SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING EMERGENCY WARNINGS FOR A ROLLOVER VEHICLE

• US 20080291003A1
• Filed: 05/22/2008
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric George Carpenter
• Original Assignee: Eric George Carpenter
• Inventors: Carpenter, Eric George
• Granted Patent: US 8,013,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/463
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0088 Details of electrical connections B60Q1/305 takes precedence; electrical connection of the light source itself F21S41/192, F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/146 Abnormalities, e.g. fail-safe

Abstract

A system and method for providing emergency warnings for a rollover vehicle is provided. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a warning system for an automobile including a power source configured to provide a current, a control circuit coupled to the power source, at least one position sensor coupled to the control circuit, the at least one position sensor configured to detect at least one position of the automobile with respect to a ground surface, and at least one light source coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is configured to control current flow to the at least one light source based on the at least one position.

Claims

1. A warning system for an automobile comprising:

a power source configured to provide a current;

a control circuit coupled to the power source;

at least one position sensor coupled to the control circuit, the at least one position sensor configured to detect at least one position of the automobile with respect to a ground surface; and

at least one light source coupled to the control circuit;

wherein the control circuit is configured to control current flow to the at least one light source based on the at least one position.

2. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit and the at least one position sensor comprise a mercury switch.

3. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit and the at least one position sensor comprise a switch selected from the group consisting of mercury switches, rolling ball switches, tilt switches, tip over switches, and combinations thereof.

4. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the position sensor is selected from the group consisting of mercury switches, rolling ball switches, tilt switches, accelerometers, gyroscopes, and combinations thereof.

5. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit comprises:

a flasher circuit coupled to the at least one light source, the flasher circuit configured to intermittently activate the light source.

6. The warning system of claim 5, wherein the control circuit further comprises:

a timer circuit coupled to the flasher circuit and to the position sensor, the timer circuit configured to activate the flasher for a period of time.

7. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the power source is selected from the group consisting of a standard battery of the automobile and an alternator of the automobile.

8. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the power source is an external battery.

9. The warning system of claim 8, further comprising a charging circuit coupled to the external battery and to a power source of the automobile, the charging circuit configured to charge the external battery.

10. The warning system of claim 9, wherein the power source of the automobile is selected from the group consisting of a standard battery of the automobile and an alternator of the automobile.

11. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source comprises an LED.

12. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source comprises a standard light of the automobile.

13. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is selected from the group consisting of LEDs, halogen lights, incandescent lights, xenon lights, neon lights, and combinations thereof.

14. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source is selected from the group consisting of rotating lights, strobe lights, and combinations thereof.

15. The warning system of claim 1, further comprising an audio source coupled to the control circuit, the audio source configured to generate one or more warning sounds.

16. The warning system of claim 15, wherein the audio source comprises a siren.

17. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the at least one position comprises resting on a side of the automobile.

18. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the automobile is selected from the group consisting of a car, a truck, and a tractor-trailer.

19. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to enable current flow to the at least one light source when the at least one position is a position selected from the group consisting of resting on a side of the automobile and resting upside down.

20. A method of generating a warning concerning a condition of an automobile, the method comprising:

receiving power from a power source;

receiving information indicative of at least one position of the automobile, where the at least one position comprises resting on a side of the automobile;

providing power, based on the at least one position, to a light source.