Electronic motor vehicle speed control apparatus
First Claim
1. An improved speed control apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising:
- a. means for sensing the speed of a motor vehicle and for providing a sensed speed signal indicative thereof;
b. a single self-contained input means operable by an operator of the motor vehicle for receiving a plurality of operator input codes, each of said codes comprising a sequence of a plurality of code elements;
c. means operatively connected with said input means for selectively providing a plurality of maximum output speed signals in response to unique ones of said received operator input codes, wherein each of said produced maximum output speed signals is capable of being operatively responsive to more than one of said unique ones of said operator input codes; and
d. engine control means operatively connected to receive said sensed and said maximum speed signals for controlling the speed of the motor vehicle in response thereto.
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Abstract
A programmable speed control apparatus for limiting the maximum speed of a motor vehicle to one of a plurality of predetermined velocities as selected by operator entered input codes. The speed control apparatus is programmable to operatively respond only to unique operator identified input codes which may be confidentially issued by insurance companies to drivers of a motor vehicle according to their age, insurance risk, or the like. An input section accepts and decodes operator entered input codes. A programmable section, normally inaccessible to an operator of the vehicle, enables decoding circuits to permit energization of the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s engine and to select a predetermined maximum speed limit for the vehicle in response to the unique input codes when entered in a timely manner. A speed sensor produces a speed signal proportional to the actual velocity of the vehicle. A control unit compares the speed signal against a reference signal determined by the selected predetermined maximum speed limit and stops the vehicle'"'"''"'"'s engine whenever the actual speed exceeds the selected speed of the vehicle. A control override feature allows an operator to exceed his predetermined maximum speed in emergency passing situations. Once a unique operator input code has been accepted by the system, subsequent recognition of another unique input code is prevented until the apparatus is recycled. An acceleration control prevents acceleration of the vehicle above a predetermined acceleration rate.
56 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An improved speed control apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising:
- a. means for sensing the speed of a motor vehicle and for providing a sensed speed signal indicative thereof;
b. a single self-contained input means operable by an operator of the motor vehicle for receiving a plurality of operator input codes, each of said codes comprising a sequence of a plurality of code elements;
c. means operatively connected with said input means for selectively providing a plurality of maximum output speed signals in response to unique ones of said received operator input codes, wherein each of said produced maximum output speed signals is capable of being operatively responsive to more than one of said unique ones of said operator input codes; and
d. engine control means operatively connected to receive said sensed and said maximum speed signals for controlling the speed of the motor vehicle in response thereto.
- a. means for sensing the speed of a motor vehicle and for providing a sensed speed signal indicative thereof;
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2. An improved speed control apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 1, including means operatively connected with said engine control means for preventing energization of an engine of the motor vehicle until one of said unique operator input codes has been received by said input means.
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3. An improved speed control apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 1, wherein said input means includes a selector panel having a plurality of code selectors forming an integral part thereof each associated with one of said code elements, said selector panel being operable to generate all of said plurality of input codes upon sequential selective activation of said code selectors by an operator of the motor vehicle.
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4. An improved speed control apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 3, including means operatively connected with said input means and with said means for providing said maximum output speed signals for restricting operative activation of those ones of said code selectors which correspond to successive code elements of said unique operator input codes, according to a predetermined timing schedule.
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5. An improved speed control apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 3, wherein said plurality of code elements are digitally representable, and wherein said plurality of code selectors of the selector panel comprise a plurality of digitally designated selector switches.
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6. An improved speed control apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 1, wherein said means for providing said maximum speed signals includes means for producing a selected one of said plurality of predetermined maximum output speed signals in response to each of said unique received operator input codes, and wherein said speed control apparatus further includes means for sensing the complete receipt of a first unique operator input code and for thereafter preventing successive operative receipt of a second unique operator input code until recycling of the apparatus.
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7. An improved speed control apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 1, further including acceleration control means operatively connected with said engine control means and connected to receive said sensed speed signal for preventing in response thereto acceleration of the motor vehicle in excess of a predetermined acceleration rate.
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8. An electronic maximum speed limiting apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising:
- a. a single, self-contained input selector means for receiving a plurality of different operator input codes, wherein each of said input codes comprises a sequence of a plurality of code elements;
b. decode circuit means connected to receive said plurality of operator input codes for selectively producing maximum speed limit output signals in response to unique ones of said operator input codes;
c. programmable encoding means operatively connecting said input selector means with said decode circuit means, and normally inaccessible to an operator of the motor vehicle, for programmably defining said unique ones of said operator input codes;
d. speed sensing means for producing a speed signal indicative of the velocity of the vehicle;
e. means operatively connected with said speed sensing means and with said decode circuit means for altering said speed signal in response to the selectively produced maximum speed limit output signal; and
f. control means operatively connected to receive said altered speed signal for controlling energization of an engine of the motor vehicle in response thereto.
- a. a single, self-contained input selector means for receiving a plurality of different operator input codes, wherein each of said input codes comprises a sequence of a plurality of code elements;
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9. An electronic speed limiting apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 8, further including means for producing a reference signal, wherein said speed signal comprises a pulse train having frequency proportional to the speed of the vehicle, wherein said means for altering said speed signal comprises means for varying the width of pulses of said pulse train in response to the selectively produced maximum speed limit signal, and wherein said control means is connected to receive said reference signal and includes means for comparing said altered speed signal with said reference signal for controlling energization of the engine in response thereto.
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10. An electronic maximum speed limiting apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 8, wherein said maximum speed limit output signals are identifiable with predetermined maximum speed limits of the motor vehicle, and wherein said control means includes means for comparing said altered speed signal with a reference signal for limiting the maximum speed of the motor vehicle to that predetermined speed associated with the selectively produced maximum speed signal.
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11. An electronic maximum speed limiting apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 10, further including passing override means operatively connected with said control means for enabling the control means to energize said engine for a predetermined time interval following an over-speed indication by said comparator means.
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12. An electronic maximum speed limiting apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 11, including means operatively connected with said passing override means for preventing operative activation thereof for a predetermined time interval following its last activation.
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13. A programmable maximum speed limting apparatus for motor vehicles, comprising:
- a. speed sensing means for producing a sensed speed signal indicative of the speed of the motor vehicle;
b. a single code input selector means for receiving a plurality of operator entered input codes, wherein each of said input codes comprises a sequence of a plurality of code elements;
c. programmable encoding means, operatively connected with said code input means and normally inaccessible to an operator of the motor vehicle, for providing a plurality of encoded signals in response to unique ones of said plurality of received operator input codes, said encoding means being programmably alterable to recognize different unique ones of said operator input codes;
d. decode circuit means operatively connected to receive said encoded signals for selectively producing in response thereto a maximum speed limit signal identifiable with a predetermined maximum speed limit of the vehicle; and
e. engine control means operatively connected with an engine of the motor vehicle and connected to receive said sensed speed and said maximum speed limit signals for controlling energization of said engine in response thereto, said control means being operative to deenergize said engine whenever the sensed speed signal indicates a vehicle speed in excess of that predetermined maximum speed limit identified with the maximum speed limit signal received by said engine control means.
- a. speed sensing means for producing a sensed speed signal indicative of the speed of the motor vehicle;
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14. A programmable maximum speed limiting apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 13, wherein said code input selector means comprises a keyboard-type selector panel having a plurality of selector switching means each associated with one of said code elements and wherein each of said received input codes comprises the composite electrical signal produced by a given sequential activation of said plurality of selector switching means.
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15. A programmable maximum speed limiting apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 14, including means connected with said code input selector means and with said control means for sensing simultaneous activation of more than one of said plurality of selector switching means and for causing said control means to prevent energization of said engine for a predetermined time interval after such simultaneous activation.
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16. A programmable maximum speed limiting apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 13, wherein said sensed speed signal comprises a pulse train signal having frequency proportional to the speed of the vehicle, wherein said decode circuit means includes means for selectively producing one of a plurality of predetermined maximum speed limit signals in response to each received unique operator input code, and wherein said engine control means comprises:
- a. means for varying the width of pulses of said pulse train signal in response to said selectively produced maximum speed limit signal;
b. means for producing a dc reference signal; and
c. comparator means for comparing said varied pulse train signal with said reference signal for deenergizing the engine in response thereto.
- a. means for varying the width of pulses of said pulse train signal in response to said selectively produced maximum speed limit signal;
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17. A programmable maximum speed limiting apparatus for motor vehicles according to claim 13, wherein said sensed speed signal comprises a pulse train signal having frequency proportional to the speed of the vehicle, and further includes acceleration control means operatively connected to receive said sensed speed signal for measuring the time rate of change of said speed signal and for deenergizing said engine whenever the time rate of change of said speed signal exceeds a predetermined rate.
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18. The method of setting the maximum speed limit into a speed limiter apparatus for motor vehicles comprising the steps of:
- a. pre-programming the speed limiter to recognize a plurality of unique operator input codes, wherein each of the input codes comprises a sequence of a plurality of code elements;
b. sequentially entering the code elements of one of the unique operator input codes into the speed limiter;
c. decoding the entered operator input code to selectively produce one of a plurality of predetermined maximum speed limit signals in response thereto; and
d. automatically setting the maximum speed limit of the vehicle in response to the selected predetermined maximum speed limit signal.
- a. pre-programming the speed limiter to recognize a plurality of unique operator input codes, wherein each of the input codes comprises a sequence of a plurality of code elements;
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19. The method of setting the maximum speed limit into a speed limiter apparatus according to claim 18, further including the step of providing recognition only of those unique entered input codes wherein each individual code element after the first of such elements of each unique code is sequentially entered into the speed limiter within a predetermined time interval of the immediately preceding code element.
Specification