System and method for deceleration detection and signaling in vehicles
First Claim
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1. An arrangement for detecting acceleration events in a vehicle having a brake light system coupled to a vehicle battery, the arrangement comprising:
- a housing;
an accelerometer carried by the housing;
a power supply carried by the housing;
a light coupled to the housing;
a processing arrangement carried by the housing in communication with the accelerometer, the processing arrangement including a signal filter configured to process signals received from the accelerometer, and a light controller configured to deliver power from the power supply to the light based on the accelerometer signals processed by the signal filter, wherein none of the power supply, the light, and the processing arrangement are coupled to the brake light system of the vehicle;
a mounting member carried by the housing and configured to couple the housing to the vehicle; and
a calibration member carried by the housing and configured to deliver a calibration signal to the processing arrangement indicating an orientation of the accelerometer when the housing is mounted in the vehicle, wherein the calibration member is a button provided on the housing, the calibration member also serving as a demo button such that depression of the button results in illumination of the light.
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Abstract
A system for detecting vehicle deceleration having an accelerometer, a processing arrangement, and a deceleration indicator. The processing unit samples data from the accelerometer, and based on that data, determines if the vehicle is braking or otherwise decelerating. If the vehicle is braking or otherwise decelerating in excess of a threshold, the deceleration indicator is activated.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An arrangement for detecting acceleration events in a vehicle having a brake light system coupled to a vehicle battery, the arrangement comprising:
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a housing; an accelerometer carried by the housing; a power supply carried by the housing; a light coupled to the housing; a processing arrangement carried by the housing in communication with the accelerometer, the processing arrangement including a signal filter configured to process signals received from the accelerometer, and a light controller configured to deliver power from the power supply to the light based on the accelerometer signals processed by the signal filter, wherein none of the power supply, the light, and the processing arrangement are coupled to the brake light system of the vehicle; a mounting member carried by the housing and configured to couple the housing to the vehicle; and a calibration member carried by the housing and configured to deliver a calibration signal to the processing arrangement indicating an orientation of the accelerometer when the housing is mounted in the vehicle, wherein the calibration member is a button provided on the housing, the calibration member also serving as a demo button such that depression of the button results in illumination of the light. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus for detecting acceleration events in a vehicle having a vehicle brake light system coupled to a vehicle battery, the apparatus comprising:
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a power supply separate from the vehicle brake light system and the vehicle battery; an acceleration sensor separate from the vehicle brake light system; a light separate from the vehicle brake light system; a processing unit in communication with the acceleration sensor, the processing unit including a light controller configured to deliver power from the power supply to the light based on signals from the acceleration sensor; a mounting member configured to couple the power supply and the light to the vehicle; and a calibration member provided as an activatable switch, wherein activation of the switch delivers a calibration signal to the processing unit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of signaling an acceleration event in a vehicle having an internal brake light system, the method comprising:
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mounting an apparatus for detecting acceleration events to the vehicle without coupling the apparatus for detecting acceleration events to the brake light system of the vehicle; activating a calibration switch to send a calibration signal; calibrating an acceleration sensor of the apparatus for detecting acceleration events to determine an orientation of the acceleration sensor after the apparatus for detecting acceleration events is mounted to the vehicle and the calibration switch is activated; powering a processing device if a signal from the acceleration sensor indicates that an acceleration event exceeds a predetermined threshold; filtering the signal from the acceleration sensor; and providing power to a light if the filtered signal from the acceleration signal is indicative of a vehicle braking event or vehicle turning event. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification