Vehicle deceleration warning light

• US 9,567,028 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2015
• Issued: 02/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wesley Zhou
• Original Assignee: Wesley Zhou
• Inventors: Zhou, Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): Girma, Fekadeselassie
• Application Number:
  US14/986,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20160114846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 411 Days
• Field of Search: 340/471, 340/479, 340/464, 340/467, 340/468, 340/463, 340/466, 340/815.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/445 controlled by inertial devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/56 for illuminating registrations or the like , e.g. for licence plates
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/105 Licence- or registration plates, provided with mounting means, e.g. frames, holders, retainers, brackets
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 6/015 using electrical power not supplied by the cycle motor generator, e.g. using batteries or piezo elements

Abstract

A vehicle license plate holder having a frame including a receptacle for a license plate, first and second LED light sources disposed on each side of the frame, and one or more power generators attached to the frame. The frame also mounts an electronic circuit module including a battery and configured to detect deceleration of a vehicle and to illuminate the first and second LED light sources in response to detection of the deceleration.

Claims

1. A motor cycle license plate holder comprising:

one or more LED warning lights; and

electronic circuitry comprising;

a dual variable reluctance sensor circuit supplied with a wind turbine-generated A.C. signal for converting said A.C. signal to a rectangular waveform representative of turbine rotor rpm (revolutions per minute) suitable for input to a microprocessor;

a microprocessor configured to receive said rectangular waveform and to detect deceleration of the motorcycle by determining whether rotor rpm is decreasing and to cause illumination of the one or more LED warning lights if the rotor rpm decreases more than a selected amount over a selected time interval;

a battery; and

a battery charging circuit supplied with power derived from a wind turbine generated A.C. signal and configured to charge said battery.

2. The motorcycle license plate holder of claim 1 further comprising an internal power supply supplied with wind turbine A.C. signal derived power and configured to generate an internal supply voltage for powering said microprocessor and said dual variable reluctance sensor circuit.

3. The motorcycle license plate holder of claim 2 wherein said electronic circuitry is contained in a module molded as part of said license plate holder.

4. The motorcycle license plate holder of claim 2 further comprising first and second wind turbine generators attached to respective first and second sides of said license plate holder.

5. The motorcycle license plate holder of claim 2 wherein said electronic circuitry further comprises an LED driver circuit and wherein said microprocessor is configured to cause said LED driver circuit to turn on said one or more LED warning lights.

6. The motor cycle license plate holder of claim 1 wherein said rectangular waveform is a square wave.

7. The motor cycle license plate holder of claim 2 wherein said rectangular waveform is a square wave.

8. A motor cycle license plate holder comprising:

one or more LED warning lights; and

electronic circuitry comprising;

a microprocessor;

a first input circuit connected to receive a wind turbine generated A.C. input signal and comprising a plurality of diodes, the first input circuit being connected at a first connection point to a rechargeable battery;

a second input circuit connected to receive a wind turbine generated A.C. input signal, the second input circuit comprising a plurality of diodes and supplying a power output at a point connected in common with said first connection point and to an input of an internal power supply;

a dual variable reluctance sensor circuit having an input connected to receive a wind turbine-generated A.C. signal from said first input circuit and having an output connected to an input of said microprocessor;

an LED driver circuit having at least one input connected to an output of said microprocessor and an output connected to said one or more LED warning lights;

wherein said internal power supply has a supply voltage terminal connected to said microprocessor and to said dual variable reluctance sensor circuit.

9. The motorcycle license plate holder of claim 8 wherein said first input circuit is connected to the output of a first wind turbine generator and the second input circuit is connected to the output of a second wind turbine generator.

10. A method of detecting deceleration of a motorcycle and generating a warning light viewable from the rear of the motorcycle comprising:

converting a wind turbine generated A.C. signal to a rectangular wave form representative of turbine rotor rpm and suitable for input to a microprocessor;

employing a microprocessor to detect deceleration of the motorcycle by determining whether rotor rpm is decreasing and to cause illumination of one or more LED warning lights if the rotor rpm decreases more than a selected amount over a selected time interval; and

employing a wind turbine generated A.C. signal to generate power for supply to said microprocessor.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising employing dual variable reluctance sensor circuit to generate said rectangular waveform.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising employing a wind turbine generated A.C. signal to charge a battery forming part of a circuit with said microprocessor.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said rectangular waveform is a square wave.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said rectangular waveform is a square wave.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said rectangular waveform is a square wave.