Vehicle idle-speed warning system and idle-speed detection method

• US 9,291,115 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Applied Research Laboratories (Government of The Republic of China)
• Original Assignee: National Applied Research Laboratories (Government of The Republic of China)
• Inventors: Huang, Chun-Ming, Yang, Chih-Chyau, Chen, Chun-Yu, Wu, Chien-Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): MOULIS, THOMAS N
• Application Number:
  US13/594,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20140012483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,306 Days
• Field of Search: 123/198.D, 701/36
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/08 for idling F02D41/06, F02D41/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2403 using essentially up/down counters

Abstract

A vehicle idle-speed warning system and vehicle idle-speed detection method thereof are provided. It is non-invasive, that is, there is no need to change or modify any part of the constructing parts in the engine compartment. The present invention can be adopted stand-alone, or be applied to existing popular apparatuses, such as GPS, driving recorders, smart handheld devices, and vehicle electronic equipments. With the composing elements of a motion information module, an input module, an output module, a timer module and an information processing module, the present invention can accurately determine whether the vehicle under surveillance is in idle state and for how long it is in the idle state, and send an alarm signal automatically. With the implementation of the present invention, drivers can always be alarmed with the vehicle idling situations to prevent possible dangers or coming tickets due to the violation of traffic regulations in certain countries.

Claims

1. A vehicle warning system disposed on a vehicle, for parking with engine running, the vehicle warning system comprising:

an input module for enabling a user to enter a preset time;

a timer module for calculating a duration;

a motion information module for providing an engine state information and a displacement information of the vehicle, the motion information module including a single sensor configured to detect a start state of an engine of the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle within a predetermined duration and distance traveled by the vehicle, wherein the motion information module dermines the engine state information and the displacement information in response to the single sensor;

an information processing module for executing control and computation, controlling the timing module to reset the duration to zero when the displacement information indicates a displacement state, actuating the timing module to calculate the duration when the displacement information indicates a non-displacement state, and outputting warning information when the duration exceeds the preset time and the engine state information indicates a running state; and

an output module for reading the warning information and generating a warning message.

2. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the timing module is a circuit module.

3. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the timing module is a software module.

4. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module is an accelerometer.

5. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module comprises an accelerometer and a global positioning system.

6. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module comprises an accelerometer and a magnetometer.

7. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module is a speedometer.

8. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module comprises a speedometer and a global positioning system.

9. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module comprises a speedometer and a magnetometer.

10. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module comprises a vibration sensor and an accelerometer.

11. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module comprises a vibration sensor and a speedometer.

12. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module comprises a vibration sensor and a global positioning system.

13. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the motion information module comprises a vibration sensor and a magnetometer.

14. The vehicle warning system of claim 1, wherein the warning message is one of a sound signal, a vision signal, a vibration signal, and a mixed signal consisting of at least two thereof.

15. A detection method, applicable to a vehicle warning system, the detection method comprising the steps of:

providing a single sensor for detecting a start state of an engine of the vehicle and a speed of the vehicle within a predetermined duration and distance traveled by the vehicle;

determining via a motion information module engine state information and displacement information in response to the single sensor;

reading a preset time by an information processing module;

reading a state information, wherein the information processing module reads the engine state information and the displacement information from the motion information module; and

determining a vehicle idle-speed, wherein the information processing module outputs warning information when the engine state information indicates a start state, the displacement information indicates a non-displacement state, and a parking duration of the vehicle exceeds the preset time.