Warning system

• US 8,816,841 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Binar Aktiebolag
• Original Assignee: Binar Aktiebolag
• Inventors: Gustavsson, Leif
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US13/119,185
• Publication Number:
  US 20110163868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 340/433, 340/435, 340/463, 340/468, 340/539.23, 340/903, 340/436, 180/271, 180/275, 701/300, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2800/30 Mass transport vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type

Abstract

The present invention relates to a warning system mounted on a vehicle comprising detection means for detecting an object, and signalling means connected to said detection means, wherein said detection means are arranged to remotely detect an object in the vicinity of the vehicle and that said detection means is connected to said signalling means to automatically emit a signal that is detectable from at least one other side of the vehicle than the one where said object is present, and wherein said detection means (4) are arranged to avoid detecting objects lower than 0.5 m, preferably lower than 0.25 m from the ground.

Claims

1. A warning system mounted on a vehicle comprising:

detection means for detecting an object on a first side of a vehicle; and

signalling means connected to said detection means, wherein said detection means is arranged such that when the object is detected in the vicinity of the first side of the vehicle said signalling means emits a signal that is detectable from at least one other side of the vehicle than the first side, and wherein said detection means is arranged to avoid detecting objects lower than 0.5 m from the ground.

2. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein said detection means are arranged to avoid detecting objects lower than 0.25 m from the ground.

3. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein said detection means comprises at least one touch free sensor.

4. The warning system according to claim 3, wherein said detection means comprises a plurality of sensors positioned spread apart in the horizontal transverse direction.

5. The warning system according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of sensors are placed at substantially the same height on said vehicle.

6. The warning system according to claim 4, wherein said plurality of sensors are placed facing in different angles with respect to the longitudinal extension of said vehicle.

7. The warning system according to claim 4, whereby combining the areas where each detection means can detect the presence of an object and that said combined detection area has a length of at least 1 m, a width of at least 1 m, and a height of at least 0.5 m.

8. The warning system according to claim 4, whereby combining the areas where each detection means can detect the presence of an object and that said combined detection area has a length of at least 2 m, a width of at least 2 m, and a height of at least 1 m.

9. The warning system according to claim 4, whereby combining the areas where each detection means can detect the presence of an object and that said combined detection area has a length of at least 3 m, a width of at least 3 m, and a height of at least 1.5 m.

10. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein said detection means comprises at least one ultrasonic sensor.

11. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein a detection area is formed which is arranged to detect a limited vertical range of up to 1.5 m from the ground level.

12. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein said signalling means comprise at least one light emitting diode (LED), LEDs according to regulation ECE R6,5 cat X.

13. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein said signalling means comprise at least four light emitting diodes (LED), LEDs according to regulation ECE R6,5 cat X.

14. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein said signalling means comprise at least eight light emitting diodes (LED), LEDs according to regulation ECE R6,5 cat X.

15. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein a control unit is provided to automatically enable the warning system when certain conditions are fulfilled, including the speed of the vehicle being below 5 km/h.

16. The warning system according to claim 15, wherein said control unit is connected to a manoeuvre panel for allowing manual override of the system so that a driver of said vehicle can switch the system on or off.

17. The warning system according to claim 16, wherein the vehicle comprises a signal horn, and wherein said signal horn of the vehicle at standstill is connected to said override to allow the driver to emit a warning by using the signal horn.

18. The warning system according to claim 15, wherein said control unit is arranged to monitor the status of the detection means so that a driver of said vehicle can be notified if the performance of said detection means is poor.

19. The warning system according to claim 18, whereby means for detecting fouling of said sensors indicate the need for service or repair.

20. The warning system according to claim 15, wherein said control unit is arranged to be used for altering at least one property of said warning system.

21. The warning system according to claim 20, wherein said at least one property of said warning system is the size of the detection area.

22. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein said detection means and said signalling means are fixedly arranged on the vehicle.

23. The warning system according to claim 1, wherein said detection means is a motion detecting sensor.

24. A method of providing a warning to moving vehicles and/or pedestrians in the vicinity a slow moving or stopped vehicle comprising the steps of:

detecting an object on a first side of a first vehicle, wherein objects lower than 0.5 m from the ground are not detected on the first side of the first vehicle; and

providing a warning signal to a second vehicle that is moving and/or to a pedestrian in a vicinity of the first vehicle that is detectable from at least one other side of the first vehicle than the first side, the warning signaling that the object is present on the first side of the first vehicle, wherein the warning signal is only provided when the first vehicle is stopped or is moving below 5 km/h.