Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Indication or control of braking – acceleration – or deceleration
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-10
2001-06-12
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Indication or control of braking, acceleration, or deceleration
C701S110000, C701S200000, C701S070000, C180S170000, C180S171000, C123S351000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246948
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to automatic speed controls for a vehicle, and more particularly to a system and method for receiving wireless signals, storing a legal speed limit at a geographic location, and controlling or monitoring the actual speed of a vehicle in relation to the legal speed limit.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Automatic cruise control devices have been available for cars and other vehicles for years. Now, many cars may be equipped with a cruise control system direct from the factory. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,063 issued on May 5, 1998 to Sakonjyu et al. describes an improved automatic speed controlling apparatus for a vehicle designed to ensure a smooth driving feeling. Automatic cruise control devices are particularly advantageous on freeway driving or long road trips by automatically maintaining the speed of the vehicle to the cruising speed set by the driver.
Automatic speed controls of the past rely on the driver's judgement to set, monitor and control the speed of the vehicle. Also, the driver has the responsibility to ensure that the cruising speed of the vehicle is set to or below the legal speed limit. Occasionally, a driver may set the cruise control device to a higher speed on a highway and then drive through a small town having a lower legal speed limit without noticing the legal speed limit has changed. This results in traffic tickets and dangerous driving conditions for the driver, passengers, other drivers, and pedestrians. To avoid this situation, the driver must remain alert and notice when the legal speed limits change along the route to his destination. A method and system for controlling and monitoring the speed of a vehicle in relation to the legal speed limit at the geographic location of the vehicle would be useful, so the driver no longer has the burden of setting a safe cruising speed or keeping up with changing speed limits in different locations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the problems of prior art automatic cruise control devices by providing feedback to the driver of his current speed with respect to the legal speed limit at the driving area. The actual speed of the vehicle can be set to the present legal speed limit or to a speed in relation to the present legal speed limit, or monitored to notify the driver if he exceeds the legal speed limit, with the intelligent automatic vehicle speed control and monitoring system and method described herein.
In one embodiment, disclosed is an automatic vehicle speed control system in a vehicle having a speed sensor and a cruise control device with a speed controller. The control system includes a receiver adapted to receive wireless signals from a transmission source, memory space coupled to the receiver, and a processor coupled to the receiver and the memory space. The control system is adapted to control the actual speed of the vehicle in relation to the stored legal speed limit at the current geographic location of the vehicle.
In another embodiment, disclosed is an automatic vehicle speed monitoring system including a receiver adapted to receive wireless signals from a transmission source, memory space coupled to the receiver for storing a legal speed limit of a current geographic location of the vehicle, and a processor coupled to the receiver. The processor is adapted to compare the actual speed of the vehicle with the stored legal speed limit at the current geographic location of the vehicle.
In another embodiment, disclosed is a method for automatically controlling the speed of a vehicle, where the method includes the steps of receiving a wireless signal, storing a legal speed limit of a current geographic location of the vehicle, and controlling the actual speed of the vehicle with the stored legal speed limit of the current geographic location of the vehicle.
Also disclosed is a public utility device for transmitting wireless legal speed limit information for a geographic region, where the device includes a power source, a wireless transmitter powered by the power source for transmitting the legal speed limit, and a memory coupled to the transmitter and the power source, where the memory contains the legal speed limit for the geographic region.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5673305 (1997-09-01), Ross
patent: 5749063 (1998-05-01), Sakonjyu
patent: 6016458 (2000-01-01), Robinson et al.
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Ericsson Inc.
Hernandez Olga
Navarro Arthur I.
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