Device, system and method for controlling speed of a vehicle using a positional information device

• US 8,972,146 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2013
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Clayco Research Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US14/057,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20140052366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 701/93, 701/117, 701/119, 701/29.2, 701/29.3, 455/404.2, 455/418, 340/466, 340/539.13, 340/905, 340/995.13, 370/252, 705/41
• US Class Current: 701/93
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/185 connected to the speedometer display, e.g. by sensors or switches responsive to the position of the indicator needle arrangement of pointers in automobile speedometers for indicating predetermined speeds by the detection of the position of the indicator needle G01P1/11
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• 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: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• 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 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/00 Traffic control systems for marine craft marking of navigational route B63B22/16, B63B51/00

Abstract

A device, system and method for controlling speed of a vehicle are provided. The device includes a locational information module for determining location information and speed; a storage module for storing at least one geographic map including at least one route and a speed limit for the at least one route; a processing module configured to receive the location information, retrieve at least one geographic map based on the location information, determine a speed limit based on the location information and compare the speed of the device to the determined speed limit; and a display module for alerting a user if the speed of the device exceeds the determined speed limit. The system and method can be for communicating a subject vehicle'"'"'s speed to a central server where it can be utilized to analyze traffic congestion patterns or notify selected companies or individuals.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining, by a device located in a vehicle, location information of the vehicle;

obtaining, by the device, speed information of the vehicle;

transmitting, by the device, the location information and the speed information to a remote computing system, wherein the remote computing system is operable to receive location information and speed information corresponding to a plurality of devices and to determine that an average speed along a portion of a planned route of the vehicle is below a speed limit based on the location information and speed information corresponding to the plurality of devices;

receiving, by the device, an indication of potential congestion along the planned route of the vehicle from the remote computing system; and

producing, by the device, an alert of the potential congestion along the planned route of the vehicle in response to receiving the indication of the potential congestion along the planned route of the vehicle from the remote computing system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein producing the alert comprises displaying the alert on a display.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

displaying the planned route of the vehicle on the display.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, by the device, an indication of an alternate route of the vehicle from the remote computing system.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying the alternate route of the vehicle on the display with the planned route of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the device, based at least in part on the obtained location information and speed information of the vehicle, that a speed of the vehicle exceeds a posted speed limit.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying, on the display, an alert that the speed of the vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the device is mounted in the vehicle.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage device having instructions embodied thereon for execution by a device located in a vehicle, the instructions comprising:

instructions to obtain, by the device, location information of the vehicle;

instructions to obtain, by the device, speed information of the vehicle;

instructions to transmit, by the device, the location information and the speed information to a remote computing system, wherein the remote computing system is operable to receive location information and speed information corresponding to a plurality of devices and to determine that an average speed along a portion of a planned route of the vehicle is below a speed limit based on the location information and speed information corresponding to the plurality of devices;

instructions to receive, by the device, an indication of potential congestion along the planned route of the vehicle from the remote computing system; and

instructions to produce, by the device, an alert of the potential congestion along the planned route of the vehicle in response to receiving the indication of the potential congestion along the planned route of the vehicle from the remote computing system.

10. The computer readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the instructions to produce the alert comprise instructions to display the alert on a display.

11. The computer readable storage device of claim 10, further comprising:

instructions to display the planned route of the vehicle on the display.

12. The computer readable storage device of claim 11, further comprising:

instructions to receive, by the device, an indication of an alternate route of the vehicle from the remote computing system.

13. The computer readable storage device of claim 12, further comprising:

instructions to display the alternate route of the vehicle on the display with the planned route of the vehicle.

14. The computer readable storage device of claim 10, further comprising:

instructions to determine, by the device, based at least in part on the obtained location information and speed information of the vehicle, that a speed of the vehicle exceeds a posted speed limit.

15. The computer readable storage device of claim 14, further comprising:

instructions to display, on the display, an alert that the speed of the vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit.

16. The computer readable storage device of claim 9, wherein the device is mounted in the vehicle.

17. A device comprising:

a location module operable to obtain location information of a vehicle in which the device is located;

a processing module operable to obtain speed information of the vehicle in which the device is located; and

a transmission module operable to transmit the location information and the speed information to a remote computing system, the transmission module further operable to receive an indication from the remote computing system of potential congestion along a planned route of the vehicle, wherein the device is operable to produce an alert of the potential congestion along the planned route of the vehicle in response to the transmission module receiving the indication of the potential congestion along the planned route of the vehicle;

wherein the device is operable to produce the alert of the potential congestion in response to the transmission module receiving the indication of the potential congestion from the remote computing system.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the device is operable to provide the alert by displaying the alert on a display.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the device is operable to display the planned route of the vehicle on the display.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the transmission module is operable to receive an indication of an alternate route of the vehicle from the remote computing system.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein the device is operable to display the alternate route of the vehicle on the display with the planned route of the vehicle.

22. The device of claim 18, wherein the device is operable to:

determine, based at least in part on the obtained location information and speed information of the vehicle, that a speed of the vehicle exceeds a posted speed limit; and

display, on the display, an alert that the speed of the vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein the device is mounted in the vehicle.