Fast braking warning system

• US 6,359,552 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1998
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lear Automotive Dearborn, Incorporated (Lear Corporation)
• Original Assignee: UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
• Inventors: King, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US09/099,084
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/902, 340/903, 340/463, 340/467, 340/479, 340/435, 340/901, 340/905, 180/167
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication

Abstract

A collision warning system warns vehicles traveling behind a vehicle when it initiates deceleration. A receiver on trailing vehicles receives the signal. A transmitter then transmits a signal in response to either the acceleration sensor or the receiver. A brake warning device is also automatically actuated upon reception of the signal, and the signal is retransmitted to the rear of a trailing vehicle. A warning provided in this manner allows operators several vehicles in back of the lead vehicle to be simultaneously notified that the lead vehicle is decelerating, independently of whether the intervening vehicles have manually applied their brakes.

Claims

1. A collision avoidance system for a vehicle mounted on the vehicle, comprising:

an acceleration sensor to detect deceleration of the vehicle while the vehicle is traveling on a roadway;

a transmitter for transmitting a warning signal from a rear portion of the vehicle for a specific distance in response to said acceleration sensor detecting deceleration,

a receiver for receiving the warning signal from a forward direction,

wherein said transmitter, in response to said receiver receiving the warning signal, selectively transmits the warning signal as a retransmission in a manner preventing the warning signal from being transmitted down the entire roadway based on one of the power level and frequency selection techniques in conjunction with receiver sensitivity and signal processing; and

an external conventional brake warning light on said rear portion of said vehicle, said brake warning light being actuated when said transmitter transmits said warning signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the warning signal is transmitted as a substantially collimated beam.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein when said transmitter transmits the warning signal for the specific distance in response to said acceleration sensor detecting deceleration, the warning signal has a signal energy and character to pass around a first trailing vehicle and/or to pass through a cabin of the first trailing vehicle to be receivable by a second trailing vehicle within the specific distance.

4. A method of collision avoidance for a leading vehicle and a trailing vehicle traveling on a roadway, the trailing vehicle having an external conventional brake warning light on a rear portion thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a warning signal for a specific distance, based on one of the power level and frequency selection techniques in conjunction with receiver sensitivity and signal processing, from a rear portion of the leading vehicle in response to deceleration of the leading vehicle;

receiving the warning signal at the trailing vehicle; and

in response to receipt of the warning signal in said receiving step, actuating the brake warning light and selectively transmitting the warning signal from the rear portion of the trailing vehicle as a retransmission in a manner preventing the warning signal from being transmitted down the entire roadway.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the warning signal is transmitted as a substantially collimated beam.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein when the first-mentioned transmitting step transmits the warning signal from the leading vehicle for the specific distance, the warning signal has a signal energy and character to pass around the trailing vehicle and/or to pass through a cabin of the trailing vehicle to be receivable by a second trailing vehicle within the specific distance.