Warning system
First Claim
1. An improvement in a monitor system for an engine-powered vehicle having a battery and a disconnect switch for connecting said battery to the operational circuits of said vehicle, said vehicle having a plurality of monitor devices, each of which is associated with an operating condition of said vehicle, and each of which is capable of affecting an electrical circuit in response to the existence of an undesirable state of the condition with which the monitor device is associated, the improvement comprising:
- (a) a plurality of electrically energizable warning indicators, each of which is associated with a different one of said monitor devices,(b) oscillator means having a first operative output during a portion, and a second operative output during a different portion, of each cycle of operation of said oscillator means,(c) first circuit means operatively associated with a preselected group of said warning indicators and with said oscillator for individually energizing any of said preselected group of indicators in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device with which it is associated during, but only during, the first operative outputs of said oscillator means,(d) second circuit means operatively associated with the remaining of said warning indicators and with said oscillator for individually energizing any of said remaining indicators in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device during, but only during, the second operative outputs of said oscillator means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for giving warning of the existence of an undesirable state of one or more of a plurality of monitored operating conditions of an engine-powered vehicle. Three degrees of warning are given, depending upon the criticality of the monitored condition. Individually energizable low-intensity warning indicators are provided for each of the monitored conditions, and a multiplexing circuit is provided for staggered pulsing of these indicators. The existence of any critical fault will cause an intermittent operation of a more intense warning device, while the existence of a highly critical fault will give an additional intermittent warning of a still greater degree of intensity.
29 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An improvement in a monitor system for an engine-powered vehicle having a battery and a disconnect switch for connecting said battery to the operational circuits of said vehicle, said vehicle having a plurality of monitor devices, each of which is associated with an operating condition of said vehicle, and each of which is capable of affecting an electrical circuit in response to the existence of an undesirable state of the condition with which the monitor device is associated, the improvement comprising:
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(a) a plurality of electrically energizable warning indicators, each of which is associated with a different one of said monitor devices, (b) oscillator means having a first operative output during a portion, and a second operative output during a different portion, of each cycle of operation of said oscillator means, (c) first circuit means operatively associated with a preselected group of said warning indicators and with said oscillator for individually energizing any of said preselected group of indicators in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device with which it is associated during, but only during, the first operative outputs of said oscillator means, (d) second circuit means operatively associated with the remaining of said warning indicators and with said oscillator for individually energizing any of said remaining indicators in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device during, but only during, the second operative outputs of said oscillator means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An improvement in a monitor system for an engine-speed vehicle having a battery and a disconnect switch for connecting said battery to the operational circuits of said vehicle, said vehicle having a plurality of monitor devices, each of which is associated with an operating condition of said vehicle, and each of which is capable of affecting an electrical circuit in response to the existence of an undesirable state of the condition with which the monitor device is associated, the improvement comprising:
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(a) a plurality of gate means, one for and associated with each of said monitor devices, each gate means having first and second inputs, (b) a plurality of circuit means, each of which is operatively associated with a different one of said plurality of gate means and each of which circuit means is operable to apply an operative signal to the first input of the gate means operatively associated therewith in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device associated with said gate means, (c) means including an oscillator forr applying an operative signal simultaneously to the second input of all of a first group of said gate means during a first portion of each cycle of operation of said oscillator and for applying an operative signal simultaneously to the second input of all the remaining gate means during a second and different portion of each cycle of operation of said oscillator, each of said plurality of gate means being operable to have an operative output in response to and during time coincidence of the application by said circuit means of an operative signal to the first input thereof and the application by said means including an oscillator of an operative signal to the second input thereof, (d) a plurality of warning indicators, one for and associated with each of said plurality of gate means, (e) means for individually energizing each of said warning indicators in response to the existence of the operative output of the gate means associated therewith. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An improvement in a monitor system for an engine-powered vehicle having a battery and a disconnect switch for connecting said battery to the operational circuits of said vehicle, said vehicle having a plurality of monitor devices, each of which is associated with an operating condition of said vehicle, and each of which is capable of affecting an electrical circuit in response to the existence of an undesirable state of the condition with which the monitor device is associated, the improvement comprising:
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(a) a plurality of electrically energizable warning indicators, sensibly similar to each other when energized, each of which is associated with a different one of said monitor devices, (b) circuit means operatively associated with each of said warning indicators and the monitor device associated therewith for individually energizing said warning indicators in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device associated therewith, (c) a master warning indicator sensibly dissimilar, when energized, to said warning indicators (a), (d) means operatively associated with a preselected group of said monitor devices for energizing said master warning indicator in response to an undesirable state condition of any of the monitor devices of said group, (e) an auxiliary warning indicator sensibly dissimilar, when energized, to said master warning indicator, (f) means operatively associated with a sub-group within said preselected group of monitor devices for energizing said auxiliary warning indicator in response to an undesirable state condition of any monitor device of said sub-group. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. An improvement in a monitor system for an engine-powered vehicle having a battery and a disconnect switch for connecting said battery to the operational circuits of said vehicle, said vehicle having a plurality of monitor devices, each of which is associated with an operating condition of said vehicle, and each of which is capable of affecting an electrical circuit in response to the existence of an undesirable state of the condition with which the monitor device is associated, the improvement comprising:
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(a) a plurality of electrically energizable warning indicators, sensibly similar to each other when energized, each of which is associated with a different one of said monitor devices, (b) circuit means operatively associated with each of said warning indicators and the monitor device associated therewith for individually energizing said warning indicators in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device associated therewith, (c) a master warning indicator sensibly dissimilar, when energized, from said warning indicators (a), (d) an oscillator means having alternative operative and inoperative outputs, (e) means responsive to the presence of said operative outputs for energizing said master warning indicator, (f) means operatively associated with a preselected group of said monitor devices for starting said oscillator means into operation in response to an undesirable state condition of any monitor device of said preselected group. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. An improvement in a motor system for an engine-powered vehicle having a battery and a disconnect switch for connecting said battery to the operational circuits of said vehicle, said vehicle having a plurality of monitor devices, each of which is associated with an operating condition of said vehicle, and each of which is capable of affecting an electrical circuit in response to the existence of an undesirable state of the condition with which the monitor device is associated, the improvement comprising:
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(a) a plurality of electrically energizable warning indicators, sensibly similar to each other when energized, each of which is associated with a different one of said monitor devices, (b) first circuit means operatively associated with each of said warning indicators and the monitor device associated therewith for individually energizing said warning indicators in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device associated therewith, (c) a first gate means having a plurality of inputs, each of said inputs being associated with a different one of a first preselected group of said monitor devices, (d) second circuit means for applying an operative signal to each input of said first gate means in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device associated therewith, said first gate means (c) being operable to have an operative output in response to the application by said second circuit means (d) of an operative signal to any of the inputs of said first gate means, (e) a second gate means having a plurality of inputs, each of said inputs being associated with a different one of a second, and different, preselected group of said monitor devices, (f) third circuit means for applying an operative signal to each of said second gate means in response to an undesirable state condition of the monitor device associated therewith, said second gate means (e) being operable to have an operative output in response to the application by said third circuit means (f) of an operative signal to any of the inputs of said second gate means, (g) an oscillator having alternate operative and inoperative outputs during each cycle of operation thereof, (h) means for starting said oscillator into operation in response to the existence of the operative output of either of said first or second gate means, (i) a master indicator device, (j) means responsive to operation of said oscillator for energizing said master indicator device during each operative output of said oscillator, (k) an auxiliary indicator device, (l) means responsive to operation of said oscillator for energizing said auxiliary indicator device during, and only during, time coincidence of the operative outputs of said second oscillator and said second gate means. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification