Reaction advantage anti-collision systems and methods

• US 20060220826A1
• Filed: 05/19/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rodger H. Rast
• Original Assignee: Rodger H. Rast
• Inventors: Rast, Rodger H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,190,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/44 for indicating braking action or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered

Abstract

A vehicle anti-collision system and method for is disclosed which provides drivers with additional time in which to react to significant roadway events which often precede accidents. The simplest implementation of the system and method (Phase I) employs a brake pedal mounted sensor packet for determining how hard a driver is braking. Hard braking information is relayed to approaching drivers by means of the reverse lights of the vehicle. Additional implementation phases (II through IV) are described wherein event information is communicated between vehicles over a communications link. Furthermore, additional vehicle information, such as an impact, swerving, emergency light activation, and roadway hazards may be communicated to approaching drivers by the communications link whereby drivers need not see the vehicle that has slammed on its brakes, or otherwise has created or responded to an event, in order to avoid an accident.

Claims

1. An anti-collision system for use within a motorized vehicle, comprising:

means for sensing the urgency with which the brakes of a first vehicle are being activated and generating a first alert signal in response thereto;

a visual indicator directed rearwardly of said first vehicle and configured to respond to said first signal;

means for rearwardly communicating said first alert signal as a second alert signal, in the radio-frequency signal spectrum, said second signal configured to include vehicle position related data for qualifying said second alert signal upon receipt by anti-collision systems within vehicles following said first vehicle toward providing advance warning to drivers for the avoidance of collisions;

wherein said position related data for qualifying said second alert signal comprises heading information and/or locating coordinates of said vehicle generating said second alert signal;

wherein upon receipt said position related data may be compared with heading and/or locating coordinates by the anti-collision system within another vehicle and said alert signal ignored if generated from a sufficiently different heading or location; and

wherein said means for rearwardly communicating is adapted for generating multiple levels of alert severity, including crash events associated with a collision along with levels of hard braking and swerving.

2. An anti-collision system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for sensing the urgency of said brake activation comprises a pressure sensor responsive to the pressure with which the brake is being applied.

3. An anti-collision system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for sensing the urgency of said brake activation comprises an acceleration sensor responsive to the acceleration to which the brake pedal is being subjected.

4. An anti-collision system as recited in claim 1, wherein said visual indicator comprises a circuit adapted for activating the reverse lights of said vehicle in response to said first alert signal and of being seen from behind said vehicle.

5. An anti-collision system as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for rearwardly communicating said first alert signal comprises a remote communications link adapted for generating second alert signals which include signal retransmission control data for limiting the dissemination of said alert signals.

6. An anti-collision system for communicating events from a first vehicle to secondary vehicles following said first vehicle for increasing the available reaction time provided to the drivers of said secondary vehicles, comprising:

a sensor configured for attachment to the braking system of said first vehicle and configured to generate an alert signal in response to the urgency with which the brakes are applied by the driver of said first vehicle;

a visual indicator directed rearwardly from said first vehicle which is adapted to annunciate said alert signal;

a controller operably coupled to said sensor and configured to remotely communicate said alert signal including signal regeneration data to activate event indicators within secondary vehicles;

wherein event signal regeneration is controlled by the transmission of a regeneration limiter value encoded within the transmitted event signal that limits the number of consecutive times that said alert signal may be retransmitted by a controller not associated with the vehicle originally registering the event; and

wherein said limitation on consecutive number of retransmissions depends on which of multiple severity levels the alert signal belongs.

7. An anti-collision system as recited in claim 6, wherein the urgency of brake application is characterized by said sensor responding to changes in applied brake pedal pressure.

8. An anti-collision system as recited in claim 6, wherein said sensor is mounted to the brake pedal, or within the linkages connecting to the brake pedal.

9. An anti-collision system as recited in claim 6, wherein the urgency of brake application is characterized by said sensor in response to brake pedal accelerations.