AU5955198A

AU5955198A - Method and apparatus for ensuring adherence of road vehicles to the legal speed limit

Info

Publication number: AU5955198A
Application number: AU59551/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bernard Stewart Daniels
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-12-03
Filing date: 1998-03-26
Publication date: 1999-06-24

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENSURING ADHERENCE OF ROAD VEHICLES TO THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENSURING ADHERANCE OF ROAD VEHICLES TO THE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT This invention relates to the method and apparatus for ensuring adherence of road vehicles to the legal speed limit.

Currently, most road vehicle drivers have the option to exceed the legal speed limit as their vehicles are not physically restricted to the legally established limit for the area in which they are traveling.

This is a problem because many accidents are caused by drivers exceeding the legal speed limit, some of which result in injury or death to those involved.

This problem is overcome by the present invention, which provides a method and an apparatus for automatically setting a vehicles maximum speed to match that of whatever legal speed limit has been applied to the area in which the vehicle is traveling. This apparatus also allows for an increase or decrease to that speed when the vehicle moves into an area with a different speed limit.

This invention comprises one or more scanning devices which are mounted in or on the vehicle, and that scan the surface of the road for coded road markings, and the scanner is connected to one or more computerised Electronic Control Units, which are mounted in or on the vehicle, with the scanner being mounted so that it can scan the road under or alongside the vehicle, and this scanner, scans the road constantly whilst the vehicle is in motion, and the computerised Electronic Control Unit is connected to a network of one or more monitors and/or controllers, and these monitors and/or controllers, monitor and/or control the 'vehicles operating parameters', each set of which parameters, are the parameters necessary to control the vehicles speed, and when the vehicle travels over a specific pattern of lines, or marks, painted onto, or impregnated into, the road, the scanner or scanners, identifies the coded pattern, and sends the code to the on board Electronic Control Unit, and this code represents the legal speed limit for the area into which the vehicle is traveling, and the vehicles computerised Electronic Control Unit compares the code with the speed that the vehicle is traveling, and sets the necessary parameter controllers to restrict the vehicles maximum speed only when the vehicle is traveling at or above the legal speed limit, thus preventing the vehicle from exceeding the speed limit associated with the road markings.

In the preferred form of the invention, an optical detector projects light onto the road markings, and monitors its reflection from the road, and associated road markings.

In one form of the invention, a 'light emitting diode' or array of diodes, is used to project light onto the road, and the road markings, and a photo cell is used to monitor the reflectivity from the road, and the markings painted onto, or impregnated Into, the road.

In another form of the invention, a radio signal is transmitted down onto the road, from a radio transmitter, and its return signal monitored by a radio receiver, and the road markings are made of a metallic or metal impregnated material.

In yet another form of the invention, an infra-red or laser beam is transmitted down onto the road, and a photo cell is used to monitor the reflectivity from the road, and the markings painted onto, or impregnated into, the road.

In a further form of the invention, an electro-magnetic field is used to scan for coded, magnetic tags, which are set into the road.

The road markings may be in the form of lines, tags, or marks, suitable for providing a code to be read into the Electronic Control Unit, and may be made from any suitable material such as paint, metal or plastic.

The scanner may emit any suitable signal or light beam such as radio or laser light.

The receiver may be of any technology, suitable for receiving the emitted signal.

To assist with understanding the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing which shows one example of the invention. In the following example, the method and apparatus for ensuring adherence of a petrol engined vehicle to the legal speed limit is described. In this example, the vehicle has not previously been fitted with any form of cruise control device. Other vehicles with diesel power, solar power, or electric power, can be controlled with similar scanning techniques, but the monitoring and control devices may be different.

EXAMPLE

In the drawings: Fig 1. Shows one example of a road marked out with coded line markings corresponding to the speed limit for the area into which the vehicle is travelling.

Fig 2. Shows one example of a motor vehicle fitted with a scanner, a computerised Electronic Control Unit, and a series of monitors and/or controllers.

Referring to Fig 1. a petrol engined vehicle, fitted with an 'optical detector' scanner scanning under the vehicle for coded line markings which have been previously painted onto the surface of the road. The line markings have been laid out into pre-determined patterns, or codes, each of which different pattern, or code represents a different speed limit. The scanner is connected to an on board computerised Electronic Control Unit. When the scanner passes over the coded line markings the code determined from the line markings, is read into the memory of this computerised Electronic Control Unit The computerised Electronic Control Unit monitors the vehicles speedometer for the coded speed limit, and when the vehicle is traveling at, or above, the speed limit, adjusts a motorised actuator, which controls the maximum flow of the petrol air mixture, by limiting the travel of the throttle cable. When the vehicle is traveling at a speed below the speed limit, this control is removed.

As these settings are the 'maximum' speed settings, the vehicle is free to operate at all speeds below the speed limit, until these settings are changed.

When the scanner passes over a new set of line markings the code of which represents a different speed limit, the scanner reads the new code into the memory of the computerised Electronic Control Unit and at the same time, deletes the old code. The process is then repeated, imposing the new vehicle petrol air flow maximum setting, corresponding to the new speed limit, onto the vehicle.

Claims

1. This invention comprises a scanning device which is mounted on the vehicle, and scans the surface of the road for coded road markings, and the scanner is connected to a computerised Electronic Control Unit, which is mounted in the vehicle, with the scanner being mounted so that it can scan the road under or alongside the vehicle, and this scanner, scans the road constantly whilst the vehicle is in motion, and the computerised Electronic Control Unit is connected to a network of monitors and/or controllers, and these monitors and/or controllers, monitor and/or control the 'vehicles operating parameters', each set of which parameters, are the parameters necessary to control the vehicles speed, and when the vehicle travels over a specific pattern of lines, or marks, painted onto, or impregnated into, the road, the scanner, identifies the coded pattern, which is read into the memory of the on board Electronic Control Unit, and this code represents the legal speed limit for the area into which the vehicle is traveling, and the vehicles computerised Electronic Control Unit compares the code with the speed that the vehicle is traveling and sets the necessary parameter controllers to restrict the vehicles maximum speed, only when the vehicle is traveling at or above the legal speed limit, thus preventing the vehicle from exceeding the speed limit associated with the road markings.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein more than one scanner is used.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a 'light emitting diode' or an array of 'light emitting diodes are used to scan the road markings, and a 'photo electric cell' is used to monitor changes in reflectivity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a radio signal is transmitted down onto the road, from a radio transmitter, and its return signal monitored by a radio receiver, and the road markings are made of a metallic or metal impregnated material.

The method of claim 1 wherein an infra-red or laser beam is transmitted by the scanner, and a 'photo electric cell' is used to monitor changes in reflectivity.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein an electro-magnetic field is used to scan magnetic tags, set into the road, or mounted onto the road.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the computerised Electronic Control Unit is replaced by a programmable logic controller.

8. The method of claim 1. wherein the computerised Electronic Control Unit contains a database of the vehicles operating parameters for any given vehicle speed and is referenced by the Electronic Control Unit to select the operating parameters corresponding to each speed limit.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the comuterised Electronic Control Unit is replaced by a separate circuit for each speed limit, and the required circuit is selected by means of switches.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is powered from any suitable source such as the vehicles engine or battery.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the network of monitors and/or controllers are replaced by a single monitor and/or controller.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein any one monitor can monitor one or more parameters.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein any one controller can control one or more parameters.

14. A method and apparatus, substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Bernard. S. Daniels 26 March 1998