Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Indication or control of braking – acceleration – or deceleration
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-26
2001-06-26
Louis-Jacques, Jacques H. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Indication or control of braking, acceleration, or deceleration
C701S104000, C123S335000, C123S339140, C123S406240, C123S406640
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253143
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for enhancing driver safety. More particularly, this invention relates to an engine limiter which regulates the engine speed and ground speed of a powered vehicle, particularly an off-road vehicle. Still more particularly, the invention relates to a programmable electronic module which may be easily added to vehicles having electronic ignition systems to prevent dangerous or reckless operation of the vehicle.
2. Background of the Invention
Entities which conduct business in wilderness areas often find off-road vehicles to be invaluable tools. Single-person all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) such as three-wheelers (trikes) and four-wheelers (quads) are extensively used by survey parties, for example, operating in otherwise inaccessible areas. However other vehicles, such as snowmobiles, waterbikes, motorcycles, and golf carts, also have characteristics that lend themselves to specialized uses by these entities.
Although indispensable, use of these vehicles poses certain problems for these entities. These vehicles may be dangerous to operators who operate them at excessive speeds. Accidents that occur are nearly always the result of driving too fast. The terrain tends to be unpredictable, so that lower speeds are needed for safe operation. Nevertheless, repeated warnings to vehicle operators may have little effect in ensuring safe operation.
Reducing the accident rate will lead to reductions in injuries, equipment damage, insurance, and repair costs. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an easily installed system for preventing reckless operation of powered vehicles.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention contemplates a vehicle control unit which can be coupled between a tachometer sensor and an electronic ignition system on a powered vehicle. The unit is preferably also coupled to a speedometer sensor to receive a signal indicative of the vehicle's speed. The vehicle control unit limits speed by modifying a tachometer signal generated by a tachometer sensor and providing the modified tachometer signal to the ignition system. The original tachometer signal is a pulse train which, in conventional vehicles, is used by the electronic ignition system to determine ignition timing. Preferably, the vehicle control unit limits both ground speed and engine speed by suppressing or “removing” pulses from the original tachometer signal to prevent the combustion of fuel and thereby reduce engine power when the ground or engine speeds exceed predetermined limits.
In one embodiment, the vehicle control unit includes a microcontroller and an output signal module. The microcontroller receives the speedometer and tachometer signals, and responsively provides a suppression signal to the output signal module. The output signal module receives the tachometer signal and the suppression signal, and produces a modified tachometer signal by passing pulses from the tachometer signal when the suppression signal is de-asserted, and by suppressing pulses from the tachometer signal when the suppression signal is asserted. The microcontroller is configured to assert the suppression signal for a selected number of consecutive pulses upon determining that the ground speed has exceeded the predetermined limit. The selected number of consecutive pulses may depend on the margin by which the predetermined limit has been exceeded.
In a preferred embodiment, the vehicle control unit also includes a logging function and an acceleration, or “shock”, sensor. The microcontroller is coupled to the acceleration sensor to detect the peak accelerations experienced by the vehicle. The microcontroller stores peak accelerations above a predetermined limit, along with excessive ground and engine speeds, as part of a fault record in a nonvolatile memory. The records can be downloaded and examined by management personnel to identify reckless vehicle operators. Corrective action can then be taken to protect personnel and equipment.
A handheld programming unit is also disclosed herein for programming the predetermined limits and for retrieving fault records. The programming unit can display and summarize fault records, and can be used to transport the fault information to a central computer system for archiving and more extensive analysis should that be desired.
The various characteristics described above, as well as other features, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following disclosure.
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Lafont Don
Silvernagle Darin
Conley & Rose & Tayon P.C.
Louis-Jacques Jacques H.
Veritas DGC Inc.
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