Configurable traffic zone control system

• US 9,402,164 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Teteak, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLDMAN, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US14/521,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20150045987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 340/936, 340/905, 340/907, 340/917, 340/933, 340/943, 340/441, 340/901, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/457, 455/422.1, 455/418, 379/70, 701/117, 701/119, 701/70, 701/93, 701/78
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2031/0091 Speed limiters or speed cutters
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/18 operated by wayside apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• 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 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72463 to restrict the functionality of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A configurable traffic zone control system (14) includes transmitter structure (16) associated with a traffic zone (10). The transmitter structure includes a transmitter (18) for transmitting a wireless signal (20) indicative of a speed requirement of the traffic zone. Receiver structure (24) is provided in a vehicle (26) for receiving the wireless signal such that based on the wireless signal, speed of the vehicle is automatically controlled to be at or below the speed requirement while the vehicle is in the traffic zone.

Claims

1. A method of controlling wireless communications devices located in a vehicle, when the vehicle is in a particular traffic zone, the method comprising:

receiving at a first receiver in the vehicle, a first wireless signal, which is transmitted from a first transmitter at a location inside the particular traffic zone, the first wireless signal indicative of the existence of the particular traffic zone;

receiving the first wireless signal at a wireless communications device disabler located in the vehicle, the wireless communications device disabler being configured to receive the first signal and broadcast a different second signal, which when received by a wireless communications device that is configured to receive the second signal, disables said wireless communications device;

selectively broadcasting in the vehicle, the second wireless signal from the wireless communications device disabler, responsive to receiving the first wireless signal, the second wireless signal being broadcast by a second transmitter comprising the wireless communications device disabler and, which is also in the vehicle; and

detecting the second wireless signal at a wireless communications device located in the vehicle, the wireless communications device being configured to be disabled responsive to receipt of the second wireless signal by said wireless communications device;

wherein the first wireless signal does not include location information of the particular traffic zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of at least partially disabling the wireless device comprises preventing texting while the vehicle is in the particular traffic zone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first second wireless signal is not transmitted via a cellular communication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the second wireless signal at a wireless communications device comprises detecting the second wireless signal by a sensor in a driver'"'"'s cell phone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of at least partially disabling the wireless device comprises placing a call on hold while the vehicle is in the particular traffic zone.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing emergency calls while the vehicle is in the particular traffic zone.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selectively transmitting the first wireless signal based on time of day and/or calendar days.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a telematics system including a global positioning system (GPS), the method further comprising:

determining a position of the vehicle via the GPS, and if the position of the vehicle is in the traffic zone, receiving the second wireless signal.

9. A configurable traffic zone control system for a wireless communications devices inside a motor vehicle, the traffic zone control system comprising:

a first receiver located in a vehicle, the first receiver configured to receive a first wireless signal transmitted from a traffic zone transmitter, the first wireless signal indicating to the first receiver, the existence of a particular traffic zone but not indicating a geographic location of the traffic zone;

a second signal broadcasting system coupled to the first receiver, the second signal broadcasting system configured to transmit a second wireless signal to a driver'"'"'s cellular communications device within the vehicle, responsive to receipt of the first wireless signal by the first receiver, the second wireless signal being configured to cause the driver'"'"'s cellular communications device within the vehicle to be at least partially disabled upon receipt of the second wireless signal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second signal broadcasting system is configured to transmit a second wireless signal that prevents texting using a cellular communications device, while the vehicle is within the particular traffic zone.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the second signal broadcasting system is configured to transmit a second wireless signal that places a cellular call on hold while the vehicle is in the particular traffic zone.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle includes a global positioning system (GPS) constructed and arranged to determine if the vehicle is in the traffic zone.