TRAVEL INFORMATION SENSING AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method for conveying driving conditions, comprising:
- determining when a vehicle is within a set distance from an activatable sensor using a proximity sensor coupled to the activatable sensor, the activatable sensor being configured to generate information, when activated, about a travel surface of the vehicle or an environment around the travel surface that affects interaction between tires of the vehicle and the travel surface;
only when the proximity sensor determines that the vehicle is within the set distance from the activatable sensor, activating the activatable sensor tomeasure or detect a property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface that affects interaction between tires of the vehicle and the travel surface using a measuring or detecting component that is part of the activatable sensor; and
communicate the sensor-generated information directly from the activatable sensor to the vehicle determined to be within the set distance from the activatable sensor or occupant thereof; and
providing energy to the activatable sensor from an energy harvesting system included in or connected to the activatable sensor and that generates energy and provides the generated energy to the measuring or detecting component to enable it to measure or detect the property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface;
whereby the sensor-generated information is not communicated from the activatable sensor until the activatable sensor is activated by the proximity sensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method for conveying driving conditions includes determining when a vehicle is within a set distance from an activatable sensor using a proximity sensor coupled thereto. Only when the proximity sensor determines that the vehicle is within the set distance from the activatable sensor, the activatable sensor is activated (from a deactivated state) to measure or detect a property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface that affects interaction between tires of the vehicle and the travel surface using a measuring or detecting component, and communicate the sensor-generated information directly from the activatable sensor to the vehicle or occupant thereof. Energy is provided to the activatable sensor from an energy harvesting system associated with the activatable sensor to enable it to measure or detect the property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for conveying driving conditions, comprising:
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determining when a vehicle is within a set distance from an activatable sensor using a proximity sensor coupled to the activatable sensor, the activatable sensor being configured to generate information, when activated, about a travel surface of the vehicle or an environment around the travel surface that affects interaction between tires of the vehicle and the travel surface; only when the proximity sensor determines that the vehicle is within the set distance from the activatable sensor, activating the activatable sensor to measure or detect a property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface that affects interaction between tires of the vehicle and the travel surface using a measuring or detecting component that is part of the activatable sensor; and communicate the sensor-generated information directly from the activatable sensor to the vehicle determined to be within the set distance from the activatable sensor or occupant thereof; and providing energy to the activatable sensor from an energy harvesting system included in or connected to the activatable sensor and that generates energy and provides the generated energy to the measuring or detecting component to enable it to measure or detect the property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface; whereby the sensor-generated information is not communicated from the activatable sensor until the activatable sensor is activated by the proximity sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for conveying driving conditions, comprising:
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determining when a vehicle is within a set distance from one of a plurality of physically spaced apart, activatable sensor using a respective proximity sensor coupled to each of the activatable sensors, each of the activatable sensors being configured to generate information, when activated, about a travel surface of the vehicle or an environment around the travel surface that affects interaction between tires of the vehicle and the travel surface; only when the proximity sensor determines that the vehicle is within the set distance from one of the activatable sensors, activating that sensor to measure or detect a property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface that affects interaction between tires of the vehicle and the travel surface using a measuring or detecting component that is part of the activatable sensor; and communicate the sensor-generated information directly from the activatable sensor to the vehicle determined to be within the set distance from the activatable sensor or occupant thereof; and providing energy to each of the activatable sensors from a respective energy harvesting system included in or connected to the activatable sensor and that generates energy and provides the generated energy to the measuring or detecting component to enable it to measure or detect the property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface; whereby the sensor-generated information is not communicated from each of the activatable sensors until that activatable sensor is activated by the respective proximity sensor.
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16. A method for conveying driving conditions, comprising:
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arranging a plurality of physically spaced apart, activatable sensors in a position in which each activatable sensor is able to generate information, when activated, about a travel surface for vehicles or an environment around the travel surface that affects interaction between tires of the vehicles and the travel surface; coupling a proximity sensor to each of the activatable sensors; configuring each of the proximity sensors to determine when a vehicle is within a set distance from a respective one of the activatable sensors coupled to that proximity sensor; only when one of the proximity sensors determines that the vehicle is within the set distance from the respective one of the activatable sensors, causing the activatable sensor to be activated to measure or detect a property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface that affects interaction between tires of the vehicle and the travel surface using a measuring or detecting component that is part of the activatable sensor; and communicate the sensor-generated information directly from the activatable sensor to the vehicle determined to be within the set distance from the activatable sensor or occupant thereof; and coupling each of the activatable sensors to a respective energy harvesting system included in or connected to the activatable sensor and that generates energy and provides the generated energy to the measuring or detecting component to enable it to measure or detect the property or condition of the travel surface or the environment around the travel surface; whereby the sensor-generated information is not communicated from each of the activatable sensors until the sensor is activated by the respective one of the proximity sensors. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification