Remote output indicator for providing output indications from a remotely located radar detector which is adapted to be used in connection with a brake light indicator

• US 4,801,938 A
• Filed: 03/20/1987
• Issued: 01/31/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Steven C. Holmes
• Original Assignee: Steven C. Holmes
• Inventors: Holmes, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blum, Theodore M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREGORY, BERNARR E
• Application Number:
  US07/028,592
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 342/20, 342/58, 342/176, 342/177, 342/, 340/901, 340/902, 340/904, 340/936, 340/87, 340/76, 340/600, 455/39, 455/49, 455/57, 455/66, 455/227
• US Class Current: 342/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/535 to prevent rear-end collisions, e.g. by indicating safety distance at the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/022 Road traffic radar detectors

Abstract

A remote output indicator for use with a radar detector providing a perceivable output indication to detect signals from an operating radar within an automobile having a rear window and a rear deck disposed near the rear window. The remote indicator includes a rear brake light housing and a mounting means for connecting the rear brake light housing to the automobile generally near the rear window. The radar detector is mountable within a housing space within the rear brake light indicator housing. A remote unit is disposed near the rear brake light indicator housing for sensing the radar detector perceivable output indications and providing an output signal in response thereto. A console receives the output signal from the remote unit and provides output indications which are perceivable by the driver of the automobile.

Claims

1. A remote output indicator for use with a radar detector providing a perceivable output indication to detect signals from an operating radar mountable within an automobile having a rear window and a rear deck disposed near the rear window comprising:

a rear brake light indicator housing encompassing a housing space and a rear brake light disposed within the housing space, the radar detector being mountable within the housing space;

a mounting assembly for connecting the rear brake light indicator housing to the automobile generally near the rear window;

a remote unit disposed within the rear brake light indicator housing having one portion for sensing the radar detector perceivable output indication and providing an output signal indicative of the radar detector perceivable output indication; and

a console receiving the output signal from the remote unit indicative of the radar detector perceivable output indication and providing a perceivable output indication in response to receiving the output signal indicative of the radar perceivable output indication from the remote unit, the console being located in a driver perceivable location so that the output indication provided by the console unit is perceivable by the driver of the automobile.

2. The remote output indicator of claim 1 wherein the console is defined further as being disposed within the housing space of the rear brake light indicator housing.

3. The remote output indicator of claim 1 wherein the mounting assembly is defined further as connecting the rear brake light indicator housing to the rear deck of the automobile.

4. The remote output indicator of claim 1 wherein the radar detector is defined further has having a speaker and wherein the perceivable output indication provided by the radar detector is defined further as being a radar detector audibly perceivable output indication provided by the speaker of the radar detector in response to detecting signals from an operating radar, and wherein the remote unit is defined further as having one portion for sensing the radar detector audibly perceivable output indication and providing the output signal in response to and indicative of the radar detector audibly perceivable output indication, and wherein the console is defined further as receiving the output signal indicative of the radar detector audibly perceivable output indication from the remote unit and wherein the output indication provided by the console is defined further as being an audibly perceivable output indication provided in response to receiving the output signal from the remote unit indicative of the radar detector audibly perceivable output indication.

5. The remote output indicator of claim 1 wherein the radar detector is defined further as having a lamp and wherein the output indication provided by the radar detector is defined further as being a radar detector visually perceivable output indication provided by the lamp in response to detecting signals from an operating radar, and wherein the remote unit is defined further as having one portion for sensing the radar detector visually perceivable output indication and providing the output signal in response to and indicative of the radar detector visually perceivable output indication, and wherein the console is defined further as receiving the remote unit output signal indicative of the radar detector visually perceivable output indication and wherein the output indication provided by the console is defined further as being a visually perceivably output indication provided in response to and indicative of the output signal received from the remote unit indicative of the radar detector visually perceivable output indication.

6. The remote output indicator of claim 1 wherein the rear brake light indicator housing is defined further as including a forward end and a rearward end, an upper and a lower surface, and opposite sides, and wherein the rear brake light is defined further as being disposed in the rear brake light indicator housing generally near the rearward end of the rear brake light indicator housing and wherein the rear brake light indicator housing is defined further as being mounted on the automobile so that the rearward end of the rear brake light indicator housing is disposed generally near the rear window, and wherein the rear brake light indicator housing is defined further as having means for adjusting the rear brake light housing to adjust for angular dispositions of the rear window.

7. The rear brake light indicator of claim 6 wherein the rear brake light indicator housing is defined further as including:

a first housing portion;

a second housing portion, the first and the second housing portions each having a housing space formed therein and the housing spaces in the first and the second housing portions cooperating to form the housing space in the rear brake light indicator housing, the first housing portion being pivotally connected to the second housing portion for adjusting the angular disposition of the first housing portion.

8. The remote output indicator of claim 1 wherein the rear brake light housing is defined further to include forward and rearward ends, upper and lower surfaces, and opposite sides, and wherein the mounting means is defined further to include an adjustable portion for adjusting the angular disposition of the rear brake light indicator housing.

9. The remote output indicator of claim 1 wherein the automobile includes a dashboard and wherein the console is defined further as being mountable near the dashboard in a driver perceivable location.

10. The remote output indicator of claim 1 wherein the automobile includes a cruise control and wherein the remote unit is defined further as providing the output signal indicative of the radar detector perceivable output indication to the cruise control for automatically disengaging the cruise control.