Driver alert system for speed and acceleration thresholds
First Claim
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1. An alert system for a driver of a road vehicle, comprising:
- a speed circuit generating an instantaneous speed of the vehicle;
a limit setting circuit identifying a speed threshold;
a warning controller coupled to the speed circuit and the limit setting circuit, wherein the warning controller
1) determines an instantaneous acceleration corresponding to the instantaneous speed,
2) determines an estimated time-to-threshold in response to the instantaneous acceleration and instantaneous speed, and
3) generates a predicted excursion warning to the driver if the time-to-threshold is less than a predetermined time; and
an indicator responsive to the warning controller for producing the predicted excursion warning as an event sensible by the driver;
wherein the warning controller generates an excessive speed warning if the instantaneous speed is greater than the speed threshold, wherein the indicator produces the excessive speed warning as another event sensible by the driver, wherein the sensible events for the predicted excursion warning and the excessive speed warning have respective intensities, and wherein the intensity for the excessive speed warning is greater than the intensity for the predicted excursion warning; and
wherein the warning controller generates an excessive acceleration warning if the instantaneous acceleration is greater than an acceleration threshold, wherein the indicator produces the excessive acceleration warning as another event sensible by the driver, wherein the sensible events for the predicted excursion warning and the excessive acceleration warning have respective intensities, and wherein the intensity for the excessive acceleration warning is less than the intensity for the predicted excursion warning.
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Abstract
A system for alerting drivers when a vehicle is or may be likely to be traveling in excess of a speed limit is provided. The system evaluates vehicle speed and provides custom warnings for various speed-related occurrences including a prediction that based on an instantaneous speed and acceleration the vehicle is about to exceed the speed limit. Haptic feedback from a wearable device such as a smart watch may preferably provide distinct intensities of warning between actual and predicted excursions over a limit.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An alert system for a driver of a road vehicle, comprising:
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a speed circuit generating an instantaneous speed of the vehicle; a limit setting circuit identifying a speed threshold; a warning controller coupled to the speed circuit and the limit setting circuit, wherein the warning controller
1) determines an instantaneous acceleration corresponding to the instantaneous speed,
2) determines an estimated time-to-threshold in response to the instantaneous acceleration and instantaneous speed, and
3) generates a predicted excursion warning to the driver if the time-to-threshold is less than a predetermined time; andan indicator responsive to the warning controller for producing the predicted excursion warning as an event sensible by the driver; wherein the warning controller generates an excessive speed warning if the instantaneous speed is greater than the speed threshold, wherein the indicator produces the excessive speed warning as another event sensible by the driver, wherein the sensible events for the predicted excursion warning and the excessive speed warning have respective intensities, and wherein the intensity for the excessive speed warning is greater than the intensity for the predicted excursion warning; and wherein the warning controller generates an excessive acceleration warning if the instantaneous acceleration is greater than an acceleration threshold, wherein the indicator produces the excessive acceleration warning as another event sensible by the driver, wherein the sensible events for the predicted excursion warning and the excessive acceleration warning have respective intensities, and wherein the intensity for the excessive acceleration warning is less than the intensity for the predicted excursion warning. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A wireless alerting system carried in a vehicle, comprising:
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a GPS receiver monitoring vehicle location and characterizing instantaneous speed and acceleration from within the vehicle; a controller identifying a speed limit for the location and calculating an estimated time to reach the speed limit; and a haptic transducer generating a predicted excursion warning to the driver when the estimated time is less than a predetermined time, wherein the haptic transducer generates an excessive speed warning if the instantaneous speed is greater than the speed limit and an excessive acceleration warning if the instantaneous acceleration is greater than an acceleration threshold; wherein each warning has a respective intensity, wherein the intensity for the excessive speed warning is greater than the intensity for the predicted excursion warning, and wherein the intensity for the predicted excursion warning is greater than the intensity for the excessive acceleration warning. - View Dependent Claims (10)
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11. A method of speed monitoring of a vehicle, comprising:
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determining an instantaneous speed of the vehicle; determining an instantaneous acceleration of the vehicle; identifying a speed limit applicable to operation of the vehicle at its current location; determining an estimated time-to-limit in response to the instantaneous acceleration and instantaneous speed; generating a predicted excursion warning to the driver if the time-to-limit is less than a predetermined time; generating an excessive speed warning if the instantaneous speed is greater than the speed limit; and generating an excessive acceleration warning if the instantaneous acceleration is greater than an acceleration threshold, wherein each warning is comprised of a driver sensible event produced by an indicator having a respective intensity, wherein the intensity for the excessive speed warning is greater than the intensity for the predicted excursion warning, and wherein the intensity for the predicted excursion warning is greater than the intensity for the excessive acceleration warning. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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Specification