Vehicle drive override system

• US 6,643,578 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfred B. Levine
• Original Assignee: Alfred B. Levine
• Inventors: Levine, Alfred B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/236,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/23, 701/38, 701/37, 701/24, 701/70, 701/71, 701/29, 701/93, 701/301, 180/168, 180/170, 180/171, 340/435, 340/905, 340/438, 340/506, 340/937, 340/439, 280/5.503, 280/5.514, 377/23, 377/3, 327/102, 327/215, 303/127, 303/122.02, 303/139, 303/188
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/16 responsive to, or preventing, skidding of wheels brake control systems for vehicle drive stability B60T8/1755; arrangements responsive to a speed condition for adjusting wheel braking force B60T8/32; control of vehicle driving stability otherwise than by controlling the propulsion unit only B60W30/02; preventing wheel slippage by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/00 Vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed, i.e. preventing speed from exceeding an arbitrarily established velocity or maintaining speed at a particular velocity, as selected by the vehicle operator fittings acting on two or more sub-units B60W30/14; speedometers G01P; systems or devices for controlling speed in general G05D13/00 ; in traffic anti-collision system for road vehicles G08G1/16
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 31/0058 responsive to externally generated signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/30 Arrangements interacting with transmitters or receivers otherwise than by visible means, e.g. using radar reflectors or radio transmitters E01F11/00 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 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 : where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 : where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/22 : Platooning, i.e. convoy of communicating vehicles

Abstract

An electronic subsystem for automotive vehicles for overriding the manual control of the vehicles and substituting limited automatic control in response to onboard sensors detecting external and internal conditions that are in violation of the traffic laws or adverse to the normal manually controlled operation of the vehicle. Traffic laws and regulations are digitally detected from the vehicle by wireless acquisition, and the vehicle is automatically controlled to insure compliance. The system detects adverse environmental conditions, including degraded traction and visibility, proximity of other vehicles and objects, uncontrolled vehicle movements, including skidding and fishtailing, and others, and overrides the manual control of the vehicle to minimize the effects of such conditions. The system also provides for monitoring traffic flow along roadways and wirelessly regulating such flow.

Claims

1. An automatic control system for a manually controlled automotive vehicle for overriding the manual control of the vehicle upon detecting that the vehicle is being driven in a reckless manner, said system comprising:

a controller that is connectable to the vehicle for overriding manual control of the vehicle,

sensor means for detecting repetitive changes in operation of the vehicle that are indicative of reckless driving, including one of repetitive changes in acceleration during a short time period; and

approaches too close to other vehicles,

timing means operating for a preset time interval,

analyzer means responsive to said sensor means and timing means for determining the number of repetitive changes occurring within said preset time period and generating an output signal,

said controller being energized by said output signal to override manual control of the vehicle and automatically change its performance.

2. In the subsystem of claim 1,

said controller including a time delay energized by said output signal to adjustably time delay the acceleration-deceleration response of the automotivevehicle to actuation by the driver.

3. In the system of claim 1,

said controller including a reduction means energized by said output signal to adjustably reduce the extent of acceleration-deceleration response of the vehicle.

4. In the system of claim 1,

said controller including a time delay means and a magnitude modifier means, both energized by the output signal, to both time delay and change the extent of acceleration-deceleration response of the vehicle.

5. In the system of claim 1,

said sensor means including a proximity detecting sensor for detecting a nearby presence of other vehicles or objects and generating a proximity signal,

and said controller energized by said proximity signal to inhibit the vehicle from approaching too close to other vehicles or objects.