Absolute acceleration sensor for use within moving vehicles

• US 8,954,251 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vision Works IP Corp.
• Original Assignee: Vision Works IP Corp.
• Inventors: Braunberger, Fritz, Braunberger, Beau M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALHARBI, ADAM MOHAMED
• Application Number:
  US14/011,527
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/70
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A communication system comprises a pointable range finder to calculate a distance between the vehicle and an object, a recorder for recording a status of the vehicle and a control device. The range finder sends a signal to the control device corresponding to the vehicle'"'"'s distance from the object and the control device operates the recorder in a manner dependent upon the signal from the range finder. The recorder is able to record the event if the vehicle is an unsafe distance from the object. The unsafe distance is able to be a programmed distance. In some embodiments, the unsafe distance increases with an increase in speed of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the unsafe distance is determined by a programmable constant. In these embodiments, the unsafe distance is determined according to a speed of the vehicle, the vehicle'"'"'s distance from an object and a pre-defined safe zone threshold value.

Claims

1. A communication system for a vehicle comprising:

a. a pointable range finder to calculate a distance between the vehicle and an object;

b. a warning device that generates an alert; and

c. a control device coupled to the rangefinder and the warning device, wherein the range finder sends a signal to the control device corresponding to the vehicles distance from the object and the control device operates the warning device in a manner dependent upon the signal from the range finder,

wherein the warning device issues an alert if the vehicle is an unsafe distance from the object, and wherein the unsafe distance is determined according to a constant value defined according to the speed of the vehicle and the distance between the vehicle and the object.

2. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a vehicle speed sensor that sends a signal to the control device corresponding to a speed of the vehicle and the control device operates the warning device in a manner dependent on the signal from the range finder and the speed of the vehicle.

3. The communication system of claim 2, wherein the warning device generates an alert that the vehicle is an unsafe distance from the object based upon the speed of the vehicle.

4. The communication system of claim 3, wherein the unsafe distance increases with an increase in speed of the vehicle.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the unsafe distance is determined according to a pre-defined constant value.

6. The communication system of claim 5, wherein the constant value is programmable.

8. The communication system of claim 5 wherein the constant value is variable and increases the unsafe distance as the speed of the vehicle increase.

9. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the warning device generates an alert announcing “

YOU HAVE ENCROACHED ON THE SAFE SEPARATION ZONE.”

10. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the object is a vehicle.

11. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the range finder comprises a laser rangefinder.

7. A communication system for a vehicle comprising:

a. a pointable range finder to calculate a distance between the vehicle and an object;

b. a warning device that generates an alert; and

c. a control device coupled to the rangefinder and the warning device, wherein the range finder sends a signal to the control device corresponding to the vehicles distance from the object and the control device operates the warning device in a manner dependent upon the signal from the range finder,

wherein the warning device issues an alert if the vehicle is an unsafe distance from the object, and wherein the unsafe distance is determined according to a constant value defined according to the speed of the vehicle and the distance between the vehicle and the object and further wherein the constant value is programmed to increase the unsafe distance at a constant rate once the vehicle reaches a determined speed.

12. A communication system for a vehicle comprising:

a. a laser range finder to calculate a distance between the vehicle and an object;

b. a vehicle speed sensor that calculates a speed of the vehicle;

c. a warning device that generates an internal alert to a driver of the vehicle; and

d. a control device coupled to the rangefinder, the vehicle speed sensor and the warning device, wherein the range finder sends a signal to the control device corresponding to the vehicles distance from the object, the vehicle speed sensor sends a signal to the control device corresponding to a speed of the vehicle and the control device operates the warning device in a manner dependent upon the signal from the range finder and the speed of the vehicle.