"Hands free" vehicle bright light signal system

• US 5,347,261 A
• Filed: 01/21/1993
• Issued: 09/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRINGALE, JOAN ADELL, GUARDIAN OF ERICA ADELL DAVIS, RYAN ADELL DAVIS AND SETH ADELL GOLD
• Original Assignee: Robert Adell
• Inventors: Adell, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US08/006,838
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 340/469, 340/468, 340/457.2, 340/470, 340/472, 340/482, 340/471, 307/410.8, 362/83.3
• US Class Current: 340/469
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/38 using immovably-mounted light sources, e.g. fixed flashing lamps
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/547 for issuing requests to other traffic participants; for confirming to other traffic participants they can proceed, e.g. they can overtake
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/549 for expressing greetings, gratitude or emotions
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/052 Switching delay, i.e. the beam is not switched or changed instantaneously upon occurrence of a condition change
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/114 Vehicle acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/142 Turn signal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/21 Manual control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/42 oncoming vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/43 following vehicle

Abstract

A "hands free" vehicle signal system for requesting drivers to dim their vehicles'"'"' bright headlights. One front and two rear signal lights are mounted on the exterior of a vehicle and when activated flash "on" and "off" in high intensity patterns. "Hands free" operation of the signalling system is accomplished by a spoken word or automatically by front and rear mounted photocells. The front and rear signal lights can be operated individually or concurrently. In the first aspect of the invention, the front and rear signal lights transmit "on and off" beams of the same intensity. In a second aspect of the invention the front and rear signal lights transmit alternating patterns of high and low intensity flashing beams. In a first operating mode, the pair of rear signal lights alternately flash "on" and "off" . In a second operating mode the pair of rear signal lights concurrently flash "on" and "off" to transmit a "thank you" message to a driver after he has dimmed his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights. The front and rear signal subsystems are automatically deactivated when either the vehicle'"'"'s turn signal lights, brake lights or back-up lights become active.

Claims

1. A hands free vehicle bright light signal system for transmitting a signal to a driver of another vehicle to request the driver to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights, comprising in combination:

at least one signal light mounted on the exterior of a first vehicle for transmitting a signal to said driver of another vehicle to request said driver of another vehicle to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights; and

a control system for activating said signal light of said first vehicle, said control system including a means for initiating operation of said signal light without the hands of a driver of said first vehicle and a means for permitting said driver of said first vehicle to establish a threshold level for activating said signal light of said first vehicle.

2. The hands free vehicle bright light signal system recited in claim 1 wherein said signal light is mounted on the front of the exterior of said first vehicle to request a driver of an oncoming vehicle to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights.

3. The hands free vehicle bright light signal system recited in claim 2 further comprising a pair of signal lights mounted on the rear of the exterior of said first vehicle to request a driver of a vehicle approaching from the rear to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights.

4. The hands free signal system recited in claim 3 wherein said pair of signal lights mounted on said rear of said vehicle have a first operating mode wherein each of said pair of signal lights have a high intensity filament and a low intensity filament and said signal lights first concurrently flash said low intensity filament and then concurrently flash said high intensity filament to request said driver of said vehicle approaching from the rear to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights.

5. The hands free vehicle bright light signal system recited in claim 3 further comprising said first vehicle having a pair of back-up lights mounted in housing on the rear of said first vehicle and said pair of signal lights mounted in the same housings as said back-up lights.

6. The hands free signal system recited in claim 5 wherein said pair of signal lights mounted on the rear of said first vehicle have a first operating mode wherein said lights alternately flash on and off to request said driver to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights and a second operating mode wherein said signal lights concurrently flash on and off to transmit a thank you message if said driver dims his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights.

7. The hands free signal system recited in claim 5 wherein said signal lights request said driver to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights when activated by said hands free system by flashing on and off at a frequency of 2 Hz for two seconds.

8. The hands free signal system recited in claim 7 wherein said signal lights automatically concurrently flash on and off to transmit a thank you message if said driver of another vehicle dims his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights.

9. The hands free signal system recited in claim 1 wherein said means for initiating operation of said signal light without the hands of said driver of said first vehicle is responsive to a spoken word and comprises a microphone for producing a waveform in response to said spoken word and an electronic means for processing the output of said microphone to activate said signal light of said first vehicle.

10. The hands free signal system recited in claim 1 wherein said means for initiating operation of said signal light without the hands of said driver of said first vehicle comprises a photocell which is responsive to the bright headlights of another vehicle and a first electronic means for processing the output of said photocell to activate said signal light.

11. The hands free signal system recited in claim 10 further comprising a second electronic means for delaying activation of said signal light when said photocell is exposed to a bright vehicle headlight.

12. The hands free signal system recited in claim 1 further comprising a three position spring loaded center off switch for manually activating said signal light.

13. The hands free signal system recited in claim 1 further comprising said first vehicle having front and rear turn signal lights, brake lights and back-up lights and said control light deactivates said signal system if either said turn signal lights, brake lights or back-up lights are energized.

14. A hands free vehicle bright light signal system for transmitting a signal to a driver of another vehicle to request the driver to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights, comprising in combination:

a front signalling light mounted in the forward portion of an external side mounted rear view mirror of a first vehicle for transmitting said signal to a driver of a second oncoming vehicle to request said driver of said second oncoming vehicle to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights;

a pair of rear signalling lights mounted in the rear of said first vehicle for requesting a driver of a third vehicle approaching said first vehicle from the rear to dim said third vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights; and

a control system for hands free activation of said front and rear signalling lights, said control system having a hands free means for flashing said front signalling light "on" and "off" to signal said driver of said second oncoming vehicle to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights, means for alternately flashing said pair of rear lights "on" and "off" to signal said driver of said third vehicle approaching from the rear to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights, a means for permitting said driver of said first vehicle to establish a threshold level for hands free activating said pair of rear signalling lights of said first vehicle; and

a means for concurrently flashing said pair of rear lights on and off to thank said driver of said third vehicle if said driver dims his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights.

15. The hands free signal system recited in claim 14 further comprising said control system having a first photocell mounted in the front of said first vehicle for automatically activating said front signalling light when said photocell is exposed to said second oncoming vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights and a second photocell mounted in the rear of said first vehicle for automatically activating said pair of rear signal lights when said second photocell is exposed to said third vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights.

16. The hands free signal system recited in claim 15 further comprising said control system having means for prohibiting operation of said front or said rear signalling lights if the intensity of light to which said photocell is exposed is below a preset level for responding to said second and third vehicle'"'"'s bright lights.

17. The hands free signal system recited in claim 15 further comprising said control system having means for automatically terminating operation of said front and rear signalling lights after a short interval of time and of reinitiating operation of said front and said rear signalling lights after a short interval of time if the intensity of said bright headlights are above a preset threshold level.

18. The hands free signal system recited in claim 17 further comprising said control system having means for automatically prohibiting said thank you message if operation of said front or said rear signalling lights is reinitiated.

19. A hands free vehicle bright light signal system for transmitting a signal to a driver of another vehicle to request the driver to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights, comprising in combination:

a front signalling light mounted in the forward portion of an external side mounted rear view mirror of a first vehicle for transmitting said signal to a second oncoming vehicle to request the driver of said second oncoming vehicle to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights;

a rear signalling light mounted in the rear of said first vehicle for requesting a driver of a third vehicle approaching said first vehicle from the rear to dim said third vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights; and

a control system for hands free activation of said front and rear signalling lights, said control system having a hands free means for flashing said front signalling light on and off to signal said driver of said second oncoming vehicle to dim his vehicle'"'"'s bright headlights, said hands free means comprising a voice activated control system, said voice control system comprising a microphone for producing a voltage waveform which varies in accordance with spoken words and an electronic means for processing the output of said microphone to activate said front and said rear signalling lights and a means for permitting said driver of said first vehicle to establish a threshold level for hands free activating said signal lights of said first vehicle.

20. The hands free signal system recited in claim 19 wherein said rear signal light comprising a dual high intensity filament, low intensity filament light, said rear signal light when activated by said bright headlights of said third vehicle alternately flashing said low intensity and said high intensity filaments.

21. The hands free signal system recited in claim 20 wherein said front signalling light comprising a dual high intensity filament, a low intensity filament light, said front signal light when activated by said bright headlights of said second vehicle alternately flashing said low intensity filament and said high intensity filaments.

22. The hands free signal system recited in claim 20 further comprising said vehicle having front and rear turn signal lights and said control system having means for deactivating said front and rear signalling lights if front or said rear turn signal lights are energized.