REMOTE SECONDARY CONTROL POINT FOR VEHICLE ACCESSORIES

• US 20160046299A1
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Published: 02/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Andrew Fung
• Original Assignee: Andrew Fung
• Inventors: Fung, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US14/697,448
• Publication Number:
  US 20160046299A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0234 related to maintenance or repairing of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00

Abstract

A remote secondary control point for vehicle accessories is disclosed. This invention illuminates the brake (or other) lights for a period of time to verify their operation by means of a switch at the rear of the vehicle. This has the added benefit of using the existing engine compartment door switch so there is almost no operational overhead.

Claims

1. A vehicle inspection system, comprising:

a first switch for providing a first signal when the first switch is activated;

a second switch for providing a second signal when the second switch is activated;

a vehicle control system having an inspection component electrically coupled to the first and second switches to receive the first and second signals, respectively, such that the inspection component activates a vehicle accessory when both the first switch and the second switch are activated.

2. The vehicle inspection system of claim 1 wherein the first switch includes a parking brake switch configured to activate when the parking brake is applied.

3. The vehicle inspection system of claim 1 wherein the first switch includes a transmission parking switch configured to activate when a vehicle transmission is actuated to a parked position.

4. The vehicle inspection system of claim 1 wherein the second switch includes an engine compartment door switch configured to activate when the engine compartment door is opened.

5. The vehicle inspection system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle accessory is at least one of a rear brake light, a parking brake light, and a reverse light.

6. The vehicle inspection system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle accessory returns to normal operation when at least one of the first and second switches are deactivated.

7. The vehicle inspection system of claim 1, further comprising a timer electrically coupled to the vehicle control system that is initiated when the first and second switches are activated.

8. The vehicle inspection system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle accessory returns to normal operation after a period of time after being activated by the inspection component.

9. The vehicle inspection system of claim 8 wherein the period of time is about 10 seconds.

10. The vehicle inspection system of claim 8 wherein the timer is cleared when at least one of the first and second switches are deactivated.

11. The vehicle inspection system of claim 1, further comprising hardware features including a diode and relay logic and timers configured to restore the vehicle accessory to normal operation after being activated.

12. A method for inspecting a vehicle accessory, comprising:

sending a first signal to a vehicle control system when a first switch is activated;

sending a second signal to a vehicle control system when a second switch is activated; and

activating a vehicle accessory when both the first signal and the second signal are received by the vehicle control system.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein sending a first signal to a vehicle control system when a first switch is activated comprises a parking brake switch configured to activate when a vehicle parking brake is applied.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein sending a first signal to a vehicle control system when a first switch is activated comprises a transmission parking switch configured to activate when a vehicle transmission is actuated to a parked position.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein sending a second signal to a vehicle control system when a second switch is activated comprises an engine door compartment switch configured to activate when a vehicle door is opened.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising returning the vehicle accessory to normal operation when at least one of the first and second switches are deactivated.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising initiating a timer when at least one of the first and second switches are activated.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising returning the vehicle accessory to normal operation after the timer reaches a period of time.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising clearing the timer after the vehicle accessory returns to normal operation.

20. A vehicle inspection system, comprising:

a first means for providing a first signal during a first vehicle operation;

a second means for providing a second signal during a second vehicle operation; and

a third means for receiving the first and second signals and activating a vehicle accessory when the first and second second signals are received, wherein the third means returns the vehicle accessory to a normal operation when at least one of the following occurs;

the first signal is interrupted, the second signal is interrupted, and a period of time passes.