Vehicular deceleration warning system

• US 6,278,364 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Issued: 08/21/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ivan Robert
• Original Assignee: Ivan Robert
• Inventors: Robert, Ivan
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/335,835
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 340/467, 340/463, 340/464, 340/469, 340/466
• 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 passive warning system for communicating vehicular deceleration and other information through a warning light. A microprocessor-based warning system according to the invention accounts for variations in vehicular speed in generating a warning signal having an intensity level and a blinking rate related to the rate of deceleration of the automobile, the ambient driving conditions and the speed of the automobile. The microprocessor is also programmed to measure speed variations more frequently as the speed of the vehicle increases, allowing information to be communicated in a timely manner. In one embodiment of the invention, the microprocessor is programmed to maintain the highest intensity warning signal activated for a predetermined period of time in order to inform other vehicles of an earlier speed reduction. Further, a warning system according to the invention can be configured to communicate a high intensity warning signal if the wheels of the vehicle become suddenly blocked or rotate at a rate that is disproportionate to the speed of the vehicle. Various other features and embodiments are encompassed within the scope of the intervention.

Claims

1. A warning system for use in an automobile, the warning system communicating a warning signal of variable warning intensity levels in response to specified deceleration rates experienced by the automobile, comprising:

(1) a sensor for gathering information related to the speed of the automobile;

(2) a visual warning device capable of displaying warning signals of varying warning intensity levels;

(3) a microprocessor coupled to said sensor and said visual warning device;

(4) A said microprocessor programmed to repeatedly perform the steps of;

(i) retrieving, from said sensor, the information related to the speed of the automobile;

(ii) utilizing the information related to the speed of the automobile over time to calculate an intensity value representative of the variation in speed being experienced by the automobile and the speed of the automobile;

(iii) comparing said intensity value to at least one of a plurality of predetermined ranges of values; and

(iv) activating said visual warning device at one of a plurality of warning intensity levels if said intensity value is within a corresponding range of values.

2. The warning system of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor performs said step of retrieving information related to the speed of the automobile at an increasing frequency as the speed of the automobile increases.

3. The warning system of claim 1, wherein said microprocessor, prior to comparing said intensity value to at least one of a plurality of predetermined ranges of values, performs the step of adjusting said intensity value according to a value representing ambient driving conditions, such that said visual warning device is activated at a higher warning intensity level in response to deteriorating ambient driving conditions.

4. The warning system of claim 3, wherein said automobile incorporates windshield wipers, and wherein said value representing ambient driving conditions is adjusted in response to activation of the windshield wipers.

5. The warning system of claim 3, wherein said automobile incorporates headlights, and wherein said value representing ambient driving conditions is adjusted in response to activation of the headlights.

6. The warning system of claim 1, wherein said visual warning device is at least one light.

7. The warning system of claim 6, wherein said visual warning device is comprised of at least one red light.

8. The warning system of claim 6, wherein said visual warning device is comprised of at least one red light and at least one amber light.

9. The warning system of claim 6, wherein said step of activating said visual warning device at a predetermined one of said plurality of warning intensity levels comprises:

(1) selecting at least one light of said visual warning device, such that said visual warning device displays a higher warning alarm signal intensity in response to increases in said intensity values; and

(2) calculating a value representative of a frequency of activation of said at least one light, such that said at least one light flashes at an increasing rate in response to increases in said intensity value.

10. The warning system of claim 9, wherein said frequency of activation is given a predetermined value when said visual warning device is activated at a predetermined one of said plurality of warning intensity levels.

11. The warning system of claim 1, wherein, at a given speed of the automobile, higher intensity values correspond to higher deceleration rates experienced by the automobile, and wherein, at a given deceleration rate experienced by the automobile, higher intensity values correspond to higher speeds of the automobile.

12. The warning system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises:

(1) at least one fixed magnet;

(2) a rotating part disposed within the automobile such that said rotating part rotates relative to motion of the automobile;

(3) at least one rotating magnet coupled to said sensor rotating part; and

(4) said at least one fixed magnet, said rotating part and said at least one rotating magnet being spatially arranged such that rotation of said rotating part causes said at least one rotating magnet to pass with sufficient proximity to said at least one fixed magnet to induce an electrical pulse, the speed of the automobile being determined by the number of such pulses in a given amount of time.

13. The warning system of claim 12, further comprising at least one binary meter, wherein said electrical pulses generated by said sensor are received by said at least one binary meter for provision to said microprocessor.

14. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the automobile incorporates a gas pedal, further comprising:

a gas pedal contact, said gas pedal contact being adapted for generating a gas pedal electrical signal indicating that pressure is being applied to the gas pedal, wherein for predetermined intensity values said visual warning device is activated if said gas pedal electrical signal is absent, said visual warning device being deactivated if said gas pedal signal is present.

15. The warning system of claim 1, further comprising:

a reset button, wherein said reset button must be actuated in order to deactivate said visual warning device following activation of said visual warning device at a predetermined warning intensity level.

16. The warning system of claim 1, said automobile further incorporating hazard lights, wherein said step of activating said visual warning device at said one of said plurality of warning intensity levels further comprises activating the hazard lights when said visual warning device is activated at a predetermined warning intensity level.

17. The warning system of claim 1, wherein said intensity value is given a predetermined value when said visual warning device is activated at a predetermined warning intensity level.

18. The warning system of claim 1, wherein said step of activating said visual warning device at one of said plurality of warning intensity levels further comprises maintaining said visual warning device activated at an identical warning intensity level for a predetermined period of time, said predetermined period of time increasing proportionately to increases in said intensity value.

19. The warning system of claim 18, wherein a new predetermined period of time is started if an equal or higher intensity value is determined before expiration of an immediately subsequent predetermined period.

20. The warning system of claim 1, wherein said step of activating said visual warning device at said one of said plurality of warning intensity levels further comprises activating said visual warning device at a predetermined warning intensity level if the wheels of said automobile rotate at a rate that is disproportionate to the speed of the automobile.

21. The warning system of claim 1, wherein said step of activating said visual warning device at said one of said plurality of warning intensity levels further comprises activating said visual warning device at a predetermined warning intensity level if the speed of the automobile falls below a predetermined value.

22. A method of communicating an automotive warning signal of variable warning intensity levels in response to specified deceleration rates experienced by an automobile, said automobile incorporating at least one visual warning device, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) gathering information related to the speed of the automobile over time;

(2) utilizing said speed information to calculate an intensity value representative of both the rate of deceleration being experienced by the automobile and the speed of the automobile;

(3) comparing said intensity value to at least one of a plurality of predetermined ranges of values; and

(4) activating said visual warning device at said one of said plurality of warning intensity levels if or when said intensity value is within a corresponding predetermined range of intensity values, wherein higher warning intensity levels correspond to more significant values that lower warning intensity levels.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of gathering said information is performed more frequently as the speed of said automobile increases.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said step of activating said visual warning device at said one of said plurality of warning intensity levels further comprises maintaining said visual warning device activated at an identical warning intensity level for a predetermined period, said predetermined period of time increasing proportionately to increases in said intensity value.

25. The warning system of claim 24, wherein a new predetermined period is started if an equal or higher intensity value is determined before expiration of an immediately subsequent predetermined period.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of adjusting the intensity value according to a value representing ambient driving conditions.