GB2326946A

GB2326946A - Vehicle speed warning selection device

Info

Publication number: GB2326946A
Application number: GB9724366A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Renfred Bert Judd
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-07-02
Filing date: 1997-11-19
Publication date: 1999-01-06
Also published as: GB9713937D0; GB9724366D0

Description

VEHICLE SPEED WARNING SELECTION DEVICE It is all too easy for the modern motorist to inadvertently fall prey to the sophisticated speed detection devices used by law enforcement agencies. Speed cameras and handheld radar guns provide incontrovertible evidence that a motorist has exceeded a specified speed limit and thereby make the motorist liable to the accumulation of penalty points on his or her driving licence.

A simple device which would warn the motorist when a pre-set speed had been exceeded would remove the risk of gaining these penalty points and so make for less stressful journeys and maintenance of a clean driving licence.

The controls would consist simply of a selection device, to select the speed at which the audible warning would be triggered, and a indicator to show which speed was currently selected. The device would sense vehicle speed via a transducer fitted to the speedometer. The transducer would provide either an analogue or digital signal proportional to the speed of the vehicle. This signal could be used either directly, if analogue, or via an integrator, if digital, to provide the trigger for a circuit which would operate a suitable audible warning once the pre-set speed was exceeded. Using this method, the device could easily be calibrated for different speedometer drive shaft to road speed ratios and also for miles per hour or kilometres per hour operation. A suggested scheme is where a bright warning light illuminates at around 3 mph above the selected speed. The bright light would cater for those drivers with impaired hearing.

At around 5 mph above the selected speed the audio warning would operate. This would have a volume control in order to reduce the noise level should the vehicle be carrying a sleeping child or a sick person for example. At the beginning of the journey the system could be tested by selecting the 20 mph button and observing that the system operates correctly once that speed is exceeded.

The device could be provided as an accessory kit to be fitted to existing vehicles, but ideally would be incorporated as standard equipment in new vehicles. Modern digital speedometers could easily be modified by manufacturers to include the minimal electronic circuitry which would be necessary and even conventional mechanical speedometers could have a transducer fitted as a simple in-line attachment to the speedometer cable. The "audio cancel" could read "Audio cancel" and/or "volume control selector".

Claims

1. A vehicle speed warning selection device in the form of a row of selectable lights mounted on the dashboard adjacent to the vehicle driver with provision for indicating vehicle speed and switches to select representative speeds when vehicle is in motion.

2. A vehicle speed selection device as claimed in Claim 1 whereby an audio visual display is provided with ability to select or deselect at will.

3 A vehicle speed warning device as claimed in Claim 1 and 2 whereby a transducer is used to produce an analogue or digital signal relating to vehicle speed.

4. A vehicle speed warning device as claimed in Claim 1, Claim 2 and Claim 3 whereby an integrator is used for providing a digital as opposed to an analogue signal.

5. A vehicle speed warning device substantially as described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.