Escort Inc.

John Kuhn

Steven K Orr

Timothy A Coomer

Jeffrey J Clawson

Jeff Stevens

Kevin L Kipper

Thomas W Humphrey

Robert Gregory Blair

Roy Coburn

An enhanced radar detector in one example displays a source direction of one more detected signals simultaneously with a frequency band of the detected signal. In another embodiment, a method detects a location of a false alert source to suppress alerts emanating from the location. A geographic location of a first mid-ship point of a detected radar signal in a vehicle traveling in a first direction are identified/recorded. The geographic location of a second mid-ship point of a detected signal is also identified/recorded in a vehicle traveling in a second different direction. The recorded geographic locations/directions of travel are uploaded to a host server, or evaluated within the radar detector, to identify a false source and mark a false source at an intersection of the first and second midlines. The marked false source location can be used in a detector and/or downloaded to multiple detectors via a social network.

Radar detector with multi-band directional display and enhanced detection of false alerts

A radar detector suppresses alerts from vehicle guidance systems, by sweeping for a consistent radar signal; the center frequency of the signal is stored and the detector suppresses warnings of radar signals near that frequency. The detector uses an enhanced method for suppression of signals near a known location of a false signal source; in the event the detector detects a radar signal and finds a matching stored false signal, the detector will first compare the strength of the received signal to a threshold strength that is computed based upon the distance of the detector from the stored false signal, and will only suppress signals below threshold. The detector includes a camera directed to the road in the vicinity of the vehicle. Image data from the camera is processed to identify police vehicles as identified by flashing lights, a profile including a rooftop light bar and/or highly contrasting colored panels.

Radar false alert reduction

A GPS enabled radar detector incorporated in a general purpose navigation device dynamically handles radar sources based upon previously-stored geographically-referenced information on such sources and data from the GPS receiver. The detector may ignore detections received in an area known to contain a stationary source, or may only ignore specific frequencies or may handle frequencies differently based upon historic trends of spurious police radar signals at each frequency. Notification of the driver may take a variety of forms depending on the stored information, current operating modes, and vehicle speed. The device includes navigational functions as well. In one embodiment, the detector uses a transparent touch screen and a readily aligned mounting.

Radar detector with navigation function

Wireless and other external connectivity technology is used in various ways to enhance or improve upon existing radar detector and police activity detection systems. External memory interfaces, such as SD cards or USB, provide external storage. Wireless interfaces such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, 802.11, and wireless personal area network communication protocols, allow a detector processor to interact wirelessly with external devices, such as a Bluetooth headset, a cellular network device providing a server connection, or toggle buttons used to indicate the presence of police activity at a current position. Further, radar detectors are upgraded to provide GPS capabilities, using the existing power/data connector of the radar detector.

Wireless connectivity in a radar detector

A GPS enabled radar detector dynamically handles radar sources based upon previously stored geographically referenced information on such sources and data from the GPS receiver. The detector includes technology for determining the location of the detector, and comparing this location to the locations of known stationary sources, to improve the handling of such detections. The detector may ignore detections received in an area known to contain a stationary source, or may only ignore specific frequencies or may handle frequencies differently based upon historic trends of spurious police radar signals at each frequency. Notification of the driver will take on a variety of forms depending on the stored information, current operating modes, and vehicle speed.

Radar detector with position and velocity sensitive functions

Calibration of an acceleration detector is initiated by a user depressable button such as a button indicating a vehicle is at rest and/or by the detector reading an OBDII vehicle communication protocol to determine the condition of the vehicle. Calibration permits more accurate measurements in a vehicle performance test.

Police radar/laser detector with integral vehicle parameter display using a vehicle interface

Acceleration detector with integral vehicle parameter display using a vehicle interface

A method of factory calibrating a police radar/laser detector including a controller, an accelerometer, and a memory, by manipulating the detector to rotate the accelerometer, measuring and feeding real time measurements from the accelerometer to a Least Squares Elliptical Fit algorithm executed by the controller, applying the Least Squares Elliptical Fit algorithm to the real time measurements to find the equation of an ellipse formed by the measurements, storing the coefficients of the ellipse in the memory. The coefficients are then recalled from the memory to thereby calibrate the accelerometer.

A police activity transponder utilizes data available through a vehicle on-board diagnostic system or a intelligent vehicle data bus to adjust the sensitivity of the police activity transponder to law enforcement signals based on speed data. A police activity transponder is configured to read speed data available through an on-board diagnostic system or an intelligent vehicle data bus and using an internal clock, calculate a 0 to 60 mile per hour or a quarter mile time for display and function as a speedometer. A police activity transponder is configured to read engine revolutions per minute (rpm) data and function as a tachometer. A police activity transponder is configured to allow a user to input shift points, read engine rpm data, and provide a user indication.

Police activity transponder utilizing a vehicle interface

A police radar and/or laser detector senses radiant electromagnetic signals (e.g. radar, laser) characteristic of a police traffic surveillance device and responds thereto with a displayed and/or audible alert. During periods when no alert is necessary, the detector senses and displays, in numeric or bar graph form, vehicle parameters, such as sound pressure level and acceleration. In addition, calculations based on acceleration provide 0-60 m.p.h. time and quarter mile time. Thereby, the detector enhances information available to the driver without the inconvenience, expense, and clutter of multiple displays.

Police radar/laser detector with integral vehicle parameter display

A police radar detector detects police radar signals in the X, K and wide Ka police radar bands and rejects interfering Ka band signals that are a higher harmonic of a nuisance source having a fundamental frequency adjacent to the X police radar bands. Each of the three police radar bands is separately swept in a first mixer stage with the resulting IF signal concurrently demodulated in two IF circuits. The first IF circuit detects signals that were received in the X, K and outer portions of the wide Ka band during respective sweeps. The second IF circuit detects nuisance signals adjacent to the X and K bands, and the inner portion of the wide Ka band during respective sweeps.

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

John Kuhn