Vehicle safety emergency flasher system

• US 5,914,651 A
• Filed: 12/04/1997
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bryan H. Smalls
• Original Assignee: Bryan H. Smalls
• Inventors: Smalls, Bryan H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANNAVA, ASHOK K
• Application Number:
  US08/985,324
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/902, 340/942, 340/943, 340/468, 340/469, 340/471, 340/472
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0023 the element being a sensor, e.g. distance sensor, camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/486 for indicating that vehicle is in a parked state

Abstract

A new Vehicle Safety Emergency Flasher System for automatically operating a flashing light system within a vehicle by sensing when there is another approaching vehicle thereby protecting oncoming drivers while conserving a charge within a battery of the vehicle. The inventive device includes a plurality of photo-transistors, a control panel having a central processing unit electrically coupled to the photo-transistors, a multi-positioned hazard switch electrically coupled to the control panel, a receiver, and a transmitter. The photo-transistors detect motion from moving vehicles or light from the headlights of a vehicle thereby triggering the flashing of a plurality of conventional hazard lights electrically coupled to the control panel. After the vehicle has passed, the conventional hazard lights are deactivated thereby conserving a charge within a battery of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety emergency flasher system comprising:

a vehicle detecting means, wherein said vehicle detecting means may be mounted on a vehicle'"'"'s front portion and a vehicle'"'"'s rear portion for detecting traffic approaching said front portion and said rear portion of said vehicle; and

a control panel having a central processing unit and electrically coupled to a plurality of hazard lights within said vehicle, wherein said central processing unit is electrically coupled to said vehicle detecting means where said vehicle detecting means electrically communicates with said central processing unit when said oncoming traffic approaches a selected distance away whereafter said central processing unit electrically flashes said plurality of hazard lights within said vehicle thereby forewarning said oncoming traffic of said vehicle, wherein said control panel has a front switch for activating said vehicle detecting means mounted on said vehicle'"'"'s front portion and said control panel has a rear switch for activating said vehicle detecting means mounted on said vehicle'"'"'s rear portion.

2. The vehicle safety emergency flasher system of claim 1, including a multi-position hazard switch electrically coupled to said central processing unit for selectively controlling a mode said central processing unit is in, said mode comprising constant flashing of said hazard lights or flashing said hazard lights a finite time after said oncoming traffic passes by.

12. The vehicle safety emergency flasher system of claim 1, wherein said front switch is electrically coupled to said central processing unit, wherein when said front switch is closed said vehicle detecting means detects said oncoming traffic towards said front portion of said vehicle and when said front switch is open said vehicle detecting means does not detect said oncoming traffic towards said front portion, said rear switch being electrically coupled to said central processing unit, wherein when said rear switch is closed said vehicle detecting means detects said oncoming traffic towards said rear portion of said vehicle and when said rear switch is open said vehicle detecting means does not detect said oncoming traffic towards said rear portion.

13. The vehicle safety emergency flasher system of claim 1, wherein said front switch is electrically coupled to said central processing unit, wherein when said front switch is closed said vehicle detecting means detects said oncoming traffic towards said front portion of said vehicle and when said front switch is open said vehicle detecting means does not detect said oncoming traffic towards said front portion, said rear switch being electrically coupled to said central processing unit, wherein when said rear switch is closed said vehicle detecting means detects said oncoming traffic towards said rear portion of said vehicle and when said rear switch is open said vehicle detecting means does not detect said oncoming traffic towards said rear portion.

3. A vehicle safety emergency flasher system comprising:

a vehicle detecting means, wherein said vehicle detecting means may be mounted on a vehicle'"'"'s front portion and a vehicle'"'"'s rear portion for detecting traffic approaching said front portion and said rear portion of said vehicle;

a control panel having a central processing unit and electrically coupled to a plurality of hazard lights within said vehicle, wherein said central processing unit is electrically coupled to said vehicle detecting means where said vehicle detecting means electrically communicates with said central processing unit when said oncoming traffic approaches a selected distance away whereafter said central processing unit electrically flashes said plurality of hazard lights within said vehicle thereby forewarning said oncoming traffic of said vehicle;

a multi-position hazard switch electrically coupled to said central processing unit for selectively controlling a mode said central processing unit is in, said mode comprising constant flashing of said hazard lights or flashing said hazard lights a finite time after said oncoming traffic passes by;

a potentiometer electrically coupled to said central processing unit for allowing a selection of said finite time and for allowing a selection of a delay time for preventing operation of said hazard lights during said delay time after said finite time;

a front switch electrically coupled to said central processing unit, wherein when said front switch is closed said vehicle detecting means detects said oncoming traffic towards said front portion of said vehicle and when said front switch is open said vehicle detecting means does not detect said oncoming traffic towards said front portion; and

a rear switch electrically coupled to said central processing unit, wherein when said rear switch is closed said vehicle detecting means detects said oncoming traffic towards said rear portion of said vehicle and when said rear switch is open said vehicle detecting means does not detect said oncoming traffic towards said rear portion.

4. The vehicle safety emergency flasher system of claim 3, wherein said control panel further comprises a 24 hour override switch electrically coupled to said central processing unit, said vehicle detecting means detecting said oncoming traffic 24 hours per day when said 24 hour override switch is closed, said vehicle detecting means detecting said oncoming traffic from dusk to daybreak when said 24 hour override switch is open.

5. The vehicle safety emergency flasher system of claim 4, wherein a second vehicle in said oncoming traffic has a voice play back means electrically coupled to a central processing unit, said voice play back means producing an audible warning to a driver of said second vehicle within said oncoming traffic that said vehicle is nearby.

6. The vehicle safety emergency flasher system of claim 5, wherein said control panel includes a voice switch electrically coupled to said central processing unit for selectively controlling the activation of said voice play back means.

7. The vehicle safety emergency flasher system of claim 6, including:

a transmitter sending a signal at a specified frequency; and

a receiver electrically coupled to said central processing unit for receiving said signal at said specified frequency, whereby said signal carries information which activates said audible warning at said selected distance.

8. The vehicle safety emergency flasher system of claim 7, wherein said detecting means comprises a plurality of photo-transistors for detecting motion from moving vehicles or light from a headlight of said oncoming traffic.

9. The vehicle safety emergency flasher system of claim 3, wherein when said front switch is closed, said central processing unit only is capable of flashing a plurality of front hazard lights;

and when said rear switch is closed, said central processing unit only is capable of flashing a plurality of rear hazard lights thereby conserving a charge within a battery of said vehicle.

10. A method of operating a plurality of front hazard lights and rear hazard lights for conserving a charge within a battery of a vehicle, said method comprising:

(a) providing a vehicle detecting means, wherein said vehicle detecting means may be mounted on a vehicle'"'"'s front portion and a vehicle'"'"'s rear portion for detecting traffic approaching said front portion and said rear portion of said vehicle;

(b) providing a control panel having a central processing unit and electrically coupled to a plurality of hazard lights within said vehicle, wherein said central processing unit is electrically coupled to said vehicle detecting means where said vehicle detecting means electrically communicates with said central processing unit when said oncoming traffic approaches a selected distance away whereafter said central processing unit electrically flashes said plurality of hazard lights within said vehicle thereby forewarning said oncoming traffic of said vehicle;

(c) providing a front switch electrically coupled to said central processing unit, wherein when said front switch is closed said vehicle detecting means detects said oncoming traffic towards said front portion of said vehicle and when said front switch is open said vehicle detecting means does not detect said oncoming traffic towards said front portion; and

(d) providing a rear switch electrically coupled to said central processing unit, wherein when said rear switch is closed said vehicle detecting means detects said oncoming traffic towards said rear portion of said vehicle and when said rear switch is open said vehicle detecting means does not detect said oncoming traffic towards said rear portion;

(e) detecting an oncoming vehicle approaching said vehicle from a front portion or a rear portion of said vehicle;

(f) flashing either said front hazard lights if said oncoming vehicle is approaching the front portion of a vehicle or flashing said rear hazard lights if said oncoming vehicles approaching the rear portion of said vehicle; and

(g) terminating flashing of said hazard lights a finite time after step (e).

11. The method of claim 10 further including activating a voice playback means in said oncoming vehicle thereby warning a user within said oncoming vehicle that said oncoming vehicle is approaching said vehicle.