Motor vehicle system and ranging device

• US 6,133,852 A
• Filed: 11/16/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Design Technologies LLC, iovation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Design Technologies LLC, iovation Incorporated
• Inventors: Tonkin, Mark Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Application Number:
  US09/192,626
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 340/463, 340/464, 340/466, 340/467, 340/468, 340/472, 340/479, 340/903
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/444 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• 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 1/54 for indicating speed outside of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/40 Several lamps activated in sequence, e.g. sweep effect, progressive activation
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/486 delivered by photo-electric detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/489 Digital circuits therefor

Abstract

A display system for motor vehicles provides an array of lamps at the rear of a subject vehicle to provide an indication of the state of motion of the subject vehicle to the driver of a following vehicle. In a first mode of operation, the display indicates a level of warning dependent upon the rate of deceleration of the subject vehicle, the level of warning being determined by deceleration thresholds which are variable in dependence upon the measured speed of the subject vehicle. In a second mode of operation, the lamps provide an indication of the subject vehicle being stationary or near stationary as determined by comparing the measured speed with a threshold speed. An animate display is created by illuminating the lamps and sequentially deactuating selected pairs of lamps to create a pattern cyclically moving semetrically outwardly from the centre of the row. The display is discontinued when the speed of the subject vehicle exceeds a second threshold defined independently of the first threshold speed. In a third mode of operation, the display indicates that the subject vehicle is stationary or near stationary in a manner which has less prominence, fewer lamps being illuminated, and in response to detection of a following vehicle being in close proximity to the subject vehicle.

Claims

1. A method of indicating the state of motion of a subject vehicle to a driver of a following vehicle by means of an array of lamps mounted on the subject vehicle and operable to produce a visual display indicative of the state of motion, the method comprising:

a. sensing a measure of velocity of the subject vehicle by operation of a vehicle motion measuring means; and

b. determining whether the measure of velocity is less than a reference value, and;

c. when so determined, illuminating said lamps in a time dependent sequence to produce an animated visual display indicative of the state of motion as being stationary.

2. An apparatus for indicating a state of motion of a subject vehicle to a driver of a following vehicle by means of an array of lamps mounted in use, on the subject vehicle and operable to produce a visual display indicative of the state of motion, the apparatus comprising:

a. vehicle motion sensing means for sensing a measure of velocity of the subject vehicle;

b. means for determining whether the measure of velocity is less than a reference value; and

c. means for illuminating said lamps in a time dependent sequence in response to the measure of velocity being determined to be less than the reference value to produce an animated visual display on the array of lamps indicative of the state of motion as being stationary.