Warning system for warning a following vehicle

• US 20070216520A1
• Filed: 03/08/2007
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Chih-Jung Ho
• Original Assignee: Chih-Jung Ho
• Inventors: Ho, Chih-Jung
• Application Number:
  US11/715,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20070216520A1
• 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 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A warning system for warning a following vehicle includes a distance measuring unit, a calculating unit, a warning unit, a video recording unit and a display unit. The distance measuring unit measures a distance to the following vehicle, and the warning unit shows warning information if the following vehicle does not keep a safe distance. When the distance is smaller than a threshold distance, the video recording unit records video of the following vehicle. Thus, the warning system can effectively warn a driver who does not keep the safe distance, and provide a direct evidence for policing the driver who disobeys traffic rules so that the good driving environment can be obtained. Meanwhile, it is also possible to provide a reference to tell the driver the speed and the distance of the following vehicle through the display unit.

Claims

1. A warning system for warning a following vehicle, the warning system comprising:

a distance measuring unit, which is disposed on a vehicle, for measuring a distance from the vehicle to the following vehicle following the vehicle, and outputting a measured target distance parameter;

a calculating unit for receiving the target distance parameter and a running speed of the vehicle and comparing the target distance parameter with a first distance parameter and a second distance parameter to output a first control signal and a second control signal, respectively, wherein the first control signal is enabled when the target distance parameter is smaller than the first distance parameter, and the second control signal is enabled when the target distance parameter is smaller than the second distance parameter;

a warning unit for receiving the first control signal and generating a warning operation when the first control signal is enabled; and

a video recording unit, which is disposed on the vehicle, for receiving the second control signal and recording video in a backward direction of the vehicle when the second control signal is enabled,

wherein the first control signal and second control signal are calculated according to the running speed of the vehicle.

2. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the distance measuring unit is composed of one, two of three of an ultrasonic distance measurer, a laser distance measurer and a radar.

3. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the calculating unit is a central processing unit.

4. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the running speed is read from a vehicle computer of the vehicle.

5. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the video recording unit is a camera for shooting images in back of the vehicle.

6. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the warning unit is composed of one, two or three of a warning bulb, a brake light and warning texts composed of light emitting diodes, and receives the warning signal to generate the warning operation.

7. The warning system according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit for displaying video in back of the vehicle, and the running speeds of the vehicle and the following vehicle.

8. The warning system according to claim 7, wherein the display unit is composed of one, two or three of a driver'"'"'s display, a GPS satellite navigation display and a digital television.

9. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein the first control signal and second control signal are directly proportional to the running speed of the vehicle.