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

• US 10,712,171 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2019
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• 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:
  US16/510,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20200011700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• 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 system for monitoring and evaluating driver behavior, the system comprising:

a device placed in a vehicle, wherein the device includes;

a locational information module configured to determine a speed of the vehicle; and

a date and time module configured to determine a time of day at which the vehicle is being driven; and

a server communicatively coupled to the device and configured to;

receive the speed of the vehicle and the time of day at which the vehicle is being driven;

compare the speed of the vehicle to a threshold speed; and

store a record of whether the speed of the vehicle is higher than the threshold speed and the time of day at which the vehicle is being driven in a database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is a hand-held device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the device includes a display module.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the display module is configured to present a record received from the server, wherein the record includes at least one of an indication of whether the speed of the vehicle was higher than the threshold speed and a time of day at which the vehicle was being driven.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the device further includes a user verification module configured to verify an identity of a user of the device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user verification module includes at least one of a retinal scanning device, a fingerprint reader, or a facial recognition reader.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to transmit the speed of the vehicle without transmitting a location of the vehicle.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by one or more processors of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform actions comprising:

determining, by the computing device, a speed at which a vehicle in which the computing device is located is being operated;

determining, by the computing device, a time of day at which the vehicle is being operated;

transmitting, by the computing device, information about the vehicle to a server, wherein the information includes at least one of the speed and the time of day; and

receiving, by the computing device, a communication from the server regarding whether the information indicates that the vehicle was operated outside of one or more thresholds.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the computing device is a hand-held device.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the computing device includes a display module, and wherein the actions further comprise:

presenting, by the computing device, content of the communication via the display module.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the computing device includes a user verification module, and wherein the actions further comprise:

receiving, by the computing device, identity information from a user; and

verifying, by the computing device, an identity of the user based on the identity information.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein receiving identity information from a user includes at least one of receiving a password, receiving a retinal scan, receiving a fingerprint, or receiving a facial image.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein transmitting information about the vehicle to the server includes transmitting the speed without transmitting a location of the vehicle.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving the communication from the server includes receiving at least one of an e-mail message, an instant message, a phone call, or a web page.

15. A method of monitoring and evaluating driver behavior, the method comprising:

receiving, by a server from a device placed in a vehicle, information about the vehicle, wherein the information about the vehicle includes at least one of a speed and a time at which the vehicle is being driven;

compare, by the server, the information about the vehicle to one or more thresholds;

store, by the server in a database, a record of whether the information about the vehicle is greater than the one or more thresholds; and

transmit, by the server to the device placed in the vehicle, a communication that includes information from the record for presentation to a user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communication comprises one or more of an e-mail message, an instant message, a phone call, or a web page.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the device placed in the vehicle is a hand-held device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein comparing the information about the vehicle to one or more thresholds includes comparing the speed to a speed threshold.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving information about the vehicle includes receiving a speed at which the vehicle is being driven but does not include a location of the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving, by the server from a plurality of devices placed in a plurality of vehicles, information about the plurality of vehicles.