Vehicle brake light system and method of alerting a following vehicle of an unsafe following distance

• US 8,907,780 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Issued: 12/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Rohr, Andrew P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/547,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20140015666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 340/479, 340/435, 340/468, 340/903, 180/169
• US Class Current: 340/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/44 for indicating braking action or preparation for braking, e.g. by detection of the foot approaching the brake pedal
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/535 to prevent rear-end collisions, e.g. by indicating safety distance at the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle brake light system includes a proximity sensing device disposed proximate a rearward region of a vehicle for determining whether an object is located within a predetermined distance of the rearward region of the vehicle. Also included is at least one brake light disposed proximate the rearward region of the vehicle, wherein the at least one brake light is configured to be in an illuminated state or a non-illuminated state. Further included is a controller in operable communication with the proximity sensing device, wherein the controller is configured to receive a proximity sensing device signal when the object is within the predetermined distance and configured to send an alert signal to the at least one brake light to enact the illuminated state upon receiving the proximity sensing device signal from the proximity sensing device.

Claims

1. A vehicle brake light system comprising:

a proximity sensing device disposed proximate a rearward region of a vehicle for determining whether an object is located within a predetermined distance of the rearward region of the vehicle;

at least one brake light disposed proximate the rearward region of the vehicle, wherein the at least one brake light is configured to be in an illuminated state or a non-illuminated state;

a controller in operable communication with the proximity sensing device, wherein the controller is configured to receive a proximity sensing device signal when the object is within the predetermined distance and configured to send an alert signal to the at least one brake light to enact the illuminated state upon receiving the proximity sensing device signal from the proximity sensing device; and

a vehicle speed signal configured to constantly communicate an instantaneous speed of the vehicle to the controller to constantly adjust the predetermined distance based on an increase or a decrease of the instantaneous speed of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle brake light system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensing device comprises a proximity sensor.

3. The vehicle brake light system of claim 2, wherein the proximity sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor.

4. The vehicle brake light system of claim 1, wherein the proximity sensing device comprises a radar unit.

5. The vehicle brake light system of claim 4, wherein the radar unit comprises a transmitter, a duplexer, a receiver and an antenna.

6. The vehicle brake light system of claim 1, further comprising a toggle switch located within an interior portion of the vehicle and configured to allow the user to enable or disable the vehicle brake light system.

7. The vehicle brake light system of claim 1, wherein the controller is provided power by a battery.

8. The vehicle brake light system of claim 1, wherein the alert signal enacts a flashing state of the at least one brake light, wherein the flashing state comprises intermittent switching between the illuminated state and the non-illuminated state.

9. The vehicle brake light system of claim 1, further comprising a brake pedal in operable communication with the controller, wherein depression of the brake pedal by the user overrides the ability of the controller to send the alert signal to the at least one brake light.

10. A method of alerting a following vehicle of an unsafe following distance of a user vehicle with a vehicle brake light system comprising:

determining whether the following vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a rearward region of the user vehicle with a proximity sensing device disposed proximate the rearward region of the user vehicle, wherein the predetermined distance is constantly adjusted based on an increase or decrease of an instantaneous speed of the vehicle that is constantly communicated by a vehicle speed signal to a controller;

communicating a proximity sensing device signal from the proximity sensing device to the controller disposed on the user vehicle if the following vehicle is within the predetermined distance; and

communicating an alert signal from the controller to at least one brake light of the user vehicle to enable an illuminated state of the at least one brake light.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the illuminated state of the at least one brake light comprises an intermittent flashing of the at least one brake light.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the proximity sensing device comprises a proximity sensor.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the proximity sensing device comprises a radar unit.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising enable or disabling the vehicle brake light system with a toggle switch disposed within an interior portion of the user vehicle.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising depressing a brake pedal in operable communication with the controller to override the ability of the controller to send the alert signal to the at least one brake light.