Driving analysis and instruction device

Abstract

A racing coach device stores an optimal path of travel along a racetrack, the optimal path of travel formed of a plurality of segments and associated with a plurality of driving maneuvers. A location determining component configured to receive a location signal and determine a current geolocation of the racing coach device using the location signal. The racing coach device determines, based on the current geolocation of an automobile, a next driving maneuver along the plurality of driving maneuvers and a geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver. The device controls a speaker to provide audible driving instructions based on the determined next driving maneuver along the optimal path of travel before the racing coach device arrives at the geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A racing coach device comprising:
 an output device configured to provide audible driving instructions;   a memory device configured to store data representative of an optimal path of travel along a racetrack, the optimal path of travel formed of a plurality of segments of a predetermined distance along the entire racetrack and associated with a plurality of driving maneuvers;   a location determining component configured to receive a location signal and determine a current geolocation of the racing coach device using the location signal; and   a processing element coupled with the output device, the memory device and the location determining component, the processing element configured to: 
 determine, based on the current geolocation of the racing coach device, a next driving maneuver along the plurality of driving maneuvers, 
 determine a geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver, and 
 control the output device to provide audible driving instructions based on the determined next driving maneuver along the optimal path of travel before the racing coach device arrives at the geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver. 
   
     
     
         2 . The racing coach device of  claim 1 , further comprising a display device configured to present a graphical image of the racetrack and a graphical image associated with the next driving maneuver, wherein the memory device is further configured to store a plurality of graphical images associated with various driving maneuvers. 
     
     
         3 . The racing coach device of  claim 2 , wherein the display device is further configured to present the stored optimal path of travel. 
     
     
         4 . The racing coach device of  claim 1 , wherein the racing coach device is configured to be utilized within an automobile. 
     
     
         5 . The racing coach device of  claim 4 , wherein the processing element is further configured to:
 receive, from the location determining component, a heading of the automobile, and   determine that the automobile is currently turning based at least in part on a rate of change of heading.   
     
     
         6 . The racing coach device of  claim 5 , wherein the audible instructions are based at least in part on the determined turning of the automobile during a lap of the racetrack. 
     
     
         7 . The racing coach device of  claim 4 , further comprising a motion sensor configured to output a rate of change of heading; wherein the processing element is further configured to determine that the automobile is currently turning based at least in part on the rate of change of heading output by the motion sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The racing coach device of  claim 7 , wherein the audible instructions are based at least in part on the determined turning of the automobile during a lap of the racetrack. 
     
     
         9 . The racing coach device of  claim 4 , wherein the processing element is further configured to:
 determine that the automobile has completed the next driving maneuver,   determine, based on the completed next driving maneuver, performance information for the geolocations associated with the next driving maneuver, and   provide audible feedback based on the determined performance information.   
     
     
         10 . The racing coach device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing element is further configured to control the input device to provide positive feedback when the determined performance information results in the automobile traveling substantially along the optimal path of travel through the next driving maneuver. 
     
     
         11 . The racing coach device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing element is further configured to control the input device to provide constructive feedback when the determined performance information results in the automobile failing to travel substantially along the optimal path of travel through the next driving maneuver. 
     
     
         12 . The racing coach device of  claim 1 , wherein the output device is a speaker. 
     
     
         13 . The racing coach device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing element is further configured to determine a duration of time for the current geolocation of the racing coach device to substantially correspond to the determined geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver based on the determined current velocity; wherein the processing element controls the output device to provide the audible driving instructions for the determined next driving maneuver after the determined duration of time. 
     
     
         14 . The racing coach device of  claim 4 , wherein the processing element is further configured to:
 determine a current velocity of the automobile based on the determined geolocation, and   determine a duration of time for the current geolocation of the racing coach device to substantially correspond to the determined geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver based on the determined current velocity;   wherein the processing element controls the output device to provide the audible driving instructions for the determined next driving maneuver after the determined duration of time.   
     
     
         15 . A racing coach device comprising:
 a speaker configured to provide audible driving instructions;   a memory device configured to store data representative of an optimal path of travel along a racetrack, the optimal path of travel formed of a plurality of segments of a predetermined distance along the entire racetrack and associated with a plurality of driving maneuvers;   a location determining component configured to receive a location signal and determine a current geolocation and a heading of the racing coach device using the location signal; and   a processing element coupled with the speaker, the memory device and the location determining component, the processing element configured to: 
 determine, based on the current geolocation of the racing coach device, a next driving maneuver along the plurality of driving maneuvers, 
 determine a geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver, 
 receive, from the location determining component, the heading of the racing coach device, and 
 control the speaker to provide audible driving instructions for the determined next driving maneuver along the optimal path of travel before the racing coach device arrives at the geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver based at least in part on the determined heading of the racing coach device. 
   
     
     
         16 . The racing coach device of  claim 15 , wherein the racing coach device is configured to be utilized within an automobile. 
     
     
         17 . The racing coach device of  claim 16 , further comprising a motion sensor configured to output a rate of change of heading;
 wherein the processing element is further configured to determine that the automobile is currently turning based at least in part on the rate of change of heading output by the motion sensor; and   wherein the audible instructions are based at least in part on the determined turning of the automobile during a lap of the racetrack.   
     
     
         18 . The racing coach device of  claim 16 , wherein the processing element is further configured to:
 determine that the automobile has completed the next driving maneuver,   determine, based on the completed next driving maneuver, performance information for the geolocations associated with the next driving maneuver, and   provide audible feedback based on the determined performance information;   wherein the processing element is further configured to control the input device to provide positive feedback when the determined performance information results in the automobile traveling substantially along the optimal path of travel through the next driving maneuver; and   wherein the processing element is further configured to control the input device to provide constructive feedback when the determined performance information results in the automobile failing to travel substantially along the optimal path of travel through the next driving maneuver.   
     
     
         19 . The racing coach device of  claim 16 , wherein the processing element is further configured to:
 determine a current velocity of the automobile based on the determined geolocation, and   determine a duration of time for the current geolocation of the racing coach device to substantially correspond to the determined geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver based on the determined current velocity;   wherein the processing element controls the output device to provide the audible driving instructions for the determined next driving maneuver after the determined duration of time.   
     
     
         20 . A racing coach device configured to be utilized in an automobile comprising:
 a speaker configured to provide audible driving instructions;   a memory device configured to store data representative of an optimal path of travel along a racetrack, the optimal path of travel formed of a plurality of segments of a predetermined distance along the entire racetrack and associated with a plurality of driving maneuvers;   a location determining component configured to receive a location signal and determine a current geolocation of the racing coach device using the location signal; and   a processing element coupled with the speaker, the memory device and the location determining component, the processing element configured to: 
 determine, based on the current geolocation of the racing coach device, a next driving maneuver along the plurality of driving maneuvers, 
 determine a geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver, 
 control the speaker to provide audible driving instructions based on the determined next driving maneuver along the optimal path of travel before the automobile approaches the geolocation associated with the next driving maneuver.