Automatic speed limit adjust for road conditions

• US 8,311,734 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Issued: 11/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Georgis, Nikolaos, Carpio, Fredrik, Hwang, Paul Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D
• Assistant Examiner(s): STABLEY, MICHAEL R
• Application Number:
  US12/165,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20100004838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 Days
• Field of Search: 701/70, 701/93, 701/97, 701/415, 701/423, 701/439
• US Class Current: 701/423
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0064 using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A mobile computer that can be borne in a vehicle and that can receive position information may adjust a maximum speed limit to account for unfavorable weather or road conditions and cause the vehicle to automatically reduce speed below the adjusted maximum limit.

Claims

1. A mobile computer that can be borne in a vehicle and that:

is configured to receive position information; and

is configured to communicate a speed limit associated with the position information and adjusted to account for road conditions;

wherein the speed limit is adjusted by a first amount of decrease based on a first inclement weather condition; and

wherein the speed limit is adjusted by a second amount of decrease based on a second inclement weather condition.

2. The computer of claim 1, wherein the mobile computer is configured to access a database of speed limits.

3. The computer of claim 1, wherein the mobile computer is configured to communicate with a sender of road conditions to receive the road conditions therefrom.

4. The computer of claim 3, wherein the computer is configured to apply rules to the road condition and output an adjusted speed limit associated with the position information;

wherein the rules applied to a single type of road condition account for the particular road to which the road condition pertains.

5. The computer of claim 1, wherein the computer is configured to receive from a base station a speed limit adjusted for road conditions.

6. The computer of claim 1, wherein the mobile computer includes an advanced televisions systems committee (ATSC) tuner.

7. A tangible computer storage medium readable by a processor to:

automatically limit a vehicle maximum speed in response to an upper speed limit modified by application of rules relating to road conditions such that the vehicle may travel at any speed up to but not exceeding the upper speed limit;

wherein the upper speed limit is modified by a first amount based on a single lane closure and a second amount based on closure of more than a single lane.

8. The medium of claim 7, wherein the medium is executable by the processor to:

receive geographic position information, the road conditions being associated with the geographic position information.

9. The medium of claim 7, wherein the medium is executable by the processor to access a database of speed limits.

10. The medium of claim 7, wherein the medium is executable by the processor to communicate with a sender of road conditions to receive the road conditions therefrom.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the medium is executable by the processor to apply rules to the road condition and output an adjusted speed limit associated with the position information.

12. The medium of claim 7, wherein the medium is executable by the processor to receive from a base station a speed limit adjusted for road conditions.