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

• US 9,791,294 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2016
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Rothschild, Leigh M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC, MCDIEUNEL
• Application Number:
  US15/076,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20160203715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 701 36, 701 93, 3482221, 34833301, 34833311, 37914206
• 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:

receiving, by a computing system via a network, location information and speed information about a plurality of devices, wherein respective devices of the plurality of devices are configured to determine location information and speed information corresponding to the respective devices;

determining, by the computing system, specific information for a portion of a road based on the received location information and speed information of one or more of the plurality of devices along the portion of the road; and

transmitting, by the computing system, the specific information to a remote computing device associated with an interested party in response to determining the specific information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method specific information includes one or more of an average speed of travel on the portion of the road, an average speed of a number of reporting vehicles associated with the one or more of the plurality of devices, an estimated percentage of vehicles that are obeying or violating a speed limit of the portion of the road, or an average speed of travel for a particular time of day.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the computing system, an alert to the remote computing device associated with the interested party in response to a condition exceeding a notification alarm.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the notification alarm is associated with a speed of travel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the condition exceeding the notification alarm includes one or more vehicles travelling over the speed of travel or one or more vehicles travelling under the speed of travel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more of the plurality of devices along the portion of the road are located in one or more vehicles travelling along the portion of the road.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computing system, an average vehicle speed for one or more roadways.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the average vehicle speed for one or more roadways is based on a particular time of day.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive, via a network, location information and speed information about a plurality of devices, wherein respective devices of the plurality of devices are configured to determine location information and speed information corresponding to the respective devices;

determine specific information for a portion of a road based on the received location information and speed information of one or more of the plurality of devices along the portion of the road; and

transmit the specific information to a remote computing device associated with an interested party in response to determining the specific information.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the method specific information includes one or more of an average speed of travel on the portion of the road, an average speed of a number of reporting vehicles associated with the one or more of the plurality of devices, an estimated percentage of vehicles that are obeying or violating a speed limit of the portion of the road, or an average speed of travel for a particular time of day.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the instructions further comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the computing device, further cause the computing device to:

send an alert to the remote computing device associated with the interested party in response to a condition exceeding a notification alarm.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the notification alarm is associated with a speed of travel, and wherein the condition exceeding the notification alarm includes one or more vehicles travelling over the speed of travel or one or more vehicles travelling under the speed of travel.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the one or more of the plurality of devices along the portion of the road are located in one or more vehicles travelling along the portion of the road.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9, the instructions further comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the computing device, further cause the computing device to:

determine an average vehicle speed for one or more roadways, wherein the average vehicle speed for one or more roadways is based on a particular time of day.

15. A computing system, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory in communication with the at least one processor, wherein the at least one memory includes instructions that that, in response to being executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to;

receive, via a network, location information and speed information about a plurality of devices, wherein respective devices of the plurality of devices are configured to determine location information and speed information corresponding to the respective devices,

determine specific information for a portion of a road based on the received location information and speed information of one or more of the plurality of devices along the portion of the road, and

transmit the specific information to a remote computing device associated with an interested party in response to determining the specific information.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the method specific information includes one or more of an average speed of travel on the portion of the road, an average speed of a number of reporting vehicles associated with the one or more of the plurality of devices, an estimated percentage of vehicles that are obeying or violating a speed limit of the portion of the road, or an average speed of travel for a particular time of day.

17. The computing device of claim 15, the instructions further comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing system to:

send an alert to the remote computing device associated with the interested party in response to a condition exceeding a notification alarm.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the notification alarm is associated with a speed of travel, and wherein the condition exceeding the notification alarm includes one or more vehicles travelling over the speed of travel or one or more vehicles travelling under the speed of travel.

19. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the one or more of the plurality of devices along the portion of the road are located in one or more vehicles travelling along the portion of the road.

20. The computing device of claim 15, the instructions further comprising instructions that, in response to being executed by the computing device, further cause the computing device to:

determine an average vehicle speed for one or more roadways, wherein the average vehicle speed for one or more roadways is based on a particular time of day.