Radar detector for detecting police radar that receives GPS data

Abstract

A radar detector for alerting an operator of a motor vehicle to an incoming police radar signal. This radar detector includes a microprocessor; a circuit coupled to the microprocessor for detecting the incoming police radar signal; and a global positioning system receiver coupled to the microprocessor. Upon detection of an incoming radar signal, the radar detector can utilize the position, velocity, and/or heading data from the global positioning system receiver to determine whether to generate an alert.

1. A method, executed by a device having a position, of generating an alert to an incoming radar signal having a frequency and a signal strength, the method comprising the acts of:
 (a) detecting the incoming radar signal;    (b) determining the position of the device that detected the incoming radar signal; and    (c) generating an alert if the position of the device is not within a predetermined distance of a predetermined position.    
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the act of detecting the incoming radar signal includes determining at least one characteristic of the radar signal. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the act of determining at least one characteristic of the radar signal in includes determining the frequency of the radar signal. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  wherein the act of determining at least one characteristic of the radar signal includes determining a frequency bin number. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 2  wherein the act of determining at least one characteristic of the radar signal includes determining whether the incoming radar signal is in the X frequency band, the Ku frequency band, the K frequency band, or the Ka frequency band. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 2  wherein the act of determining at least one characteristic of the radar signal includes determining the signal strength of the incoming radar signal. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2  wherein the act of generating an alert includes generating an alert if the at least one characteristic is not similar to a predetermined characteristic. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1  wherein the act of determining the position of the device includes receiving signals from a plurality of satellites. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1  wherein the act of determining the position of the device includes receiving a differential global positioning signal. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1  wherein the act of determining the position of the device includes receiving dead reckoning data. 
     
     
       11. A method, executed by a device having a velocity, of generating an alert to an incoming radar signal having a frequency and a signal strength, the method comprising the acts of:
 (a) detecting the incoming radar signal;    (b) determining the velocity of the device that detected the incoming radar signal; and    (c) generating an alert if the velocity of the device is greater than a predetermined velocity.    
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  wherein the act of determining the velocity of the device includes receiving data from a plurality of satellites. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11  wherein the act of determining the velocity of the device includes receiving data from a plurality of global positioning satellites. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 11  wherein the act of determining the velocity of the device includes receiving differential global positioning data. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11  wherein the act of determining the velocity of the device includes receiving dead reckoning data. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11  wherein the act of generating an alert if the velocity of the device is greater than a predetermined velocity includes generating an alert if the velocity of the device is greater than a velocity that has been previously programmed by an operator of a motor vehicle. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11  wherein the act of generating an alert if the velocity of the device is greater than a predetermined velocity includes generating an alert if the velocity of the device is greater than a legal speed limit that is retrieved from a database. 
     
     
       18. A radar detector for altering an operator of a motor vehicle to an incoming police radar signal comprising:
 (a) a microprocessor;    (b) a circuit coupled to the microprocessor for detecting the incoming police radar signal; and    (c) a global positioning system receiver coupled to the microprocessor and operable to provide the microprocessor with data.    
     
     
       19. The radar detector of  claim 18 , further including a program storage device that is coupled to the microprocessor, the program storage device containing machine readable instructions for:
 (a) determining the position of a radar detector; and    (b) generating an alert if the position of the radar detector is not within a predetermined distance of a predetermined position.    
     
     
       20. The radar detector of  claim 19 , wherein the program storage device includes machine readable instructions for determining at least one characteristic of the radar signal. 
     
     
       21. The radar detector of  claim 18 , further including a program storage device that is coupled to the microprocessor, the program storage device containing machine readable instructions for:
 (a) determining the velocity of the device utilized to detect the incoming radar signal; and    (b) generating an alert if the velocity of a radar detector is greater than a predetermined velocity.    
     
     
       22. A method, executed by a radar detector for alerting an operator of a motor vehicle to an incoming police radar signal, the radar detector having a GPS receiver and a processor, the method comprising:
   receiving data based at least in part upon the incoming police radar signal;        alerting the operator of the motor vehicle to the incoming police radar signal;        determining a first position of the radar detector;        determining a second position of the radar detector; and        receiving data based at least in part upon the second position;        wherein the determining of the second position of the radar detector is performed by the radar detector's GPS receiver;        wherein the receiving the data based at least in part upon the second position and the receiving the data based at least in part upon the incoming police radar signal are both performed by the radar detector's processor.     
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22 , further comprising determining the moving direction between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , further comprising generating a visual indication based at least in part upon the moving direction. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the radar detector includes a button, the method further comprising muting an audible alert based upon data received from the button. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising storing data in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the button.   
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising storing the second position in the non - volatile memory based at least in part upon data received from the button.   
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising storing the second position and the frequency of the incoming radar signal in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the button.   
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising storing the second position and data related to the frequency of the incoming radar signal in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the button.   
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the button is a mute button and the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising storing data in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the mute button.   
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the button is a mute button and the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising storing the second position in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the mute button.   
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the button is a mute button and the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising storing the second position and the frequency of the incoming radar signal in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the mute button.   
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the button is a mute button and the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising storing the second position and data related to the frequency of the incoming radar signal in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the mute button.   
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the button is a mute button and the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising performing an act that is unrelated to muting an alert based upon data received from the mute button.   
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 25 , wherein the radar detector includes non- volatile memory, the method further comprising storing the second position in the non - volatile memory based upon first data received from the button and performing an act that is unrelated to storing a position in the non - volatile memory based upon second data received from the button.   
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the radar detector has a velocity, the method further comprising generating an alert if the velocity of the radar detector is greater than a predetermined velocity. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 22 , wherein the radar detector has a velocity, the method further comprising muting an alert if the velocity of the radar detector is less than a predetermined velocity. 
     
     
       38. A radar detector for alerting an operator of a motor vehicle to an incoming police radar signal, the radar detector comprising:
   an alert circuit that alerts the operator of the motor vehicle to the incoming police radar signal;        a GPS receiver that determines a first position and a second position of the radar detector;        a processor, the processor receiving data based at least in part upon the second position, the processor also receiving data based at least in part upon the incoming police radar signal; and        a display that generates a visual indication based at least in part upon the second position of the radar detector.     
     
     
       39. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector determines the moving direction between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
       40. The radar detector of  claim 39 , wherein the radar detector generates a visual indication based at least in part upon the moving direction. 
     
     
       41. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector includes a button and the radar detector mutes an audible alert based upon data received from the button. 
     
     
       42. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector includes a button and non- volatile memory and the radar detector stores data in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the button.   
     
     
       43. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector includes a button and non- volatile memory and the radar detector stores the second position and the frequency of the incoming radar signal in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the button.   
     
     
       44. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector includes a mute button and non- volatile memory and the radar detector stores data in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the mute button.   
     
     
       45. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector includes a mute button and non- volatile memory and the radar detector stores the second position in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the mute button.   
     
     
       46. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector includes a mute button and non- volatile memory and the radar detector stores at least two items in the non - volatile memory based upon data received from the mute button.   
     
     
       47. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector includes a mute button and non- volatile memory and the radar detector performs an act that is unrelated to muting an alert based upon data received from the mute button.   
     
     
       48. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector includes a button and non- volatile memory, and the radar detector stores data related to the second position in the non - volatile memory based upon first data received from the button and performing an act that is unrelated to storing a position in the non - volatile memory based upon second data received from the button.   
     
     
       49. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector has a velocity and the radar detector generates an alert if the velocity of the radar detector is greater than a predetermined velocity. 
     
     
       50. The radar detector of  claim 38 , wherein the radar detector has a velocity and the radar detector mutes an alert if the velocity of the radar detector is less than a predetermined velocity. 
     
     
       51. A system, for use in an automobile, the system comprising:
   a GPS receiver that outputs first data;        a plurality of antennas that receive radar signals;        signal processing logic coupled to the plurality of antennas, the signal processing logic using the received radar signals to determine positions of objects with respect to a side of the automobile;        a device, coupled to the GPS receiver and the signal processing logic, the device generating a first visual indication based at least in part upon the first data, the device generating a second visual indication based at least in part upon the positions of the objects with respect to the side of the automobile.