WO2012131521A1 - Vehicle management system - Google Patents

Vehicle management system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2012131521A1
WO2012131521A1 PCT/IB2012/051269 IB2012051269W WO2012131521A1 WO 2012131521 A1 WO2012131521 A1 WO 2012131521A1 IB 2012051269 W IB2012051269 W IB 2012051269W WO 2012131521 A1 WO2012131521 A1 WO 2012131521A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
speed
vehicle
travelling
controller
speed limit
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2012/051269
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Graeme STEYN
Original Assignee
Gps Tracking Solutions (Pty) Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Gps Tracking Solutions (Pty) Ltd filed Critical Gps Tracking Solutions (Pty) Ltd
Publication of WO2012131521A1 publication Critical patent/WO2012131521A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60T—VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL; ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES
    • B60T7/00—Brake-action initiating means
    • B60T7/12—Brake-action initiating means for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger
    • B60T7/16—Brake-action initiating means for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle
    • B60T7/18—Brake-action initiating means for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger operated by remote control, i.e. initiating means not mounted on vehicle operated by wayside apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
    • G08G1/09—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions
    • G08G1/0962—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
    • G08G1/0967—Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits
    • G08G1/096708—Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits where the received information might be used to generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
    • G08G1/096725—Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits where the received information might be used to generate an automatic action on the vehicle control where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G08—SIGNALLING
    • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
    • G08G1/09—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions
    • G08G1/0962—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
    • G08G1/0967—Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits
    • G08G1/096733—Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits where a selection of the information might take place
    • G08G1/096741—Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits where a selection of the information might take place where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a vehicle management system.
  • the present invention addresses this by managing the speed of a vehicle by overriding the driver speed control when the vehicle is speeding.
  • a vehicle management system including: a speed measurement module to determine a speed at which the vehicle is travelling; a speed limit determining module to determine a speed limit on a road on which the vehicle is travelling; a controller to compare the speed at which the vehicle is travelling with the speed limit on the road on which the vehicle is travelling and if the speed at which the vehicle is travelling exceeds the speed limit to output a speed reduction command; and a speed controller to receive a message from the controller and to reduce the speed of the vehicle.
  • the system may further include a communications module, particularly including GPS and/or GPRS or GSM communications functionality.
  • a communications module particularly including GPS and/or GPRS or GSM communications functionality.
  • the speed measurement module preferably uses information received from the communications module to calculate the speed at which the vehicle is travelling.
  • the speed limit determining module preferably uses information received from the communications module to calculate the speed limit.
  • the speed controller increases or reduces the amount of fuel supplied to the vehicle engine to thereby reduce or increase the speed of the vehicle.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of an example vehicle management system according to the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of an example unit installed on a vehicle.
  • the present invention relates to a vehicle management system.
  • Figures 1 and 2 show a schematic block diagram of an example vehicle management system according to the present invention.
  • a vehicle 10 is in communication with a number of satellites 12 that make up the global positioning system (GPS).
  • GPS global positioning system
  • a server 14 Also in communication with the satellites 12 are a server 14 and an associated database 16, the operation of which will be described in more detail below.
  • a unit forming part of the vehicle management system is installed on the vehicle 10 and illustrated as 18 in Figure 1 .
  • FIG. 2 shows the unit of the vehicle management system in more detail.
  • a communications module 20 particularly a GPS communications module that enables communication with the GPS satellite system.
  • a speed measurement module 22 is used to determine a speed at which the vehicle 10 is travelling at any given time. ln one example embodiment, the speed measurement module 22 preferably uses information received from the communications module to calculate the speed at which the vehicle is travelling. This is known as the GPS speed.
  • the GPS speed can be calculated as follows, for example.
  • Each satellite 12 is sending out signals with the following content: I am satellite X, my position is Y and this information was sent at time Z. In addition to its own position, each satellite sends data about the position of other satellites. These orbit data (ephemeris and almanac data) are stored by the GPS receiver for later calculations.
  • the GPS receiver compares the time when the signal was sent by the satellite with the time the signal was received. From this time difference the distance between receiver and satellite can be calculated.
  • the present position can be calculated by trilateration (meaning the determination of a distance from three points). This means that at least four satellites are required to determine the position of the GPS receiver on the earth surface. By means of four or more satellites, an absolute position in a three dimensional space can be determined. A 3D-position fix also gives the height above the earth surface as a result.
  • the GPS receiver can additionally determine the speed and direction of a movement (referred to as “ground speed” and “ground track”).
  • the speed measurement module 22 is a speedometer of the motor vehicle.
  • a speed limit determining module 24 is used to determine a speed limit on a road on which the vehicle is travelling.
  • the speed limit determining module 24 is illustrated as forming part of the unit 18 installed on the vehicle 10 itself.
  • the speed limit determining module 24 formed part of the server 14.
  • the communications module 20 periodically transmits the location of the vehicle 10 via a different communications network 32 to the server 14.
  • the network 32 may be a GPRS or GSM network, for example.
  • the server 14 accesses database 16 to obtain the pre-stored speed limit on the road on which the vehicle is travelling and transmits this speed limit back to the communications module 20.
  • a controller 26 is used to compare the speed at which the vehicle is travelling with the speed limit on the road on which the vehicle is travelling and if the speed at which the vehicle is travelling exceeds the speed limit to output a speed reduction command.
  • the comparison of the speed at which the vehicle is travelling with the speed limit on the road is calculated by server 14 in which case the controller 26 is partially located on the server 14 and partially located on the vehicle 10.
  • a speed controller 28 is connected to the controller 26 and receives a message from the controller 26 to reduce the speed of the vehicle. ln one example embodiment, the speed controller increases or reduces the amount of fuel supplied to the vehicle engine to thereby reduce or increase the speed of the vehicle.
  • the speed controller cut off the power supply to the fuel pump of the vehicle thereby preventing fuel from being pumped to the engine. This was achieved by opening an electrical switch to the fuel pump. Once the vehicle slowed down to reach the speed limit of the road on which it is travelling, the speed controller closed the switch allowing the driver to accelerate as usual.
  • an audible alarm is sounded for 5 seconds before the fuel supply is reduced. This warns the driver that this is occurring.
  • the speed controller 28 is installed in series with a fuel pump power supply of the vehicle and is thereby able to switch the fuel pump power supply off and on thereby cutting fuel supply to the vehicle engine when required and restoring fuel supply to the vehicle engine when required.
  • the fuel supply is reduced or cut off until the correct speed is achieved after which the fuel supply is returned to its original condition. It will be appreciated that in order for this to occur, the speed of the vehicle needs to be continually monitored so that when the speed reaches the speed limit the controller 26 sends a command to the speed controller 28 to allow the fuel supply to return to normal. This occurs in the same manner as has been described above.
  • the unit 18 in the vehicle 10 also records other information, for example:
  • This information is then transmitted from the unit 18 to the server 14 and stored in the memory 30.
  • the present invention manages the speed of a vehicle by automatically comparing the speed of the vehicle to the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is travelling and if the speed limit is exceeded, automatically intervening to reduce the speed of the vehicle.

Abstract

A vehicle management system including a speed measurement module to determine a speed at which the vehicle is travelling. A speed limit determining module determines a speed limit on a road on which the vehicle is travelling and a controller compares the speed at which the vehicle is travelling with the speed limit on the road on which the vehicle is travelling and if the speed at which the vehicle is travelling exceeds the speed limit, the controller outputs a speed reduction command. A speed controller receives a message from the controller and reduces the speed of the vehicle.

Description

VEHICLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle management system.
Many accidents occur because of vehicles speeding.
The present invention addresses this by managing the speed of a vehicle by overriding the driver speed control when the vehicle is speeding. SU MARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one example embodiment there is provided a vehicle management system including: a speed measurement module to determine a speed at which the vehicle is travelling; a speed limit determining module to determine a speed limit on a road on which the vehicle is travelling; a controller to compare the speed at which the vehicle is travelling with the speed limit on the road on which the vehicle is travelling and if the speed at which the vehicle is travelling exceeds the speed limit to output a speed reduction command; and a speed controller to receive a message from the controller and to reduce the speed of the vehicle.
The system may further include a communications module, particularly including GPS and/or GPRS or GSM communications functionality.
The speed measurement module preferably uses information received from the communications module to calculate the speed at which the vehicle is travelling.
In addition, the speed limit determining module preferably uses information received from the communications module to calculate the speed limit.
In one example embodiment, the speed controller increases or reduces the amount of fuel supplied to the vehicle engine to thereby reduce or increase the speed of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of an example vehicle management system according to the present invention; and
Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of an example unit installed on a vehicle.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
The present invention relates to a vehicle management system.
Figures 1 and 2 show a schematic block diagram of an example vehicle management system according to the present invention.
In the embodiment, a vehicle 10 is in communication with a number of satellites 12 that make up the global positioning system (GPS).
Also in communication with the satellites 12 are a server 14 and an associated database 16, the operation of which will be described in more detail below.
A unit forming part of the vehicle management system is installed on the vehicle 10 and illustrated as 18 in Figure 1 .
Figure 2 shows the unit of the vehicle management system in more detail.
Included in the unit 18 is a communications module 20, particularly a GPS communications module that enables communication with the GPS satellite system.
A speed measurement module 22 is used to determine a speed at which the vehicle 10 is travelling at any given time. ln one example embodiment, the speed measurement module 22 preferably uses information received from the communications module to calculate the speed at which the vehicle is travelling. This is known as the GPS speed.
The GPS speed can be calculated as follows, for example.
Each satellite 12 is sending out signals with the following content: I am satellite X, my position is Y and this information was sent at time Z. In addition to its own position, each satellite sends data about the position of other satellites. These orbit data (ephemeris and almanac data) are stored by the GPS receiver for later calculations.
For the determination of its position on earth, the GPS receiver compares the time when the signal was sent by the satellite with the time the signal was received. From this time difference the distance between receiver and satellite can be calculated.
If data from other satellites are taken into account, the present position can be calculated by trilateration (meaning the determination of a distance from three points). This means that at least four satellites are required to determine the position of the GPS receiver on the earth surface. By means of four or more satellites, an absolute position in a three dimensional space can be determined. A 3D-position fix also gives the height above the earth surface as a result.
By constantly recalculating its position, the GPS receiver can additionally determine the speed and direction of a movement (referred to as "ground speed" and "ground track").
Another possibility of determining the speed is by using the Doppler's effect which occurs due to the movement of the receiver while receiving the signals. ln another example embodiment, the speed measurement module 22 is a speedometer of the motor vehicle.
In any event, a speed limit determining module 24 is used to determine a speed limit on a road on which the vehicle is travelling.
In the illustrated embodiment, the speed limit determining module 24 is illustrated as forming part of the unit 18 installed on the vehicle 10 itself.
However, in the prototype embodiment, the speed limit determining module 24 formed part of the server 14.
In this embodiment, the communications module 20 periodically transmits the location of the vehicle 10 via a different communications network 32 to the server 14. The network 32 may be a GPRS or GSM network, for example.
The server 14 accesses database 16 to obtain the pre-stored speed limit on the road on which the vehicle is travelling and transmits this speed limit back to the communications module 20.
A controller 26 is used to compare the speed at which the vehicle is travelling with the speed limit on the road on which the vehicle is travelling and if the speed at which the vehicle is travelling exceeds the speed limit to output a speed reduction command.
It will be appreciated that in an alternate embodiment, the comparison of the speed at which the vehicle is travelling with the speed limit on the road is calculated by server 14 in which case the controller 26 is partially located on the server 14 and partially located on the vehicle 10.
In any event, a speed controller 28 is connected to the controller 26 and receives a message from the controller 26 to reduce the speed of the vehicle. ln one example embodiment, the speed controller increases or reduces the amount of fuel supplied to the vehicle engine to thereby reduce or increase the speed of the vehicle.
In the prototype of the present invention, the speed controller cut off the power supply to the fuel pump of the vehicle thereby preventing fuel from being pumped to the engine. This was achieved by opening an electrical switch to the fuel pump. Once the vehicle slowed down to reach the speed limit of the road on which it is travelling, the speed controller closed the switch allowing the driver to accelerate as usual.
In a preferred embodiment, an audible alarm is sounded for 5 seconds before the fuel supply is reduced. This warns the driver that this is occurring.
In the prototype embodiment the speed controller 28 is installed in series with a fuel pump power supply of the vehicle and is thereby able to switch the fuel pump power supply off and on thereby cutting fuel supply to the vehicle engine when required and restoring fuel supply to the vehicle engine when required.
The fuel supply is reduced or cut off until the correct speed is achieved after which the fuel supply is returned to its original condition. It will be appreciated that in order for this to occur, the speed of the vehicle needs to be continually monitored so that when the speed reaches the speed limit the controller 26 sends a command to the speed controller 28 to allow the fuel supply to return to normal. This occurs in the same manner as has been described above.
It will further be appreciated that for effective speed management to occur, communication between the unit 18 installed on the vehicle 10, the satellite system 12 and the server 14 needs to occur frequently. In the prototype system, communication between the unit 18 installed on the vehicle 10 and the server 14 occurs every 10 seconds.
The unit 18 in the vehicle 10 also records other information, for example:
Vehicle ID;
Driver ID;
Departure time;
Stopped time;
Location or name of the zone;
Trip distances;
Driving time;
Average speed during trip;
Maximum speed during trip; and
Virtual odometer;
Idling time.
This information is then transmitted from the unit 18 to the server 14 and stored in the memory 30.
Thus it will be appreciated that the present invention manages the speed of a vehicle by automatically comparing the speed of the vehicle to the speed limit of the road on which the vehicle is travelling and if the speed limit is exceeded, automatically intervening to reduce the speed of the vehicle.

Claims

CLAIMS:
1. A vehicle management system including: a speed measurement module to determine a speed at which the vehicle is travelling; a speed limit determining module to determine a speed limit on a road on which the vehicle is travelling; a controller to compare the speed at which the vehicle is travelling with the speed limit on the road on which the vehicle is travelling and if the speed at which the vehicle is travelling exceeds the speed limit to output a speed reduction command; and a speed controller to receive a message from the controller and to reduce the speed of the vehicle.
2. A system according to claim 1 further including a communications module.
3. A system according to claim 2 wherein the communications module includes GPS communications functionality.
4. A system according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the communications module includes GPRS or GSM communications functionality
5. A system according to any preceding claim wherein the speed measurement module uses information received from the communications module to calculate the speed at which the vehicle is travelling.
6. A system according to any preceding claim wherein the speed limit determining module uses information received from the communications module to calculate the speed limit.
7. A system according to any preceding claim wherein the speed controller increases or reduces the amount of fuel supplied to the vehicle engine to thereby reduce or increase the speed of the vehicle.
PCT/IB2012/051269 2011-03-28 2012-03-16 Vehicle management system WO2012131521A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ZA201102275 2011-03-28
ZA2011/02275 2011-03-28

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2012131521A1 true WO2012131521A1 (en) 2012-10-04

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IB2012/051269 WO2012131521A1 (en) 2011-03-28 2012-03-16 Vehicle management system

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105894824A (en) * 2014-12-12 2016-08-24 上海海镭激光科技有限公司 Container terminal external container truck over-speed alarm system

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5485161A (en) * 1994-11-21 1996-01-16 Trimble Navigation Limited Vehicle speed control based on GPS/MAP matching of posted speeds
US20090243883A1 (en) * 2008-03-26 2009-10-01 Kenneth Lenard Simon Speed limit enforcer

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5485161A (en) * 1994-11-21 1996-01-16 Trimble Navigation Limited Vehicle speed control based on GPS/MAP matching of posted speeds
US20090243883A1 (en) * 2008-03-26 2009-10-01 Kenneth Lenard Simon Speed limit enforcer

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105894824A (en) * 2014-12-12 2016-08-24 上海海镭激光科技有限公司 Container terminal external container truck over-speed alarm system

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