Cruise control indicator
DC
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A cruise control system for vehicle having a human operator, comprising:
- a speed controller that automatically maintains the vehicle speed at a preset speed;
an enable switch associated with said controller for enabling the system;
a set speed input in communication with said controller for manually setting the speed of the vehicle at said preset speed, thereby engaging the system;
a memory which stores information indicative of said preset speed; and
a feedback system for communicating said information in said memory to the operator of the vehicle.
2 Assignments
Litigations
5 Petitions
Reexamination
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for indicating the operational status and parameters of a cruise control system for use in a human operated vehicle. The system includes apparatus for storing and recalling a preset speed for the cruise control system. The system further includes apparatus for indicating this preset speed to the operator, along with apparatus configured to indicate to the user whether or not the cruise control system is engaged. One embodiment is a system for use with vehicles with digital speedometers. In this embodiment, the system includes digital memory for storing the preset speed, and a digital display configured to show the preset speed and the operational status of the cruise control system. Another embodiment is for use with vehicles having analog speedometers. The analog system includes an array of LEDs and detectors arranged around a speed indicating dial and under the speedometer needle. The LEDs and detectors are arranged so that a preset speed may be stored into the system by detection of light reflected from one of the LEDs off a reflective surface on the back side of the needle, and onto one of the detectors. The LEDs of the analog system are further configured to indicate the preset speed and the operational status of the system.
49 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A cruise control system for vehicle having a human operator, comprising:
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a speed controller that automatically maintains the vehicle speed at a preset speed;
an enable switch associated with said controller for enabling the system;
a set speed input in communication with said controller for manually setting the speed of the vehicle at said preset speed, thereby engaging the system;
a memory which stores information indicative of said preset speed; and
a feedback system for communicating said information in said memory to the operator of the vehicle.
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2. A cruise control system for a variable speed vehicle controlled by a human operator, comprising:
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(a) a speed controller for automatically maintaining the vehicle at a substantially constant cruising speed selected by the operator;
(b) a cruise control enable switch associated with the controller for enabling and disabling the controller;
(c) a set speed input in communication with the controller for selecting the cruising speed of the vehicle when the controller is enabled;
(d) a memory that stores information representative of the selected cruising speed; and
(e) a feedback system that substantially continuously communicates the selected cruising speed information to the operator of the vehicle until either the operator selects a subsequent cruising speed or the controller is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5)
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6. A cruise control system for a variable speed vehicle controlled by a human operator, comprising:
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(a) a speed controller for automatically maintaining the vehicle at a substantially constant cruising speed selected by the operator;
(b) a cruise control enable switch associated with the controller for enabling and disabling the controller;
(c) a operator-controlled, set speed input in communication with the controller for selecting the cruising speed of the vehicle when the controller is enabled;
(d) an analog speedometer having a speed dial with speed markers and a rotating speed indicating needle on the dial; and
(e) a feedback system that detects the position of the speed indicating needle when the cruising speed of the vehicle is selected and that substantially continuously communicates the position of the needle corresponding to that cruising speed until either the operator selects a new cruising speed or the controller is disabled. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for visually communicating to the human operator of a vehicle having a cruise control system a cruising speed at which the vehicle is set, comprising:
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determining the speed at which the vehicle is traveling;
activating the cruise control system at a desired cruising speed;
displaying a symbol indicative of the speed at which the cruise control system is activated;
maintaining the activated cruise control speed symbol upon temporary acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle;
removing said symbol when the cruise control system is deactivated or a new cruising speed is selected.
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13. A method for indicating to a human operator of a vehicle having a cruise control system a preset speed for which the cruise control system is set, the method comprising:
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setting the preset speed;
displaying to the operator a symbol indicative of the preset speed;
maintaining the display of the symbol indicative of the preset speed; and
discontinuing display of the symbol indicative of the preset when the cruise control system is deactivated or a new preset speed is selected. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
displaying a second symbol upon the selection of a new preset speed, said second symbol indicative of the new preset speed.
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15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
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before setting the preset speed, activating the cruise control system; and
after activating the cruise control system, but before setting the preset speed, indicating to the operator the unset status of the preset speed.
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16. The method of claim 15,
wherein indicating the unset status of the preset speed includes displaying a visual symbol to the operator. -
17. The method of claim 16,
wherein the visual symbol indicating the unset status of the preset speed comprises a blinking “ - 0”
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- 0”
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18. A method for indicating to a human operator of a vehicle having a cruise control system a preset speed for which the cruise control system is set, the method comprising:
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setting the preset speed;
displaying to the operator a symbol indicative of the preset speed while maintaining the vehicle speed at substantially the preset speed;
maintaining the display of the symbol indicative of the preset speed;
braking the vehicle;
upon braking the vehicle, discontinuing maintaining the vehicle speed at substantially the preset speed while keeping data corresponding to the preset speed in a memory device; and
at a time after braking and during which time the vehicle is not being maintained at substantially the preset speed, displaying to the operator a symbol indicative of the preset speed. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for indicating to a human operator of a vehicle having a cruise control system a preset speed for which the cruise control system is set, the method comprising:
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engaging the cruise control system;
setting the preset speed;
displaying to the operator a symbol indicative of the preset speed;
maintaining the display of the symbol indicative of the preset speed;
discontinuing display of the symbol indicative of the preset speed after the cruise control system is deactivated or a new preset speed is selected; and
after the cruise control system is deactivated, displaying a symbol indicative of an unset state of the preset speed. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for indicating to a human operator of a vehicle having a cruise control system a preset speed for which the cruise control system is set, the method comprising:
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setting the preset speed;
displaying to the operator a symbol indicative of the preset speed;
accelerating the vehicle to a speed above the preset speed; and
maintaining the display of the symbol indicative of the preset speed while the vehicle is at the speed above the preset speed.
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26. A cruise control system for a variable speed vehicle controlled by a human operator, comprising:
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a speed controller for automatically maintaining the vehicle at a substantially constant preset speed;
a set speed input in communication with the controller for selecting the preset speed;
a memory device operable to store information representative of the preset speed;
first visual display apparatus operable to display the indicative of the actual speed of the vehicle; and
second visual display apparatus operable to display the visual information indicative of an operation status of the speed controller, wherein the visual information displayable by the second visual display apparatus includes visual information indicative of the preset speed. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
wherein the first visual display apparatus comprises an analog speedometer including a speed indicator operably disposed adjacent an indicator dial; - and
wherein the second visual display apparatus comprises a plurality of individual visual indicators, wherein each of said individual visual indicators is associated with a particular vehicle speed, and wherein each of said individual visual indicators is operable between and “
on”
condition and an “
off”
condition.
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30. The cruise control system of claim 29, wherein the individual visual indicators include a plurality of LEDs.
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31. The cruise control system of claim 29, wherein the individual visual indicators are disposed on the indicator dial of the analog speedometer.
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32. The cruise control system of claim 31, further comprising:
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at least one detector operable to detect the position of the speed indicator at a predetermined time; and
a memory device operable to store information indicative of the position of the speed indicator at the predetermined time.
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33. The cruise control system of claim 32, further comprising:
reflective material disposed on the speed indicator and configured to reflect light emitted by at least one of the individual visual indicators onto at least one of the detectors.
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34. A method for providing an operator of a vehicle equipped with a cruise control device with information reflecting the operating status of the cruise control device, comprising:
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providing a cruise control device including;
(a) a speed controller for automatically maintaining the vehicle at a substantially constant preset speed;
(b) a set speed input in communication with the controller for selecting the preset speed;
(c) a memory device operable to store information representative of the preset speed;
(d) first visual display apparatus operable to display the indicative of the actual speed of the vehicle; and
(e) second visual display apparatus operable to display the visual information indicative of an operation status of the speed controller, wherein the visual information displayable by the second visual display apparatus includes visual information indicative of the preset speed;
activating the cruise control device; and
operating the second visual display apparatus to indicate the active status of the cruise control device. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
operating the second visual display apparatus to display visual information indicative of the preset speed.
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36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:
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operating the cruise control device to change the preset speed from a first preset speed to a second preset speed;
operating the second visual display apparatus to display visual information indicative of the second preset speed.
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Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneeCruise Control Technologies LLC (Empire IP LLC)
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Original AssigneeC. Kumar N. Patel
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InventorsPatel, C. Kumar N.
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Primary Examiner(s)Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
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Assistant Examiner(s)Beaulieu, Yonel
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Application NumberUS09/310,527Time in Patent Office930 DaysField of Search701/93, 701/96, 701/70, 701/301, 340/438, 340/441, 340/815.4, 180/170, 345/30, 362/23, 362/482, 362/489, 362/459US Class Current701/93CPC Class CodesB60K 31/185 connected to the speedomete...
