Method and system for providing speed limit alerts

• US 10,323,956 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2018
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Clauss, Mark E., Balbach, Steve J., Cope, Craig, Riblet, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US15/908,025
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/18 including a device to audibly, visibly, or otherwise signal the existence of unusual or unintended speed to the driver of the vehicle devices primarily intended for indicating speed to other traffic B60Q1/54
• 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 2050/0064 using a remote, e.g. cordless, transmitter or receiver unit, e.g. remote keypad or mobile phone
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• 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: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09626 where the origin of the information is within the own vehicle, e.g. a local storage device, digital map
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate 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 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096866 where the complete route is shown to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map

Abstract

A method and system may provide speed limit data to users driving in vehicles. A user'"'"'s client device such as a smart-phone, smart watch, or tablet computer, may provide visual, audible, and/or haptic alerts to the user when the user exceeds a posted speed limit by more than a threshold amount. For example, when the user exceeds the posted speed limit by more than the threshold amount, the user'"'"'s smart-phone may play a beeping sound and may announce the posted speed limit to the user. A map of a geographic area including the user'"'"'s travelled route may also be displayed, with annotated areas along the route where the user exceeded the posted speed limit. The map may also include an indication of a proportion of a duration or distance of the route in which the user travelled above the posted speed limit.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing speed limit data in a vehicle, the method executed by one or more processors programmed to perform the method, the method comprising:

at a plurality of instances in time during a vehicle trip of a user;

determining, by one or more processors, a current location of the user when the user is travelling in a vehicle;

obtaining, at the one or more processors, a posted speed limit for the vehicle based upon the current location of the user; and

determining, by the one or more processors, a speed of the vehicle; and

providing, by the one or more processors, a map display to the user including map data corresponding to a route in which the user previously travelled during the vehicle trip, wherein the map display includes, for each of a plurality of locations on the route, an indication of the speed of the vehicle at the location relative to the posted speed limit for the location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the map display includes an indication of a proportion of a duration or distance of the route in which the user travelled above the posted speed limit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indication is a color selected from a plurality of colors, wherein each of the plurality of colors represents a different speed category from a set of speed categories including below the posted speed limit, above the posted speed limit, below a threshold speed above the posted speed limit, and above the threshold speed above the posted speed limit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is automatically initiated when the user begins travelling in the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the method is a first method, and wherein to automatically initiate the first method when the user begins travelling in the vehicle, a second method executed by one or more processors programmed to perform the second method comprises:

comparing, by the one or more processors at a client device, the speed of the vehicle to a threshold speed;

determining, by the one or more processors, whether the client device is within range of an onboard computing device of the vehicle by detecting an electronic signal from the onboard computing device; and

when at least one of;

(i) the speed of the vehicle exceeds the threshold speed or (ii) the client device is within range of the onboard computing device of the vehicle, automatically initiating the first method.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, at the one or more processors, an indication of a threshold speed above the posted speed limit for providing an alert to a user; and

when the vehicle exceeds the threshold speed above the posted speed limit;

providing, by the one or more processors, a visual alert to the user, wherein the visual alert includes a display on a user interface with an indication that the vehicle is exceeding the threshold speed above the posted speed limit.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein obtaining an indication of a threshold speed above a posted speed limit includes obtaining, by the one or more processors at a client device, a plurality of indications of threshold speeds above the posted speed limit from the user, wherein each of plurality of indications corresponds to a speed limit range, and further comprising:

comparing, by the one or more processors, the speed of the vehicle to the posted speed limit for the vehicle and a threshold speed of the plurality of threshold speeds above the posted speed limit corresponding to a speed limit range which includes the posted speed limit; and

determining, by the one or more processors, that the vehicle exceeds the threshold speed above the posted speed limit based upon the comparison.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein providing a visual alert to the user comprises providing, by the one or more processors, the visual alert to be displayed on an onboard computing device of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the visual alert is a first visual alert, the indication is a first indication, and further comprising:

when the vehicle does not exceed the threshold speed above the posted speed limit and the vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit;

providing, by the one or more processors, a second visual alert to the user, wherein the second visual alert includes a display on the user interface with a second indication that the vehicle does not exceed the threshold speed above the posted speed limit and the vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit; and

when the vehicle does not exceed the posted speed limit;

providing, by the one or more processors, a third visual alert to the user, wherein the third visual alert includes a display on the user interface with a third indication that the vehicle does not exceed the posted speed limit.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the first, second, and third indications corresponding to the respective first, second, and third visual alerts are a different background color on the display from a set of background colors, and wherein each indication includes a display of the posted speed limit at the current location of the user.

11. A client device for providing speed limit data in a vehicle, the client device comprising:

one or more processors;

a communication network;

a user interface;

a non-transitory computer-readable memory coupled to the one or more processors, the communication network, and the user interface, and storing thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client device to;

at a plurality of instances in time during a vehicle trip of a user;

determine a current location of the user when the user is travelling in a vehicle;

obtain a posted speed limit for the vehicle based upon the current location of the user; and

determine a speed of the vehicle; and

provide a map display to the user including map data corresponding to a route in which the user previously travelled during the vehicle trip, wherein the map display includes, for each of a plurality of locations on the route, an indication of the speed of the vehicle at the location relative to the posted speed limit for the location.

12. The client device of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the client device to:

provide an indication of a proportion of a duration or distance of the route in which the user travelled above the posted speed limit.

13. The client device of claim 12, wherein the indication is a color selected from a plurality of colors, wherein each of the plurality of colors represents a different speed category from a set of speed categories including below the posted speed limit, above the posted speed limit, below a threshold speed above the posted speed limit, and above the threshold speed above the posted speed limit.

14. The client device of claim 11, wherein the instructions are automatically executed by the one or more processors on the client device when the user begins travelling in the vehicle.

15. The client device of claim 14, wherein the instructions executed by the one or more processors are a first set of instructions and wherein to automatically execute the first set of instructions on the client device when the user begins travelling in the vehicle, a second set of instructions are stored in the non-transitory computer-readable memory that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the client device to:

compare the speed of the vehicle to a threshold speed;

determine whether the client device is within range of an onboard computing device of the vehicle by detecting, via the communication network, an electronic signal from the onboard computing device; and

when at least one of;

(i) the speed of the vehicle exceeds the threshold speed or (ii) the client device is within range of the onboard computing device of the vehicle, cause the first set of instructions to automatically be executed by the one or more processors on the client device.

16. The client device of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the client device to:

obtain an indication of a threshold speed above the posted speed limit for providing an alert to a user; and

when the vehicle exceeds the threshold speed above the posted speed limit;

provide a visual alert to the user, wherein the visual alert includes a display on a user interface with an indication that the vehicle is exceeding the threshold speed above the posted speed limit.

17. The client device of claim 16, wherein to obtain an indication of a threshold speed above a posted speed limit, the instructions cause the client device to obtain a plurality of indications of threshold speeds above the posted speed limit from the user, wherein each of plurality of indications corresponds to a speed limit range, and the instructions further cause the client device to:

compare the speed of the vehicle to the posted speed limit for the vehicle and a threshold speed of the plurality of threshold speeds above the posted speed limit corresponding to a speed limit range which includes the posted speed limit; and

determine that the vehicle exceeds the threshold speed above the posted speed limit based upon the comparison.

18. The client device of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the client device to provide the visual alert to be displayed on an onboard computing device of the vehicle.

19. The client device of claim 16, wherein the visual alert is a first visual alert, the indication is a first indication, and the instructions further cause the client device to:

when the vehicle does not exceed the threshold speed above the posted speed limit and the vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit;

provide a second visual alert to the user, wherein the second visual alert includes a display on the user interface with a second indication that the vehicle does not exceed the threshold speed above the posted speed limit and the vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit; and

when the vehicle does not exceed the posted speed limit;

provide a third visual alert to the user, wherein the third visual alert includes a display on the user interface with a third indication that the vehicle does not exceed the posted speed limit.

20. The client device of claim 19, wherein each of the first, second, and third indications corresponding to the respective first, second, and third visual alerts are a different background color on the display from a set of background colors, and wherein each indication includes a display of the posted speed limit at the current location of the user.