Systems, devices, and methods for vehicle speed control
A network system for controlling a vehicle speed includes a server, a satellite, and a control device for monitoring and modifying a speed of the vehicle. The server receives information relating to at least one travel condition, calculates a target speed based on the at least one travel condition, and transmits one or more commands indicative of the target speed. The satellite is communicatively coupled to the server and receives the command(s) indicative of the target speed. The control device includes a speed sensor generating a signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed, a receiver communicatively coupled to the satellite and receiving the command(s) indicative of the target speed, and a controller. The controller calculates a difference between the target speed and the sensed vehicle speed, and modifies operation of a prime mover and/or traction elements to cause the sensed vehicle speed to match the target speed.
1. A method for controlling a speed of a vehicle, the method comprising:
receiving, at a server, information indicative of at least one travel condition in a geographic region;
determining, at the server, a target speed based on the information indicative of at least one travel condition in the geographic region;
transmitting a region-specific command indicative of the target speed to one or more satellites; and
transmitting, via a uni-directional link, the region-specific command indicative of the target speed to the vehicle in the geographic region from the one or more satellites.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising,
receiving, with a receiver positioned on the vehicle, the command indicative of the target speed;
determining, with an electronic processor positioned on the vehicle, a difference between the target speed and a sensed vehicle speed; and
while the target speed is different from the sensed vehicle speed, sending a control signal to modify operation of at least one of a prime mover and a braking device to change the speed of the vehicle to match the target speed.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining a difference between the target speed and the sensed vehicle speed includes determining whether the difference is greater than a predetermined threshold, and wherein sending the control signal includes sending the control signal while the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising
while the target speed is less than the sensed vehicle speed, actuating a braking device to slow an associated traction element, and
while the target speed is greater than the sensed vehicle speed, actuating the prime mover to accelerate at least one traction element.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving information indicative of at least one travel condition includes at least one of a speed limit, a weather condition, a traffic congestion condition, an accident, an emergency condition, a road surface condition, and proximity with respect to a geographic boundary.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein sending a control signal includes sending a control signal to an engine control module.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein sending a control signal to an engine control module causes the engine control module to control flow of fuel to an engine.
8. The method of claim 2 , wherein sending a control signal includes sending a control signal to a plurality of brake devices, each of the brake devices associated with one of a plurality of traction elements, at least some of the traction elements being mechanically driven by the prime mover.
9. A network system for controlling a speed of a vehicle, the vehicle including a prime mover and a plurality of traction elements, the system comprising:
a server configured to
receive information relating to at least one travel condition in a geographic region,
calculate a target speed based on the at least one travel condition in the geographic region, and
transmit at least one region-specific command indicative of the target speed;
a satellite communicatively coupled to the server and configured to receive the at least one command indicative of the target speed, the satellite communicatively coupled to the vehicle via a uni-directional link, the satellite configured to transmit the region-specific command indicative of the target speed to the vehicle in the geographic region; and
a control device for monitoring and modifying a speed of the vehicle, the control device including,
a speed sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed,
a receiver communicatively coupled to the satellite and receiving the at least one command indicative of the target speed, and
a controller configured to
calculate a difference between the target speed and the sensed vehicle speed, and
modify operation of at least one of the prime mover and the traction elements to cause the sensed vehicle speed to match the target speed.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one travel condition includes at least one of a speed limit, a weather condition, a traffic congestion condition, an accident, an emergency condition, a road surface condition, and proximity with respect to a geographic boundary.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein
while the target speed is less than the sensed vehicle speed, the controller actuates a braking device to slow the traction elements, and
while the target speed is greater than the sensed vehicle speed, the controller actuates the prime mover to accelerate the traction elements.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is in communication with an engine control module configured to adjust at least one of an operation of a transmission and a flow of fuel to a fuel injector.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is in communication with a plurality of brake devices, each of the brake devices associated with one of the traction elements.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is configured to modify operation of at least one of the prime mover and the traction elements when the difference between the target speed and the sensed vehicle speed is greater than a predetermined threshold.
15. A device for controlling a speed of a vehicle, the vehicle including a prime mover and a plurality of traction elements, the device comprising:
a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed;
a receiver communicatively coupled to a satellite by a uni-directional link, the receiver configured to receive at least one command indicative of a target speed associated with a geographic region while the vehicle is located within the associated geographic region; and
a controller configured to
calculate a difference between the target speed and the sensed vehicle speed, and
modify operation of at least one of the prime mover and the traction elements to cause the sensed vehicle speed to match the target speed.
16. The device of claim 15 , wherein the device is removably connectable to an engine control module configured to control operation of an engine.
17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the device is configured to control operation of one or more brake devices, each of the brake devices associated with one of the traction elements.
18. The device of claim 15 , wherein the command indicative of a target speed is based on at least one travel condition that includes at least one of a speed limit, a weather condition, a traffic congestion condition, an accident, an emergency condition, a road surface condition, and proximity with respect to a geographic boundary.
19. The device of claim 15 , wherein,
while the target speed is less than the sensed vehicle speed, the controller actuates a braking device to slow the traction elements, and
while the target speed is greater than the sensed vehicle speed, the controller actuates the prime mover to accelerate the traction elements.