Driver alert system
First Claim
1. A driver alert system for a vehicle moving under control of an operator to insure operator attentiveness at a wayside location which is potentially dangerous comprising:
- signalling means mounted on said wayside in advance of said location in the direction of vehicle travel,first means located on said vehicle responsive to said signalling means for producing a distinctive signal in response to detection of said signalling means,sensible warning means on said vehicle providing a signal sensed by a vehicle operator,operator-actuated means on said vehicle, andcontrol means, responsive to said first means and to said operator-actuated means, for enabling said sensible warning means in response to said first means detection of said signalling means in the absence of prior operation of said operator-actuated means, and for maintaining said sensible warning means operated as long as said operator-actuated means is not actuated.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for insuring a vehicle operator'"'"'s attentiveness at potentially dangerous locations along a path of travel. A signalling device is provided in advance of a potentially dangerous location, in the direction of travel of the vehicle. A vehicle carried signal responsive device responds to the signalling device when within the effective zone of the signalling device. The vehicle includes warning apparatus, for example, an alarm and a buzzer. The vehicle also includes an operator actuatable push button and a speed sensing apparatus. A control device responds to the push button and to the vehicle carried signal responsive device to operate either the buzzer or the alarm. If the operator evidences his alertness to the potentially dangerous location by actuating the push button prior to reaching the signalling device (within some constraint), the control apparatus merely sounds the buzzer when the signalling device is detected and resets itself. On the other hand, if the operator fails to actuate the push button in advance of detection of the signalling device, or, if his actuation is too far in advance of detection, then the alarm is energized and will remain energized until the vehicle is brought to a stop, or a low speed, at which point, push button actuation can cancel the alarm.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A driver alert system for a vehicle moving under control of an operator to insure operator attentiveness at a wayside location which is potentially dangerous comprising:
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signalling means mounted on said wayside in advance of said location in the direction of vehicle travel, first means located on said vehicle responsive to said signalling means for producing a distinctive signal in response to detection of said signalling means, sensible warning means on said vehicle providing a signal sensed by a vehicle operator, operator-actuated means on said vehicle, and control means, responsive to said first means and to said operator-actuated means, for enabling said sensible warning means in response to said first means detection of said signalling means in the absence of prior operation of said operator-actuated means, and for maintaining said sensible warning means operated as long as said operator-actuated means is not actuated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A warning system for maintaining the alertness of a vehicle operator when approaching a potentially dangerous location comprising:
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signalling means mounted in advance of a potentially dangerous location in the direction of travel of a vehicle, for manifesting the presence of the vehicle within a defined zone, first means on said vehicle energized in response to detection of said signalling means when said vehicle enters said zone, vehicle speed sensing means generating a signal indicative of whether or not said vehicle is exceeding a predetermined low velocity, operator-actuated means for manifesting operator alertness when manually and momentarily operated, alarm means to produce an annoying alarm when energized, and control means responsive to said first means, said vehicle speed sensing means and said operator-actuated means to energize said alarm whenever said first means is energized in the presence of speed in excess of said predetermined velocity unless said operator-actuated means is operated within a predetermined constraint of energization of said first means. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification