Dynamic rollover meter

• US 9,434,307 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2015
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas Richard Alexander
• Original Assignee: Thomas Richard Alexander
• Inventors: Alexander, Thomas Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, YUEN H
• Application Number:
  US14/746,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20150283944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/26 using acoustic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/70 Instrument provisions for avoiding injuries to vehicle occupants in case of accidents
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0233 Vehicle tilting, overturning or roll over
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

A rollover meter device is disclosed that prevents vehicle rollover and minimizes the harm and damage caused if a rollover occurs. The rollover meter device comprises a meter housing component and a digital display component that displays the current angle of the vehicle. The meter housing component comprises microelectromechanical sensors (MEMS), such as a gyro component and two tri-axial accelerometer components which are mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB), along with LED warning lights, which is then secured behind the digital display inside the meter housing component. Furthermore, the meter housing component can be in electrical communication with a vehicle'"'"'s gas supply, ignition, blade rotation, Power Take Off (PTO), and/or wireless device.

Claims

1. A rollover meter device for use with a vehicle, comprising:

a meter housing component, comprising;

a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor that measures orientation to tilt measurement to obtain a current vehicle tilt angle;

a microprocessor that receives signals from the MEMS sensor, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to automatically calculate a critical angle for the vehicle based on a user entering vehicle'"'"'s vehicle identification number (VIN) and downloading vehicle'"'"'s center of gravity and track width from Internet, wherein the device is connected to the Internet via a USB cable connected to device'"'"'s charging port, wherein when the critical angle is exceeded, lateral rollover of the vehicle occurs; and

a universal Bluetooth synced chip that allows the user to communicate with the rollover meter device remotely via a phone or headset, and is in communication with vehicle'"'"'s warning devices and activates the warning devices when the critical angle is reached, wherein activating the devices includes sounding a horn, flashing a beacon, and making an emergency phone call; and

a digital display component that displays simultaneously a value representing the current vehicle tilt angle measured by the MEMS sensor and a maximum value representing the critical angle calculated by the microprocessor and comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and push buttons for monitoring the current vehicle tilt angle, the critical angle of the vehicle and control corrections required for data entry, the digital display also comprises green, red, yellow flashing lights, and a plurality of LED warning lights, wherein the yellow light flashes when there is danger of or possibility of the lateral rollover, and the red light flashes when the lateral rollover is expected rather than possible, wherein the MEMS sensor and the microprocessor are installed on a printed circuit board (PCB) and secured behind the digital display component.

2. The rollover meter device of claim 1, wherein the MEMS sensor comprises a gyro component to detect movement.

3. The rollover meter device of claim 1, wherein the MEMS sensor comprises two tri-axial accelerometer components to measure gravitational pull.

4. The rollover meter device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of warning LED lights are on outside left and right edges of the meter housing component.

5. The rollover meter device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of warning LED lights progress from green to yellow to red that indicates increasing danger of or possibility of the lateral rollover.

6. The rollover meter device of claim 1, wherein the value representing the current vehicle tilt angle is displayed in center of the digital display component and the value flashes when yellow and red ranges are reached as a secondary warning.

7. The rollover meter device of claim 1, wherein the meter housing component is in electrical communication with a vehicle'"'"'s gas supply, ignition, blade rotation, or Power Take Off (PTO), such that when the critical angle is exceeded and the lateral rollover occurs, the rollover meter device automatically shuts off the vehicle'"'"'s gas supply, ignition, blade rotation, or PTO, and an alarm sounds.

8. A rollover meter device for use with a vehicle, comprising:

a meter housing component, comprising;

a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) sensor that measures orientation to tilt measurement and comprises a gyro component and two tri-axial accelerometer components to obtain a current vehicle tilt angle;

a microprocessor that receives signals from the MEMS sensor, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to automatically calculate a critical angle for the vehicle by a user entering vehicle'"'"'s vehicle identification number (VIN) and downloading vehicle'"'"'s center of gravity and track width from Internet, wherein the device is connected to the Internet via a USB cable connected to device'"'"'s charging port, wherein when the critical angle is exceeded, lateral rollover of the vehicle occurs; and

a universal Bluetooth synced chip that allows the user to communicate with the rollover meter device remotely via a phone or headset, and is in communication with vehicle'"'"'s warning devices and activates the warning devices when the critical angle is reached, wherein activating the devices includes sounding a horn, flashing a beacon, and making an emergency phone call; and

a digital display component that displays simultaneously a value representing the current vehicle tilt angle measured by the MEMS sensor and a maximum value representing the critical angle calculated by the microprocessor and comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and push buttons for monitoring the current vehicle tilt angle, the critical angle of the vehicle and control corrections required for data entry, the digital display also comprises green, red, yellow flashing lights, and a plurality of LED warning lights, wherein the yellow light flashes when there is danger of or possibility of the lateral rollover, and the red light flashes when the lateral rollover is expected rather than possible, wherein the MEMS sensor and the microprocessor are installed on a printed circuit board (PCB) and secured behind the digital display component.

9. The rollover meter device of claim 8, wherein the two tri-axial accelerometer components measure gravitational pull.

10. The rollover meter device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of warning LED lights are on outside left and right edges of the meter housing component.

11. The rollover meter device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of warning LED lights progress from green to yellow to red that indicates increasing danger of or possibility of the lateral rollover.

12. The rollover meter device of claim 8, wherein the value representing the current vehicle tilt angle is displayed in center of the digital display component and the value flashes when yellow and red ranges are reached as a secondary warning.