Sequential brake light system

• US 7,893,823 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles J. Morales
• Original Assignee: Charles J. Morales
• Inventors: Morales, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/138,643
• Publication Number:
  US 20080309478A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 340/479, 340/467, 340/464, 340/478, 340/903, 340/466, 340/472, 340/468, 340/438, 340/441, 340/453, 340/534, 340/932.2
• US Class Current: 340/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/444 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence

Abstract

A sequential brake light system for road vehicles has a brake light array of plural lights in a linear, concentric or radial series. A master and slave controllers are connected to the array for lighting the lights in sequence and repeatedly at a rate that is proportional to a deceleration of the vehicle upon braking. A speed sensor senses the instantaneous vehicle speed and deactivates the master controller if the speed is below a threshold value so that the array is not powered in stop-and-go traffic. A brake position sensor senses a position of the vehicle brake pedal and an accelerometer measures deceleration of the vehicle, so that the master controller receives signals corresponding to the instantaneous speed of the vehicle, a signal corresponding to the position of the brake pedal and a signal corresponding to the deceleration of the road vehicle for properly warning a trailing drive of the braking condition of the road vehicle.

Claims

1. A sequential brake light system for a road vehicle having a brake pedal with a pedal position proportional to a deceleration of the road vehicle caused by braking, the system comprising:

a brake light array comprising a plurality of individual lights in a series;

a slave controller connected to the array for lighting the lights in the array in sequence in a number of the lights, said number of lights being proportional to a deceleration of the road vehicle upon braking;

the array being mounted to be visible to a driver of a trailing vehicle to the road vehicle;

a speed sensor for sensing an instantaneous speed of the road vehicle;

a brake position sensor for sensing a position of the brake pedal;

an accelerometer for measuring deceleration of the road vehicle;

a master controller connected to the speed sensor for receiving a signal corresponding to the instantaneous speed of the road vehicle, the master controller being connected to the brake position sensor for receiving a signal corresponding to the position of the brake pedal and to the accelerometer for receiving a signal corresponding to the deceleration of the road vehicle; and

a connection between the master and the slave controller, the master controller, when active, controlling operation of the slave controller for lighting lights in the array in sequence in a number of the lights proportional to the deceleration as measured by the accelerometer and by the brake position sensor;

the master controller being programmed to be inactive below a selected threshold speed as sensed by the speed sensor, no sequential lighting of the lights in the array occurring when the master controller is inactive.

2. The sequential brake light system of claim 1, wherein the array of lights is a linear array of the plurality of lights.

3. The sequential brake light system of claim 1, wherein the array of lights is an array of a plurality of concentric lights.

4. The sequential brake light system of claim 1, wherein the array of lights is an array of a plurality of radial lights circumferentially spaced around a circle.

5. The sequential brake light system of claim 1, wherein the master controller is programmed to be inactive below a threshold speed of about 20 mph.

6. The sequential brake light system of claim 1, wherein the master controller is programmed to be inactive below a threshold speed which is about 20 to 25 mph.

7. The sequential brake light system of claim 1, including a manual controller connected to the master controller for manually setting the threshold speed.

8. The sequential brake light system of claim 1, including a manual controller connected to the master controller for manually setting the threshold speed to a speed which is about 20 to 25 mph.

9. The sequential brake light system of claim 1, wherein the master controller and the accelerometer are mounted in an under-dashboard electronics package mounted near a driver of the road vehicle.

10. The sequential brake light system of claim 1, wherein the master controller also is programmed to be inactive below the threshold speed which is about 20 to 25 mph.

11. A sequential brake light system for a road vehicle having a brake pedal with a pedal position proportional to a deceleration of the vehicle caused by braking, the system comprising:

a brake light array comprising a plurality of individual lights in a series;

a slave controller connected to the array for lighting the lights in the array in sequence and repeatedly at a rate, said rate being proportional to a deceleration of the vehicle upon braking;

the array and the slave controller being mounted in a rear electronics package for mounting at a rear of the road vehicle with the array being mounted to be visible to a driver of a trailing vehicle to the road vehicle;

a speed sensor for sensing an instantaneous speed of the vehicle;

a brake position sensor for sensing a position of the brake pedal;

an accelerometer for measuring deceleration of the road vehicle;

a master controller connected to the speed sensor for receiving a signal corresponding to the instantaneous speed of the vehicle, the master controller being connected to the brake position sensor for receiving a signal corresponding to the position of the brake pedal and to the accelerometer for receiving a signal corresponding to the deceleration of the road vehicle;

a connection between the master and the slave controller, the master controller, when active, controlling operation of the slave controller for lighting the lights in the array in sequence and repeatedly at a rate proportional to the deceleration as measured by the accelerometer and by the brake position sensor, the master controller being inactive below a selected threshold speed as sensed by the speed sensor, no sequential, repeating lighting of the lights in the array occurring when the master controller is inactive;

the master controller and the accelerometer being mounted in an under-dashboard electronics package mounted near a driver of the road vehicle; and

a manual controller connected to the master controller for manually setting the threshold speed.

12. The sequential brake light system of claim 11, wherein the array of lights is a linear array of the plurality of lights.

13. The sequential brake light system of claim 11, wherein the array of lights is an array of a plurality of concentric lights.

14. The sequential brake light system of claim 11, wherein the array of lights is an array of a plurality of radial lights circumferentially spaced around a circle.

15. The sequential brake light system of claim 11, wherein the master controller is also programmed to be inactive below the threshold speed.

16. A method for warning a trailing driver of a severity of a braking of a road vehicle ahead of the trailing driver, comprising:

providing a sequential brake light system for the road vehicle, the road vehicle having a brake pedal with a pedal position proportional to a deceleration of the road vehicle caused by braking, the system including a brake light array comprising a plurality of individual lights in a series that are driven by a slave controller connected to the array for lighting the lights in the array in sequence in a number of the lights proportional to a deceleration of the road vehicle upon braking, the array being mounted to be visible to a driver of a trailing vehicle to the road vehicle;

measuring an instantaneous speed of the road vehicle;

determining a brake position of the brake pedal;

measuring a deceleration of the road vehicle;

providing a master controller for receiving the instantaneous speed of the road vehicle, the position of the brake pedal and the deceleration of the road vehicle, the master controller being connected to the slave controller;

operating the master controller, when active, to control operation of the slave controller for lighting lights in the array in sequence in a number of the lights proportional to the deceleration and the brake pedal position; and

programming the master controller to be inactive below a selected threshold speed, no sequential lighting of the lights in the array occurring when the master controller is inactive.

17. The method of claim 16, including providing the array of lights as a linear array of the plurality of lights.

18. The method of claim 16, including providing the array of lights as an array of a plurality of concentric lights.

19. The method of claim 16, including providing the array of lights as an array of a plurality of radial lights circumferentially spaced around a circle.

20. The method of claim 16, including manually setting the threshold speed.