Auxiliary brake light system for automobiles and associated method

• US 7,859,391 B1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jose Solis, President, Rolan Corp.
• Original Assignee: Jose Solis
• Inventors: Solis, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US12/221,758
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/425.5, 340/467, 340/468, 340/479, 340/903, 342/70, 342/71, 180/167, 180/170, 701/35, 701/45, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5037 the display content changing automatically, e.g. depending on traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/535 to prevent rear-end collisions, e.g. by indicating safety distance at the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians

Abstract

An automated leading-vehicle message warning system for notifying a trailing vehicle of an unsafe traveling condition preferably includes a vehicle speedometer sensor and a vehicle brake system sensor. The warning system also may include a mechanism for determining whether a real-time traveling condition between the leading and trailing vehicles is a safe traveling condition by detecting whether the trailing vehicle is traveling at a minimum safe linear distance directly behind the leading vehicle upon receipt of input signals from a speedometer sensor and a vehicle brake system sensor. The warning system may also include a plurality of transducers housed in the leading vehicle that may be selectively toggled to respective activate modes such that each of the transducers generates and transmits a unique warning signal when the trailing vehicle fails to maintain the minimum safe distance from the leading vehicle during the unsafe traveling condition.

Claims

1. An automated leading-vehicle message warning system for notifying a trailing vehicle of an unsafe traveling condition, said automated leading-vehicle message warning system comprising:

a vehicle speedometer sensor for generating and transmitting true and false first input signals indicating whether a real-time traveling speed of the leading-vehicle is above or below a maximum safe traveling speed respectively;

a vehicle brake system sensor for generating and transmitting true and false second input signals indicating whether the leading vehicle is decelerating and accelerating respectively;

means for determining whether a real-time traveling condition between the leading and trailing vehicles is a safe traveling condition by detecting whether the trailing vehicle is traveling at a minimum safe linear distance directly behind the leading vehicle upon receipt of said true first and second input signals; and

a plurality of transducers housed at the leading vehicle and being selectively toggled to respective activate modes such that each of said transducers generates and transmits a unique warning signal respectively.

2. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 1, wherein said safe traveling condition determining means comprises:

a logic gate communicatively coupled directly to said vehicle speedometer sensor and said vehicle brake system sensor respectively, said logic gate generating and transmitting a true first output signal upon receipt of said true first signal and said true second signal respectively, said logic gate further generating and transmitting a false first output signal upon receipt of either of said false first signal and said false second signal respectively;

a distance-detecting sensor for generating and transmitting a second output signal indicating a real-time linear distance between the leading and trailing vehicles when said real-time traveling speed is above the maximum safe traveling speed;

a processor communicatively coupled directly to said logic gate and said distance-detecting sensor respectively; and

a memory communicatively coupled to said processor, said memory including programmable software instructions that instructs said transducers to sequentially alert the trailing vehicle of the unsafe driving condition.

3. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 2, wherein said software instructions comprise and execute a control logic algorithm including the chronological steps of:

a. requesting receipt of said first output signal from said logic gate;

b. requesting receipt of said second output signal from said distance-detecting sensor;

c. verifying whether said first output signal is true;

d. if step c. is yes, verifying whether said real-time linear distance is less than said minimum safe linear distance; and

e. if step d. is yes, performing the following steps

i. generating and transmitting first and second alert signals to said transducers for emitting respective audible and visual warning signals to instruct the trailing vehicle to slow down, and

ii. generating and transmitting an activation signal to said video-recording system for capturing a real-time video of the trailing vehicle while said real-time linear distance remains less than the minimum safe linear distance.

4. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 3, wherein said control logic algorithm further includes the chronological steps of:

a;

calculating a period of time in which said real-time linear distance is less than said minimum safe linear distance, wherein said minimum safe linear distance is predefined based upon real-time driving and weather conditions respectively; and

b. if said period of time is greater than a maximum time interval, then generating and transmitting third and fourth alert signals to said transducers for emitting additional audible and visual warning signals to instruct the trailing vehicle to slow down, wherein said maximum time interval is predefined based upon the real-time driving and weather conditions respectively.

5. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 4, wherein said transducers comprise:

a light-emitting diode message display system that sequentially illuminates selected diodes for generating a warning message that is visible to the trailing vehicle; and

a speaker for generating a pre-recorded audible warning message that is identifiable by the trailing vehicle.

6. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 5, wherein a change in said minimum safe linear distance is directly proportional to a change in said maximum safe traveling speed such that an increase and a decrease in said maximum safe traveling speed causes an increase and a decrease in said minimum safe linear distance respectively.

7. An automated leading-vehicle message warning system for notifying a trailing vehicle of an unsafe traveling condition, said automated leading-vehicle message warning system comprising:

a vehicle speedometer sensor for generating and transmitting true and false first input signals indicating whether a real-time traveling speed of the leading-vehicle is above or below a maximum safe traveling speed respectively;

a vehicle brake system sensor for generating and transmitting true and false second input signals indicating whether the leading vehicle is decelerating and accelerating respectively;

means for determining whether a real-time traveling condition between the leading and trailing vehicles is a safe traveling condition by detecting whether the trailing vehicle is traveling at a minimum safe linear distance directly behind the leading vehicle upon receipt of said true first and second input signals; and

a plurality of transducers housed at the leading vehicle and being selectively toggled to respective activate modes such that each of said transducers generates and transmits a unique warning signal when the trailing vehicle fails to maintain the minimum safe distance from the leading vehicle during the unsafe traveling condition.

8. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 7, wherein said safe traveling condition determining means comprises:

a logic gate communicatively coupled directly to said vehicle speedometer sensor and said vehicle brake system sensor respectively, said logic gate generating and transmitting a true first output signal upon receipt of said true first signal and said true second signal respectively, said logic gate further generating and transmitting a false first output signal upon receipt of either of said false first signal and said false second signal respectively;

a distance-detecting sensor for generating and transmitting a second output signal indicating a real-time linear distance between the leading and trailing vehicles when said real-time traveling speed is above the maximum safe traveling speed;

a processor communicatively coupled directly to said logic gate and said distance-detecting sensor respectively; and

a memory communicatively coupled to said processor, said memory including programmable software instructions that instructs said transducers to sequentially alert the trailing vehicle of the unsafe driving condition.

9. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 8, wherein said software instructions comprise and execute a control logic algorithm including the chronological steps of:

a. requesting receipt of said first output signal from said logic gate;

b. requesting receipt of said second output signal from said distance-detecting sensor;

c. verifying whether said first output signal is true;

d. if step c. is yes, verifying whether said real-time linear distance is less than said minimum safe linear distance; and

e. if step d. is yes, performing the following steps

i. generating and transmitting first and second alert signals to said transducers for emitting respective audible and visual warning signals to instruct the trailing vehicle to slow down, and

ii. generating and transmitting an activation signal to said video-recording system for capturing a real-time video of the trailing vehicle while said real-time linear distance remains less than the minimum safe linear distance.

10. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 9, wherein said control logic algorithm further includes the chronological steps of:

a. calculating a period of time in which said real-time linear distance is less than said minimum safe linear distance, wherein said minimum safe linear distance is predefined based upon real-time driving and weather conditions respectively; and

b. if said period of time is greater than a maximum time interval, then generating and transmitting third and fourth alert signals to said transducers for emitting additional audible and visual warning signals to instruct the trailing vehicle to slow down, wherein said maximum time interval is predefined based upon the real-time driving and weather conditions respectively.

11. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 10, wherein said transducers comprise:

a light-emitting diode message display system that sequentially illuminates selected diodes for generating a warning message that is visible to the trailing vehicle; and

a speaker for generating a pre-recorded audible warning message that is identifiable by the trailing vehicle.

12. The automated leading-vehicle message warning system of claim 11, wherein a change in said minimum safe linear distance is directly proportional to a change in said maximum safe traveling speed such that an increase and a decrease in said maximum safe traveling speed causes an increase and a decrease in said minimum safe linear distance respectively.

13. A method for notifying a trailing vehicle of an unsafe traveling condition behind a leading vehicle, said method comprising the chronological steps of:

a. providing a vehicle speedometer sensor;

b. said vehicle speedometer sensor generating and transmitting true and false first input signals indicating whether a real-time traveling speed of the leading-vehicle is above or below a maximum safe traveling speed respectively;

c. providing a vehicle brake system sensor;

d. said vehicle brake system sensor generating and transmitting true and false second input signals indicating whether the leading vehicle is decelerating and accelerating respectively;

e. providing and housing a plurality of transducers within the leading vehicle;

f. determining whether a real-time traveling condition between the leading and trailing vehicles is a safe traveling condition by detecting whether the trailing vehicle is traveling at a minimum safe linear distance directly behind the leading vehicle upon receipt of said true first and second input signals;

g. if said real-time traveling conditions is not a safe traveling condition, then selectively toggling said transducers to respective activate modes; and

h. each of said transducers generating and transmitting a unique warning signal when the trailing vehicle fails to maintain the minimum safe distance from the leading vehicle during the unsafe traveling condition.