External safety illumination for a bus
First Claim
1. A ground illumination system for a vehicle having passenger and driver side exterior walls and a rear vehicle wall, the ground illumination system comprising:
- a motion detection system mounted to a portion of the vehicle used to detect external movement and outputting a signal;
a control system, receiving the signal from said motion detection system and transmitting an activation signal;
a light structure which directs light primarily at ground level and along an area strip located adjacent the passenger side wall of the vehicle, enabling a driver to view a passenger located in the area strip via an exteriorly mounted bus mirror or camera, under conditions of low visibility, said light structure being activated automatically responsive to the activation signal transmitted by said control system when movement is detected by said motion detection system in an exterior area at least one of near, adjacent and under the vehicle;
and wherein the light structure is operable to illuminate the area strip and to display a visual alert including at least one of an arrival of the vehicle, a departure of the vehicle, and safe to cross in front of the vehicle responsive to the activation signal received from said control system, and wherein the vehicle is a bus, the area strip located adjacent the passenger side wall of the vehicle is substantially rectangular and extends substantially along the passenger side wall, and the light structure comprises an elongated LED strip, extending along the passenger side wall.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A lighting strip along the side of a schoolbus or other passenger vehicle between a door near the front of the schoolbus and the back side of the schoolbus to reduce the risk of people or other objects being injured by the schoolbus. The lighting strip may be focused downward to illuminate the ground and may provide vehicle status information and guiding information. Lighting strips may be provided on both sides of the schoolbus, and may also be provided on the back side of the schoolbus and on mirrors or mirror arms. Further, the lighting strips may be provided on the underside of the schoolbus along the passenger side. One or more floodlights may be provided on the roof or near the top of the schoolbus along the side with the door. An expandable crossing gate on the driver'"'"'s side of the exterior wall is also provided.
36 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A ground illumination system for a vehicle having passenger and driver side exterior walls and a rear vehicle wall, the ground illumination system comprising:
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a motion detection system mounted to a portion of the vehicle used to detect external movement and outputting a signal; a control system, receiving the signal from said motion detection system and transmitting an activation signal; a light structure which directs light primarily at ground level and along an area strip located adjacent the passenger side wall of the vehicle, enabling a driver to view a passenger located in the area strip via an exteriorly mounted bus mirror or camera, under conditions of low visibility, said light structure being activated automatically responsive to the activation signal transmitted by said control system when movement is detected by said motion detection system in an exterior area at least one of near, adjacent and under the vehicle; and wherein the light structure is operable to illuminate the area strip and to display a visual alert including at least one of an arrival of the vehicle, a departure of the vehicle, and safe to cross in front of the vehicle responsive to the activation signal received from said control system, and wherein the vehicle is a bus, the area strip located adjacent the passenger side wall of the vehicle is substantially rectangular and extends substantially along the passenger side wall, and the light structure comprises an elongated LED strip, extending along the passenger side wall. - 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)
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25. A ground illumination system for a vehicle having passenger and driver side exterior walls and a rear vehicle wall, the ground illumination system comprising:
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a motion detection system mounted to a portion of the vehicle used to detect external movement and outputting a signal; a light structure which directs light primarily at ground level and along an area strip located adjacent the passenger side wall of the vehicle, enabling a driver to view a passenger located in the area strip via at least one of an exteriorly mounted bus mirror and camera, under conditions of low visibility, said light structure being activated automatically when movement is detected by said motion detection system in an exterior area at least one of near, adjacent and under the vehicle; a control system, receiving the signal from said motion detection system and transmitting an activation signal to said light structure; and wherein the light structure is operable to illuminate the area strip responsive to the activation signal received from said control system, and wherein the vehicle is a bus, the area strip located adjacent the passenger side wall of the vehicle is substantially rectangular and extends substantially along the passenger side wall, and the light structure comprises an elongated LED strip, extending along the passenger side wall.
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Specification