Wheel watcher
First Claim
1. A vehicle having a steering wheel watcher system, comprising:
- a plurality of steering wheel sensors for detecting a presence of a driver hands;
wherein the plurality of steering wheel sensors are arranged in two or more groups;
wherein a first group of steering wheel sensors is located to a left of a vertical center line of the steering wheel;
wherein a second group of steering wheel sensors is located to a right of the vertical center line of the steering wheel;
one or more vehicle speed detectors;
an in vehicle alarm for alerting the driver of an unsafe driving condition;
a timer for determining an elapsed time;
a control system;
wherein the control system is connected to the plurality of steering wheel sensors, the one or more vehicle speed detectors, the timer and the in vehicle alarm;
wherein the control system does nothing in response to an output from the plurality of steering wheel sensors when the one or more vehicle speed detectors indicates a vehicle speed below a first preset speed;
wherein the control system starts the timer when the vehicle speed is traveling above a second preset speed and only one of the first group of steering wheel sensors or second group of steering wheel sensors indicates the presence of the drivers hands and sounds the in vehicle alarm when the timer reaches a predetermined elapsed time;
a hand comfort device for providing comfort to the driver;
wherein the hand comfort device is a hand warmer or;
wherein the hand comfort device is a vibrator;
wherein the system controller activates the hand comfort device based on a trip history.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a vehicle driver safety device that serves the purpose of helping and encouraging drivers to drive attentively and with alertness with a degree of vehicle control that adapts to driver experience, vehicle speed and road conditions. Should the unsafe habits persist the system warns nearby cars and officials and records the incidents for review by a parent or mentor to serve as a deterrent. The new and unique wheel watcher utilizes a steering wheel with sensor arrays that determine the number and position of the drivers hands on the wheel, a vehicle speed and road condition sensor to judge the degree of control that is appropriate, a clock/timer to determine the length a unsafe practice persists and a driver identification device that affects the degree of safety practices that are encouraged by the system. An internal alarm is provided to alert the driver to an unsafe condition and indicators such as lights grouped with the sensors alert the driver to the safe positions for their hands that will satisfy the system that the vehicle is under adequate control.
32 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A vehicle having a steering wheel watcher system, comprising:
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a plurality of steering wheel sensors for detecting a presence of a driver hands; wherein the plurality of steering wheel sensors are arranged in two or more groups; wherein a first group of steering wheel sensors is located to a left of a vertical center line of the steering wheel; wherein a second group of steering wheel sensors is located to a right of the vertical center line of the steering wheel; one or more vehicle speed detectors; an in vehicle alarm for alerting the driver of an unsafe driving condition; a timer for determining an elapsed time; a control system; wherein the control system is connected to the plurality of steering wheel sensors, the one or more vehicle speed detectors, the timer and the in vehicle alarm; wherein the control system does nothing in response to an output from the plurality of steering wheel sensors when the one or more vehicle speed detectors indicates a vehicle speed below a first preset speed; wherein the control system starts the timer when the vehicle speed is traveling above a second preset speed and only one of the first group of steering wheel sensors or second group of steering wheel sensors indicates the presence of the drivers hands and sounds the in vehicle alarm when the timer reaches a predetermined elapsed time; a hand comfort device for providing comfort to the driver; wherein the hand comfort device is a hand warmer or; wherein the hand comfort device is a vibrator; wherein the system controller activates the hand comfort device based on a trip history. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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18. A method of operating a wheel watcher system for a vehicle comprising the steps:
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supplying one or more vehicle speed determining devices; supplying one or more steering wheel sensors for a drivers left hand position; supplying one or more steering wheel sensors for a drivers right hand position; supplying a elapsed time determining device; supplying an alarm inside of the vehicle; activating the alarm when a pre-set time elapses while the vehicle is traveling above a pre-set speed without the steering wheel sensors for a drivers left hand and a steering wheel sensor for a drivers right hand are both activated. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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29. A steering wheel watcher system, comprising:
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four or more steering wheel sensors for detecting a presence of a hand of a driver; wherein each of the four or more steering wheel sensor is located in a unique position around a periphery of a steering wheel; wherein each of the four or more steering wheel sensors is individually accessible for activation by each of the hands of the driver; wherein the four or more steering wheel sensors are located in four or more sectors of the periphery of the steering wheel; wherein a left half of the four or more sectors are located to a left of a vertical center line of the steering wheel; wherein a right half of the four or more sectors are located to a right of the vertical center line of the steering wheel; one or more vehicle speed detectors; an audible in vehicle alarm for alerting the driver of an unsafe driving condition; a timer for determining an elapsed time; a control system; wherein the control system is connected to at least one of the four or more steering wheel sensors in each of the four or more sectors, one or more vehicle speed detectors, the timer and the audible in vehicle alarm; wherein the control system is quiescent in response to an output from the four or more steering wheel sensors when one or more of the one or more speed detectors indicates a vehicle speed below a first preset speed; wherein the control system sounds the audible in vehicle alarm immediately when one of the one or more vehicle speed detectors indicates a vehicle speed above the first preset speed and none of the four or more steering wheel sensors in the first of the four or more or second of the four or more sectors indicates the presence of a hand of a driver; wherein the control system sounds the audible in vehicle alarm when the timer reaches a preset time after the one or more vehicle speed detectors indicates a vehicle speed above the second preset speed and there is a lack of a steering wheel sensor output from the left half of the four or more sectors of four or more steering wheel sensors or the right half of the four or more sectors of four or more steering wheel sensors. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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Specification