Motor vehicle with a device for recognizing the current status of a traffic signal

• US 20040083049A1
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Donnelly Hohe GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Donnelly Hohe GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Fuchs, Hans Joachim
• Application Number:
  US10/688,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083049A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A motor vehicle (01) has a device for recognizing the current status of a traffic signal (03), a control unit (06) in which the output signal of the device can be processed, and a signaling device (07, 16). The signaling device (07, 16) is arranged in the motor vehicle (01) and is able to signal the current status of the traffic signal (03) to the driver in an optically and/or acoustically and/or haptically perceivable fashion.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

a device for recognizing the current status of a traffic signal;

a control unit in which the output signal of the device can be processed;

a signaling device arranged in the motor vehicle and able to signal the current status of the traffic signal to the driver in an optically and/or acoustically and/or haptically perceivable fashion.

2. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a radio receiver for receiving radio signals transmitted by the traffic signal.

3. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a three-element color sensor.

4. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a color-sensitive light receiver for detecting the radio signal or light signal emitted by the traffic signal.

5. The motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the color-sensitive light receiver comprises a color camera.

6. The motor vehicle according to one of claim 1, wherein the signaling device comprises an actuating clement that acts upon the steering wheel.

7. The motor vehicle according to claim 6, wherein a vibrating movement can be transmitted onto the steering wheel by means of the actuating element.

8. The motor vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the signaling device comprises a display device that is arranged on the inside rearview mirror.

9. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein that the different colors of a traffic signal can be illustrated on the display device.

10. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein an electroluminescent element, in the form of an electroluminescent foil is provided on the display device.

11. The motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein light-emitting diodes of different colors are provided on the display device.

12. An inside rearview mirror system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

a device for recognizing the current status of a traffic signal;

a control unit in which the output signal of the device can be processed;

an inside rearview mirror with a signaling device arranged in the motor vehicle and able to signal the current status of the traffic signal to the driver.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the signaling device comprises a display device that is arranged on the inside rearview mirror.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein that the different colors of a traffic signal can be illustrated on the display device.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein an electroluminescent element, in the form of an electroluminescent foil is provided on the display device.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein light-emitting diodes of different colors are provided on the display device.