Vehicle light control system

• US 5,770,999 A
• Filed: 07/01/1997
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael E. Rhodes
• Original Assignee: Michael E. Rhodes
• Inventors: Rhodes, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Application Number:
  US08/886,530
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 340/463, 340/468, 340/471, 340/472, 340/479, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0315 using multiplexing techniques multiplexing for transmission of signals G08C15/00; multiplexing for electrical communication in general H04J

Abstract

An improved blackout control system located within the passenger compartment allows the driver to alter the normal and emergency lighting features of the vehicle. The blackout control system comprises an illuminated control panel unit modified by harness and control units which are attached to the lighting system of a conventional emergency vehicle. A four-position three-level emergency "Red" switch is provided as an improvement on the control panel. A second blackout reset switch is provided to restore power to the blackout switches. A third blackout switch is provided on the panel which disables the brake and backup lights of the vehicle. A fourth switch for blacking out the tail lights, parking and/or corner lights is provided. A fifth blackout switch is provided to disable headlight daytime running lights. A sixth high beam sneak light switch is provided to activate a high beam sneak light mounted on the front of the vehicle with less lighting than the driving lights. A seventh low beam sneak light is provided with a hooded sneak light located in front of the vehicle which may be used to provide less lighting in front of the vehicle than the normal horizontally disposed headlights.

Claims

1. An improved blackout control system for use in an emergency vehicle having emergency lights including, high and low beam headlights, running lights, front lights selected from red grill lights and turn signal lights, a rear window brake light, brake lights, and backup lights controlled by a backup switch for supplying power to backup lights of the vehicle when the vehicle is placed in reverse, a manually activated running light switch to provide power to running lights of the vehicle, an interior dome light activated by opening doors, and a brake switch for supplying power to brake lights of the vehicle when a brake pedal within the vehicle is engaged, a vehicle speed sensor used to supply vehicle computer speed information, said improved blackout control system containing a blackout panel unit, a harness unit and a control unit comprising:

(a) a blackout panel unit in an emergency vehicle comprising;

a first manually activated emergency light switch supplying power to brake and backup lights;

a second manually activated emergency light switch supplying power to red grill lights;

a third manually activated emergency light switch supplying power to high beam headlights of the vehicle;

a first manually activated blackout switch to reset power to the blackout switches;

a second manually activated blackout switch to deactivate the brake lights;

a third manually activated tail lights'"'"' blackout switch to deactivate the running lights;

a fourth manually activated blackout switch to deactivate the daytime running lights;

a fifth manually operated blackout sneak light switch to activate a high beam sneak light;

a sixth manually operated blackout sneak light switch to activate a low beam sneak light; and

a reset means;

(b) a harness unit connected to all the switches in said blackout panel of the emergency vehicle;

(c) a control unit connected to said harness unit and to the lighting system of the emergency vehicle; and

(d) a microprocessor;

wherein when any of the first, second and third emergency light switches is selected, power to the blackout switches for the brake and backup lights, running lights, interior dome light, digital radio display light, digital heater display light, digital clock display light, low beam headlights, and the sneak lights is simultaneously interrupted and stay off until the power is restored by a reset means in cooperation with the microprocessor with the exception of the first emergency light switch deactivating the interior dome light.

2. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein said blackout panel is illuminated by separate panel lights and each panel switch comprises a switch with a light emitting diode illuminated upon activation.

3. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle also includes an ignition switch, a headlight switch, a digital radio display, a digital heater control display, and a digital clock display, said digital displays operable in a daytime mode in which said digital displays thereof are fully illuminated upon activation of said ignition switch, and a nighttime mode in which said digital displays are partially illuminated upon activation of said running lights'"'"' switch, said taillights blackout means, including means for placing said digital displays of said radio, and heater and clock control displays in said nighttime mode of operation, and said tail lights'"'"' blackout including microprocessor control means for eliminating illumination of said digital displays of said radio, heater and clock control displays.

4. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein said emergency vehicle further includes a high beam headlight switch to activate right and left high beam headlights, said emergency lights including right and left side emergency red grill lights located proximate to the grill of the vehicle and between said high beam headlights, and front wigwag flasher means activated upon the activation of said manually activated emergency light switch for alternately flashing the right high beam headlight in unison with the left side red grill light and the left high beam headlight in unison with the right side red grill light for a controlled flash pattern by the microprocessor.

5. The blackout control system according to claim 4, further including a high beam headlight override means for deactivating said front wigwag flasher means in response to the activation of said high beam headlight switch.

6. The blackout control system according to claim 4, further including a high beam headlight override means for deactivating said front wigwag flasher means in response to nighttime operation by activation by a light response means selected from a phototransistor and a photocell to trigger a microprocessor signal.

7. The blackout control system according to claim 4, further including a manually activated front headlight flasher override switch for deactivating said front headlight flasher means upon activation of the running lights'"'"' switch.

8. The blackout control system according to claim 4, further including a manually activated frond headlight flasher override switch for deactivating said front headlight flasher means upon activation by a photosensitive means selected from a phototransistor and a photocell by the microprocessor.

9. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein activation of the first emergency light level alternately flashes said brake lights with said backup lights and deactivates the interior dome light.

10. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the first emergency light switch activates the first, second and third emergency lighting levels, whereby all emergency lights are activated for a pursuit.

11. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the second emergency light level activates the flashing of the lights selected from red grill lights and the turn signal lights with the brake lights and backup lights, and inactivates the interior dome light.

12. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the third emergency light level activates the flashing of the headlights with front lights selected from the red grill lights, turn signal lights, backup lights, and brake lights, wherein the rear brake lights alternate flashing with the backup lights, and the interior dome light being deactivated.

13. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the first reset switch additionally deactivates the brake, tail, daytime running lights, high beam sneak light and low beam sneak light switches.

14. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the second blackout light switch additionally deactivates the brake lights, the backup lights and the interior dome light.

15. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the third blackout light switch additionally deactivates the lighting of the running lights, the auxiliary daytime running lights, the digital radio display, the digital heater display and the digital clock display.

16. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the fourth blackout light switch additionally deactivates the headlight daytime running lights.

17. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the fifth blackout light switch additionally activates a high beam sneak light at high illumination.

18. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the sixth blackout light switch additionally activates a low beam sneak light at low illumination.

19. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the blackout switch panel unit being combined with a siren control head.

20. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein a bypass plug-in circuit unit being inserted onto said harness unit to replace said control unit to return the vehicle to its original lighting condition.

21. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein as a safety feature, the blackout switch LEDs return to full illumination in response to a photosensitive means selected from a photocell and a phototransistor sensing daylight.

22. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the illumination of the blackout switch LEDs being lowered to minimize glare while the user drives in a blackout phase.

23. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein as a safety feature, the blackout panel illumination being disabled in response to a photosensitive means selected from a photocell and a phototransistor after the photosensitive means senses nighttime in the blackout phase.

24. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the interior dome light being prevented from illuminating when any of the first, second and third emergency light switches are engaged.

25. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein a daytime running lights blackout means being provided to selectively deactivate the headlights in the daytime and in the nighttime mode.

26. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein a blackout audio warning means being provided to alert the operator of blackout switch operation in the daytime or in the nighttime mode.

27. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein a blackout speed control warning being given to the operator by audio warning and visual indicator means to alert the operator of exceeding a preselected blackout speed.

28. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the headlight flash being improved by disabling the daytime running lights switch.

29. The blackout control system according to claim 1, wherein the high beam sneak light being automatically energized when the low beam sneak light becomes defective.