# US 8,751,133 B2 · Speed limiter system and method for a vehicle

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- Number: US 8,751,133 B2
- Document ID: US8751133B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/398,537
- Filed: 2012-02-16
- Published: 2012-08-23
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-02-17
- Assignees: 7980302 Canada Inc.
- Applicants: Jean Poulin
- Inventors: Jean Poulin
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751133B2

## CPC

- B60W 40/00: Estimation or calculation of {non-directly measurable} driving parameters for road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub unit, {e.g. by using mathematical models}
- B60W 30/146: {Speed limiting}
- B60W 40/105: Speed
- B60W 2050/0075: {Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means}
- B60W 2540/043: Identity of occupants
- B60W 2555/60: Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
- B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
- B60W 2720/10: Longitudinal speed
- G01P 3/56: for comparing two speeds
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G})

## Abstract

A speed limiter method and system that automatically limits the maximum speed of a motor vehicle based on the segment of the road the vehicle is travelling on and on the user or driver of the vehicle, by modifying an actual throttle sensor signal from the throttle position sensor of the vehicle transmitted to the engine control unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A speed limiter system for limiting the maximum speed of a vehicle, the system comprises:
a user identification device for identifying the user of the vehicle;
a navigation device for determining an actual position of the vehicle on a road map;
a speed limit database of posted speed limits for respective segments of roads of the road map;
a user database including, for each user, a respective user over-speed parameter corresponding to the respective road segment;
a speed controller device including an allowed maximum speed algorithm connecting to the user identification device, the navigation device, the speed limit database and the user database, the allowed maximum speed algorithm determining in real time an actual allowed maximum speed limit by adding the actual road segment posted speed limit to the corresponding user over-speed parameter; and
said speed controller device further connecting to an engine control unit, a vehicle speed source and a throttle position sensor of the vehicle, when the vehicle speed determined from the vehicle speed source is within a predetermined activation range below the actual allowed maximum speed limit, the controller device modifying an actual throttle sensor signal from the throttle position sensor to the engine control unit to prevent the user from driving the vehicle at a speed beyond the actual allowed maximum speed limit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The speed limiter system of claim 1, wherein the controller device further connects to a cruise control interface of the vehicle to further modify an actual cruise control signal from the cruise control interface to the engine control unit to prevent the user from driving the vehicle at a speed beyond the actual allowed maximum speed limit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The speed limiter system of claim 1, wherein the user identification device includes a data input interface to receive a user identification code from the user.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The speed limiter system of claim 3, wherein the data input interface includes a keypad.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The speed limiter system of claim 3, wherein the data input interface includes a wireless device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The speed limiter system of claim 1, wherein the controller device connects to a customized speed limit database modifying the speed limit database.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The speed limiter system of claim 6, wherein the customized speed limit database is user-dependent.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The speed limiter system of claim 1, wherein the speed limiter system prevents the vehicle from being displaced in the absence of a valid user identification.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The speed limiter system of claim 8, wherein the speed limiter system prevents starting of the vehicle engine in the absence of a valid user identification.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The speed limiter system of claim 8, wherein the speed limiter system prevents the actual throttle sensor signal from reaching the engine control unit in the absence of a valid user identification.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The speed limiter system of claim 1, wherein the controller device further connects to a cruise control interface of the vehicle to prevent an actual cruise control signal of the cruise control interface from reaching the engine control unit, and to control the cruise control interface, thereby preventing the user from driving the vehicle at a speed beyond the actual allowed maximum speed limit.

### Claim 12

A speed limiting method for limiting the maximum speed of a vehicle depending on the actual position of the vehicle on a road segment and on the user of the vehicle, the method comprises the steps of:
getting identification of the user of the vehicle from a user-identification device;
getting an actual position of the vehicle on a road segment from a navigation device;
getting a posted speed limit for the road segment from a speed limit database;
getting a user over-speed parameter corresponding to the respective road segment from a user database;
determining, via a speed controller device, in real time an actual allowed maximum speed limit by adding the actual road segment posted speed limit to the corresponding user over-speed parameter; and
upon the vehicle speed reaching a predetermined activation range below the actual allowed maximum speed limit, said speed controller device modifying an actual throttle sensor signal from a throttle position sensor so as to prevent the user from driving the vehicle at a speed beyond the actual allowed maximum speed limit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The speed limiting method of claim 12, wherein the step of getting identification includes disabling engine start upon getting a non-valid user identification from the user-identification device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The speed limiting method of claim 12, wherein the step of getting identification includes preventing the actual throttle sensor signal from reaching the electronic control unit upon getting a non-valid user identification from the user-identification device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The speed limiting method of claim 12, wherein the step of getting a posted speed limit further includes getting a posted speed limit for the road segment from a customized speed limit database and the user database.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The speed limiting method of claim 12, further comprising the step of modifying an actual cruise control signal from a cruise control interface of the vehicle to the engine control unit so as to prevent the user from driving the vehicle at a speed beyond the actual allowed maximum speed limit.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The speed limiting method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of preventing an actual cruise control signal of a cruise control interface from reaching the engine control unit, and controlling the cruise control interface, thereby preventing the user from driving the vehicle at a speed beyond the actual allowed maximum speed limit.