Activating a vehicle's own brake lights and/or brakes when brake lights are sensed in front of the vehicle, including responsively to the proximity of, and/or rate of closure with, a forward vehicle
First Claim
1. For use with a subject vehicle having both brakes and brake lights, a method of activating the brake lights of the subject vehicle comprising:
- first sensing any application of the brakes of the subject vehicle;
second sensing any presence of brake light emissions of another vehicle to the forward of the subject vehicle; and
always activating the brake lights of the subject vehicle during the persistence of either an application of the brakes of the subject vehicle as is determined by the first sensing, or during brake light emissions of another vehicle as is determined by the second sensing regardless of any of (1) acceleration or de-acceleration or speed of the subject vehicle, (2) proximity of the vehicle to the forward, or (3) status of any airbag or anti-lock braking system of the subject vehicle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Any presence of brake light emissions of another vehicle to the forward of a subject vehicle is sensed in a color camera and microprocessor system that detects (i) red light(s) illuminations in excess of other colors, that are any of (ii) appropriately sized, (iii) appropriately located, (iv) simultaneously occurring, (v) spaced apart in separation, (vi) substantially horizontal, and/or (vii) of approximately of equal intensity, as would be appropriate to a single brake light, or to a pair of brake lights, as the case may be. The brake lights of the subject vehicle are preferably applied either during (i) the persistence of any detection of the brake light(s) of any other vehicle(s) to the forward, or (ii) normal application of the subject vehicle'"'"'s own brakes. The forward-sensed rearward-propagated brake light signal is preferably delayed in propagation, limiting any propagation of minor perturbations in traffic. Optional application of the vehicle'"'"'s own brakes may be conditioned upon (i) proximity to and/or rate of closure with a forward emission source as is preferably determined by angles, and/or upon (ii) rate of closure, speed or deceleration G force of the subject vehicle. The brake light signal, whether simple or sophisticated in either its development and/or presentation, beneficially alerts drivers to the rear of impending or actual slowing, thus deterring rear end collisions and promoting fuel economy.
138 Citations
23 Claims
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1. For use with a subject vehicle having both brakes and brake lights, a method of activating the brake lights of the subject vehicle comprising:
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first sensing any application of the brakes of the subject vehicle; second sensing any presence of brake light emissions of another vehicle to the forward of the subject vehicle; and always activating the brake lights of the subject vehicle during the persistence of either an application of the brakes of the subject vehicle as is determined by the first sensing, or during brake light emissions of another vehicle as is determined by the second sensing regardless of any of (1) acceleration or de-acceleration or speed of the subject vehicle, (2) proximity of the vehicle to the forward, or (3) status of any airbag or anti-lock braking system of the subject vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for activating the brake lights and/or brakes of a subject vehicle comprising:
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a first sensor producing a first signal upon any application of the brakes of the subject vehicle; a second sensor producing a second signal upon any presence of brake light emissions of another vehicle to the forward of the subject vehicle; and an activator of the brake lights and/or brakes of the subject vehicle during the persistence of either the first signal or the second signal regardless of any of (1) acceleration or de-acceleration or speed of the subject vehicle, (2) proximity of the vehicle to the forward, or (3) status of any airbag or anti-lock braking system of the subject vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for propagating brake lights between vehicles upon a highway comprising:
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a sensor in a vehicle for sensing any application of brake lights to the forward of the vehicle; and an activator always activating the brake lights of the vehicle responsive to the sensed application of brake lights to the forward regardless of any of (1) acceleration or de-acceleration or speed of the subject vehicle, (2) proximity of the vehicle to the forward, or (3) status of any airbag or anti-lock braking system of the subject vehicle; wherein brake lights are always propagated from the forward of the vehicle to the rearward of the same vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification