Warning device in motor vehicles

• US 7,079,017 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Original Assignee: Lang-Mekra North America LLC
• Inventors: Witzke, Michael, Lang, Heinrich, Snel, Jaap-Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, SON M
• Application Number:
  US10/103,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/437, 340/438, 340/903
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/87 Combinations of sonar systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9324 Alternative operation using ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08

Abstract

A warning system for a vehicle is provided. The warning system has a sensor for detecting an obstruction near the vehicle, a control apparatus to produce a signal in response to the detected obstruction, and an alert device configured to direct a driver'"'"'s attention to the obstruction.

Claims

1. A warning system for vehicles having a plurality of sensors, at least one of the sensors located about each of a front, a rear, a left side and a right side of the vehicle, the sensors being configured to detect a presence of an obstruction and produce an obstruction signal, the warning system comprising:

a plurality of display devices including a pair of mirrors and a monitor affixed to the vehicle and located in a field of regard of a driver of the vehicle;

a control apparatus in communication with the sensors, the control apparatus configured to deliver an advisory signal to selected ones of said display devices in response to the obstruction signal from at least one of said sensors detecting the obstruction;

an alert device including a liquid crystal display (LCD) on the monitor and an acoustic device having a voice module configured to verbally alert the driver in communication with the control apparatus responsive to the advisory to the advisory signal, the LCD configured to display a text message to alert the driver of the detected obstruction displayed in said display devices in response to the signal from the control apparatus.

2. The warning system of claim 1, wherein one of said sensors is an ultrasonic sensor.

3. The warning system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said sensors is an electromagnetic sensor.

4. The warning system of claim 3, wherein the electromagnetic sensor is selected from the group consisting of an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet sensor, a laser, a radar and combinations thereof.

5. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the alert device is disposed proximate the display device.

6. The warning system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic module is in communication with a loudspeaker configured to amplify the verbal alert, the loudspeaker further configured to be selectively energized by the driver.

7. A monitoring system for a vehicle comprising:

sensor disposed on the vehicle sides, front and rear, the sensors configured to sense an obstruction located in front, and in rear of the vehicle;

a control apparatus in communication with the sensor, the control apparatus configured to produce an advisory signal in response to an obstruction signal from any one of the sensors;

a display device attached to the vehicle and disposed in a field of regard of a driver of the vehicle;

said display device including a monitor displaying images of mirrors that are arranged apart from each other; and

said images of mirrors include at least one wide-angle mirror image and at least one main mirror image, the at least one wide-angle mirror image and the at least one main mirror image disposed proximate each other;

an alert device responsive to the advisory signal, configured to attract attention of the driver of the vehicle to the monitor when only the monitor displaying the sensed obstruction and to the monitor and mirror images when the monitor and mirror images are displaying the obstruction.

8. The warning system of claim 7, wherein the alert device includes an audio device configured to acoustically alert the driver of the detected object.

9. The warning system of claim 8, wherein the audio device is selected from the group consisting of a voice module, a horn, a siren, a buzzer, a bell, a whistle, and combinations thereof.

10. The warning system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of sensors is selected from the group consisting of ultrasonic sensors, electromagnetic sensors, cameras, and combinations thereof.

11. The monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the at least one sensor is an electromagnetic sensor.

12. The monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the electromagnetic sensor is a camera disposed on a rear of the vehicle, the camera configured to be selectively energized when the vehicle is moving in a reverse direction.