Vehicle safety sensor system

• US 20040046647A1
• Filed: 06/17/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael J. Reeves, Ronda K. Reeves
• Original Assignee: Michael J. Reeves, Ronda K. Reeves
• Inventors: Reeves, Ronda K., Reeves, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/463,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20040046647A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/006 using a distance sensor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9317 Driving backwards
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 in the front of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93272 in the back of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93273 on the top of the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93274 on the side of the vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle safety sensor allows a vehicle operator such as a truck driver to detect the presence of adjacent objects in order to avoid collision with same. In one embodiment, three detection ranges providing feedback with various lights and sounds can be used with separate sensors, with some sensors automatically made “live” upon reversing or turning of the vehicle, and some sensors being manually activated, such as when a overpass is encountered.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a vehicle for use by an operator on a roadway, said system comprising:

at least one sensor attached proximate the top of said vehicle for sensing the presence of a remote object a distance above said vehicle and for providing a sensor signal if such an object is sensed;

a signal processing and generating unit for processing said signals from said sensors and generating an advisory signal to said operator in response to said sensor signal; and

a switch having an ON and an OFF position, said ON position allowing an advisory signal to reach said operator if an object is sensed by said sensor, and said OFF position not allowing any advisory signal to reach said operator despite the presence of said same object.

2. The vehicle safety system of claim 1, wherein said switch is manually operated, such that said operator can selectively manually determine whether to receive advisory signals.

3. The vehicle safety system of claim 2, wherein said switch enables and disables said sensors.

4. The vehicle safety system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is configured to determine the distance of said object from the top of said vehicle, and wherein said signal processing and generating unit further comprises a readout for displaying said distance.

5. The vehicle safety system of claim 1, wherein said advisory signals include a voice command.

6. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a vehicle for use by an operator on a roadway, said vehicle having turn signal indicators for allowing said operator to indicate intentions for left and right turns, said vehicle safety system comprising:

at least one presence sensor attached proximate at least one side of said vehicle for sensing the presence of a remote object a distance beside said vehicle and for providing a presence sensor signal if such an object is sensed;

a signal processing and generating unit for receiving and processing said sensor signal from said presence sensor and generating an advisory signal to said operator in response to said receipt of said presence sensor signal by said unit; and

a switch having an ON and OFF position, said switch being operably associated with said vehicle turn signal indicators, said ON position allowing an advisory signal to reach said operator if an object is sensed by said presence sensor, and said OFF position not allowing said advisory signal to reach said operator despite the presence of said same object, said switch being placed in its ON position when said operator activates at least one said turn signal indicator and OFF when said turn signal indicator is deactivated.

7. The vehicle safety system of claim 6, wherein said advisory signal includes a visual warning which can be seen by said operator.

8. The vehicle safety system of claim 7, wherein said advisory signal also includes an audible warning signal.

9. The vehicle safety system of claim 8, wherein said audible warning simulates a human voice advising said operator not to change lanes.

10. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a vehicle for use by an operator on a roadway, said vehicle safety system comprising:

at least one presence sensor attached proximate the side of said vehicle for sensing the presence of a remote object a distance beside said vehicle and for providing a presence sensor signal if such an object is sensed;

at least one speed sensor for determining the speed of said vehicle and for providing a low speed signal when said speed has fallen below a predetermined value; and

a signal processing and generating unit for processing said signals from both said presence sensor and said speed sensor, said unit configured for selectively generating an advisory signal to said operator in response to receipt by said unit of said presence sensor signal, said unit selectively allowing said generated advisory signal to reach said operator in response to said low speed signal from said low speed sensor being received by said unit.

11. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a vehicle for use by an operator on a roadway, said vehicle safety system comprising:

at least one presence sensor attached proximate the side of said vehicle for sensing the presence of a remote object a distance beside said vehicle and for providing a sensor signal if such an object is sensed;

at least one speed sensor for determining the speed of said vehicle and for providing a low speed signal when said speed has fallen below a predetermined value; and

a signal processing and generating unit for processing said signals from said two sensors and generating two modes of advisory signals to said operator depending on whether or not said low speed signal is received by said processing unit, a CITY MODE if said low speed signal is received, and NORMAL mode if said low speed signal is not received by said processing unit.

12. The vehicle safety system as claimed in claim 11, wherein when said vehicle is in said NORMAL, a first advisory signal is given for a first event and a second advisory signal is given for a second event, and when said vehicle is in said CITY MODE mode, a second advisory signal is not given, and said first advisory signal is given for said second event.

13. The vehicle safety system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first advisory signal, given for said first event, is a Voice Warning, and said second advisory signal, given for said second event, is a Voice Command

14. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a vehicle for use by an operator on a roadway, said vehicle safety system comprising:

a plurality of presence sensors attached proximate at least two sides of said vehicle, each sensor configured for sensing the presence of a remote object a distance from said vehicle and for providing a sensor signal if such an object is sensed;

a signal processing and generating unit for processing said signals from said sensors and generating an advisory signal to said operator in response to one or more sensor signals; and

a manual switch having an ON and an OFF position for use by said operator, said manual switch configured when in said ON position to allow said operator to allow for continuous sensing by said presence sensors and for generation of said advisory signal to said operator in response to said sensor signal, and said manual configured when in said OFF position to prevent generation of said advisor signal or to preclude any sensor signal.

15. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a vehicle for use by an operator on a roadway, said vehicle safety system comprising:

a presence sensor attached proximate the exterior of said vehicle, said sensor configured for sensing the presence of a remote object a distance from said vehicle and for providing a sensor signal if such an object is sensed;

a signal processing and generating unit for processing said signals from said presence sensor and generating an advisory signal to said operator in response to said presence sensor signal; and

a memory storage device for storing and logging a plurality of advisory signals for later review.

16. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a vehicle for use by an operator on a roadway, said vehicle safety system comprising:

at least one presence sensor attached proximate the side of said vehicle for sensing the presence of a remote object a distance beside said vehicle and for providing a presence sensor signal if such an object is sensed;

at least one direction sensor for determining the direction of said vehicle and for providing a reverse direction signal when said vehicle is moving in reverse;

a signal processing and generating unit for processing said signals from said two sensors and generating two modes of advisory signals to said operator depending on whether or not said reverse direction signal is received by said unit, a REVERSE MODE if said reverse direction signal is received by said unit, and a NORMAL MODE if said reverse direction signal is not received by said unit.

17. The vehicle safety system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said sensor is located on the rear of said vehicle, and wherein a simulated voice command is provided in response to a particular event only in said REVERSE MODE.

18. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a vehicle for use by an operator on a roadway, said vehicle having a turn signal indicator, said vehicle safety system comprising:

at least one presence sensor attached proximate the side of said vehicle for sensing the presence of a remote object a distance beside said vehicle and for providing a presence sensor signal if such an object is sensed;

at least one speed sensor for determining the forward speed of said vehicle and for providing a low forward speed signal when said speed has gone below a predetermined value;

at least one direction sensor for determining the direction of said vehicle and for providing a reverse direction signal when said vehicle is moving in reverse;

a signal processing and generating unit for processing said signals from said sensors and generating an advisory signal to said operator in response to said sensor signal, and for processing said signals from said sensor and generating various modes of advisory signals to said operator depending on whether or not said low forward speed signal is received by said unit and depending on whether or not said reverse direction signal is received by said unit, said various modes including a CITY MODE if said low forward speed signal is received, a REVERSE MODE if said reverse direction signal is received, and a NORMAL MODE if said low speed signal is received and said reverse direction signal is not received;

a turn switch having an ON and an OFF position, said ON position allowing an advisory signal to reach said operator if an object is sensed by said presence sensor, and said OFF position not allowing said advisory signal to reach said operator despite the presence of said same object, said switch being placed in its ON position when said operator activates said turn signal indicator and OFF when said turn signal indicator is deactivated;

a manual switch having an ON and an OFF position for use by said operator, said manual switch configured when in said ON position to allow said operator to allow for continuous sensing by said presence sensors and for generation of said advisory signal to said operator in response to said sensor signal, and said manual switch configured when in said OFF position to prevent generation of said advisory signal or to preclude any sensor signal; and

a memory storage device for storing said logging a plurality of advisory signals for later review.

19. The vehicle safety system as claimed in claim 18, wherein when said vehicle is in said NORMAL MODE, a first advisory signal is given for a first event and a second advisory signal is given for a second event, and when said vehicle is in said CITY MODE mode, a second advisory signal is not given, and a first advisory signal is given for a second event.

20. The vehicle safety system as claimed in claim 19, wherein said first advisory signal is a Voice Warning, and wherein said second advisory signal is a Voice Command.

21. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a vehicle for use by an operator on a roadway, said system comprising:

a pair of sensors attached proximate the rear of said vehicle for sensing the presence of a remote object a distance behind said vehicle, said remote object having a flat surface and said sensors configured to provide a corresponding pair of sensor signals from said sensors if such an object is sensed by said sensors;

a signal processing and generating unit for processing said signals from said sensors and generating a signal to said operator in response to said sensor signals, said signal allowing the operator to estimate to the extent the rear of the vehicle is “

square”

relative to said flat surface.

22. The vehicle safety system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said signal processing and generating unit further comprises a screen configured to provide an indication of how square said rear of said vehicle is relative to said flat surface.

23. The vehicle safety system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said signal processing and generating unit includes the use of a visual display which provide a line which can vary in its angle from horizontal in correspondence to the variation of the angle of the rear of the truck to said flat surface.

24. The vehicle safety system as claimed in claim 21, wherein said signal processing and generating unit includes a manual activation feature to allow manual activation of said squaring feature.

25. A vehicle safety system, said system for use with a stationary vehicle by an operator positioned remote from said vehicle, said system comprising:

at least one sensor attached relative to said vehicle for sensing the presence of a remote object adjacent said vehicle, said sensor configured to provide a signal from said sensor if such an object is sensed by said sensor; and

a signal processing and generating unit for processing said signal from said sensors and generating a remote warning signal to said remote operator in response to said sensor signals, said signal allowing the operator to know that said remote object has been sensed by said sensor.

26. The vehicle safety system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said signal processing unit is configured to send said remote warning signal to said operator after said remote object has been sensed by said sensor for a predetermined time period.