Method and device for automatically switching on and off the headlights of a motor vehicle
First Claim
1. In a motor vehicle comprising headlights and electric energy supplying means which delivers an electrical voltage, a device for automatically turning on and off the headlights of the vehicle, commprising:
- means responsive to the voltage delivered from the supplying means for determining whether said voltage has an amplitude located within a predetermined range of voltage amplitudes; and
switching means controlled by said determining means and interposed between the supplying means and the headlights for (a) interconnecting the supplying means with the headlights so that the supplying means supplies electric energy to the headlights to turn them on when the amplitude of said voltage is located within the predertermined range of voltage amplitudes, and (b) disconnecting the supplying means from the headlights to turn them off when the amplitude of said voltage is located outside of the predetermined range of voltage amplitudes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a motor vehicle comprising headlights, an ignition switch, and an electric energy storage battery, there is provided a device for automatically turning on and off the headlights. A first and a second comparators responsive to two different reference voltages and to the voltage V present between the terminals of the battery determine whether the voltage V has an amplitude located within a predetermined range of voltage amplitudes. An electronic switch interposed between the battery and the headlights is controlled by the outputs of the first and second comparators to turn the headlights on when the amplitude of the voltage V is located within the predetermined range, and to turn the headlights off when the voltage V is outside of this range. The device is connected to the battery so that it operates only when the ignition switch is closed. The device is also connected in parallel with the normal, manually operated lighting switch so as to allow normal operation of the headlights through the latter switch.
37 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a motor vehicle comprising headlights and electric energy supplying means which delivers an electrical voltage, a device for automatically turning on and off the headlights of the vehicle, commprising:
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means responsive to the voltage delivered from the supplying means for determining whether said voltage has an amplitude located within a predetermined range of voltage amplitudes; and switching means controlled by said determining means and interposed between the supplying means and the headlights for (a) interconnecting the supplying means with the headlights so that the supplying means supplies electric energy to the headlights to turn them on when the amplitude of said voltage is located within the predertermined range of voltage amplitudes, and (b) disconnecting the supplying means from the headlights to turn them off when the amplitude of said voltage is located outside of the predetermined range of voltage amplitudes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for automatically turning on and off the headlights of a motor vehicle provided with electric energy supplying means which delivers an electrical voltage, said method comprising the steps of:
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determining whether the voltage delivered from the supplying means has an amplitude located within a predetermined range of voltage amplitudes; turning the headlights on by connecting the supplying means with the headlights so that the supplying means supplies electric energy to the headlights when the amplitude of the voltage delivered from the supplying means is located within the predetermined range of voltage amplitudes; and turning the headlights off by disconnecting the supplying means from the headlights when the amplitude of said voltage is located outside of the predetermined range of voltage amplitudes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification