Distance detector

• US 9,981,198 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Innovations LLC
• Original Assignee: Zebra Innovations LLC
• Inventors: Ventura, Robbie, Paley, Michael D., Ketchell, Robby
• Primary Examiner(s): Paige, Tyler
• Application Number:
  US15/202,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20160310868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 701301
• CPC Class Codes: A63K 3/00 Equipment or accessories for racing or riding sports training equipment for animals A01K15/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63K 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/521 Constructional features
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/64 Luminous indications G01S7/62 takes precedence ; short-range imaging G01S7/52076

Abstract

A distance detecting device is mounted on a user'"'"'s vehicle to detect a distance between the user'"'"'s vehicle and a leading vehicle moving in front of the user'"'"'s vehicle. The distance detecting device communicates with a processing device, which applies race based distance rules to determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is close to or incurring a penalty based at least on the distance between the user'"'"'s vehicle and the leading vehicle. An indication can be given to the user regarding an impending penalty and/or when a penalty is incurred. Similarly, the device can be read to apply a penalty. Various modifications can be made to allow for recording, display, and transmission of racing and penalty statistics, enabling and disabling recordation of penalty occurrences, tailoring the penalty determinations to a given race, and mounting the distance detecting device to a vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring distance behind a moving vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to mount to a user'"'"'s vehicle, the housing containing at least;

a distance sensing device configured to output a signal proportional to a distance between the distance sensing device and a leading vehicle,

a processing device in communication with the distance sensing device to receive the signal;

an indicator operatively connected to receive signals from the processing device to control provision of an indication to the user regarding application of distance based rules to the user'"'"'s vehicle;

wherein the processing device is further configured to;

monitor the signal to determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is within a penalty distance and to monitor an amount of time that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance;

control the indicator to provide a first indication in response to determining that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance from a leading vehicle,

control the indicator to provide a second indication in response to determining that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance from a leading vehicle for more than a threshold amount of time,

determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is decreasing the distance between the distance sensing device and the leading vehicle while the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance, and

in response to determining that the distance is continually decreasing, not providing the second indication in response to determining that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance from a leading vehicle for more than the threshold amount of time.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a memory device operatively connected to the processing device, wherein the processing device is configured to:

store a history of the user'"'"'s vehicle entering and exiting the penalty distance from a leading vehicle,

determine a successive pattern in the user'"'"'s vehicle entering and exiting the penalty distance from a leading vehicle, and

in response to determining the successive pattern, recording in the memory device a total amount of time that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance from a leading vehicle during the successive pattern.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a memory device operatively connected to the processing device, wherein the processing device is configured to store in the memory device a number of times that the user'"'"'s vehicle was within the penalty distance of a leading vehicle for more than the threshold amount of time.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a wireless transmitter configured to transmit information conveying the number of times that the user'"'"'s vehicle was within the penalty distance of a leading vehicle for more than the threshold amount of time.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising wherein the processing device is further configured to control the indicator to provide an indication conveying the number of times that the user'"'"'s vehicle was within the penalty distance of a leading vehicle for more than the threshold amount of time.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising wherein the processing device is further configured to control the indicator to provide an indication that the user'"'"'s vehicle is outside of the penalty distance of a leading vehicle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing device is configured to:

receive speed signals regarding a speed of the user'"'"'s vehicle;

determine an approximate location of the user'"'"'s vehicle based on a recorded history of the user'"'"'s vehicle'"'"'s speed;

not monitor the signal to determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance in response to determining that the user'"'"'s vehicle is in a portion of a race course exempt from drafting penalties.

8. An apparatus for monitoring distance behind a moving vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a housing configured to mount to a user'"'"'s vehicle, the housing containing at least;

a distance sensing device configured to output a signal proportional to a distance between the distance sensing device and a leading vehicle,

a processing device in communication with the distance sensing device to receive the signal and configured to monitor the signal to determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is within a penalty distance and to monitor an amount of time that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance;

an indicator operatively connected to receive signals from the processing device to control provision of an indication to the user regarding application of distance based rules to the user'"'"'s vehicle;

a wireless receiver operatively connected to the processing device and configured to receive a disable wireless signal from a wireless transmitter located along a race route, wherein the processing device is configured to not monitor the signal to determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance in response to receiving a disable signal from the wireless receiver.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising the wireless receiver'"'"'s being configured to receive an enable wireless signal from a wireless transmitter located along the race route, wherein the processing device is configured to re-enable monitoring the signal to determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance in response to receiving an enable signal from the wireless receiver.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a memory device operatively connected to the processing device, wherein the processing device is configured to:

monitor the signal to determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is within a penalty distance and to monitor an amount of time that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance;

control the indicator to provide a first indication in response to determining that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance from a leading vehicle,

control the indicator to provide a second indication in response to determining that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance from a leading vehicle for more than a threshold amount of time,

determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is decreasing the distance between the distance sensing device and the leading vehicle while the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance, and

in response to determining that the distance is continually decreasing, not providing the second indication in response to determining that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance from a leading vehicle for more than the threshold amount of time.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a memory device operatively connected to the processing device, wherein the processing device is configured to:

store a history of the user'"'"'s vehicle entering and exiting the penalty distance from a leading vehicle,

determine a successive pattern in the user'"'"'s vehicle entering and exiting the penalty distance from a leading vehicle, and

in response to determining the successive pattern, recording in the memory device a total amount of time that the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance from a leading vehicle during the successive pattern.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a memory device operatively connected to the processing device, wherein the processing device is configured to store in the memory device a number of times that the user'"'"'s vehicle was within the penalty distance of a leading vehicle for more than the threshold amount of time.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a wireless transmitter configured to transmit information conveying the number of times that the user'"'"'s vehicle was within the penalty distance of a leading vehicle for more than the threshold amount of time.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising wherein the processing device is further configured to control the indicator to provide an indication conveying the number of times that the user'"'"'s vehicle was within the penalty distance of a leading vehicle for more than the threshold amount of time.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising wherein the processing device is further configured to control the indicator to provide an indication that the user'"'"'s vehicle is outside of the penalty distance of a leading vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the processing device is configured to:

receive speed signals regarding a speed of the user'"'"'s vehicle;

determine an approximate location of the user'"'"'s vehicle based on a recorded history of the user'"'"'s vehicle'"'"'s speed;

not monitor the signal to determine whether the user'"'"'s vehicle is within the penalty distance in response to determining that the user'"'"'s vehicle is in a portion of a race course exempt from drafting penalties.