Reaction advantage anti-collision systems and methods
First Claim
1. An anti-collision system for use within a motorized vehicle, comprising:
- (a) means for sensing the urgency with which the brakes of said vehicle are being activated and generating a signal in response thereto; and
(b) means for rearwardly communicating sufficiently urgent levels of braking to other drivers in response to said signal crossing a predetermined threshold.
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Abstract
A vehicle anti-collision system and method for is disclosed which provides drivers with additional time in which to react to significant roadway events which often precede accidents. The simplest implementation of the system and method (Phase I) employs a brake pedal mounted sensor packet for determining how hard a driver is braking. Hard braking information is relayed to approaching drivers by means of the reverse lights of the vehicle. Additional implementation phases (II through IV) are described wherein event information is communicated between vehicles over a communications link. Furthermore, additional vehicle information, such as an impact, swerving, emergency light activation, and roadway hazards may be communicated to approaching drivers by the communications link whereby drivers need not see the vehicle that has slammed on its brakes, or otherwise has created or responded to an event, in order to avoid an accident.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. An anti-collision system for use within a motorized vehicle, comprising:
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(a) means for sensing the urgency with which the brakes of said vehicle are being activated and generating a signal in response thereto; and
(b) means for rearwardly communicating sufficiently urgent levels of braking to other drivers in response to said signal crossing a predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An anti-collision system for reducing the probability of rear-end vehicular collisions between a first vehicle and vehicles following said first vehicle, comprising:
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(a) a sensor configured for attachment to the braking system of said first vehicle and configured to generate a signal in response to the rapidity with which the brakes are applied by the driver of said first vehicle; and
(b) a controller operably connected to receive said signal from said sensor and configured to activate an event indicator upon said signal crossing a predetermined threshold, said event indicator configured for recognition by drivers within one or more of said following vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of decreasing response time for a driver following a braking vehicle, so as to decrease the number of rear-end vehicle collisions, comprising:
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early detection of brake pedal activation, prior to brake engagement; and
activation of an alerting signal so that drivers following said braking vehicle are provided with additional time to respond to the braking action. - View Dependent Claims (54)
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55. In a roadside call box which is capable of providing communication between its roadway location and emergency personnel, wherein the improvement comprises:
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(a) a receiver capable of registering event signals generated by the transmitters within vehicles that are experiencing or responding to roadway events;
(b) a control circuit operatively connected to said receiver, wherein the control circuit is capable of activating an appropriate outcall to emergency personnel when the registered event signal is of sufficient severity; and
(c) an encoder capable of converting the information about the received event signals into a signal compatible with the outcall circuitry of the call box, such as a voice signal, so that the event signal information is communicated to emergency personnel that may then respond to the roadside events which have been registered. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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56. A method of decreasing response time for a driver following a braking vehicle, so as to decrease the number of rear-end vehicle collisions, comprising:
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ascertaining the amount of braking action that the driver is attempting to apply; and
activating an alert signal in response to the detection of hard braking, the alert signal being separately distinguishable from a conventional braking indication, so that drivers following said vehicle are warned that the driver is attempting to brake hard.
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Specification