Rumble strip responsive systems
First Claim
1. A device adapted to transfer characteristics of a road departure warning installation installed on a road to a driver of a vehicle, comprising:
- a rumble strip sensor adapted to sense input from a rumble strip; and
an adjustable vehicle component in communication with the rumble strip sensor, the adjustable vehicle component being adapted to automatically adjust, in response to input into the rumble strip sensor from a rumble strip, to increase an amount of input from the rumble strip sensed by the driver.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the present invention includes a device to alter transfer characteristics of a road departure warning installation installed on a road to a driver of a vehicle, including a rumble strip sensor to sense input from a rumble strip and an adjustable vehicle component in communication with the rumble strip sensor, the adjustable vehicle component configured to automatically adjust to increase an amount of input from the rumble strip sensed by the driver. Another embodiment of the present invention includes a device to estimate lateral displacement of a vehicle based on the location of a rumble strip installed on a road with respect to the vehicle, the device including a processor configured to receive four signals indicative of contact of a rumble strip with respective associated four tires of the vehicle and to estimate a lateral distance that the vehicle has traveled beyond the detected rumble strip.
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Citations
68 Claims
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1. A device adapted to transfer characteristics of a road departure warning installation installed on a road to a driver of a vehicle, comprising:
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a rumble strip sensor adapted to sense input from a rumble strip; and
an adjustable vehicle component in communication with the rumble strip sensor, the adjustable vehicle component being adapted to automatically adjust, in response to input into the rumble strip sensor from a rumble strip, to increase an amount of input from the rumble strip sensed by the driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A device adapted to transfer characteristics of a road departure warning installation installed on a road to a driver of a vehicle, comprising:
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a rumble strip sensor adapted to sense input from a rumble strip; and
an adjustable vehicle suspension system in communication with the rumble strip sensor, the adjustable vehicle suspension system being adapted to automatically adjust in response to input into the rumble strip sensor from a rumble strip. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A device adapted to make a driver of vehicle aware of contact with a road departure warning installation installed on a road, comprising:
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a rumble strip sensor adapted to sense input from a rumble strip; and
a vehicle component control device adapted to change a state of a vehicle component in communication with the vehicle component control device in response to input into the rumble strip sensor from a rumble strip. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A device adapted to determine whether a vehicle is deviating into an oncoming lane of an un-divided highway, comprising:
a processor adapted to receive at least a first signal indicative of contact of a rumble strip with a tire of the vehicle, wherein the processor includes logic to;
determine whether or not the vehicle is deviating into an oncoming lane; and
initiate a first warning to a driver of the vehicle once the processor has received the first signal and has determined that the vehicle is not deviating into an oncoming lane; and
initiate a second warning to a driver of the vehicle once the processor has received the first signal and has determined that the vehicle is deviating into an oncoming lane, wherein the first warning is different than the second warning. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A device adapted to determine whether a vehicle is deviating into an oncoming lane of an un-divided highway, comprising:
a processor adapted to receive at least a first signal indicative of contact of a rumble strip with a tire of the vehicle, wherein the processor includes logic to;
determine that the vehicle is deviating into an oncoming lane; and
initiate a vehicle control command to at least one of automatically steer the vehicle away from the oncoming lane and automatically brake the vehicle once the processor has received the first signal and has determined that the vehicle is deviating into an oncoming lane. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 38)
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32. A device adapted to alter the stability characteristics of a vehicle after the vehicle has come into contact with a road departure warning installation installed on a road with respect to the vehicle, comprising:
a processor adapted to receive at least a first signal indicative of contact of a rumble strip with a tire of the vehicle, wherein the processor includes logic to;
determine that the vehicle is deviating from a road based at least on the first signal; and
issue a command to change the state of a variable vehicle stability component or vehicle stability system once the processor has received the first signal and has determined that the vehicle is deviating from the road. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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39. A device adapted to determine the distance between a lane marker and a rumble strip, comprising:
a processor adapted to;
receive a first signal indicative of the crossing of a lane marker by a vehicle;
receive a second signal indicative of a lateral speed of the vehicle;
receive a third signal indicative of contact of a rumble strip with a tire of the vehicle;
analyze the third signal and determine that the rumble strip has contacted the tire;
determine the time period between receiving the first signal and receiving the third signal; and
determine the distance between the lane marker and the rumble strip based on the time period between receiving the first signal and receiving the third signal and the lateral speed of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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42. A device adapted to alter vehicle stability in the event of road departure, comprising:
a processor adapted to;
receive a signal indicative of contact of a rumble strip with a tire of the vehicle;
analyze the received signal and determine whether the rumble strip has contacted the tire;
receive input relating to the distance of the rumble strip with respect to a lane marker;
analyze the received input and determine the distance between the rumble strip and the lane marker;
wherein the processor includes logic to;
issue a command to change the state of a variable vehicle stability component or vehicle stability system once the processor has determined that the vehicle is in contact with the rumble strip, wherein a degree by which the state of the variable vehicle stability component or vehicle stability system is changed is determined by the distance between the rumble strip and the lane marker. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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46. A device adapted to alter vehicle stability in the event of road departure, comprising:
a processor adapted to;
receive a signal indicative of contact of a rumble strip with a tire of the vehicle;
analyze the received signal and determine that the rumble strip has contacted the tire;
receive input relating to the distance of the rumble strip with respect to a lane marker;
analyze the received input and determine the distance between the rumble strip and the lane marker;
wherein the processor includes logic to;
initiate a vehicle control command to at least one of automatically steer the vehicle away from the rumble strip and automatically brake the vehicle once the processor has determined that the vehicle is in contact with the rumble strip, wherein a degree by which the vehicle is steered away from the rumble strip and automatically braked is determined by the distance between the rumble strip and the lane marker. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A device adapted to make a driver of vehicle aware of vehicle contact with a road departure warning installation installed on a road, comprising:
a processor adapted to;
receive a signal indicative of contact of a rumble strip with a tire of the vehicle;
analyze the received signal and determine that the rumble strip has contacted the tire;
issue a first command to a vehicle component control device to change the state of a vehicle component after determining that the rumble strip has contacted the tire; and
determine that the vehicle has traveled substantially further in the lateral direction beyond the contacted rumble strip after the vehicle has contacted the rumble strip and issue a second command to the vehicle component control device separate from the first command to change the state of a vehicle component after determining that the vehicle has traveled substantially further in the lateral direction. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
Specification