Automatic signaling systems for vehicles

• US 7,482,916 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autosignal, LLC
• Original Assignee: Anita Au, Gerald Chan
• Inventors: Au, Anita, Chan, Gerald
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US11/046,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20050200467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 340/465, 340/475, 340/476, 340/477
• US Class Current: 340/475
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/34 for indicating change of drive direction B60Q1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/343 Manually actuated switching arrangements therefor hand actuated multifunction switches B60Q1/1461; B60Q1/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/346 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/40 having mechanical, electric or electronic automatic return to inoperative position
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions

Abstract

An automatic signaling system includes a processor having an input for receiving a signal from a sensor, and an output configured to be coupled to a signaling system of a vehicle, the signaling system having a turn signal light, wherein the processor is configured to automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the signal received from the sensor. A method for activating a turn signal light of a vehicle includes receiving a signal from a sensor, and automatically activating the turn signal light of the vehicle based at least in part on the received signal.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an automatic signaling system configured to be coupled to a turn signal light of a vehicle, the automatic signaling system configured to automatically activate the turn signal light of the vehicle before or when a portion of the vehicle reaches a boundary of a lane;

a lever for activating a turn signal light of a vehicle, the lever having a first end, a second end, and a body extending between the first and the second ends; and

a first switch located on the lever, the first switch operable to activate, deactivate, or activate and deactivate, the automatic signaling system.

2. The control of claim 1, further comprising a second switch for adjusting a sensitivity of the automatic signal system.

3. A control, comprising:

an automatic signaling system configured to be coupled to a turn signal light of a vehicle, the automatic signaling system configured to automatically activate the turn signal light of the vehicle before or when a portion of the vehicle reaches a boundary of a lane;

a lever for activating the turn signal light of a vehicle, the lever having a first end, a second end, and a body extending between the first and the second ends, the first end being movable in a first direction to activate the automatic signaling system.

4. The control of claim 3, wherein the first end is movable in a second direction to de-activate the automatic signaling system.

5. The control of claim 4, wherein the first end is movable in a third direction to activate the turn signal light.

6. An automatic signaling system, comprising:

a processor having an input for receiving signals from a sensor, and an output to be coupled to a signaling system of a vehicle, the signaling system having a turn signal light;

wherein the processor is configured to determine a value associated with a spatial relationship between a vehicle and a lane boundary using the signals, and automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the determined value;

wherein the processor is configured to compare a threshold value with the value that is associated with the spatial relationship, and wherein the threshold value is variable based on a speed of the vehicle.

7. The automatic signaling system of claim 6, wherein the processor operates independent of an angle of a turning wheel of the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising the sensor.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises an image sensor configured for sensing at least a portion of a lane.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor comprises a signal receiver configured to wirelessly receive information regarding a position of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is coupled to a device selected from the group consisting of a speed sensor, a light sensor, and a moisture sensor.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the determined value, and when the vehicle is traveling above a prescribed speed.

13. The system of claim 6, further comprising a reader for reading data from a key-memory, wherein the processor is configured to activate the turn signal light based on the determined value and the data.

14. The system of claim 6, wherein the spatial relationship between the vehicle and the lane boundary comprises a position of the vehicle relative to the lane boundary.

15. The system of claim 6, wherein the spatial relationship between the vehicle and the lane boundary comprises an orientation of the vehicle relative to the lane boundary.

16. The system of claim 6, wherein the signals comprise image data of an image frame, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the value by:

performing image processing on the image data to identify the lane boundary;

determining a position of the identified lane boundary in the image frame; and

determining the spatial relationship based on the determined position of the identified lane boundary.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the position is relative to the image frame.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to use information regarding a previously identified lane boundary to identify the lane boundary.

19. The system of claim 6, wherein the value that is associated with the spatial relationship comprises a distance between the vehicle and the lane boundary.

20. The system of claim 6, wherein the threshold value is also variable based on a width of a lane.

21. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor is also configured to automatically deactivate the turn signal light.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to automatically deactivate the turn signal light after the turn signal light has been activated for a prescribed duration.

23. An automatic signaling system, comprising:

a processor having an input for receiving image data, and an output to be coupled to a signaling system of a vehicle, the signaling system having a turn signal light;

wherein the processor is configured to process the image data to identify a lane boundary, and automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the identified lane boundary; and

wherein the processor is configured to identify the lane boundary using a region of interest.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the identified lane boundary by:

determining a distance between the vehicle and the identified lane boundary;

comparing the distance with a threshold value; and

automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on a result of the comparison.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the threshold value is variable based on one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of a width of a lane, a width of the vehicle, and a speed of the vehicle.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the position of the identified lane boundary is relative to an image frame.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the identified lane boundary by:

determining a position of the identified lane boundary; and

automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the determined position.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the identified lane boundary by:

determining an orientation of the identified lane boundary; and

automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the determined orientation.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to identify the lane boundary using a previously identified lane boundary.

30. The system of claim 23, further comprising a sensor for generating the image data, wherein the sensor is configured to be mounted at a location that is behind a rear-view mirror.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is also configured to automatically deactivate the turn signal light.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the processor is configured to automatically deactivate the turn signal light after the turn signal light has been activated for a prescribed duration.

33. An automatic signaling system, comprising:

a processor having an input for receiving information, and an output to be coupled to a signaling system of a vehicle, the signaling system having a turn signal light;

wherein the processor is configured to process the information, and automatically activate the turn signal light based on the processed information before or when a portion of the vehicle reaches a boundary of a lane in which the vehicle is traveling.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is configured to process the information to identify the boundary of the lane.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a position of the boundary of the lane.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the position of the boundary is relative to an image frame.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the processor is further configured to determine an orientation of the boundary.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the processor is configured to identify the boundary of the lane using a previously identified lane boundary.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the processor is configured to identify the boundary of the lane using a region of interest.

40. The system of claim 33, further comprising a device coupled to the processor, the device selected from the group consisting of a speed sensor, a rain sensor, and a moisture sensor.

41. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically de-activate the turn signal light after a completion of a lane-change maneuver by the vehicle.

42. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically de-activate the turn signal light after the turn signal light has been activated for a prescribed duration.

43. The system of claim 33, further comprising a sensor for generating the information, wherein the sensor is configured to be mounted at a location that is behind a rear-view mirror.

44. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is configured to process the information to determine a position of the vehicle relative to the boundary of the lane.

45. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is configured to process the information to determine an orientation of the vehicle relative to the boundary of the lane.

46. The system of claim 33, wherein the processor is configured to process the information to

determine a distance between the vehicle and the boundary, and

compare the distance with a threshold value.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the threshold value is variable based on a speed of the vehicle.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein the threshold value is variable based on a width of the lane.