Programmable vehicle light controller

• US 5,592,146 A
• Filed: 11/06/1995
• Issued: 01/07/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph Kover Jr
• Original Assignee: Joseph Kover Jr
• Inventors: Kover, Joseph Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US08/553,856
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 340/468, 340/463, 340/464, 340/469, 340/470, 340/471, 340/472, 340/473, 340/475, 340/476, 307/10.8, 315/82, 315/83
• US Class Current: 340/468
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/143 combined with another condition, e.g. using vehicle recognition from camera images or activation of wipers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/052 Switching delay, i.e. the beam is not switched or changed instantaneously upon occurrence of a condition change
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/146 Abnormalities, e.g. fail-safe
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/312 Adverse weather
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/314 Ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/30 Daytime running lights [DRL], e.g. circuits or arrangements therefor

Abstract

A vehicle lighting system, for use in automobiles or trucks has a tail lamp relay, connected so electrical current flows through the vehicle battery, a tail lamp, and the tail lamp relay when the relay is on; a tail lamp switch; a battery low voltage sensor; taillamp programming means; and means for sensing that the vehicle is in operation. The system also has control circuitry that turns on the relay in the first state when the vehicle is in operation and the tail lamp switch is on, or following the vehicle ceasing operation, the taillamp programming means is on, and the battery low voltage sensing means senses a high battery voltage, but where the relay is turned off when the vehicle is not in operation and either the taillamp programming means is off, the taillamp switch is off, or the battery low voltage sensing means senses a low battery voltage.

Claims

1. A vehicle lighting system, for use in automobiles or trucks or other vehicles intended to be driven by a driver, where the vehicle has an electrical system incorporating an electric starter and a battery, comprising:

a tail lamp;

a tail lamp relay having a control input, connected such that an electrical current flows through the battery, the tail lamp, and the tail lamp relay when the control input is in a first state, and current does not flow through the tail lamp when the control input is in a second state;

tail lamp switching means;

battery low voltage sensing means;

taillamp programming means;

means for sensing that the vehicle is in operation;

control means configured such that the control input of the tail lamp relay is in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the tail lamp switching means is in a first state, or following the vehicle ceasing operation, the taillamp programming means is in a first state, and the battery low voltage sensing means senses a high battery voltage, but where the control input of the tail lamp relay is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation and either the taillamp programming means is in a second state or the battery low voltage sensing means senses a low battery voltage.

2. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a headlight system having low beam and high beam lamps;

a headlight relay;

a high-low beam switch, where with the high-low beam switch in a first state and a control input of the headlight relay in a first state power is transmitted from the battery through the headlight relay to the high beam lamp, with the control input of the headlight relay in the first state and the high-low beam switch in the second state power is transmitted from the battery through the headlight relay to the low beam lamp, and where with the control input of the headlight relay in a second state power is not transmitted from the battery to the high beam lamp irrespective of the state of the high-low beam switch;

headlamp switching means;

headlamp programming means; and

wherein the control means such that the control input of the headlight relay is in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the headlamp switching means is in a first state, where the control input of the headlight relay is in the first state when the vehicle ceases operation with the headlamp switching means is in the first state and the headlamp programming means is in a first state, but where the control input of the headlight relay is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation and either the headlamp programming means is in a second state or the battery low voltage sensing means senses a low battery voltage.

3. The vehicle lighting system of claim 2, further comprising:

a wiper control having a first state and a second state;

wiper latching means having a first and a second state, where the wiper latching means is placed in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the wiper control is in the first state, and where the wiper latching means is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation;

where the control means places the control input of the tail lamp relay in the first state when the wiper latching means is in the first state irrespective of the state of the tail lamp switching means.

4. The vehicle lighting system of claim 3, further comprising:

a daytime running light relay connected such that with a control input of the daytime running light relay in a first state power is transmitted from the battery to at least one headlight lamp;

daytime running light programming means;

where the control means places the control input of the daytime running light relay in the first state when the headlamp switching means is in the second state, the vehicle is in operation, and the daytime running light programming means is in a first state, but where the control input of the daytime running light relay is in a second state when the headlamp switching means is in the second state, and either the vehicle is not in operation or the daytime running light programming means is in a second state.

5. The vehicle lighting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a wiper control having a first state and a second state;

wiper latching means having a first and a second state, where the wiper latching means is placed in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the wiper control is in the first state, and where the wiper latching means is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation;

where the control means places the control input of the tail lamp relay in the first state when the wiper latching means is in the first state irrespective of the state of the tail lamp switching means.

6. The vehicle lighting system of claim 5, wherein the low battery voltage is a battery voltage sufficiently great that the electric starter will operate;

but where the low battery voltage is a voltage not normally occurring while the vehicle is in operation.

7. A vehicle light controller, for use as a component of the lighting system of vehicles including automobiles or trucks, where the vehicle has a headlamp system comprising high and low beam lamps, a high-low beam switch, and headlamp switching means, where the vehicle has tail lamps and tail lamp switching means, where the vehicle has electric windshield wipers and wiper switching means, and where the vehicle has an electrical system incorporating an electric starter and a battery, comprising:

a tail lamp battery input;

a tail lamp output;

a tail lamp relay having a control input, connected such that an electrical current flows between the tail lamp battery input to the tail lamp output when the control input is in a first state, and that current does not flow between the tail lamp battery input and the tail lamp output when the control input is in a second state;

a tail lamp switching means input;

battery low voltage sensing means;

taillamp programming means;

a vehicle in operation input;

control means configured such that the control input of the tail lamp relay is in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the tail lamp switching means input is in a first state, or following the vehicle ceasing operation, the taillamp programming means is in a first state, and the battery low voltage sensing means senses a high battery voltage, but where the control input of the tail lamp relay is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation and either the taillamp programming means is in a second state or the battery low voltage sensing means senses a low battery voltage.

8. The vehicle light controller of claim 7, further comprising:

a headlight relay;

a headlight battery input;

a headlight output;

where with a control input of the headlight relay in a first state power is transmitted between the headlamp battery input and the headlight output, and where with the control input of the headlight relay in a second state power is not transmitted between the headlamp battery input and the headlight output;

a headlamp switching means input;

headlamp programming means; and

control means such that the control input of the headlight relay is in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the headlamp switching means input is in a first state, where the control input of the headlight relay is in the first state when the vehicle ceases operation with the headlamp switching means input in the first state and the headlamp programming means is in a first state, but where the control input of the headlight relay is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation and either the headlamp programming means is in a second state or the battery low voltage sensing means senses a low battery voltage.

9. The vehicle light controller of claim 8, further comprising:

a wiper control input having a first state and a second state;

wiper latching means having a first and a second state, where the wiper latching means is placed in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the wiper control input is in the first state, and where the wiper latching means is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation;

where the control means places the control input of the tail lamp relay in the first state when the wiper latching means is in the first state irrespective of the state of the tail lamp switching means.

10. The vehicle light controller of claim 8, further comprising:

a daytime running light relay connected such that with a control input of the daytime running light relay in a first state power is transmitted between the headlight battery input to a daytime running light output;

daytime running light programming means;

where the control means places the control input of the daytime running light relay in the first state when the headlamp switching means input is in the second state, the vehicle is in operation, and the daytime running light programming means is in a first state, but where the control input of the daytime running light relay is in a second state when the headlamp switching means input is in the second state, and either the vehicle is not in operation or the daytime running light programming means is in a second state.

11. The vehicle light controller of claim 10, further comprising:

a wiper control input having a first state and a second state;

wiper latching means having a first and a second state, where the wiper latching means is placed in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the wiper control input is in the first state, and where the wiper latching means is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation;

where the control means places the control input of the tail lamp relay in the first state when the wiper latching means is in the first state irrespective of the state of the tail lamp switching means input.

12. The vehicle light controller of claim 7, further comprising:

a wiper control input having a first state and a second state;

wiper latching means having a first and a second state, where the wiper latching means is placed in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the wiper control input is in the first state, and where the wiper latching means is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation;

where the control means places the control input of the tail lamp relay in the first state when the wiper latching means is in the first state irrespective of the state of the tail lamp switching means input.

13. A vehicle light control device, for use as a component of the lighting system of vehicles including automobiles or trucks, where the vehicle has a headlamp system comprising high and low beam lamps, a high-low beam switch, and headlamp switching means, where the vehicle has tail lamps and tail lamp switching means, where the vehicle has electric windshield wipers and wiper switching means, and where the vehicle has an electrical system incorporating an electric starter and a battery, comprising:

a tail lamp battery input;

a tail lamp output;

a tail lamp relay having a control input, connected such that an electrical current flows between the tail lamp battery input to the tail lamp output when the control input is in a first state, and that current does not flow between the tail lamp battery input and the tail lamp output when the control input is in a second state;

a tail lamp switching means input;

taillamp programming means;

a vehicle in operation input;

control means configured such that the control input of the tail lamp relay is in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the tail lamp switching means input is in a first state, but where the control input of the tail lamp relay is placed in the second state when the vehicle is not in operation and the taillamp programming means is in a second state.

14. The vehicle light control device of claim 13, further comprising:

a headlight relay;

a headlight battery input;

a headlight output;

where with a control input of the headlight relay in a first state power is transmitted between the headlamp battery input and the headlight output, and where with the control input of the headlight relay in a second state power is not transmitted between the headlamp battery input and the headlight output;

a headlamp switching means input;

headlamp programming means; and

wherein the control means such that the control input of the headlight relay is in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the headlamp switching means input is in a first state, where the control input of the headlight relay is in the first state when the vehicle ceases operation with the headlamp switching means input in the first state and the headlamp programming means is in a first state, but where the control input of the headlight relay is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation and the headlamp programming means is in a second state.

15. The vehicle light control device of claim 14, further comprising:

a wiper control input having a first state and a second state;

wiper latching means having a first and a second state, where the wiper latching means is placed in the first state whenever the vehicle is in operation and the wiper control input is in the first state, and where the wiper latching means is placed in the second state whenever the vehicle is not in operation;

where the control means places the control input of the tail lamp relay in the first state when the wiper latching means is in the first state irrespective of the state of the tail lamp switching means input.

16. The vehicle light control device of claim 15, wherein the wiper latching means is reset to the second state when the wiper control input has remained in the second state for a preset time.

17. The vehicle light control device of claim 16, further comprising an ambient light sensor, wherein the control means is configured to put the control input of the headlight relay in the first state, and the control input of the tail lamp relay in the first state, when the ambient light sensor detects a low light level and the vehicle is in operation.

18. The vehicle light control device of claim 16, further comprising a clock, wherein the control means is configured to put the control input of the headlight relay in the first state, and the control input of the tail lamp relay in the first state, when the clock indicates a time in a preset range, and the vehicle is in operation.