Vehicle separation warning device

• US 20070159311A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scott Schober
• Original Assignee: Scott Schober
• Inventors: Schober, Scott
• Application Number:
  US11/326,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20070159311A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/535 to prevent rear-end collisions, e.g. by indicating safety distance at the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/00 Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing warnings related to vehicle separation. The warning device of the invention generally includes a distance measuring sensor positioned on a rearward facing surface of a first vehicle, the distance measuring sensor being configured to measure a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle following the first vehicle, a microprocessor controller in electrical communication with the distance measuring sensor and being configured receive input from the distance measuring sensor and generate outputs therefrom, and a visual warning device positioned on the first vehicle and being in electrical communication with the microprocessor controller. Generally, the controller of the device is configured to execute a program configured to conduct a method, wherein the method includes: a) receiving a distance measurement in the controller from the distance measuring sensor, wherein the distance measurement is representative of the distance from the rear of the first vehicle to the front of the second vehicle; b) determining if the distance measurement is within one of a plurality of predetermined safety zone thresholds; and c) illuminating the visual warning device in accordance with the determined predetermined safety zone thresholds.

Claims

1. A vehicle separation warning device, comprising:

a distance measuring sensor positioned on a rearward facing surface of a first vehicle, the distance measuring sensor being configured to measure a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle following the first vehicle;

a microprocessor controller in electrical communication with the distance measuring sensor and being configured receive input from the distance measuring sensor and generate outputs therefrom; and

a visual warning device positioned on the first vehicle and being in electrical communication with the microprocessor controller,

wherein the controller is configured execute a program configured to conduct a method comprising;

a) receiving a distance measurement in the controller from the distance measuring sensor, wherein the distance measurement is representative of the distance from the rear of the first vehicle to the front of the second vehicle;

b) determining if the distance measurement is within one of a plurality of predetermined safety zone thresholds; and

c) illuminating the visual warning device in accordance with the determined predetermined safety zone thresholds.

2. The vehicle separation warning device of claim 1, wherein the distance measuring sensor comprises a Doppler radar distance sensor.

3. The vehicle separation warning device of claim 2, wherein the visual warning device comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) positioned in a panel facing rearward from the first vehicle.

4. The vehicle separation warning device of claim 3, wherein steps (a) and (b) are continually repeated until a distance measurement within a safety zone threshold is determined.

5. The vehicle separation warning device of claim 4, wherein steps (a) and (b) are repeated at a rate of between about 200 and about 1000 times per second.

6. The vehicle separation warning device of claim 5, wherein illuminating the visual warning device in accordance with the determined predetermined safety zone thresholds comprises illuminating green for a safe threshold, illuminating yellow for a becoming unsafe threshold, illuminating red for a hazardous safe threshold, or illuminating blinking red for a collision imminent safe condition.

7. The vehicle separation warning device of claim 6, wherein the program is written in assembly language.

8. A method for warning vehicles of unsafe following distances, comprising:

measuring a distance from a first vehicle to a second vehicle with a distance sensor positioned on a rearwardly facing surface of the first vehicle;

transmitting the measured distance to a microprocessor controller positioned in the first vehicle;

comparing, with the controller, the measured distance to stored safe zone distances to determine if the distance corresponds to a predetermined safe zone; and

illuminating a visual display panel positioned on the rearwardly facing surface of the first vehicle in a manner corresponding to the determined predetermined safe zone.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein measuring comprises using a Doppler radar distance measuring device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein comparing comprises using a microprocessor based controller.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein illuminating comprises:

illuminating green LEDs if a safe safety zone is determined;

illuminating yellow LEDs if a becoming unsafe zone is determined;

illuminating red LEDS if a hazardous zone is determined; and

illuminating blinking red LEDs if a collision imminent zone is determined.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a control program for the microprocessor controller comprises an assembly language program.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the measuring, transmitting, and comparing steps are repeated at a rate of between about 200 and about 1000 times per second.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the distance measuring further comprises measuring a side distance separation or a frontal distance separation.

15. A vehicle separation warning device, comprising:

a Doppler distance measuring sensor positioned on a rearward facing surface of a first vehicle, the Doppler distance measuring sensor being configured to measure a distance between the first vehicle and a second vehicle following the first vehicle;

a microprocessor controller in electrical communication with the distance measuring sensor and being configured receive input from the distance measuring sensor and generate outputs therefrom in accordance with an assembly language program; and

a visual warning device positioned on the first vehicle and being in electrical communication with the microprocessor controller, the visual warning device including a plurality of multiple color LEDs,

wherein the controller is configured execute a program configured to conduct a method comprising;

a) receiving a distance measurement in the controller from the Doppler distance measuring sensor, wherein the distance measurement is representative of the distance from the rear of the first vehicle to the front of the second vehicle;

b) determining if the distance measurement is within one of a plurality of predetermined safety zone thresholds;

c) illuminating a particular color LED on the visual warning device in accordance with the determined predetermined safety zone thresholds; and

d) repeating steps (a)-(c) between about 200 and about 1000 times per second.

16. The vehicle separation warning device of claim 15, wherein the visual warning device further comprises an audible warning device.

17. The vehicle separation warning device of claim 15, wherein illuminating a particular color LED in the visual warning device comprises:

illuminating green LEDs if a safe safety zone is determined;

illuminating yellow LEDs if a becoming unsafe zone is determined;

illuminating red LEDS if a hazardous zone is determined; and

illuminating blinking red LEDs if a collision imminent zone is determined.