Vehicle Proximity Detection and Indication Devices and Methods

• US 20140197968A1
• Filed: 07/29/2013
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey R. Mantie
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey R. Mantie
• Inventors: Mantie, Jeffrey R.
• Application Number:
  US13/952,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20140197968A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/426 Parking guides
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/08 Systems for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S15/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/56 Display arrangements short-range imaging G01S7/52053

Abstract

A vehicle proximity sensor includes an indicator having a plurality of light sources arranged in series along a path. The light sources are in sequential groups, with each group featuring multiple light sources arranged to illuminate in a same common illumination colour that differs from the illumination colour of each other group. Considering the area being monitored to be divided into segments and subsegments, the latest color to be illuminated provides indication of the current segment reached by the vehicle, and a count of the light sources illuminated in said latest color provides indication of how far the vehicle has reached into the current segment. The sensor is mounted at bumper height, and linked by a flexible connector to a strip on which the light sources are mounted, which may be oriented to reach upward from the sensor location into the windshield site line of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle proximity sensing and indicating device comprising:

a proximity sensor arranged for mounting to an object from which proximity of an approaching vehicle is to be detected;

a controller linked to the proximity sensor and arranged to receive input signals therefrom that are reflective of proximity values detected thereby, and generate output responsive to said input signals; and

a proximity indicator linked to the controller and arranged to receive the output from said controller, the proximity indicator comprising a plurality of light sources arranged in a series along a path, the series comprising multiple groups of lights sources arranged one after the other along the path from a first end thereof to a second end thereof and each group of light sources comprising multiple light sources arranged to illuminate in a same common illumination colour, the common illumination colour being different for each group;

wherein the controller is arranged illuminate the light sources of the series in a sequential manner moving from the first end of the path toward the second end of the path as the input signals from the proximity sensor denote an increasing level of proximity detected thereby.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the proximity sensor is mounted in a sensor housing arranged for mounting on the object and the light sources of the proximity indicator are mounted on a light source carrier separate from said sensor housing.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said light source carrier is arranged for mounting separately of said sensor housing.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the controller is mounted in the sensor housing.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the light source carrier comprises a flexible strip.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said flexible strip comprises an adhesive backing on a rear side of said flexible strip opposite a front side of said strip to which the light sources are surface mounted.

7. The device of claim 2 wherein the light source carrier comprises a flat strip and the light sources comprise LED light sources surface mounted on a face of said flat strip.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the light sources comprise LED light sources that are visible over a 180-degree span arcing across the path along which the series of LED light sources are laid out.

9. The device of claim 1 comprising a flexible connector arranged for connection of the proximity indicator to the proximity sensor via the controller.

10. The device of claim 1 comprising a set of flexible connectors of varying lengths, each flexible connector being arranged for connection of the proximity indicator to the proximity sensor via the controller, whereby selection from among said flexible connectors allows placement of the proximity indicator at varying distances from the proximity sensor.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the proximity indicator has a length of at least 24-inches measured along the path on which the light sources are laid out in series.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the proximity indicator comprises at least twenty-four of said light sources in the series.

13. The device of any one claim 1 wherein the proximity indicator comprises at least eight of said light sources in each group.

14. A method of sensing and indicating proximity of a vehicle to a stationary reference location, the method comprising the steps of:

using a sensor mounted at the stationary reference location, automatically monitoring a proximity of the vehicle to the reference location as said vehicle approaches said reference location, and during said monitoring;

detecting that the vehicle has entered a first subsegment of a first segment of a defined space leading up to said reference location, and in response, illuminating a first light source of a series of light sources in a first colour at a visual indicator for providing vehicle operator feedback on the proximity of the vehicle to the stationary location;

for each of a number of additional subsegments of the first segment that combine with the first subsegment of the first segment to define the first segment of the defined space, detecting that the vehicle has entered said additional subsegment, and in response, illuminating a sequentially adjacent light source of the series of light sources in the first color;

detecting that the vehicle has entered a first subsegment of a second segment of the defined space, and in response, illuminating a sequentially next light source of the series of light sources in a second colour distinct from the first color; and

for each of a number of additional subsegments of the second segment, detecting that the vehicle has entered said additional subsegment, and in response, illuminating another sequentially next light source of the series of light sources in the second color;

whereby the latest color to be illuminated at the visual indicator provides indication of the current segment reached by the vehicle, and a count of the light sources illuminated in said latest color provides indication of how far the vehicle has reached into the current segment.

15. A method of installing a vehicle proximity sensing and indicating device, the method comprising mounting a proximity sensor to an object from which proximity of an approaching vehicle is to be detected, and mounting a proximity indicator at a location that is visible from an approach to said object, wherein the step of mounting the proximity indicator comprises mounting the proximity indicator separately from the proximity sensor at a distance spaced therefrom.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising selecting a suitable flexible connection for linking together of the proximity indicator and the proximity sensor from among a plurality of flexible connections of different lengths according to a length required for desired positions of the proximity sensor and the proximity indicator.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the proximity indicator comprises a flexible strip on which are mounted a plurality of light sources arranged in a series along a path for sequential illumination of the light sources in a colored pattern as the sensor detects increases in proximity of the vehicle to the object.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising adhesively mounting the flexible strip for fastener-free installation of same.

19. The method of claim 15 comprising mounting the proximity sensor of the device and mounting a strip-shaped proximity indicator in a position extending upwardly away from said proximity detector to a height readily visible from an operator cabin when the vehicle is sufficiently close to the proximity sensor to obscure said proximity sensor from site, wherein the proximity indicator comprises a plurality of light sources arranged in a series the strip one or the other for upwardly sequential illumination of the light sources in a colored pattern as the sensor detects increases in proximity of the vehicle to the object.