AUTOMATIC VEHICLE BRAKE AND DIRECTIONAL LIGHTS INITIATOR

• US 3,793,621 A
• Filed: 11/24/1972
• Issued: 02/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Duane E. Mcintosh
• Original Assignee: Duane E. Mcintosh
• Inventors: McIntosh, Duane E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Waring, Alvin H.
• Application Number:
  US05/309,222
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 340/31,33,34,53,104 315/79,80,133,134
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes

Abstract

A vehicle brake and directional lights initiator including two groups of sensors for viewing the left and right sides, respectively, of a preceding vehicle. Means are described for determining whether all of the red light sensed is a component of white light or whether at least a portion of the red light sensed is the output of the rear lights of the preceding vehicle. When at least a portion of the red light sensed is the result of red light radiating from the rear of the preceding vehicle, a circuit is responsive thereto for energizing the brake and directional lights in response to like energization by the operator of the preceding vehicle and for energizing the brake lights when the rate of closure between the vehicles exceeds a predetermined value.

Claims

1. An apparatus for automatically energizing the brake and directional lights of a vehicle comprising:

first and second light sensing means mounted on the vehicle for viewing the light output from the right and left rear, respectively, of a preceding vehicle, each of the light sensing means including first signal generating means for generating a first signal having a magnitude related to the red color component of light impinging on the respective light sensing means, second signal generating means for generating a second signal having a magnitude related to at least one other color component of light impinging on the respective light sensing means, said other color being a color component of white light and having a known relationship to the red color component of white light, and means coupled to the first and second signal generating means for generating a control signal when the red color component of light sensed and the other color component of light sensed as represented by the first and second signals have a relationship different from the known relationship;

first gate means responsive to the control signals for energizing the right directional lights of the vehicle when only the control signal associated with the first light sensing means is being generated;

second gate means responsive to the control signals for energizing the left directional lights of the vehicle when only the control signal associated with the second light sensing means is being generated; and

third gate means responsive to the control signals for energizing the brake lights of the vehicle while both of the control signals are being simultaneously generated, the brake and directional lights of the vehicle being energized in response to like energization of the brake and directional lights of the preceding vehicle.

2. An apparatus for automatically energizing the brake and directional lights of a vehicle comprising:

first and second light sensing means mounted on the vehicle for viewing the light output from the right and left rear, respectively, of a preceding vehicle, each of the light sensing means including first signal generating means for generating a first signal having a magnitude related to the red color component of light impinging on the respective light sensing means, second signal generating means for generating a second signal having a magnitude related to at least one other color component of light impinging on the respective light sensing means, said other color being a color component of white light and having a known relationship to the red color component of white light, means coupled to the first and second signal generating means for generating a first enabling signal when the red color component of light sensed and the other color component of light sensed as represented by the first and second signals have a relationship different from the known relationship, a rate circuit responsive to a step increase in the first signal for generating a second enabling signal, and first gate means responsive to the simultaneous generation of the first and second enabling signals for generating a control signal;

second gate means responsive to the control signals for energizing the right directional lights of the vehicle when only the control signal associated with the first light sensing means is generated;

third gate means responsive to the control signals for energizing the left directional lights of the vehicle when only the control signal associated with the second light sensing means is being generated; and

fourth gate means responsive to the control signals for energizing the brake lights of the vehicle while both of the control signals are being simultaneously generated, the brake aNd directional lights of the vehicle being energized in response to like energization of the brake and directional light of the preceding vehicle.

3. An apparatus for automatically energizing the brake and directional lights of a vehicle comprising:

first and second light sensing means mounted on the vehicle for viewing the light output from the right and left rear, respectively, of a preceding vehicle, each of the light sensing means including first signal generating means for generating a first signal having a magnitude related to the red color component of light impinging on the respective light sensing means, second signal generating means for generating a second signal having a magnitude related to at least one other color component of light impinging on the respective light sensing means, said other color being a color component of white light and having a known relationship to the red color component of white light, means coupled to the first and second signal generating means for generating a first enabling signal when the red color component of light sensed and the other color component of light sensed as represented by the first and second signals have a relationship different from the known relationship, a first rate circuit responsive to a step increase in the first signal for generating a second enabling signal, a second rate circuit responsive to a rate increase in the first signal representing a predetermined closure rate between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle for generating a third enabling signal, first gate means responsive to the simultaneous generation of the first and second enabling signals for generating a first control signal, and second gate means responsive to the simultaneous generation of the first and third enabling signals for generating a second control signal;

third gate means responsive to the first control signals for energizing the right directional lights of the vehicle when only the first control signal associated with the first light sensing means is generated;

fourth gate means responsive to the first control signals for energizing the left directional lights of the vehicle when only the first control signal associated with the second light sensing means is being generated;

fifth gate means responsive to the first control signals for energizing the brake lights of the vehicle while both of the first control signals are being simultaneously generated; and

sixth gate means responsive to the second control signals for energizing the brake lights of the vehicle when one or both of the second control signals is being generated, the brake and directional lights of the vehicle being energized in response to like energization of the brake and directional light of the preceding vehicle and the brake lights of the vehicle being energized when the closure rate between the vehicle and the preceding vehicle is at the predetermined rate.