Vehicle management system

• US 9,694,816 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chantal Farah
• Original Assignee: Chantal Farah
• Inventors: Morissette, Jean
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US14/918,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20170106863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 701 93, 340 531, 180271
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0066 using buttons or a keyboard connected to the on-board processor
• 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: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers

Abstract

A passenger actionable emergency vehicle management system for altering the behavior of the vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle management system comprises a vehicle overriding mechanism operatively connected to the vehicle and capable of overriding driver controlled vehicle systems, a control circuit operatively connected to the vehicle overriding mechanism and an actuator, operatively connected to the control circuit and located in the vehicle within reach of a vehicle passenger seat.

Claims

1. A vehicle management system for altering a behavior of a vehicle by a passenger in case of emergency, the system comprising:

a vehicle overriding mechanism operatively connected to the vehicle for overriding at least one driver controlled vehicle systems;

an actuator, operatively connected to the vehicle overriding mechanism and located in the vehicle within reach of a vehicle passenger seat; and

a communication interface to wirelessly receive data from a computing device or a user and to wirelessly transfer an alert signal to a remote service;

wherein the vehicle management system being initially inoperative and wherein the activation of the actuator, upon occurrence of an hazardous condition or reckless driving, initiates the activation of the vehicle overriding mechanism.

2. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle overriding mechanism is a disabling mechanism having operative and inoperative modes, wherein in the operative mode, the disabling mechanism disable the vehicle power in response to a trigger signal resulting in stopping the vehicle, and in the inactive mode, the disabling mechanism is unable to affect the vehicle systems.

3. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a remote database capable of receiving vehicle behavior data for collection.

4. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a speed limit/GPS coordinates database.

5. The vehicle management system of claim 4, wherein the vehicle overriding mechanism is operatively connected to a GPS module informing the vehicle overriding mechanism of the vehicle positioning, wherein vehicle overriding mechanism associate GPS coordinates from the GPS module with a corresponding speed limit entry from the speed limit/GPS coordinates database.

6. The vehicle management system of claim 5, wherein the enabled vehicle overriding mechanism limits the speed of the vehicle to the speed limit corresponding to the GPS coordinate of the vehicle GPS module.

7. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein actuating the actuator affect a control circuit enabling the vehicle overriding mechanism, the actuator being a control switch which upon activation interrupts the control circuit and prevents driver inputs from reaching the at least one driver controlled vehicle systems.

8. The vehicle management system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle overriding mechanism communicates an alarm signal when the vehicle exceeds the speed limit associated with the GPS coordinates.

9. The vehicle management system of claim 7, wherein the vehicle overriding mechanism communicates vehicle GPS coordinates to emergency services through wireless communications.

10. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein actuating the actuator triggers a control circuit enabling the vehicle overriding mechanism, and wherein the enabled vehicle overriding mechanism generate an alarm signal.

11. The vehicle management system of claim 10, wherein the alarm signal is a repeated klaxon noise.

12. The vehicle management system of claim 10, wherein the alarm signal is communicated to the vehicle owner through wireless communications.

13. The vehicle management system of claim 10, wherein the alarm signal is communicated through manufacturer installed communication systems.

14. The vehicle management system of claim 10, wherein the alarm signal is communicated through a passenger smartphone connection.

15. The vehicle management system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is controlled by a mobile device application.

16. A method for overriding a driver vehicle control upon occurrence of an hazardous condition or reckless driving, the method comprising:

a) actuating an actuator located in the vehicle within reach of a vehicle passenger seat and operatively connected to a vehicle overriding mechanism;

b) actuating the vehicle overriding mechanism;

c) inhibiting a vehicle control system affecting the behavior of the vehicle; and

d) actuating a communication interface to wirelessly receive data from a computing device or a user and to wirelessly transfer an alert signal to a remote service.

17. The method of claim 16, the method further comprising the step of assessing the danger level associated with vehicle GPS coordinate.

18. The method of claim 17, therein the inhibited vehicle control system is selected according to the danger level associated with a vehicle localisation.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the actuator is actuated through a mobile application controlled by a vehicle passenger.