Brake and signal light system

• US 6,784,795 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2003
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mar-Bruc, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mar-Bruc, Inc.
• Inventors: Escobosa, Marcus, Pories, Muriel, Dent, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US10/430,749
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 340/479, 340/483, 340/488, 340/464, 340/465, 340/468, 455/39, 455/41.2, 455/66.1, 455/74, 455/346, 455/344, 455/127.1, 362/105, 362/106, 362/473, 362/802, 362/570
• US Class Current: 340/479
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0453 Signalling devices, e.g. auxiliary brake or indicator lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2676 Helmets

Abstract

A brake and signal light system for use with a vehicle, such as a motorcycle and a helmet worn by a rider of the motorcycle. The system includes a transmitter mounted to the vehicle and electrically connected to the signaling circuitry of the vehicle for broadcasting a coded radio signal in response to a current passing through the signaling circuitry of the vehicle. A flexible housing is mounted the helmet and contains a receiver and at least one light source. The receiver receives the radio signal and at least one light source is illuminated indicating the state of the vehicle'"'"'s signaling circuitry. The housing assembly includes a central portion, at least one left segmented housing, and at least one right segmented housing. A flexible back member flexibly connects the left and right segmented housing to the central portion.

Claims

1. A brake and signal light system comprising:

a transmitter assembly adapted for electrical connection to the signaling circuitry of a vehicle, said transmitter assembly for transmitting a coded signal in response to an electrical signal generated by said signaling circuitry;

a receiver assembly for receiving said coded signal and producing a control signal in response to said encoded signal;

at least one light source connected to said receiver assembly, wherein said control signal illuminates said at least one light source;

a housing assembly, said housing assembly adapted to receive said receiver assembly and said at least one light source therewithin, and wherein said housing assembly is attachable to a helmet and is flexible to conform to the shape of said helmet;

a conditioning circuit, wherein said conditioning circuit receives said electrical signal generated by said signaling circuitry, said conditioning circuit for producing raw electrical power and signaling data;

a voltage regulator, said voltage regulator for receiving said raw power and for providing a steady supply voltage to power said transmitter assembly;

a micro-controller, said micro-controller for receiving said signaling data and producing a radio data pattern; and

said transmitter assembly including a transmitter circuit for modulating said radio data pattern onto a radio signal.

2. The brake and signal light system of claim 1, wherein the coded signal is a radio bit alignment, a header, a command signal, and data area with redundancy.

3. The brake and signal light system of claim 2, wherein the radio signal is an amplitude shift keyed signal.

4. The brake and signal light system of claim 1, wherein said radio data pattern includes a sync pattern, a header, a command signal, and data area with redundancy.

5. The brake and signal light system of claim 1, wherein the receiver assembly is operated intermittently to save power.

6. The brake and signal light system of claim 1, wherein the receiver assembly includes:

a receiver;

a micro-controller, wherein said receiver demodulates said coded signal and feeds it to said micro-controller, said micro-controller for generating said control signal; and

a power source for powering said receiver assembly.

7. The brake and signal light system of claim 1, wherein said housing assembly comprises:

a central housing;

a least one segmented right housing;

a least one segmented left housing; and

a flexible back member, wherein said at least one segmented right housing and said at least one segmented left housing are secured in spaced relationship to either side of said central housing by said flexible back member so as to leave a gap between said at least one segmented right housing, said central housing and said at least one segmented right housing so that said flexible back member provides for a hinged connection between said at least one segmented housing and said central housing and between said at least one segmented left housing and said central housing allowing said housing assembly to conform to the shape of a helmet to which it is attached.

8. The brake and signal light system of claim 7, wherein a lens element is secured to said central housing, said at least one segmented right housing and said at least one segmented left housing for projecting said at least one light source outwardly from said housing assembly.

9. The brake and signal light system of claim 8, wherein said lens element of said at least one segmented right housing and of said at least one segment left housing is a fresnel lens.

10. A wireless brake and signal light system for attachment to a helmet, comprising:

a transmitter assembly adapted for electrical connection to the signaling circuitry of a vehicle, said transmitter assembly for transmitting a radio signal in response to an electrical signal generated by said signaling circuitry;

a receiver assembly for receiving said radio signal and producing a control signal in response to said radio signal, said receiver assembly operated intermittently to save power;

at least one light source connected to said receiver assembly, wherein said control signal illuminates said at least one light source;

a housing assembly, said housing assembly adapted to receive said receiver assembly and said light source therewithin, and wherein said housing assembly is attachable to a helmet and flexible to conform to the shape of said helmet;

wherein said transmitter assembly includes;

a conditioning circuit, wherein said conditioning circuit receives said electrical signal generated by said signaling circuitry, said conditioning circuit for producing raw electrical power and signaling data;

a voltage regulator, said voltage regulator for receiving said raw electrical power and for providing a steady supply voltage to power said transmitter assembly; and

a first micro-controller, said first micro-controller for receiving said signaling data and producing a radio data pattern;

a transmitter circuit for modulating said radio data pattern onto said radio signal;

wherein said receiver assembly includes;

a receiver;

a second micro-controller, wherein said receiver demodulates said radio signal and feeds it to said second micro-controller, said second micro-controller for generating said control signal; and

a power source for powering said receiver assembly.

11. The wireless brake and signal system for attachment to a helmet of claim 10, wherein said radio signal comprising a radio data pattern including a sync pattern, a header, a command signal, and data area with redundancy.

12. The wireless brake signal system for attachment to a helmet of claim 10, wherein said housing assembly comprises:

a central housing;

a least one segmented right housing;

a least one segmented left housing; and

a flexible back member, wherein said segmented right housing and said segmented left housing are secured in spaced relationship to either side of said central housing by said flexible back member, said flexible back member secured to said central housing, said at least one segmented left housing and said at least one segmented right housing so as to leave a gap between said at least one segmented right housing, said central housing and said at least one segmented right housing so that said flexible back member provides for a hinged connection between said at least one segmented housing and said central housing and between said at least one segmented left housing and said central housing allowing said housing assembly to conform to the shape of a helmet to which it is attached.

13. The wireless brake signal system for attachment to a helmet of claim 12, wherein a lens element is secured to said central housing, said segmented right housing and said segmented left housing for projecting said a least one light source outwardly from said housing assembly.

14. The brake and signal light system of claim 13, wherein said lens element of said at least one segmented right housing and of said at least one segment left housing is a fresnel lens.

15. A method of illuminating a wireless brake and signal light system comprising the steps of:

connecting a transmitter assembly to the signaling circuitry of a vehicle, said transmitter assembly comprising a signal conditioning circuit, a voltage regulator, a first micro-controller, and a transmitter circuit;

mounting a light housing assembly containing a receiver assembly and at least one light source to a helmet, said light housing assembly being flexible, said receiver assembly comprising a receiver circuit and a second micro-controller;

passing a current through said signaling circuitry, said current being received by said conditioning circuit;

conditioning said current by said conditioning circuit so as to provide electrical power and signaling data, said electrical power being received by said voltage regulator to provide a steady supply voltage to power said transmitter assembly, said signaling data being received by said first micro-controller;

processing said signaling data by said first micro-controller to produce a radio data pattern, said radio data pattern being received by said modulation circuit;

modulating said radio data pattern by said transmitter circuit on to a radio signal;

broadcasting said radio signal, said radio signal being received by said receiver assembly;

demodulating said radio signal by said receiver circuit to produce a demodulated signal, said demodulated signal being received by said second micro-controller;

processing said demodulated signal by said second micro-controller to produce a command signal; and

illuminating said at least one light source by said command signal.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein said receiver assembly is operated intermittently to reduce power consumption.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein said radio data pattern includes a sync pattern, a header, a command signal, and data redundancy.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising the step of:

processing said demodulated signal by said second micro-controller to check for authenticity of said radio signal and to determine if errors exist in said radio data pattern.