Telematic parametric speed metering system

• US 7,656,280 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Peyravian, Mohammad, Sabhikhi, Ravinder K., Hines, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US12/033,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20080150761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/441, 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/905, 340/936, 340/996, 701/70, 701/93, 701/117, 701/119, 701/200, 180/65.2, 180/423
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, articles of manufacture and methods for a telematic parametric speed metering system. In one embodiment, a system may determine a vehicle'"'"'s location and speed. Once the location has been determined, corresponding geographical zone based speed limits and/or other information may be acquired via internal memory or data transmission. The speed of the vehicle may then be compared against the speed limits for the zone. If the vehicle'"'"'s speed exceeds those speed limits, one or more of a plurality of actions may be performed including (but not limited to) warning the driver via a visual or audio signal, informing an authority agency via data transmission, logging the excessive speeding condition (e.g., time, date, speed, location, driver name, etc).

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring a speed of a vehicle, the method comprising:

retrieving one or more geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters corresponding to a location of the vehicle;

wherein the speed-monitoring parameters are retrieved from a database containing a plurality of geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters each corresponding to different geographic locations; and

on the basis of the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters and a speed of the vehicle, adjusting one or more token values according to a credit/debit system in which the one or more token values are increased if the speed is less than a first predefined speed threshold and decreased if the speed is greater than the first predetermined speed threshold, and wherein the one or more token values are applied to perform a speed warning function.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading to the vehicle an updated database containing the one or more geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting one or more token values according to the credit/debit system, comprises:

increasing a first token value if the speed is less than a first predefined threshold and if the first token value is less than a predefined token value limit, wherein the predefined token value limit is one of the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters; and

decreasing the first token value if the speed is greater than the first predefined threshold and if the determined speed less than the predefined token value limit.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first token value is incremented by a predefined reward value which is one of the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the speed warning function is configured to issue a warning of a likelihood of an excessive speed.

6. A computer-implemented method for monitoring a speed of a vehicle, the method comprising:

retrieving one or more geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters corresponding to a current location of the vehicle;

wherein the speed-monitoring parameters are retrieved from a database containing a plurality of geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters each corresponding to different geographic locations; and

on the basis of the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters and a current speed of the vehicle;

increasing one or more token values each corresponding to a distinct speed range if the current speed is less than a first predefined threshold and if each token value is less than a predefined token value limit for the respective token, wherein the predefined token value limits are included with the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters;

decreasing the token value corresponding to the distinct speed range if the current speed is within the distinct speed range and the token value is greater than the current speed of the vehicle;

increasing one or more warning values corresponding to the distinct speed range if the respective token value is less than the current speed of the vehicle; and

issuing a notification if the one or more warning values are greater than one or more predefined warning value limits, wherein the predefined warning value limits are included with the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising issuing a notification if the current speed of the vehicle is greater than a predefined threshold.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein issuing a notification comprises sending a wireless transmission to an authority agency on a wireless network.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the token value is decreased by an amount relative to the current speed of the vehicle.

10. A computer readable storage medium containing a program which, when executed, performs an operation, comprising:

retrieving one or more geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters corresponding to a current location of the vehicle;

wherein the speed-monitoring parameters are retrieved from a database containing a plurality of geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters each corresponding to different geographic locations, and wherein the plurality of speed-monitoring parameters are user-configurable; and

on the basis of the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters and the current speed of the vehicle, adjusting one or more token values according to a credit/debit system in which the one or more token values are increased if the current speed is less than a first predefined speed threshold and decreased if the current speed is greater than the first predetermined speed threshold, and wherein the one or more token values are applied to a perform a speed warning function.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise downloading to the vehicle an updated database containing one or more geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein adjusting one or more token values according to the credit/debit system, comprises:

increasing a first token value if the current speed is less than a first predefined threshold and if the first token value is less than a predefined token value limit, wherein the predefined token value limit is one of the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters; and

decreasing the first token value if the current speed is greater than the first predefined threshold and if the current speed less than the predefined token value limit.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first token value is incremented by a predefined reward value which is one of the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the speed warning function is configured to issue a warning of a likelihood of an excessive speed.

15. An apparatus for monitoring a speed of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a memory for holding a vehicle speed monitoring program; and

a processor which when executing the speed monitoring program is configured to;

retrieve one or more geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters corresponding to a current location of the vehicle;

wherein the speed-monitoring parameters are retrieved from a database containing a plurality of geographically specific speed-monitoring parameters each corresponding to different geographic locations; and

on the basis of the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters and a current speed of the vehicle;

increase one or more token values each corresponding to a distinct speed range if the current speed is less than a first predefined threshold and if each token value is less than a predefined token value limit for the respective token, wherein the predefined token value limits are included with the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters;

decrease the token value corresponding to the respective speed range if the current speed is within the respective speed range and the token value is greater than the current speed of the vehicle;

increase one or more warning values corresponding to the respective speed range if the respective token value is less than the current speed of the vehicle; and

issue a notification if the one or more warning values is greater than one or more predefined warning value limits, wherein the predefined warning value limits are included with the retrieved speed-monitoring parameters.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus further performs the step of issuing a notification if the current speed of the vehicle is greater than a predefined threshold.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein issuing a notification comprises sending a wireless transmission to an authority agency on a wireless network.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the token value is decreased by an amount relative to the determined speed of the vehicle.