Device and system for indicating rapid deceleration in vehicles
First Claim
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1. A device for indicating urgent deceleration of a vehicle, the device comprising:
- (a) at least one warning indicator adapted to indicate a warning at least external to the vehicle;
(b) a sensor system, having a first output responsive to acceleration in a primary direction of vehicle motion, and a second output responsive to gravity; and
(c) a controller responsive to the outputs of the sensor system, the controller accounting for gravitational effects and initiating the at least one warning indicator when;
1) a mathematical combination of the first and second outputs exceeds at least one threshold value, or
2) the first output exceeds a mathematical combination of the second output and at least one threshold value indicative of an urgent deceleration condition.
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Abstract
A device and system for indicating rapid deceleration to warn the operator and/or others of an urgent deceleration condition is provided. The device includes one or more sensors that are responsive to acceleration in the primary direction of vehicle motion. The controller communicates with the one or more sensors, corrects for gravitational effects, and initiates at least one warning indicator when the acceleration exceeds a threshold value and thereby indicates an urgent deceleration condition.
115 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A device for indicating urgent deceleration of a vehicle, the device comprising:
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(a) at least one warning indicator adapted to indicate a warning at least external to the vehicle;
(b) a sensor system, having a first output responsive to acceleration in a primary direction of vehicle motion, and a second output responsive to gravity; and
(c) a controller responsive to the outputs of the sensor system, the controller accounting for gravitational effects and initiating the at least one warning indicator when;
1) a mathematical combination of the first and second outputs exceeds at least one threshold value, or
2) the first output exceeds a mathematical combination of the second output and at least one threshold value indicative of an urgent deceleration condition.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for indicating an urgent deceleration condition of a vehicle, independently of gravity, comprising the acts of:
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(a) detecting acceleration in a primary direction of vehicle motion;
(b) detecting effects due to gravity;
(c) initiating at least one warning indicator at least external to the vehicle; and
(d) accounting for effects due to gravity before initiating the at least one warning indicator by;
1) mathematically combining the detected acceleration in the primary direction of vehicle motion and the effects due to gravity; and
initiating at least one warning indicator when the mathematical combination exceeds at least one threshold value;
or
2) mathematically combining the detected effects due to gravity and at least one threshold value indicative of an urgent deceleration condition; and
initiating at least one warning indicator when the acceleration in the primary direction of vehicle motion exceeds the mathematical combination of the detected effects due to gravity and the at least one threshold value indicative of an urgent deceleration condition.- View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification