming a value of said speed limit as being equal to a value of said desired speed limit, whereby a user may, by driving said vehicle at said desired speed limit, provide said programming instruction to program said speed limit value.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, further comprising storing said speed value upon reception of said programming instruction and providing said speed limit value.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein, in said speed limiting mode, said first output acceleration control signal and said first input acceleration control signal have at least one similar characteristic when said speed value is lower said speed limit value, and, when said speed value reaches said speed limit value, said first output acceleration control signal is different from said first input acceleration control signal.

19. The method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising substituting said first and said second output acceleration control signals for said first and said second input acceleration control signals.

20. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein said generating further comprises a no change condition and a change condition, said no change condition comprising:

inputting a first input digital signal representative of said first input acceleration control signal,

outputting said first input digital signal to said engine control unit, inputting said speed value,

comparing said speed value to said speed limit value, and

going to said change condition if said speed value (VSS) exceeds said speed limit value and otherwise restarting said no change condition;

and said change condition comprising;

making a first output digital signal equal to said first input digital signal reduced by one digit,

outputting said first output digital signal to said engine control unit,

inputting said speed value,

comparing said speed value to said speed limit value,

restarting said no change condition if said speed value does not exceed said speed limit value

reducing said first output digital signal of one digit

comparing said first output digital signal to a minimal signal value,

increasing said first output digital signal of one digit if said first output digital signal is lower than said minimal signal value, and

going back to said outputting said first output digital signal.

21. A method for preventing a value of a speed of a vehicle from exceeding a speed limit value, said method comprising:

receiving a first and a second input acceleration control signal and a vehicle speed signal, wherein a ratio between said first and said second input acceleration control signal defines an input ratio;

generating, from said first input acceleration control signal, a first output acceleration control signal, said first output acceleration control signal and said first input acceleration control signal having a similar characteristic when said speed value is lower than said speed limit value and said first output acceleration control signal being different to said first input acceleration control signal when said speed value reaches said speed limit value;

producing a second output acceleration control signal having a ratio to said first output acceleration control signal defining an output ratio that is substantially the same as said input ratio; and

controlling said speed using at least one of said first and said second output acceleration control signals.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, further comprising driving said vehicle at a desired speed limit, providing a programming instruction and programming a value of said speed limit as being equal to a value of said desired speed limit, whereby a user may, by driving said vehicle at said desired speed limit, provide said programming instruction to program said speed limit value.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising storing said speed value upon reception of said programming instruction and providing said speed limit value.