Onboard controller system

• US 8,290,680 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2008
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magtec Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Magtec Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Morisset, Robert J., Hay, Douglas R., Morisset, Michel R., Ochitwa, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US12/081,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20080255742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 701 29- 36, 701 93- 96, 701/70, 701/119, 180170-179
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/17 with provision for special action when the preceding vehicle comes to a halt, e.g. stop and go

Abstract

A system and method for safely slowing or controlling a vehicle'"'"'s speed or engine speed by selectively replacing a genuine engine control signal with a spoofed engine control signal to slow or control the vehicle. The operator is allowed control of the vehicle (e.g. genuine engine control signal) if the speed is below a threshold speed and the operator is denied control of the vehicle (e.g. spoofed engine control signal) if the speed is above the threshold speed; similarly, a maximum idle engine speed and time to idle before shut-down is enforced by selectively replacing a genuine engine control signal with a spoofed engine control signal, responsive to a set threshold for each. The threshold is set over the air (OTA).

Claims

1. A method for interfering with the operation of a vehicle by performing a controlled immobilization of the vehicle comprising the steps of:

a. determining an engine speed of the vehicle;

b. selecting a threshold speed; and

c. controlling the vehicle by allowing operator control if the engine speed is less than the threshold speed and interfering with operator control if the engine speed is greater than the threshold speed,

wherein the engine speed is reduced to the threshold speed for a controlled immobilization of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of programming or setting a threshold speed.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a trigger signal to initiate the method in response to a preset threshold speed.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the threshold speed is set responsive to over the air (OTA) signals.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine speed is reduced to the threshold speed in order to stop the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein, if the vehicle is already stopped, the engine speed is reduced to no greater than an engine idle speed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold speed is an engine idle speed.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

setting a time-to-idle; and

delaying the reducing of the engine speed to the threshold speed based on the time-to-idle.