Method and system for demonstrating discrepancies in speedometers in vehicles

• US 7,782,182 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Modulprodukter AS
• Original Assignee: Modulprodukter AS
• Inventors: Magnussen, Per
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham; Toan N
• Application Number:
  US11/921,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20080197991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 340/441, 340/461, 340/438, 340/466, 340/444, 701/1, 701/104, 701/99, 701/110, 701/201, 324/160, 324/161, 324/166, 702/96, 702/142, 702/148
• US Class Current: 340/441
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 21/02 of speedometers

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a system to demonstrate discrepancies in the speedometer of a vehicle. In a preferred embodiment, the method and the system further comprise the possibility of adjusting or calibrating the speedometer with the use of demonstrated discrepancies automatically or after approval by the user. The speed of the vehicle is measured with an external measuring device and the information about the speed is sent to a receiver in the vehicle. By comparing received information about speed with information of speed according to the speedometer of the vehicle information about possible discrepancies is made available to a user.

Claims

1. A method for demonstrating a discrepancy in the speedometer in a vehicle, where a speed according to said vehicle speedometer is compared with a vehicle speed information from a second measuring device, and for adjusting the vehicle speedometer to a corrected speed based on a measured speed discrepancy, comprising and where said vehicle has a unique ID, the steps:

a) measuring the speed of the vehicle with a speed measuring device that is external of and not physically coupled to any part of said vehicle,

b) continuously sending said measured information about speed from an external measuring device to a receiver in the vehicle,

c) comparing said information of speed received from the external measuring device with the information of speed according to the speedometer of the vehicle,

d) making available said information about any speed discrepancy to a vehicle user, and adjusting the speedometer to correct for said any discrepancy,

e) using the information about said discrepancy to calculate wear on tires of said vehicle by comparing the discrepancy of the speedometer, and

f) carrying out a calculation of said discrepancy only when said unique ID associated with said vehicle, agrees with an ID transmitted from said external measuring device.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising transmitting of said ID from the speed measuring device to a vehicle receiver just before, during or after the speed measurement, and temporarily storing of said ID in the speed measuring device and/or the vehicle receiver.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising emitting said ID from a measuring point (electronic loop) in the road to the speed measuring device and to the vehicle receiver, and when the speed measuring device has completed measuring the respective vehicle, sending the speed information together with associated ID from the speed measuring device to the vehicle receiver, and then the receiver makes a comparison of its ID with the received ID and if there is an agreement, carrying out the speed comparison, and if there is no agreement, no calculation of discrepancy is carried out.

4. A method for demonstrating to a vehicle user a discrepancy between a speed indicated by a speedometer in a vehicle with the speed indicated by a second speed measuring device that is external and independent of said vehicle, comprising the steps:

a) measuring the speed of said vehicle with a speed measuring device that is external of said vehicle and producing externally measured speed information,

b) sending said externally measured speed information from said external speed measuring device to a receiver in said vehicle,

c) with a comparator comparing said externally measured speed information with the information of speed according to the speedometer of said vehicle, and

d) making available to said vehicle user said information about any said speed discrepancy.

5. The method according to claim 4 comprising the further step of using the information about said discrepancy to calculate wear on tires of said vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 4 comprising the further step of adjusting said speedometer to a corrected speed based upon said measured speed discrepancy.

7. The method according to claim 4 wherein said external measuring device is a radar device.

8. The method according to claim 4, comprising adjusting said speedometer with a set speed discrepancy upwards to still have a safety margin, which is smaller than the measured and calculated discrepancy.

9. The method according to claim 4, comprising making available said information about any said discrepancy by presenting corresponding information on a display screen, a mechanical pointer, a measuring clock, or other indicating device.

10. The method according to claim 4, wherein said vehicle has a unique ID that can be sensed by said second speed measuring device, said method comprising the step of carrying out a calculation of said discrepancy only when said unique ID associated with said vehicle, agrees with an ID transmitted from said external measuring device.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising transmitting of said ID from said external speed measuring device to a vehicle receiver just before, during or after the speed measurement, and temporarily storing of said ID in said speed measuring device and/or the vehicle receiver.

12. The method according to claim 10, comprising emitting said ID from a measuring point (electronic loop) in a road to said external speed measuring device and to the vehicle receiver, and when said external speed measuring device has completed measuring the speed of the respective vehicle, sending the speed information together with associated ID from the speed measuring device to the vehicle receiver, and the receiver adapted to make a comparison of its ID with the received ID, and if there is an agreement, to carry out the speed comparison, and if there is no agreement, adapted to not calculate any discrepancy.

13. The method according to claim 4 where said vehicles comprise cars, motorbikes, mopeds and boats.

14. A system for demonstrating to a vehicle user a discrepancy between the speed indicated by a speedometer of a vehicle with the speed indicated by a second speed measuring device that is external and independent of said vehicle, comprising:

a) a speedometer in said vehicle,

b) a receiver and comparator in said vehicle,

c) the second speed measuring device that is external and independent of said vehicle, and includes a transmitter to send information about said speed from said external device to said receiver in said vehicle, said comparator adapted to compare said speed information from said speedometer with said speed information from said external speed measuring device and to produce information on any discrepancy between said speed information, and

d) a device in said vehicle to make information about possible discrepancies available to said user of said vehicle.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said external measuring device is a radar device.

16. The system according to claim 14, characterised in that the information about any said discrepancy is made available by information on a display screen, a mechanical pointer, a measuring clock, or other indicating device.

17. The system according to claim 14, characterised in that said display screen is situated in a panel in the middle of a steering wheel of said vehicle, and where the panel is stationary with respect to a dashboard of said vehicle so that the panel does not alter its position when the steering wheel is turned.

18. The system according to claim 17, characterised in that said display panel further comprises a screen to show information about an operation and setting of the system.

19. The system according to claim 18, where said display screen is a touch-screen type, where operating buttons of the system constitute icons on the screen.