Absolute acceleration sensor for use within moving vehicles

• US 8,903,617 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vision Works IP Corp.
• Original Assignee: Vision Works IP Corp.
• Inventors: Braunberger, Alfred S., Braunberger, Beau M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHARBI, ADAM MOHAMED
• Application Number:
  US12/827,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20100332101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/70
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/104 lateral or transversal with regard to vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/447 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing the shape or intensity of the indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence

Abstract

A communication system for a vehicle comprises a receiver to receive a signal corresponding to a traveling speed of a lead vehicle, a response device that generates an alert to warn of a change in the traveling speed of the lead vehicle, and a control device coupled to the receiver and the response device, wherein the receiver sends a signal to the control device corresponding to the traveling speed of the lead vehicle and the control device operates the response device in a manner dependent on the traveling speed of the lead vehicle. In some embodiments, the signal comprises one or more of infrared, radio frequency, wireless, WiFi, and Bluetooth®. In some embodiments, the communication system further comprises a speed control system coupled to the control device, wherein the control device operates the speed control system in a manner dependent on the traveling speed of the lead vehicle.

Claims

1. A communication system for a following vehicle, comprising:

a. a receiver to receive a non-visual signal from a lead vehicle indicating a deceleration, but not a braking of the lead vehicle;

b. a response device that generates an alert to warn of the change in the traveling speed of the lead vehicle; and

c. a control device coupled to the receiver and the response device, wherein the receiver sends a signal to the control device corresponding to the deceleration of the lead vehicle and the control device operates the response device in a manner dependent on the deceleration of the lead vehicle and a traveling speed of the following vehicle.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises one or more of infrared, infrared laser, radio frequency, wireless, WiFi, and Bluetooth®

.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the signal corresponds to a deceleration status of the lead vehicle.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises digital information.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the signal is transmitted from an alerting device that modulates the signal at a specific frequency which is received by the receiver which only recognizes the signal at the specific frequency.

6. The communication system of claim 5, wherein the specific frequency comprises 38 KHz.

7. The communication system of claim 5, wherein the specific frequency comprises 100 Hz.

8. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the response device generates a visual alert.

9. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the response device generates an auditory alert.

10. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the alert corresponds to the actual speed of the lead vehicle.

11. The communication system of claim 1, further comprising a speed control system coupled to the control device, wherein the control device operates the speed control system in a manner dependent on the traveling speed of the lead vehicle.

32. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the response device generates an alert announcing that the vehicle is traveling too close to the lead vehicle.

33. The communication system of claim 32, wherein the response device generates an alert that the following vehicle is traveling at an unsafe distance from the vehicle based on its current speed.

34. The communication system of claim 33, wherein the unsafe distance increases with an increase in speed of the vehicle.

35. The communication system of claim 32, wherein the response device generates an alert announcing “

YOU HAVE ENCROACHED ON THE SAFE SEPARATION ZONE.”

12. A system for communicating a change in a traveling speed of a vehicle, comprising:

a. an alerting device placed in a first vehicle that transmits a non-visual signal indicating a deceleration, but not a braking of the first vehicle;

b. a receiver placed in a second vehicle that receives the non-visual signal sent by the alerting device; and

c. a response device that generates an alert in a manner dependent on the deceleration the first vehicle and a traveling speed of the second vehicle.

13. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 12, wherein, wherein the non-visual signal comprises one or more of infrared, infrared laser, radio frequency, WiFi, and Bluetooth®

.

14. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 12, wherein the signal corresponds to a deceleration status of the first vehicle.

15. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 12, wherein the signal comprises digital information.

16. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 12, wherein the alerting device modulates the signal at a specific frequency which is received by the receiver which only recognizes the signal at the specific frequency.

17. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 16, wherein the specific frequency comprises 38 KHz.

18. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 16, wherein the specific frequency comprises 100 Hz.

19. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 12, wherein the response device generates a visual alert.

20. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 12, wherein the response device generates an auditory alert.

21. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 12, wherein the alert corresponds to the actual speed of the first vehicle.

22. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a control device placed in the second vehicle coupled to a speed control system and the receiver, wherein the receiver sends a signal to the control device corresponding to a change in the traveling speed of the first vehicle and the control device operates the speed control system in a manner dependent on the traveling speed of the first vehicle.

23. The system for communicating the traveling speed of a vehicle of claim 12, wherein the alerting device and the receiver are installed as aftermarket equipment.

24. A method of alerting drivers to a change in the traveling speed of a vehicle, comprising:

a. determining an absolute deceleration of a first vehicle;

b. determining a braking status of the first vehicle;

b. if the first vehicle is decelerating, but not braking, transmitting a non-visual signal from the first vehicle;

c. receiving the non-visual signal at a second vehicle; and

d. generating an alert at the second vehicle in a manner dependent on the deceleration of the first vehicle and a traveling speed of the second vehicle.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the non-visual signal and the alert correspond to the actual speed of the first vehicle.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the non-visual signal is an infrared signal modulated at a specific frequency which is received by a receiver placed in the second vehicle which recognizes the signal only at the specific frequency.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the specific frequency comprises 38 KHz.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the specific frequency comprises 100 Hz.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the alert is visual.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the alert is auditory.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the second vehicle further comprises a control device coupled to a speed control system and the receiver, wherein the receiver sends a signal to the control device corresponding to the traveling speed of the first vehicle and the control device operates the speed control system in a manner dependent on the traveling speed of the first vehicle.