Police radar/laser detector with integral vehicle parameter display using a vehicle interface

• US 7,397,416 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Escort Incorporated (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Escort Incorporated (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Clawson, Jeffrey J., Kuhn, John, Orr, Steven K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor; John B
• Application Number:
  US11/466,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20060284756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 342/20, 342 52- 55, 342 56- 58, 342/104, 342/115, 340/905, 340/936
• US Class Current: 342/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/865 Combination of radar systems with lidar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2007/52012 involving a reference ground return
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/022 Road traffic radar detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/38 Jamming means, e.g. producing false echoes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4021 of receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/48 of systems according to group G01S17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4806 Road traffic laser detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/495 Counter-measures or counter-counter-measures using electronic or electro-optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/51 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P

Abstract

Calibration of an acceleration detector is initiated by a user depressable button such as a button indicating a vehicle is at rest and/or by the detector reading an OBDII vehicle communication protocol to determine the condition of the vehicle. Calibration permits more accurate measurements in a vehicle performance test.

Claims

1. A police activity transponder comprising:

a receiver section receiving signals generated in the context of law enforcement activity, the sensitivity of the receiver section to a law enforcement signal varying in relation to vehicle speed data; and

a warning section responding to the receiver section and providing a warning if a received signal correlates to a law enforcement signal;

the receiver section being responsive to vehicle speed data derived from a position determining circuit.

2. The police activity transponder of claim 1 wherein the receiver section receives electromagnetic radar signals in a radar band.

3. The police activity transponder of claim 1 wherein the receiver section receives signals carried in the visible or infrared spectrum.

4. The police activity transponder of claim 1 further comprising an interface reading vehicle speed data from a host vehicle.

5. The police activity transponder of claim 4 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

6. The police activity transponder of claim 4 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

7. The police activity transponder of claim 1 further comprising an interface reading the vehicle speed data from a position determining circuit in a host vehicle.

8. The police activity transponder of claim 7 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

9. The police activity transponder of claim 7 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

10. The police activity transponder of claim 1 wherein the warning section is a visible display that makes visible warnings.

11. The police activity transponder of claim 1 wherein the warning section is an audio speaker that makes audible warnings.

12. The police activity transponder of claim 1 further comprising a position determining circuit.

13. A police activity transponder comprising:

a receiver section receiving signals generated in the context of law enforcement activity; and

a warning section responding to the receiver section and providing a warning if a received signal correlates to a law enforcement signal, the warning delivered by the warning section varying in relation to vehicle speed data;

the warning section being responsive to vehicle speed data derived from a position determining circuit.

14. The police activity transponder of claim 13 wherein the receiver section receives electromagnetic radar signals in a radar band.

15. The police activity transponder of claim 13 wherein the receiver section receives signals carried in the visible or infrared spectrum.

16. The police activity transponder of claim 13 further comprising an interface reading vehicle speed data from a host vehicle.

17. The police activity transponder of claim 16 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

18. The police activity transponder of claim 16 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

19. The police activity transponder of claim 13 further comprising an interface reading the vehicle speed data from a position determining circuit in a host vehicle.

20. The police activity transponder of claim 19 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

21. The police activity transponder of claim 19 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

22. The police activity transponder of claim 13 wherein the warning section is a visible display that makes visible warnings.

23. The police activity transponder of claim 13 wherein the warning section is an audio speaker that makes audible warnings.

24. The police activity transponder of claim 13 further comprising a position determining circuit.

25. A police activity transponder comprising:

a receiver section receiving signals generated in the context of law enforcement activity;

a vehicle speed circuit obtaining vehicle speed data derived from a position determining circuit;

a clock section tracking the passage of time;

a display displaying a time for acceleration to a given speed; and

,

a processor for processing code containing a routine for monitoring the clock section in relation to vehicle speed data and computing the time taken to reach the given speed to be displayed by the display.

26. The police activity transponder of claim 25 further comprising an interface reading vehicle speed data from a host vehicle.

27. The police activity transponder of claim 26 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

28. The police activity transponder of claim 26 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

29. The police activity transponder of claim 25 further comprising an interface reading the vehicle speed data from a position determining circuit in a host vehicle.

30. The police activity transponder of claim 29 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

31. The police activity transponder of claim 29 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

32. The police activity transponder of claim 25 further comprising a position determining circuit.

33. The police activity transponder of claim 25 wherein said processor computes a zero to sixty mile per hour time and causes said zero to sixty mile per hour time to be displayed by the display.

34. A police activity transponder comprising:

a receiver section receiving signals generated in the context of law enforcement activity;

a vehicle speed circuit obtaining vehicle speed data derived from a position determining circuit;

a clock section tracking the passage of time;

a display displaying a time for traveling a given distance; and

,

a processor for processing code containing a routine for monitoring the clock section in relation to vehicle speed data and computing the time taken to travel the given distance to be displayed by the display.

35. The police activity transponder of claim 34 further comprising an interface reading vehicle speed data from a host vehicle.

36. The police activity transponder of claim 35 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

37. The police activity transponder of claim 35 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

38. The police activity transponder of claim 34 further comprising an interface reading the vehicle speed data from a position determining circuit in a host vehicle.

39. The police activity transponder of claim 38 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

40. The police activity transponder of claim 38 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

41. The police activity transponder of claim 34 further comprising a position determining circuit.

42. The police activity transponder of claim 34 wherein the display displays a time to travel a quarter mile and the processor computes a quarter mile time for display by the display.

43. A police activity transponder comprising:

a receiver section receiving signals generated in the context of law enforcement activity;

a vehicle speed circuit obtaining vehicle speed data derived from a position determining circuit;

a display displaying vehicle speed; and

,

a processor for processing code containing a routine for reading the vehicle speed data and sending the vehicle speed data to the display for display.

44. The police activity transponder of claim 43 further comprising an interface reading vehicle speed data from a host vehicle.

45. The police activity transponder of claim 44 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

46. The police activity transponder of claim 44 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

47. The police activity transponder of claim 43 further comprising an interface reading the vehicle speed data from a position determining circuit in a host vehicle.

48. The police activity transponder of claim 47 wherein the interface is an OBDII compliant interface.

49. The police activity transponder of claim 47 wherein the interface is an IVBD compliant interface.

50. The police activity transponder of claim 43 further comprising a position determining circuit.