Motor vehicle safety system
First Claim
1. In a motor vehicle lighting system the improvement wherein said lighting system visually communicates information about an operational state of a motor vehicle to drivers of other vehicles in the vicinity, in combination comprising (a) a plurality of sensing means to gather data on the state of the component systems of said motor vehicle, and (b) a plurality of display means to communicate said operational state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention comprises an improvement to motor vehicle lighting systems which enhances the safe operation of motor vehicles by communicating the operational state of the vehicle to operators of nearby vehicles. The system comprises an array of sensors to detect the operational condition of various components of a motor vehicle, and a computer which analyzes the outputs of the sensors, determines the operational state of the vehicle, and controls various displays which communicate the operational state information.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a motor vehicle lighting system the improvement wherein said lighting system visually communicates information about an operational state of a motor vehicle to drivers of other vehicles in the vicinity, in combination comprising
(a) a plurality of sensing means to gather data on the state of the component systems of said motor vehicle, and (b) a plurality of display means to communicate said operational state.
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18. A process for operating a computer comprising the steps of
(a) sampling outputs from an engine power output sensor, an engine speed sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, and a brake system pressure sensor, and (b) analyzing the output from said engine speed sensor to determine if said engine is increasing in speed, operating at constant speed, or decreasing in speed, and (c) comparing the output from said engine power output sensor to stored data to determine the relative power output of the engine, and (d) analyzing the output from said vehicle speed sensor to determine if said vehicle is accelerating, operating at constant velocity or decelerating, and (e) comparing the output from said brake system pressure sensor to stored data to determine the rate of braking of the vehicle, and (f) logically determining the operational state of said vehicle based on said outputs as one of the states of stopped and idling, accelerating, constant velocity, decelerating, or braking, and (g) activating display means to communicate said operational state to drivers of nearby vehicles.
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19. A process for operating a computer comprising the steps of
(a) sampling outputs from an engine power output sensor, an engine speed sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, and a brake system pressure sensor, and (b) analyzing the output from said engine speed sensor to determine if said engine is increasing in speed, operating at constant speed, or decreasing in speed, and (c) applying a first algorithm to the output of said engine power output sensor to determine the relative power output of the engine, and (d) analyzing the output from said vehicle speed sensor to determine if said vehicle is accelerating, operating at constant velocity or decelerating, and (e) applying a second algorithm to the output from said brake system pressure sensor to determine the rate of braking of the vehicle, and (f) logically determining the operational state of said vehicle based on said outputs and said analyses as one of the states of stopped and idling, accelerating, constant velocity, decelerating, or braking, and (g) activating display means to communicate said operational state to drivers of nearby vehicles.
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20. A process for operating a computer comprising the steps of
(a) sampling outputs from an engine power output sensor, an engine speed sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, and a brake system pressure sensor, and (b) using said output of said engine speed sensor to determine if said engine is increasing in speed, operating at constant speed, or decreasing in speed, and (c) using said output of said engine power output sensor to determine the relative power output of the engine, and (d) analyzing the output from said vehicle speed sensor to determine if said vehicle is accelerating, operating at constant velocity or decelerating, and (e) using said output of said brake system pressure sensor to determine the rate of braking of the vehicle, and (f) logically determining an operational state of said vehicle based on said outputs as one of the states of stopped and idling, accelerating, constant velocity, decelerating, or braking, and (g) activating display means to communicate said operational state to drivers of nearby vehicles.
Specification