Severe braking warning system for vehicles

• US 6,249,219 B1
• Filed: 03/23/2000
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Vehicle Technologies Company, LLC
• Original Assignee: Brian S. Corzilius, Luis A. Perez
• Inventors: Perez, Luis A., Corzilius, Brian S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/533,743
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 340/467, 340/479, 340/464, 340/438, 340/439
• US Class Current: 340/467
• 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

Abstract

A severe braking warning system for a vehicle is described wherein the system is designed to measure a vehicle'"'"'s rate of motion and, upon deceleration of the vehicle, affect the vehicle'"'"'s brake light circuit by switching it on and off at a pulse rate proportional to the severity of deceleration. The system comprises an accelerometer, a microprocessor (either an integrated unit or the vehicle'"'"'s existing unit), transistor, and a switch in communication with the vehicle'"'"'s existing brake light circuit. The inventive brake light warning system provides a supplemental indication to other vehicles traveling behind of the rate of braking, thereby reducing the possibility of rear-end collisions.

Claims

1. A brake light warning system comprising:

a. an accelerometer programmed to measure deceleration forces exerted on it by a moving vehicle and to transmit varying output signals correlating to said deceleration forces;

b. a microprocessor electrically connected to said accelerometer, said microprocessor programmed to monitor said varying output signals from said accelerometer and create an output signal having a frequency based upon the deceleration forces detected by said accelerometer;

c. a switch electrically connected to said microprocessor and to an existing brake light circuitry of said moving vehicle, said brake light circuitry further connected to said vehicle'"'"'s brake light indicators, wherein said switch is configured to receive said output signal created by said microprocessor to activate the brake light circuitry on and off simultaneously at a programmed rate correlative to said deceleration forces, thereby causing said brake light indicators to blink on and off at said programmed rate; and

d. said switch further connected to said brake light circuitry such that said switch does not impede normal functioning of said vehicle'"'"'s brake light indicators during normal braking.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said switch is a logic-actuated switch.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said switch is an FET switch.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said accelerometer comprises a MEMS semiconductor chip.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor is an existing microprocessor of said vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said switch is an FET switch.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said accelerometer comprises a MEMS semiconductor chip.