Back-up warning system for a vehicle and related method

• US 6,879,248 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Original Assignee: Omega Patents, L.L.C.
• Inventors: Flick, Kenneth E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US09/870,846
• Publication Number:
  US 20020180595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/901, 340/903, 340/904, 340/463, 340/468, 340/471
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/22 for reverse drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound

Abstract

A back-up warning system for a vehicle of a type including a back-up bulb connector includes a proximity sensor for positioning adjacent a rear of the vehicle, a proximity sensor connector for connecting the proximity sensor to the back-up bulb socket, and a warning indicator for providing a warning indication based upon the proximity sensor. The proximity sensor connector may connect the proximity sensor to the back-up bulb socket so that the proximity sensor is powered and operable to detect proximity of an object adjacent the rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is backing up.

Claims

1. A back-up warning system for a vehicle of a type comprising a back-up bulb connector, the back-up warning system comprising:

a proximity sensor for positioning adjacent a rear of the vehicle;

a proximity sensor connector for connecting said proximity sensor to the back-up bulb connector so that said proximity sensor is powered and operable to detect proximity of an object adjacent the rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is backing up;

a warning indicator for providing a warning indication based upon said proximity sensor; and

a back-up light bulb carried by said proximity sensor connector and electrically connected to the vehicle back-up bulb connector.

2. The back-up warning system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle passenger compartment;

and wherein said warning indicator is for positioning within the vehicle passenger compartment.

3. The back-up warning system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further comprises a rear light housing covering the back-up bulb connector;

and wherein said proximity sensor is adjacent said proximity sensor connector to be within the rear light housing.

4. The back-up warning system of claim 3 further comprising a wireless communications link connecting said proximity sensor and said warning indicator.

5. The back-up warning system of claim 4 wherein said wireless communications link comprises:

a wireless transmitter for positioning within the vehicle rear light housing and connected to said sensor; and

a wireless receiver for positioning within the vehicle passenger compartment and connected to said warning indicator.

6. The back-up warning system of claim 3 wherein said warning indicator is for positioning within the rear light housing, and is electrically connected to said proximity sensor.

7. The back-up warning system of claim 1 wherein said warning indicator comprises a visual warning indicator.

8. The back-up warning system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle comprises at least one rearview mirror;

and wherein said visual warning indicator is carried by the at least one rearview mirror.

9. The back-up warning system of claim 1 wherein said warning indicator comprises an audible tone warning indicator.

10. The back-up warning system of claim 9 wherein said audible tone warning indicator generates an audible tone having a characteristic which varies based upon a distance between the rear of the vehicle and the object.

11. The back-up warning system of claim 1 wherein said proximity sensor is spaced apart from said proximity sensor connector and connected thereto by at least one wire.

12. The back-up warning system of claim 1 wherein said proximity sensor is carried by said proximity sensor connector.

13. The back-up warning system of claim 1 wherein said proximity sensor comprises a radar sensor.

14. The back-up warning system of claim 1 wherein said proximity sensor connector further comprises a housing;

and wherein said proximity sensor comprises sensing circuitry carried by said housing.

15. The back-up warning system of claim 14 wherein said sensing circuitry comprises a signal emitter for emitting signals, and a signal collector for collecting reflected signals from the object.

16. The back-up warning system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle back-up bulb connector comprises a socket, and said proximity sensor connector comprises a plug mating with the socket.

17. A back-up warning system for a vehicle of a type comprising a rear light housing and a back-up bulb connector therein, the back-up warning system comprising:

a proximity sensor for positioning within the rear light housing;

a proximity sensor connector for connecting said proximity sensor to the back-up bulb connector so that said proximity sensor is powered and operable to detect proximity of an object adjacent the rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is backing up;

a warning indicator for providing a warning indication based upon said proximity sensor; and

a wireless communications link connecting said proximity sensor and said warning indicator.

18. The back-up warning system of claim 17 wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle passenger compartment;

and wherein said warning indicator is for positioning within the vehicle passenger compartment.

19. The back-up warning system of claim 18 wherein said wireless communications link comprises:

a wireless transmitter for positioning within the vehicle rear light housing and connected to said sensor; and

a wireless receiver for positioning within the vehicle passenger compartment and connected to said warning indicator.

20. The back-up warning system of claim 17 wherein said warning indicator comprises a visual warning indicator.

21. The back-up warning system of claim 20 wherein the vehicle comprises at least one rearview mirror;

and wherein said visual warning indicator is carried by the at least one rearview mirror.

22. The back-up warning system of claim 17 wherein said warning indicator comprises an audible tone warning indicator.

23. The back-up warning system of claim 22 wherein said audible tone warning indicator generates an audible tone having a characteristic which varies based upon a distance between the rear of the vehicle and the object.

24. The back-up warning system of claim 17 wherein said proximity sensor is closely spaced apart from said proximity sensor connector and connected thereto by at least one wire.

25. The back-up warning system of claim 17 wherein said sensor is carried by said proximity sensor connector.

26. The back-up warning system of claim 17 further comprising a back-up light bulb carried by said proximity sensor connector and electrically connected to the vehicle back-up bulb connector.

27. The back-up warning system of claim 17 wherein said proximity sensor comprises a radar sensor.

28. The back-up warning system of claim 17 wherein said proximity sensor connector further comprises a housing;

and wherein said proximity sensor comprises sensing circuitry carried by said housing.

29. The back-up warning system of claim 28 wherein said sensing circuitry comprises a signal emitter for emitting signals, and a signal collector for collecting reflected signals from the object.

30. The back-up warning system of claim 17 wherein the vehicle back-up bulb connector comprises a socket, and said proximity sensor connector comprises a plug mating with the socket.

31. A back-up warning system for a vehicle of a type comprising a back-up bulb socket, the back-up warning system comprising:

a proximity sensor for positioning adjacent a rear of the vehicle;

a plug to be mated with the back-up bulb socket for electrically connecting said proximity sensor to the back-up bulb socket so that said proximity sensor is powered and operable to detect proximity of an object adjacent the rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is backing up; and

a warning indicator for providing a warning indication based upon said proximity sensor.

32. The back-up warning system of claim 31 wherein said warning indicator comprises a visual warning indicator for providing a visual warning indication based upon said proximity sensor;

wherein the vehicle comprises at least one rearview mirror; and

wherein said visual warning indicator is carried by the at least one rearview mirror.

33. The back-up warning system of claim 31 wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle passenger compartment;

and wherein said warning indicator is for positioning within the vehicle passenger compartment.

34. The back-up warning system of claim 33 wherein the vehicle further comprises a rear light housing covering the back-up bulb socket;

and wherein said proximity sensor is adjacent said plug to be within the rear light housing.

35. The back-up warning system of claim 34 further comprising a wireless communications link connecting said proximity sensor and said warning indicator.

36. The back-up warning system of claim 35 wherein said wireless communications link comprises:

a wireless transmitter for positioning within the vehicle rear light housing and connected to said sensor; and

a wireless receiver for positioning within the vehicle passenger compartment and connected to said warning indicator.

37. A back-up warning device for a vehicle of a type comprising a back-up bulb socket, the back-up warning system comprising:

a plug to be mated with the back-up bulb socket; and

a proximity sensor adjacent said plug and electrically connected to the back-up bulb socket by said plug so that said proximity sensor is powered and operable to detect proximity of an object adjacent the rear of the vehicle when the vehicle is backing up.

38. The back-up warning device of claim 37 wherein said back-up warning device comprises a housing connected to said plug;

and wherein said proximity sensor comprises sensing circuitry carried by said housing.

39. The back-up warning device of claim 38 wherein said sensing circuitry comprises a signal emitter for emitting signals, and a signal collector for collecting reflected signals from the object.

40. The back-up warning device of claim 37 further comprising a back-up bulb carried by said housing.

41. A method for providing a warning indication of an object adjacent a rear of a vehicle of a type comprising a back-up bulb connector, the method comprising:

positioning a proximity sensor adjacent the rear of the vehicle;

connecting the proximity sensor to the back-up bulb connector using a proximity sensor connector so that the proximity sensor is powered and operable when the vehicle is backing up, the proximity sensor connector comprising a back-up light bulb socket electrically connected to the vehicle back-up bulb connector;

inserting a back-up light bulb into the back-up light bulb socket of the proximity sensor connector so that the back-up light bulb is powered and operable when the vehicle is backing up;

detecting proximity of the object adjacent the rear of the vehicle using the proximity sensor when the vehicle is backing up; and

providing the warning indication based upon the detected proximity.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the vehicle further comprises a rear light housing covering the back-up bulb connector;

and wherein positioning the proximity sensor comprises positioning the proximity sensor adjacent the back-up bulb connector to be within the rear light housing.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein providing the warning indication comprises providing the warning indication from within the rear light housing.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the vehicle comprises a vehicle passenger compartment;

and wherein providing the warning indication comprises providing the warning indication within the vehicle passenger compartment.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein providing the warning indication within the vehicle passenger compartment comprises providing the warning indication within the vehicle passenger compartment via a wireless communications link.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein providing the warning indication comprises providing a visual warning indication.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the vehicle comprises at least one rearview mirror;

and wherein providing a visual warning indication comprises providing the visual warning indication at the rearview mirror.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein providing the warning indication comprises providing an audible tone warning indication.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein providing the audible tone warning indication comprises providing an audible tone having a characteristic which varies based upon a distance between the rear of the vehicle and the object.