Vehicle Performance Control Device with Location-Based Speed Restrictions

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle control systems fail to consider the driver's traffic perception and driving style when imposing speed restrictions, leading to potential safety and legal issues due to unintentional speed changes.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that record a vehicle's position and parameters, allowing the driver to impose restrictions such as speed limits based on their own driving profile, which can be automatically applied when revisiting specific locations, using GPS or other positioning techniques, and integrated with vehicle cruise control systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a speed limiting device is used to automatically control vehicle speed based on detected speed regulations, then speed control accuracy is improved, but the system does not consider the driver's own traffic perception and driving style

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed control accuracyVSAvoiddriver-specific adaptation
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the speed control function into two parts: automatic speed regulation based on detected regulations, and driver-specific customization. The driver can create multiple profiles (e.g., work commute, weekend drive) with different speed preferences for different locations, allowing both automatic control and personal adaptation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by detecting and storing speed regulations in advance at various locations. When the vehicle approaches a detected location, the pre-stored speed regulation is automatically applied, enabling proactive speed adjustment before the driver would need to react manually.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If geographical positions are selected by a third party for speed restrictions, then comprehensive traffic safety is improved, but the driver's personal driving considerations are not taken into account

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraffic safetyVSAvoiddriver control
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges third-party speed regulation data with driver-specific preferences and decisions. The driver receives speed regulation information from external sources but maintains full control to accept, modify, or reject these regulations based on personal judgment and current driving conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements dynamic speed restriction profiles that can be adjusted in real-time. The driver can create different speed profiles for different routes, times, or conditions, and can dynamically switch between them or modify them during driving based on changing circumstances.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If the vehicle driver manually operates the vehicle without assistance, then the driver has full control over vehicle performance, but the driver may unintentionally increase or decrease speed due to distraction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedriver controlVSAvoidspeed maintenance
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides continuous feedback to the driver about current speed, detected speed regulations, and upcoming locations with stored speed preferences. This feedback loop helps the driver maintain awareness and make informed decisions without removing manual control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system serves the driver by automatically detecting locations, storing speed regulations, and suggesting appropriate speed limits. The driver then uses this pre-processed information to make speed control decisions, reducing the cognitive load and distraction during actual driving.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3031686B1A method for controlling the performance of a vehicle and a vehicle performance control device
Publication Date: 2020.02.19 VOLVO CAR CORP
  • EP3031686B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3031686B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3031686B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for controlling a vehicles performance, a vehicle performance control device, and a computer readable medium comprising an algorithm for implementing the method. The method and device relates to recording a vehicles position and at least one vehicle parameter when the vehicle (1) is moving and imposing a restriction on the vehicles performance when driving the vehicle(1) at, or substantially at, the recorded position using the at least one recorded vehicle parameter. The method and device permits a vehicle driver to record data and subsequently use that data to impose restrictions to the vehicle performance when revisiting the geographical position at which the data was recorded.