Absolute acceleration sensor for use within moving vehicles

• US 9,327,726 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vision Works IP Corp.
• Original Assignee: Vision Works IP Corp.
• Inventors: Braunberger, Beau M., Braunberger, Fritz
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/149,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20140118132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• 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: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• 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 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A communication system for a vehicle comprises a mechanism for sensing a motion status of a vehicle, a control device, plurality of data acquisition sensors, and one or more alerting device activation circuits. The communication system is customizable with the plurality of data acquisition sensors and one or more alerting device activation circuits based upon the needs of the vehicle. In some embodiments, the communication system is customized before it is installed within the vehicle. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the communication system is customizable after it is installed within the vehicle by turning on and/or turning off one or more of the data acquisition sensors and one or more alerting device activation circuits. The communication system is able to be implemented on a bus or other such fleet vehicles.

Claims

1. A communication system for a vehicle comprising:

a. a movement sensor;

b. a yield warning activation circuit for activating a warning that the vehicle is merging into traffic; and

c. a control device;

wherein the control device receives a signal from the acceleration monitoring system and the control device sends a signal to the yield warning activation circuit which activates the warning, external to the vehicle and to a proximate vehicle in proximity to the merging vehicle based upon the signal from the acceleration monitoring system.

2. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the alert comprises a lighted sign.

3. The communication system of claim 2 wherein the lighted sign comprises a lighted YIELD or a lighted MERGE symbol.

4. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a blinker engagement detector for sensing an engagement of a blinker.

5. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the system is implemented within a fleet vehicle.

6. The communication system of claim 1 further comprising a braking system engagement detector for sensing an engagement of the brakes.

7. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the system is installed as aftermarket-equipment.

8. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the movement sensor comprises an acceleration monitoring system, a vehicle speed sensor, or an accelerometer.

9. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the acceleration monitoring system sends a signal to the control device that the vehicle is accelerating from a stopped position and in response the control device sends a signal to the yield warning activation circuit to activate an alert in order to indicate the vehicle is moving.

10. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the vehicle speed sensor sends a signal to the control device that the vehicle has stopped moving and then sends a signal to the vehicle has began to move from a stopped position and in response the control device sends a signal to the yield warning activation circuit to activate an alert in order to indicate the vehicle is moving.

11. The communication system of claim 8 wherein the accelerometer sends a signal to the control device that the vehicle is accelerating from a stopped position and in response the control device sends a signal to the yield warning activation circuit to activate an alert in order to indicate the vehicle is moving.

12. The communication system of claim 1 wherein the alert indicates that the vehicle is reentering traffic.

13. A configurable control module for a vehicle comprising:

a. a plurality of data acquisition sensors for acquiring data related to a current status of the vehicle;

b. a control device; and

c. one or more alerting device activation circuits,

wherein each of the plurality of data acquisition sensors send a signal to the control device and the control device sends a signal to the one or more alerting device activation circuits based on the signal from each of the plurality of data acquisition sensors, and wherein the control module is customizable in order to manually turn off and turn on one or more of the plurality of sensors and the alerting device activation circuits based on a preference in order to communicate a desired information.

14. The control module of claim 13 wherein the module is installed within the vehicle as after-market equipment.

15. The control module of claim 14 wherein the module is customized before it is installed within the vehicle.

16. The control module of claim 13 wherein the plurality of data sensors comprise one or more of a vehicle speed sensor, an accelerometer, an acceleration monitoring system, a braking system engagement detector, a throttle engagement detector, an accelerometer-gyroscopic sensor, a range finder, a transmission status detector, an emergency brake detector, a blinker engagement detector, an ambient light sensor, a weight sensor and an external temperature sensor.

17. The communication system of claim 16 wherein the ambient light sensor sends a signal to the control device that the ambient light level has suddenly change and the control device sends signal to the alerting device to activate an alert.

18. The communication system of claim 16 wherein the proximity sensor senses that a vehicle that the approaching vehicle has an excessive closure rate and the proximity warning device activates an alert.

19. The communication system of claim 16 wherein the weight sensor is configured with a baseline weight of the vehicle and the control device sends a signal to the one or more alerting device activation circuits to activate an alert if it is determined that the vehicle is decelerating too quickly based upon the vehicles weight.

20. The control module of claim 13 wherein the one or more alerting device activation circuits comprise one or more of alerting device activation circuit, a speed control activation circuit, a recorder operation circuit and a yield warning activation circuit.

21. The control module of claim 13 wherein the module is able to adjust a performance characteristic of the vehicle based on the data from one or more of the plurality of data acquisition sensors.

22. The control module of claim 13 wherein the vehicle is a fleet vehicle.

23. The control module of claim 13 wherein the one or more alerting device activation circuits activate an audible alert based on the signal received from one or more of the plurality of sensors.

24. The control module of claim 13 wherein the one or more alerting device activation circuits activate a visual alert based on the signal received from one or more of the plurality of sensors.