Absolute acceleration sensor for use within moving vehicles

• US 10,436,125 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2018
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vision Works IP Corp.
• Original Assignee: Vision Works IP Corp.
• Inventors: Braunberger, Alfred S., Braunberger, Beau M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam M
• Application Number:
  US15/918,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20180258867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/447 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing the shape or intensity of the indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18054 at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state hill holding B60W30/18118
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 17/04 rendering engines inoperative or idling, e.g. caused by abnormal conditions dependent on lubricating conditions F01M1/22; dependent on cooling F01P5/14
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle monitoring system for turning off an idling engine comprises a vehicle speed sensor configured to detect a lack of motion, or “stationary status” of a vehicle and emit a parameter correlated to the motion status of the vehicle, a transmission status detector configured to detect a transmission status of the vehicle, an alerting device capable of warning other drivers of a stationary status of the vehicle and a control device. The control device is coupled to the vehicle speed sensor, the transmission status detector and the alerting device, wherein the vehicle speed sensor and the transmission status detector send a signal to the control device and the control device operates in a manner dependent on the motion status of the vehicle and the transmission status of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of shutting down an idling engine comprising:

a. detecting that a vehicle has stopped;

b. detecting a non-drive transmission status of the vehicle;

c. based on the stopping of the vehicle and the non-drive transmission status of the vehicle, activating a shutdown timer configured to shutdown the vehicle after a predetermined period of time;

d. upon expiration of the shutdown timer, confirming that the vehicle is stopped and confirming the non-drive status of the vehicle; and

e. shutting down the engine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating an alerting device to alert other drivers that the vehicle has stopped.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the alerting device is a rear facing amber light.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting an engagement of an emergency brake.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a temperature of the external operating environment, wherein the engine is not shutdown unless the external temperature is above a programmed value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein shutting down the engine further turns off a lighting system of the vehicle and other accessory equipment.

7. A system for shutting down an idling engine comprising:

a. a first sensor for detecting that a vehicle has stopped;

b. a second sensor for detecting a non-drive status of the vehicle;

c. a shutdown timer configured to shutdown the vehicle after a predetermined time period of time; and

d. a control device coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor and the shutdown timer, wherein the control device receives a signal from the first sensor that the vehicle has stopped and receives a signal from the second sensor based on the non-drive status of the vehicle and activates the shutdown timer, wherein the shutdown timer sends a signal to shut down the vehicle after the predetermined time period of time.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising an alerting device capable of warning other drivers of a stationary status of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein upon receiving a signal that the vehicle has stopped, the control device activates the alerting device to warn following drivers that the vehicle is stationary.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the alerting device is a rear facing amber light.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the shutdown timer comprises a distinct microprocessor coupled to the first sensor, the second sensor and the control device.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the shutdown time comprises a microprocessor comprised within the control device.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the shutdown signal turns off a lighting system of the vehicle and other accessory equipment.

14. The system of claim 7 further comprising an emergency brake engagement detector to detect engagement of the emergency brake.

15. The system of claim 7 further comprising an external temperature sensor to detect temperature of the external operating environment.

16. A system for a vehicle comprising:

a. a first sensor for detecting that the vehicle has stopped;

b. a second sensor for detecting a non-drive status of the vehicle;

c. an alerting device that is activated based on a stopping of the vehicle and the non-drive status of the vehicle; and

d. a shutdown timer that is activated based on the stopping of the vehicle and the non-drive status of the vehicle, wherein the shutdown timer sends a signal to shut down the vehicle after a predetermined time period of time.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the alerting device comprises a rear facing amber light.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the shutdown timer comprises a distinct microprocessor coupled to the first sensor and the second sensor.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the shutdown signal turns off a lighting system of the vehicle or other accessory equipment.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising an emergency brake engagement detector to detect engagement of the emergency brake.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising an external temperature sensor to detect temperature of the external operating environment.