Automobile communication system

• US 8,009,030 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenneth J Van Neste
• Original Assignee: Kenneth J Van Neste
• Inventors: Van Neste, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, BENJAMIN C
• Application Number:
  US12/418,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20100013623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 340/468, 340/466, 340/467, 340/479, 340/464
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/14 Adaptive cruise control

Abstract

A communication system for use with an automobile having an accelerator, a brake, a cruise control, and a brake lamp includes a display, a transmitter, a receiver, and a cruise lamp visible from outside the automobile. The communication system includes a processor in data communication with the accelerator, the brake, the cruise control, the brake lamp, the display, the transmitter, the receiver, and the cruise lamp. The processor includes programming to actuate the display to present data received by the receiver and to actuate the cruise lamp when the cruise control is actuated. The processor also includes programming to actuate the transmitter to transmit cruise data when the cruise control is actuated. Programming also causes the cruise lamp to blink when the cruise control is actuated while the accelerator is actuated. Programming may also actuate the transmitter to transmit acceleration data when the cruise control and the accelerator are actuated.

Claims

1. A communication system for use with an automobile having an accelerator, a brake, a cruise control, and a brake lamp, said system comprising:

a display;

a transmitter;

a receiver;

a cruise lamp visible from outside said automobile;

a processor in data communication with said accelerator, said brake, said cruise control, said brake lamp, said display, said transmitter, said receiver, and said cruise lamp;

programming in said processor to actuate said display to present data received by said receiver;

programming in said processor to actuate said cruise lamp when said cruise control is actuated;

programming in said processor to actuate said transmitter to transmit cruise data when said cruise control is actuated;

programming in said processor to cause said cruise lamp to blink when said cruise control is actuated while said accelerator is actuated; and

programming in said processor to actuate said transmitter to transmit cruise acceleration data when said cruise control is actuated while said accelerator is actuated.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said display is a visual display.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

programming in said processor to cause said cruise lamp to deactivate when said cruise control is actuated in a coast mode; and

programming in said processor to actuate said transmitter to transmit cruise coast data when said cruise control is actuated in said coast mode.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said display is a visual display.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said cruise lamp is installed in said automobile during manufacture of said automobile.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said cruise lamp is teardrop shaped and located inside said brake lamp.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

programming in said processor to cause said cruise lamp to deactivate when said cruise control is actuated in a coast mode; and

programming in said processor to actuate said transmitter to transmit cruise coast data when said cruise control is actuated in said coast mode.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said cruise lamp is installed in said automobile during manufacture of said automobile.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said cruise lamp is teardrop shaped and located inside said brake lamp.