Multiplex-selective heads-up displays for cars
First Claim
1. A heads-up display system for a driver operated vehicle comprising:
- Speed responsive means within the vehicle for continually determining the minimum safe stopping distance for the vehicle at all speeds, Collision warning means within the vehicle for determining when the distance of the vehicle from an external object is less than said minimum safe stopping distance, Sign reading sensor means within the vehicle for remotely reading weather changeable traffic control road signs, Object detecting sensor means within the vehicle for detecting the presence of other vehicles near said vehicle and determining the locations of said detected other vehicles, Vehicle proximity warning means within the vehicle for determining when such other vehicles are sufficiently near said vehicle present a danger of collision with said vehicle, Multiple range performance control means for said vehicle for changing the performance of said vehicle responsively to bad external weather conditions, Said speed responsive means, collision warning means, sign reading sensor means, object detecting means proximity warning means, and multiple performance control means all energizing said heads-up display system within the vehicle for displaying to the driver the functioning and operation of said means in such manner as to not divert the driver'"'"'s attention away from safe driving of the vehicle.
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Abstract
Safety systems and methods for driver operated motor vehicles. The systems and methods respond to adverse weather to regulate traffic flow of vehicles, and to change the performance of vehicles in more than two different modes of operation. The systems and methods further locate other vehicles ahead and at the sides of said vehicle, and communicate such locations and proximity of the other vehicles, as well as warning the driver of the danger of collision. The information provided by such systems and methods is communicated to the vehicle driver in such manner that the driver'"'"'s vision and attention are not diverted away from other traffic conditions ahead of the vehicle.
122 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A heads-up display system for a driver operated vehicle comprising:
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Speed responsive means within the vehicle for continually determining the minimum safe stopping distance for the vehicle at all speeds, Collision warning means within the vehicle for determining when the distance of the vehicle from an external object is less than said minimum safe stopping distance, Sign reading sensor means within the vehicle for remotely reading weather changeable traffic control road signs, Object detecting sensor means within the vehicle for detecting the presence of other vehicles near said vehicle and determining the locations of said detected other vehicles, Vehicle proximity warning means within the vehicle for determining when such other vehicles are sufficiently near said vehicle present a danger of collision with said vehicle, Multiple range performance control means for said vehicle for changing the performance of said vehicle responsively to bad external weather conditions, Said speed responsive means, collision warning means, sign reading sensor means, object detecting means proximity warning means, and multiple performance control means all energizing said heads-up display system within the vehicle for displaying to the driver the functioning and operation of said means in such manner as to not divert the driver'"'"'s attention away from safe driving of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A heads-up display system for a driver operated vehicle, said system comprising:
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sensor means for detecting the speed of the vehicle and detecting the tractive condition of the road being traveled by the vehicle, processor means responsive to said sensor means for determining the minimum stopping distance for the vehicle at the sensed speed and tractive condition of the road, and a head-up display for the vehicle energized by the processor for displaying the minimum stopping distance to said driver without materially diverting the driver'"'"'s observation of the road ahead of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 7)
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6. A system for calculating the minimum stopping distance for a driver operated vehicle for different speeds of the vehicle and for different traction conditions of the road over which the vehicle is traveling comprising:
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sensor means for detecting the speed of the vehicle and detecting the tractive condition of the road being traveled by the vehicle, a processor responsive to said sensor means for calculating the minimum stopping distance based upon said speed and road tractive condition, and a display for said vehicle for presenting said minimum stopping distance to the driver of said vehicle, thereby to inform the driver of the minimum distance to proceed behind a vehicle ahead. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method for traffic regulation of driver operated vehicles, comprising the steps of:
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Providing a series of adjustable content traffic signs spaced apart along a roadway, Detecting the adversity of weather conditions affecting vehicles traversing said roadway, Adjusting the content of said traffic regulation signs according to the detected adversity of said weather conditions to provide a changed content, Remotely reading the changed content of said traffic regulation signs from vehicles traversing the roadway, And displaying the changed content of said read traffic regulation signs within the vehicle in such manner as to not materially divert the driver'"'"'s attention away from safe operation of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. In a driver operated motor driven vehicle,
Visual display means for showing the presence and proximity of other vehicles near the sides of said vehicle, Said visual display means comprising a pictoral display of said other vehicles being presented within the vehicle in such manner as to present a minimized diversion of the driver'"'"'s attention away from attention to driving, Sensor means for detecting said other vehicles, said sensor means energizing said visual display means, Said visual display means being normally inactive to display, and being responsive to a beginning of a vehicle turn to present said display to the driver.
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16. In a driver operated vehicle,
Sensors detecting the presence and locations of other nearby vehicles as the vehicle proceeds, A display system within the vehicle for responsive to said sensors for presenting a pectoral image showing the presence and relative location of nearby vehicles with reference to the locations of said driver operated vehicle, Said display system being normally inactive to display said image and being responsive to the beginning of one of a vehicle turning or vehicle lane changing or by operation of a turn signal by said driver to activate said display system to present said image.
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18. In a driver operated vehicle powered by a motor in response to the manual application of a throttle by the driver
Sensor means for detecting the degree of adverse ambient weather affecting the safe driving of the vehicle, Multiple performance control means for said motor for changing the response of the motor to manual application of the throttle in more than two different modes of operation, thereby changing the acceleration-speed performance of the vehicle, Said multiple performance control means being energized by said sensor means to proportionally lessen the acceleration-speed performance of the vehicle according to the degree of adversity of the detected ambient weather conditions.
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20. In a driver operated vehicle,
A system for providing a nce warning of the presence of a stationary object in the road ahead of said vehicle, Said object including one of a portable traffic control sign, a disabled vehicle, a stationary service vehicle, and a stationary hazard, Said object having a wireless transmitter for transmitting a wireless signal to identify its presence, And a detector for said vehicle for detecting said wireless signal when the vehicle is located at a distance remote from said object thereby to warn said driver of the object before the vehicle nears the object.
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21. In a driver operated vehicle,
A heads-up display for visually presenting road and traffic information to the driver of the vehicle, Said road and traffic information comprising one of the minimum safe stopping distance for the vehicle, or the time of a projected collision with nearby vehicles, or the presence and locations of nearby vehicles, or the content of changeable traffic sign regulations, or the different performance modes of operation of the vehicle, or the presence of stationary vehicles or objects on the road ahead of the vehicle, Control means for selectively controlling said heads-up display for displaying any one of said road and traffic information individually or displaying any group of such road and traffic information concurrently in such manner as to minimize diverting the driver'"'"'s attention from safe driving of the vehicle.
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24. In a driver operated motor vehicle, a system for changing traffic regulations responsive to bad weather conditions for safer driving of said vehicle,
Weather detecting sensors and control means for detecting adverse weather conditions affecting the vehicle, Said weather detecting sensors and control means being applied to change the content of roadside traffic regulation signs according to the severity of the detected weather conditions, Sign reader means within said vehicle for remotely reading the content of roadside traffic regulation signs when the vehicle is near said signs, And display and recording means within said vehicle for displaying the content of said roadside traffic regulation signs that are read by said sign reader means and recording said content within said vehicle.
Specification