GB2381143A - Speed trap detection and warning system distinguishing between speed traps on a motorway and other roads - Google Patents
Speed trap detection and warning system distinguishing between speed traps on a motorway and other roads Download PDFInfo
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- GB2381143A GB2381143A GB0114843A GB0114843A GB2381143A GB 2381143 A GB2381143 A GB 2381143A GB 0114843 A GB0114843 A GB 0114843A GB 0114843 A GB0114843 A GB 0114843A GB 2381143 A GB2381143 A GB 2381143A
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- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
- G08G1/01—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
- G08G1/052—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled with provision for determining speed or overspeed
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Abstract
Speed trap detection system 11 having a means 7 for determining the location of a vehicle 9 and comparing its location with one or more database(s) comprising locations of speed traps 4,5,6. The database(s) or data therein distinguishes between speed traps situated on a motorway 4 and speed traps situated on other types of roads 5,6. In a first mode of operation an alert is provided if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a motorway speed trap 4 however no alert is provided for a non-motorway speed trap 5,6. In a second mode of operation an alert may be provided if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a non-motorway speed trap 5,6 but no alert is provided for a motorway speed trap 4. Instructions about whether the vehicle is travelling on a motorway may be input manually and/or automatically based on vehicle location and/or speed.
Description
2381 1 43
SPEED TRAP DETECTION AND WARNING SYSTEM
This invention relates to a speed trap detection and 5 warning system for alerting the driver of a vehicle to the presence of a nearby speed trap (such as a speed camera, radar gun detector etc) and in particular to a system which provides a low false alarm rate.
10 Speed traps of a number of different types are used in increasing numbers by law enforcement authorities around the world. These include active traps (Gatso cameras, radar guns, laser guns, eta) and passive traps (VASCAR type detectors, SPECS type detectors, eta).
Devices for warning the driver of a vehicle about a speed trap are known in the prior art.
For example, radar detectors for use in vehicles are 20 known. These work by detecting the radar signals from a radar-operated speed trap and provide an alert that radar signals are incident on the vehicle. Radar detectors suffer from the problem, however, that they may be set off by things other than speed traps which operate on 25 similar frequencies. For example, traffic lights,
building alarm systems and petrol stations may trigger a radar detector. The radar detector may therefore provide many false alarms, thereby reducing the usefulness of the detector since it is irritating to the driver and 5 encourages the driver to undertake rapid braking regularly and, from the point of view of other road users, at random.
EP-A-0789344 discloses a device which stores the 10 locations of speed traps in a database, monitors the location of the vehicle in which it is installed for example using satellite GPS (Global Positioning System) techniques, compares the vehicle location against the stored speed trap locations, and warns the driver if the 15 vehicle travels within a predetermined distance of a speed trap.
However, the inventor in the present application has found that this type of device, too, suffers from the 20 problem of false alarms.
In particular, the inventor in the present application has realised that a driver is often alerted to a speed trap located on a nearby road (rather than the one on 25 which he is travelling) due to inaccuracies in
calculating the position of the vehicle. The inventor has also realised that this is a particular problem because many roads run nearby, or over, motorways.
5 It is therefore an object of the present invention to address one or more of the above problems.
According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus and method for alerting the driver of a vehicle 10 to a speed trap by monitoring the position of the vehicle against one or more stored speed trap databases to determine whether the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a speed trap. To reduce the incidence of false alarms, the database(s) or the data therein 15 distinguishes between speed traps situated on a motorway and speed traps situated on other types of roads. When the vehicle is travailing on a motorway, the driver is alerted if the vehicle approaches within a predetermined distance of a motorway speed trap, but is not alerted if 20 the vehicle travels within a predetermined distance of a non-motorway speed trap.
Optionally, when the vehicle is travelling on a non motorway road, the driver is alerted if the vehicle 25 approaches within a predetermined distance of a non
motorway speed trap, but not when the vehicle approaches a motorway speed trap.
Instructions about whether the vehicle is travelling on 5 a motorway may be input manually (for example by the driver) and/or automatically based on vehicle location and/or speed.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be lo described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a road network, including a motorway and speed traps, and a vehicle having a speed trap detection 15 and warning system travelling through the road network; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the speed trap detection and warning system from the vehicle in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a block diagram of the functional components of the speed trap detection and warning system; 25 Figure 4, comprising Figure 4A and Figure 4B, shows a
flow diagram of the method of operation of the speed trap detection and warning system in a first embodiment; and Figure 5, comprising Figure 5A and Figure 5B, shows a 5 flow diagram of the method of operation of the speed trap detection and warning system in a second embodiment.
First Embodiment 10 Referring to Figure 1, a road network comprises a motorway 1 and a plurality of non-motorway roads 2,3 along which a plurality of speed traps (in this example, fixed speed cameras) 4,5,6 are deployed.
15 Driving along the motorway 1 is a vehicle 9, which is equipped with a speed trap detection and warning unit 11.
As will be explained in more detail below, the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 has stored within it, among 20 other things, the satellite GPS (Global Positioning System) positions of the speed traps 4, 5,6, together with data defining the road number (which defines whether the road is a motorway or not), the respective speed limit for the part of the road at which each speed trap 4,5,6 25 is situated, and the direction of travel in which the
speed trap is operational (that is, the direction in which each speed trap is pointing to record speeding vehicles). 5 In this embodiment, the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 uses signals from satellites 7 belonging to the NAVSTAR (NAVigation System with Time And Ranging) GPS system to determine its position, speed and direction of travel (and hence the position, speed and direction of lo travel of the vehicle 9)' compares these parameters with the positions, operating directions and speed limits of the speed traps 4,5,6 stored in its internal database, and provides a warning to the driver of the vehicle 9 when a speed trap 4, 5,6 which is operational in the 15 direction of travel of the vehicle 9 is being approached and the speed of the vehicle 9 exceeds the speed limit at the speed trap 4,5,6. In addition, as will be explained below, the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 has a "motorway operating mode" for selection when the 20 vehicle is travelling on a motorway. In the motorway operating mode, speed traps 5,6 on non-motorway roads 2,3 are disregarded, and the driver is warned when a motorway speed trap 4 is being approached (which is operational in the direction of travel of the vehicle 9 and the speed of 25 the vehicle 9 exceeds the speed limit at the speed trap
4), but not when a non-motorway speed trap 5,6 is being approached. The speed trap detection and warning unit 11 is arranged 5 to provide any warning well in advance of the speed trap 4,5,6 enabling the driver to reduce speed progressively, thereby increasing safety for the driver and other road users. 10 Referring now to Figure 2, the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 comprises a display and processing unit 15 and a power connector 17.
The display and processing unit 15 comprises an antenna 15 23 for receiving signals from the satellites 7, processing hardware and memory (not shown in Figure 2, but described below) to process the received signals, a liquid crystal display 25 for displaying information to a user, a speaker 27 for providing audible signals to a 20 user and input buttons 29 for the input of instructions by a user to control the speed trap detection and warning unit 11. In this embodiment, the input buttons 29 include one or more buttons for the driver to press to activate and deactivate the motorway operating mode when 25 the vehicle 9 joins and leaves a motorway 1,
respectively. In addition, a telephone lead socket 31 is provided for connecting the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 5 to a remote database for loading and updating information about, inter alla, the positions of speed traps 4,5,6, the speed limits thereat and the operational directions thereof as further speed traps are added to the road network. The power connector 17 comprises an adapter for drawing power from a motor vehicle cigarette lighter socket (not shown). 15 Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the functional elements of the display and processing unit 15.
Referring to Figure 3, the antenna 23 receives signals from the GPS satellites 7 and sends them to a GPS 20 receiver/decoder 41. The GPS receiver/decoder 41 is a conventional component, such as the Trimble Navigation Lassen_ - SK8 Embedded GPS Core Module, which processes the received GPS signals and outputs what is known in the art as a "navigation solution", which comprises a data 25 stream defining the position, speed and direction of
travel of vehicle 9.
The navigation solution from the GPS receiver/decoder 41 is passed to a central processing unit (CPU) 43 which 5 operates according toinstructions stored in an operating instruction store 45 to perform processing as will be described below. Working memory 51 is provided for the CPU 43 to use while performing processing.
10 The GPS positions of the speed traps 4,5,6 together with known positions at which it is common for police to operate a mobile speed trap (such as a radar gun or laser gun) are stored in a speed trap database 49. Also stored in the speed trap database 49 in this embodiment is data 15 defining the road speed limit at each speed trap location, the type of each speed trap (that is, the detection method by which it operates and/or whether it is a fixed or a mobile site), the direction of travel in which each speed trap is operational and the number of 20 the road on which each speed trap is located (which also defines whether the speed trap is a motorway speed trap or a non-motorway speed trap).
As will be described below, in use, CPU 43 compares the 25 navigation solution in the data from the GPS
receiver/decoder 41 with the data from the speed trap database 49, and displays information to the driver of the vehicle 9 via the display 25 and/or generates an audible alert through the speaker 27.
Input buttons 29 are provided for the user to select the operating mode of the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 (including the motorway operating mode), and to change operating parameters such as the volume of audible 10 alerts and the information to be displayed on the screen.
More particularly, in this embodiment, one of the buttons 29 is arranged to set the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 into motorway operating mode when it is 15 pressed by the driver (when the vehicle 9 joins a motorway 1) and another of the buttons is arranged to cancel the motorway operating mode when it is pressed by the driver (when the vehicle 9 leaves the motorway 1).
20 A telephone interface 53 is provided for connecting with a remote database 55, which is not a part of the speed trap detection and warning unit 11, via the telephone lead socket 31. That is, a cable (not shown) is used to connect between the telephone lead socket 31 and a 25 telephone network (not shown) so as to connect the speed
trap detection and warning unit 11 to a remote database 55 which is also connected to the telephone network. The remote database 55 stores data for storage in the speed trap database 49 defining the position of each speed trap 5 4,5,6 the road number of the road on which each speed trap is located, the speed limit of the road for the position at which the speed trap is located, the operating direction(s) of each speed trap and the type of speed trap. The data in database 55 is updated when an 10 additional speed trap is added to the road network or when an additional site at which a mobile speed trap is frequently used becomes known, when new roads are added to the road network 1 or when the speed limit for an existing road is changed. The telephone interface 53 15 allows the CPU 43 to execute the update database function to use information from the remote database 55 to replace the data stored in the speed trap database 49.
The processing operations of the speed trap detection and 20 warning unit 11 will now be described with reference to Figure 4.
At step S4-2 the GPS receiver/decoder 41 generates a navigation solution and transmits it to the CPU 43. The 25 CPU 43 then extracts from the navigation solution the
current speed at which the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 (and hence the vehicle 9) is travelling, the position of the vehicle 9 and the direction of travel of the vehicle 9.
At step S4-4 the CPU 43 checks to determine whether a navigation solution has been generated. A navigation solution may not be generated for example whilst the vehicle 9 is within a road tunnel, or if landscape or 10 architectural features prevent the GPS receiver/decoder 41 from receiving enough satellite signals to generate a navigation solution. In addition, when the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 is first switched on after a period of non-operation, the 15 GPS receiver/decoder 41 may require up to a few minutes to generate a first navigation solution. If it is determined at step S4-4 that no navigation solution has been generated, then at step S4-6 the CPU 43 causes a warning to be displayed on display 25 and the process 20 returns to step S4-2. On the other hand, if it is determined at step S4-4 that a navigation solution has been generated, then the process continues to step S4-8.
At step S4-8, the CPU 43 causes the current vehicle speed 25 to be displayed on the display 25. The current vehicle
speed continues to be displayed on the display 25 until, on a future cycle, the speed is determined to have changed, at which time the display 25 is updated to display the new current vehicle speed. Accordingly, the 5 display of the current vehicle speed on the display 25 is updated continuously in accordance with the operational cycle rate, which in this embodiment, is once per second.
At step S4-10, CPU 43 compares the current location of 10 the vehicle 9 as determined from the navigation solution generated at step S4-2 to the stored locations of speed trap sites stored in the speed trap database 49.
At step S4-12, CPU 43 determines whether any speed trap 15 sites are within a first predetermined distance of the vehicle 9, which, in this embodiment is set to 500 metres. If no speed trap sites are within the first predetermined distance of the vehicle 9, processing returns to step S4-2 to await the generation of a new 20 navigation solution for processing.
On the other hand, if it is determined at step S4-12 that one or more speed trap sites are within the first predetermined distance of the vehicle 9, then, at step 25 s4-14, CPU 43 determines whether the motorway operating
\ mode is currently set.
If it is determined at step S4-14 that the motorway operating mode is set, then, at step S4-16, CPU 43 5 determines whether any of the speed traps identified at step S4-12 is a motorway speed trap. More particularly, in this embodiment, CPU 43 determines whether each of the speed traps identified at step S4-12 is a motorway speed trap by reading the data stored in speed trap database 49 10 defining the road number of the road on which the speed trap is located and determining whether the road number is prefixed by the letter "M" (indicating a motorway number). 15 If it is determined at step S4-16 that none of the speed traps identified at step S4-12 is a motorway speed trap, then processing returns to step S4-2 to await the generation of a new navigation solution for processing.
20 On the other hand, if it is determined at step S4-16 that at least one of the speed traps is a motorway speed trap, or if it is determined at step S4-14 that the motorway operating mode is not selected, then processing proceeds to step S4-18.
By performing the processing at steps S4-14 and S4-16 in the way described above, a speed trap identified at step S4-12 (that is, a speed trap towards which the vehicle 9 has approached within a predetermined distance) is not 5 processed further if the motorway operating mode has been selected and the speed trap is situated on a non-motorway road. In this way, false alarms caused by non-motorway speed traps when the vehicle 9 is travelling on a motorway 1 are eliminated. Thus, with reference to 10 Figure 1, when vehicle 9 is travelling on motorway 1 the driver is not alerted when the vehicle 9 approaches within a predetermined distance of speed trap 5 or speed trap 6. However, as will be explained below, the driver may be alerted when the vehicle 9 approaches speed trap 15 4. At step S4-18, CPU 43 compares the direction of travel of the vehicle 9 (previously determined at step S4-2) to the location of the speed trap site(s) identified at step S4 20 12 (it being noted that the vehicle direction of travel is compared against the location of only motorway speed traps identified at step S4-12 if it was determined at step S4-14 that the motorway operating mode is currently selected).
At step S4-20, CPU 43 determines whether or not the vehicle 9 is travelling towards any of the identified speed trap sites. More particularly, in this embodiment, CPU 43 determines whether the distance between the 5 vehicle and a speed trap site is decreasing (in which case it is determined that the vehicle is travailing towards the speed trap) or increasing (in which case it is determined that the vehicle is travelling away from the speed trap).
If the vehicle 9 is not travelling towards a speed trap site, it is still necessary to monitor the speed of the vehicle 9 after the speed trap has been passed if the vehicle is still within the operating range of the trap, 15 since the trap may still detect a speeding vehicle within this range. Therefore, to take account of this, at step S4-22, CPU 43 determines whether the vehicle is still within a second predetermined distance of the speed trap site. The second predetermined distance represents the 20 range over which the speed trap may operate, and, in this embodiment, is set to 100 metres.
If it is determined at step S4-22 that the vehicle 9 is beyond the second predetermined distance of the speed 25 trap site then the processing returns to step S4-2 and a
new navigation solution is processed.
On the other hand, if it is determined at step S4-20 that the vehicle 9 is travelling towards the speed trap site 5 or- it is determined at step S4-22 that the vehicle is still within the second predetermined distance of the speed trap site, then the processing proceeds to step S4 24. 10 At step S4-24, CPU 43 compares the direction of travel of the vehicle 9 to the direction in which the speed trap is operational. This comparison is to ensure that the driver of the vehicle 9 is not alerted when the vehicle 9 is approaching a speed trap which cannot trap the 15 vehicle 9 because the trap is directed or positioned to trap vehicles which are approaching the speed trap from a direction different to the direction of travel of the vehicle 9 (for example, the speed trap may be positioned on the opposite side of the road to the side on which 20 vehicle 9 is travelling, so as to trap vehicles travelling in the opposite direction).
At step S4-26, CPU 43 determines whether the vehicle 9 is travelling in a direction in which the speed trap is 25 operational.
If it is determined at step s4-26 that the vehicle 9 is not travailing in a direction in which the speed trap is operational, processing returns to step S4-2 and a new navigation solution is processed.
On the other hand, if it is determined at step S4-26 that the vehicle 9 is travelling in the direction in which the speed trap is operational, then the processing proceeds to step S4-28 At step S4-28, CPU 43 compares the speed of travel of the vehicle 9 (previously determined at step S4-2) to the road speed limit at the speed trap site stored in speed trap database 49. It is then determined at step S4-30 15 whether the speed of travel of the vehicle 9 is greater than the speed limit at the speed trap site.
If the speed of travel is determined at step S4-30 to be less than the speed limit of the speed trap site, then 20 the processing returns to step S4-2 and a new navigation solution is processed.
On the other hand, if it is determined at step S4-30 that the speed of travel of the vehicle 9 is greater than the 25 speed limit at the speed trap site, then, at step S4-32,
CPU 43 causes an audible alarm to be emitted from the speaker 27 and causes the speed limit, type of speed trap and road number at the speed trap site to be displayed on display 25 so that the user can compare his current 5 speed, as displayed on the display -25 in step S5-4, to the speed limit at the speed trap site and adjust the speed of the vehicle 9 accordingly. The processing then returns to step S4-2 and a new navigation solution is processed. Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the invention will now be described. The components of the second embodiment and the processing operations performed thereby are the same as those of the first embodiment, with the exception of the structure of the speed trap database 49 and the 20 processing operations performed to determine which speed traps are a threat to the vehicle 9 based on whether the motorway operating mode is selected or not.
The differences between the second embodiment and the 25 first embodiment will now be described.
In the first embodiment, at steps S4-10 and S4-12, all of the speed trap locations stored in speed trap database 49 are searched to identify any speed trap which is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle 9. That is, the 5 locations of both motorway speed traps and non-motorway road speed traps are searched. In the subsequent processing in the first embodiment at steps S4-14 and S4 16, non-motorway speed traps identified at steps S4-10 and S4-12 are discarded if the motorway operating mode is 10 set.
In the second embodiment, on the other hand, the speed trap database 49 is replaced by two separate speed trap databases - one storing data relating to motorway speed 15 traps and one storing data relating to non- motorway road speed traps.
The way in which processing is performed in the second embodiment using these two speed trap databases will now 20 be described with reference to Figure 5.
In Figure 5, steps S5-2 to S5-8 are the same as steps S4 2 to S4-8, and steps S5-18 to S5-32 are the same as steps S4-18 to S4-32 in the first embodiment. Accordingly, 25 these steps will not be described again here, and
instead, only the processing operations which are different to those performed in the first embodiment (that is steps S5-10 to S5-16) will be described.
5 Before searching- any database, at step S5-10 in- the second embodiment, CPU 43 determines whether the motorway operating mode is currently selected.
If it is determined at step S5-10 that the motorway 10 operating mode is selected, then, at step S5-12, CPU 43 compares the vehicle's current location (determined at step S5-2) with the stored locations of speed traps in the motorway speed trap database.
15 On the other hand, if it is determined at step S5-10 that the motorway operating mode is not selected, then, at step S5-14, CPU 43 compares the vehicles current location with the speed trap locations stored in the non motorway speed trap database.
In this way, a decision about which database to search is made depending upon whether or not the motorway operating mode is selected. Consequently, the processing operations and time needed to carry out the search are 25 reduced since only a subset of all of the speed trap
locations are searched (that is, either the locations of motorway speed traps or the locations of non-motorway speed traps). In addition, the processing in the second embodiment ensures that the driver does not receive false 5 alarms from non-motorway speed traps 5,6 when vehicle 9 is travelling on motorway 1, and further ensures that the driver does not receive false alarms from motorway speed trap 4 when vehicle 9 is travailing on a non-motorway road 2,3.
At step S5-16, CPU 43 determines whether any speed trap site is within a first predetermined distance of the vehicle 9. Processing then proceeds in the same way as described above in the first embodiment.
Many modifications can be made to the embodiments above within the scope of the claims.
For example, in the embodiments described above, the 20 location of the vehicle 9 is determined using GPS processing. However, instead, any radio navigation system providing sufficient accuracy in determining position may be utilised. For example, GLONASS (the Russian equivalent to GPS) or GNSS (a proposed new 25 satellite new navigation system) could be used instead of
GPS to provide a navigation solution. Alternatively, the location of the vehicle 9 may be determined using signals transmitted between a device such as a mobile telephone in the vehicle 9 and a plurality of fixed locations.
5 More particularly, a positioning technique may be used such as that utilised in the CURSOR system operated by Cambridge Positioning Systems Limited and described in EP 0303371, WO97/11384, WO99/11086 and WO99/21028. Further, European Telecommunications Standards Institute document 10 ETSI TS 101 528 sets out the standard for GSM Enhanced Observed Time Difference (EOTD) location services as used in Cambridge Positioning Systems CURSOR system and other similar systems. Alternatively, the position of vehicle 9 may be calculated by an invehicle system for 15 monitoring the displacement of the vehicle from a starting position. Such a system may comprise, for example the vehicle's mileometer to measure distance travelled and a magnetic compass, gyroscope etc to measure changes in direction.
In the embodiments above, the data in the speed trap database 49 is updated from a remote database via a communications network. However, instead, the data may be updated by providing a storage device (such as a 25 cartridge, disk, eta) storing the data for insertion into
- the speed trap detection and warning unit ll. In addition, or instead, data could be entered manually into the database 49, for example by typing with a keyboard.
5 In the above embodiments, it is described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 to perform a check at steps S4-22 and S5-22 whether the vehicle is still within a second predetermined distance of a speed trap after the vehicle has passed the speed trap. However, this step may be 10 omitted as the driver of the vehicle 9 will likely be aware that a typical speed trap 4,5,6 detects speeding vehicles at a position past the speed trap.
Although it is described with reference to Figures 4 and 15 5 that the driver is alerted only if the speed of travel of the vehicle 9 is greater than the speed limit at the speed trap site, it is possible to omit this function (for example, a facility may be provided for the user to switch it ON/OFF) and alert the driver every time a speed 20 trap is being approached which is operational in the direction of travel of the vehicle irrespective of the speed of vehicle 9.
Similarly, it is described with reference to Figures 4 25 and 5 that the driver is only alerted if the speed trap
\ which is within the predetermined distance of the vehicle is operational in the direction of travel of the vehicle.
However, it is possible to omit this function (for example a facility may be provided for the user to switch 5 it ON,OFF). -
Although it has been described in the above embodiments with reference to Figures 4 and 5 to display the road number of the road on which the vehicle 9 is travelling 10 at steps S4-32 and S5-32, this is not essential and may be omitted.
In the above embodiments, it has been described to store the type of each speed trap for display to the user as 15 the vehicle 9 approaches a trap. However, this function is not essential and may be omitted.
In the embodiments described above, the motorway operating mode of the speed trap detection and warning 20 unit 11 is activated and deactivated using one or more of the buttons 29. To remind the driver to deactivatethe motorway operating mode when the vehicle 9 leaves a motorway, the CPU 43 may be arranged to monitor the vehicle speed calculated at step S4-2 or step S5-2 and to 25 sound an audible alarm when the vehicle speed drops below
a predetermined value indicative that the vehicle 9 is no longer on the motorway (for example 25 miles per hour).
As a modification, the motorway operating mode may be 5 automatically activated, deactivated or both activated and deactivated without input from the driver. For example, a location indicative that a vehicle is joining a motorway, such as a location very near every motorway junction entry slip road (for example ten metres onto the 10 motorway from the end of the slip road, or a position on the actual slip road itself) may be stored in the speed trap detection and warning unit 11. CPU 43 may then be arranged to compare the location of the vehicle 9 calculated at step S4-2 or step S5-2 with the stored 15 motorway entry positions, and to activate the motorway operating mode if it is determined that the vehicle 9 passes such a location. Similarly, locations indicative that a vehicle is leaving a motorway, such as the locations of every motorway junction exit slip road or a 20 location nearby which the vehicle 9 must pass when exiting a motorway may be stored in the speed trap detection and warning unit 11 and the motorway operating mode may be deactivated when cPU 43 determines that the vehicle 9 has passed such a point.
It would also be possible to store bearing information for each motorway operating mode "activation" and deactivation" point, and the CPU 43 may be arranged to activate the operating mode or de-activate the operating 5 mode only if the vehicle 9 passes an activation/deactivation point and is travailing in a direction within an allowable bearing range based on the stored bearing information.
10 In the first embodiment described above, data is stored in the speed trap database 49 defining the respective road number on which each speed trap is located. This data is used at step S4-16 to determine whether a speed trap identified at step S4-12 is located on a motorway.
15 More particularly, in the first embodiment, the data defining the road number is read to determine whether it begins with the letter "M", indicating that the road is a motorway. However, this method of determining whether a speed trap is located on a motorway assumes that the 20 road number of each motorway is prefixed by the letter "M" and that all non-motorway roads are not prefixed by the letter "M" (as is the case in the United Kingdom).
In some countries, a letter other than the letter "M" may be used to identify motorways, and the processing must 25 therefore be modified accordingly. Further, in some
countries it may not be possible to determine whether a road is a motorway by reading the road number. In such a case, additional data may be stored in speed trap database 49 defining whether each respective road is a 5 motorway. For example, an additional field may be
provided in the database for each speed trap defining whether or not the speed trap is located on a motorway.
The data in the additional field may then be read at step
S4-16 to determine whether the speed trap is located on 10 a motorway.
In the embodiments described above, all of the components of the speed trap detection and warning unit are provided within the unit 11 carried by vehicle 9. However, 15 instead, the components may be split between a unit carried in vehicle 9 and one or more separate processing apparatus at a remote fixed location or locations. For example, the speed trap database 49 may be stored at a remote processing apparatus which communicates with the 20 apparatus in vehicle 9 by via a mobile telephone link.
Other divisions of components are also possible.
Claims (14)
1. A speed trap detection and warning system for a vehicle comprising: 5 signal processing means for receiving signals and for processing the received signals to generate location data defining the location of the vehicle; at least one database configured to store data defining the respective location of each of a plurality 10 of speed traps; comparing means for comparing the location determined from the signals with the stored speed trap locations to determine whether the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a speed trap; and 15 alerting means for alerting a user if a speed trap is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle; wherein: the system is operable to distinguish between speed traps located on a motorway and speed traps which are not 20 located on a motorway; and the system is operable in different operating modes such that, in a first of the modes, the alerting means does not alert the user if each speed trap within the predetermined distance of the vehicle is a non-motorway 25 speed trap.
2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising input means operable by the user to select between the operating modes.
5
3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising: means for determining the speed of the vehicle; and means for prompting the user to change to a different operating mode if the system is operating in 10 the first mode and the vehicle speed falls below a threshold value.
4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising: means for storing data defining the respective 15 location of each of a plurality of first operating mode activation positions; and mode activation means for setting the system to operate in the first operating mode; and wherein: 20 the comparing means is arranged to compare the determined vehicle location with the stored first operating mode activation locations; and the mode activation means is arranged to set the system to operate in the first operating mode if the 25 comparing means determines that the vehicle has passed an
activation location.
5. A system according to claim 1 or claim 4, further comprising: 5 means for storing data defining the respective location of each of a plurality of first operating mode de-activation positions; and mode de-activation means for de-activating the first operating mode and for causing the system to operate in 10 a different operating mode; and wherein: the comparing means is arranged to compare the determined vehicle location with the stored first operating mode de-activation locations; and 15 the mode de-activation means is arranged to de activate the first operating mode, thereby causing the system to operate in a different operating mode, if the comparing means determines that the vehicle has passed a deactivation location.
6. A system according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the components thereof are divided between one or more units remote from the vehicle and one or more units for carrying in the vehicle, the unit(s) remote from the 25 vehicle being operable to communicate with the unit(s)
for carrying in the vehicle.
7. A speed trap detection and warning system for a vehicle comprising: 5signal processing means for receiving signals and for processing the received signals to generate location data defining the location of the vehicle; at least one database configured to store data defining the respective location of each of a plurality 10of speed traps and data defining whether each speed trap is located on a motorway or not; comparing means for comparing the location determined from the signals with the stored speed trap locations to determine whether the vehicle is within a 15predetermined distance of a speed trap; means for determining whether or not a speed trap identified by the comparing means is located on a motorway in dependence upon the stored data associated with the identified speed trap; and 20alerting means for alerting a user if a speed trap is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle; wherein: the system is operable in different operating modes such that, in a first of the modes, the alerting means 25does not alert the user if each speed trap within the
predetermined distance of the vehicle is not located on a motorway.
8. A speed trap detection and warning system for a 5 vehicle comprising: signal processing means for receiving signals and for processing the received signals to generate location data defining the location of the vehicle; at least one database configured to store data 10 defining the respective location of each of a plurality of speed traps, the speed traps comprising speed traps located on a motorway and speed traps not located on a motorway, and the database(s) being configured to allow motorway speed trap data to be searched separately from 15 non-motorway speed trap data; comparing means for comparing the location determined from the signals with the stored speed trap locations to determine whether the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a speed trap; and 20 alerting means for alerting a user if a speed trap is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle; wherein: the system is operable in different operating modes such that, in a first of the modes, the comparing means 25 is arranged to compare the determined vehicle location
with only the motorway speed trap data to determine if the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a speed trap which is located on a motorway.
5
9. A speed trap detection and warning system for a vehicle comprising: signal processing means for receiving signals and for processing the received signals to generate location data defining the location of the vehicle; 10 at least one database configured to store data defining the respective location of each of a plurality of speed traps located on different types of roads; mode setting means for setting different operating modes of the system; 15 road type determining means for determining in dependence upon the operating mode set by the mode setting means the road type(s) for which speed traps are a threat to the vehicle; comparing means for comparing the location 20 determined from the signals with stored speed trap locations to determine whether the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a speed trap; and alerting means for alerting a user if a speed trap is within a predetermined distance of the vehicle; 25 wherein:
the system is controlled to prevent the user from being alerted-to speed traps unless they are located on a road type determined by the road type determining means to be a threat.
10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the comparing means is controlled to search stored data relating only to speed traps located on a road type determined by the road type determining means to be a threat, so as to 10 prevent the user being alerted to speed traps located on road types which are not a threat.
11. A system according to claim 9, wherein the system is arranged to ignore any speed trap identified by the 15 comparing means which is not located on a road type determined by the road type determining means to be a threat, so as to prevent the user being alerted to speed traps located on road types which are not a threat.
20
12. A method of alerting the driver of a vehicle to the presence of a speed trap using a signal processing apparatus, comprising: processing signals to generate location data defining the location of the vehicle; 25 comparing the location determined from the signals
with stored data defining the respective location of each of a plurality of speed traps to determine whether the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a speed trap; 5 determining whether or not each speed trap identified in the comparing step is located on a motorway in dependence upon stored data associated with the identified speed trap(s); and alerting a user if a speed trap is within a 10 predetermined distance of the vehicle and is located on a motorway, but not alerting the user if each speed trap within the predetermined distance of the vehicle is a nonmotorway speed trap.
15
13. A method of alerting the driver of a vehicle to the presence of a speed trap using a signal processing apparatus having different operating modes, comprising: processing signals to generate location data defining the location of the vehicle; 20 determining which operating mode of the processing apparatus is set; in dependence upon the operating mode of the processing apparatus, selecting a database of stored data to be searched by selecting between a database storing 25 data defining the respective location of each of a
plurality of speed traps located on motorways and a database storing data defining the respective location of each of a plurality of speed traps located on non motorway roads; 5 comparing the determined location of the vehicle with the data in the selected database to determine whether the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a speed trap; and alerting a user if a speed trap defined in the 10 stored searched data is determined to be within a predetermined distance of the vehicle.
14. A method of alerting the driver of a vehicle to the presence of a speed trap using a signal processing 15 apparatus, comprising: setting an operating mode of the apparatus from a plurality of selectable modes; determining in dependence upon the set operating mode the road type(s) for which speed traps are a threat 20 to the vehicle; processing signals to generate location data defining the location of the vehicle; comparing the determined vehicle location with stored data defining the respective location of each of 25 a plurality of speed traps; and
alerting the user if a speed trap located on a road type determined to be a threat to the vehicle is determined to be within a predetermined distance of the vehicle, but not alerting the user if each speed trap within the predetermined distance of tile vehicle is a speed trap located on a road type determined to be a non threat to the vehicle.
Priority Applications (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0317834A GB2388731B (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2001-06-18 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
| GB0114843A GB2381143B (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2001-06-18 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
| GB0317835A GB2388732B (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2001-06-18 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
| EP02254157A EP1271446A1 (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2002-06-14 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0114843A GB2381143B (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2001-06-18 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0114843D0 GB0114843D0 (en) | 2001-08-08 |
| GB2381143A true GB2381143A (en) | 2003-04-23 |
| GB2381143B GB2381143B (en) | 2003-09-17 |
Family
ID=9916827
Family Applications (3)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0114843A Expired - Fee Related GB2381143B (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2001-06-18 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
| GB0317834A Expired - Lifetime GB2388731B (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2001-06-18 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
| GB0317835A Expired - Lifetime GB2388732B (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2001-06-18 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
Family Applications After (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0317834A Expired - Lifetime GB2388731B (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2001-06-18 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
| GB0317835A Expired - Lifetime GB2388732B (en) | 2001-06-18 | 2001-06-18 | Speed trap detection and warning system |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP1271446A1 (en) |
| GB (3) | GB2381143B (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2392034A (en) * | 2002-06-10 | 2004-02-18 | Nec Corp | Portable terminal and information conversion system |
| CN103366509A (en) * | 2013-08-06 | 2013-10-23 | 张小彬 | Intelligent alarm system and method for expressway car accidents |
Families Citing this family (9)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NL1026352C2 (en) * | 2004-06-07 | 2005-12-15 | Target Automotive B V | Traffic control warning system for road users comprises data base with first location information covering traffic control points and receiver in vehicle for position information relative to vehicle |
| DE102006010572A1 (en) * | 2006-03-06 | 2007-09-13 | Gerhard Lauche | Traffic guidance system for use in vehicle, has data processing unit transmitting processed data to application unit over communication unit, where application unit uses data for computing vehicle travel route |
| NL1034129C2 (en) * | 2007-07-13 | 2009-01-14 | Eldap B V | Warning device for speed control. |
| DE102008007686A1 (en) | 2008-02-06 | 2009-08-13 | GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., Detroit | Driver assistance device for vehicle i.e. motor vehicle such as automobile, has permanent storage device i.e. semiconductor memory, storing locally limited valid characteristics inputs in vehicle rest condition |
| DE102008007687A1 (en) | 2008-02-06 | 2009-08-13 | GM Global Technology Operations, Inc., Detroit | Assistance device for motor vehicle i.e. car, has control device for controlling observation of characteristic parameters, and optical display and acoustic signal device for informing driver about actual characteristic parameters |
| DE102012020100A1 (en) * | 2012-10-12 | 2014-04-17 | Mitac International Corp. | Method for recording evidence of travel speeds with mobile device, involves storing successive images comprising time stamp indicating current time, current mark indicating position of mobile device, and speed stamp, in storage device |
| CN103902601B (en) * | 2012-12-27 | 2017-12-26 | 上海易罗信息科技有限公司 | Vehicle fixes search method, equipment and the navigation method of alarm point, equipment |
| JP6171146B2 (en) * | 2016-01-20 | 2017-08-02 | 株式会社ユピテル | Driving support system, information generation method, driving support program, and generation program |
| CN110444026B (en) * | 2019-08-06 | 2021-07-09 | 北京万集科技股份有限公司 | Triggering snapshot method and system for vehicle |
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| EP0789344A1 (en) * | 1996-02-10 | 1997-08-13 | Werner Schrimpf | Position determination system for vehicle |
| US6118403A (en) * | 1998-11-13 | 2000-09-12 | Lang; Brook | Speed trap information system |
| WO2000077539A1 (en) * | 1999-06-14 | 2000-12-21 | Escort Inc. | Radar warning receiver with position and velocity sensitive functions |
| GB2353160A (en) * | 1999-06-02 | 2001-02-14 | Nicholas Gale | Automatic display of local information |
| GB2353647A (en) * | 1999-08-24 | 2001-02-28 | Martin Burch | Speed trap warning system |
| GB2358749A (en) * | 2000-01-26 | 2001-08-01 | Timothy Michael Rock | Speed trap warning system |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5485161A (en) * | 1994-11-21 | 1996-01-16 | Trimble Navigation Limited | Vehicle speed control based on GPS/MAP matching of posted speeds |
| KR100224326B1 (en) * | 1995-12-26 | 1999-10-15 | 모리 하루오 | Car navigation system |
| GB2377106B (en) * | 2001-01-31 | 2003-10-01 | Yupiteru Ind Co Ltd | Vehicle-mounted target detecting apparatus and microwave detector |
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2001
- 2001-06-18 GB GB0114843A patent/GB2381143B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2001-06-18 GB GB0317834A patent/GB2388731B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 2001-06-18 GB GB0317835A patent/GB2388732B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
2002
- 2002-06-14 EP EP02254157A patent/EP1271446A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0789344A1 (en) * | 1996-02-10 | 1997-08-13 | Werner Schrimpf | Position determination system for vehicle |
| US6118403A (en) * | 1998-11-13 | 2000-09-12 | Lang; Brook | Speed trap information system |
| GB2353160A (en) * | 1999-06-02 | 2001-02-14 | Nicholas Gale | Automatic display of local information |
| WO2000077539A1 (en) * | 1999-06-14 | 2000-12-21 | Escort Inc. | Radar warning receiver with position and velocity sensitive functions |
| GB2353647A (en) * | 1999-08-24 | 2001-02-28 | Martin Burch | Speed trap warning system |
| GB2358749A (en) * | 2000-01-26 | 2001-08-01 | Timothy Michael Rock | Speed trap warning system |
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| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2392034A (en) * | 2002-06-10 | 2004-02-18 | Nec Corp | Portable terminal and information conversion system |
| CN103366509A (en) * | 2013-08-06 | 2013-10-23 | 张小彬 | Intelligent alarm system and method for expressway car accidents |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| EP1271446A1 (en) | 2003-01-02 |
| GB2388731B (en) | 2004-03-31 |
| GB2388731A (en) | 2003-11-19 |
| GB0317834D0 (en) | 2003-09-03 |
| GB2388732A (en) | 2003-11-19 |
| GB0114843D0 (en) | 2001-08-08 |
| GB2381143B (en) | 2003-09-17 |
| GB2388732B (en) | 2004-03-31 |
| GB0317835D0 (en) | 2003-09-03 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 732E | Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| 732E | Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| 732E | Amendments to the register in respect of changes of name or changes affecting rights (sect. 32/1977) | ||
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 20140618 |