Audible blind spot indicator

• US 8,537,031 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Niel, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US12/894,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20120081233A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 340/904, 340/903
• US Class Current: 340/904
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

An audible blind spot indicator for a motor vehicle having a blind spot detection system is provided. The audible blind spot indicator can include an audible module that has a first tone generator operable to generate a first tone frequency and a second tone generator operable to generate a second tone frequency that is different than the first tone frequency.

Claims

1. An audible blind spot indicator for testing a blind spot detection system of a motor vehicle comprising:

a blind spot detection system for a motor vehicle operable to detect an object within a right hand side (RHS) blind spot and an object within a left hand side (LHS) blind spot of the motor vehicle when a driver is driving the motor vehicle;

a portable audible module separate from said blind spot detection system and held by an individual not driving the motor vehicle, said portable audible module having a first tone generator with a first tone frequency and a second tone generator with a second tone frequency that is different than said first tone frequency;

a processor in electronic communication with said blind spot detection system and said audible module, said processor activating said first tone generator when said blind spot detection system detects an object within the RHS blind spot and activating said second tone generator when said blind spot detection system detects an object within the LHS blind spot, for the purpose of testing said blind spot detection system.

2. The audible blind spot indicator of claim 1, wherein said blind spot detection system has an outlet electrical plug and said audible module has an inlet electrical plug, said outlet electrical plug electrically connected to said inlet electrical plug.

3. The audible blind spot indicator of claim 1, wherein said audible module has a power source.

4. The audible blind spot indicator of claim 3, wherein said power source is the motor vehicle.

5. The audible blind spot indicator of claim 4, wherein said audible module has a cigarette lighter power adapter cable operable to plug into a cigarette lighter socket of the motor vehicle for power.

6. The audible blind spot indicator of claim 1, wherein said power source is a battery attached to said audible module.

7. The audible blind spot indicator of claim 1, wherein said audible module has a volume control for said first tone generator and said second tone generator.

8. The audible blind spot indicator of claim 1, wherein said audible module has a testing switch for testing said first tone generator and said second tone generator.

9. A process for testing a blind spot detection system for a motor vehicle, the process comprising:

providing a motor vehicle having a blind spot detection system (BSDS) operable to detect an object within a right hand side (RHS) blind spot and an object within a left hand side (LHS) blind spot of the motor vehicle when a driver is driving the motor vehicle;

providing a portable audible module separate from the BSDS and held by an individual not driving the motor vehicle, the separate audible module having a first tone generator with a first tone frequency and a second tone generator with a second tone frequency that is different than said first tone frequency;

electronically connecting the audible module to the BSDS;

driving the motor vehicle such that objects enter the RHS and LHS blind spots of the motor vehicle;

relaying a first signal from the BSDS to the audible module when the BSDS detects an object within the RHS blind spot, the audible module energizing the first tone generator upon receiving the first signal; and

relaying a second signal from the BSDS to the audible module when the BSDS detects an object within the LHS blind spot, the audible module energizing the second tone generator upon receiving the second signal.

10. The process of claim 9, wherein the audible module is electronically connected to the BSDS using an electrical outlet cord from the BSDS in connection with an electrical inlet cord from the audible module.

11. The process of claim 9, wherein the audible module is powered by the motor vehicle using a cigarette lighter power adapter cable plugged into a cigarette lighter socket of the motor vehicle.

12. The process of claim 9, wherein the audible module is powered by a battery attached to the audible module.

13. The process of claim 9, wherein the audible module has a volume adjustment for and the volume of the first tone frequency is adjusted using the volume adjustment.

14. The process of claim 9, wherein the audible module has a testing switch and the first tone generator and the second tone generator are tested prior to driving of the motor vehicle using the testing switch.