Rear end collision prevention apparatus

• US 9,090,203 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2013
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerry A. Seifert
• Original Assignee: Jerry A. Seifert
• Inventors: Seifert, Jerry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/919,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20140368324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/568, 340/469, 340/479
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/535 to prevent rear-end collisions, e.g. by indicating safety distance at the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A rear end collision apparatus. The rear end collision apparatus includes a first warning light to capture a driver'"'"'s attention indicating a slow down or stop event is about to occur or is occurring and re-focuses a drivers'"'"' visual attention point and a different type of second warning light indicating the vehicle has not yet started re-accelerating after a slowing or stop event. The rear end collision prevention apparatus may be integrated into a Center High Mount Stop Lamp (CHMSL) on a vehicle or used as a separate apparatus. The read end collision apparatus helps reduce or prevent rear end collisions of vehicles and reducing or preventing driver acclimatization to warning lights in a CHMSL or other rear end collision warning lights.

Claims

1. A rear end collision prevention apparatus, comprising in combination:

a signal detection circuit configured for detecting a signal from one or more of a plurality of slowing events in a vehicle that is moving;

(1) releasing of an accelerator pedal or throttle control in the moving vehicle;

(2) disengaging a cruise control mechanism previously set and in use in the moving vehicle;

(3) engaging a brake pedal in the moving vehicle;

(4) receiving an input from a front end monitor in the moving vehicle, wherein the front end monitor automatically detects when a front portion of the moving vehicle comes within a pre-determined distance of another moving vehicle or stopped vehicle in front of the moving vehicle or within a certain distance of a solid object in front of the moving vehicle;

(5) receiving an input from a rear end monitor, wherein the rear end monitor automatically detects when a second vehicle comes within a pre-determined distance of a rear portion of the moving vehicle;

or (6) receiving an input from steering device indicating a large movement in the steering device;

a signal generation circuit connected to the signal detection circuit and connected to a first warning light and a second warning light and configured for generating a first signal to turn on the first warning light within a first pre-determined time of one or more of the plurality of slowing events and to turn on the second warning light within a second pre-determined time of turning on the first warning light and for generating a third signal to turn on the first warning light and the second warning light simultaneously;

the first warning light installed in a rear portion of the vehicle including a directional strobe light installed to be only visible and viewable by only a second vehicle directly behind the moving vehicle, wherein the first warning light provides a first type of visual information that attracts a frontal vision or peripheral vision focus point of a driver driving the second vehicle behind the moving vehicle; and

the second warning light installed in the rear portion of the vehicle within a pre-determined distance of the first warning light including a static display light also installed to be only viewable by only the second vehicle directly behind the moving vehicle, wherein the second warning light provides a second type of visual information indicating that the moving vehicle has not yet resumed a previous moving speed after the one or more of the plurality of slowing events detected by the signal detection circuit, thereby holding a visual attention of the driver driving the second vehicle behind the moving vehicle,

the rear end collision prevention apparatus reducing or preventing rear end collisions of vehicles and reducing or preventing driver acclimatization to rear end collision lights.

2. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 included in a Center High Mount Stop Lamp (CHMSL) apparatus comprising one or more rear brake lights for the vehicle and providing a standard stop warning to any other vehicles following the moving vehicles whose view of the moving vehicle'"'"'s left and right stop lamps are blocked by interceding vehicles or other objects, a rear brake light or a third brake light on the vehicle.

3. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal detection circuit detects a wired signal or a wireless signal.

4. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the signal detection circuit detects a wireless signal including:

a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN), Radio Frequency (RF), IEEE 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, 802.15.4 (ZigBee), 802.16a, 802.16g, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), High Performance Radio Metropolitan Area Network (HIPERMAN) RF Home, Bluetooth, Infrared (IrDA), Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID), Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM), Near Field Communications (NFC), Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications, Internet Protocol (IP), Voice over IP (VoIP), Short Message Service (SMS) or Instant Message (IM) wireless communications protocol signal.

5. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first pre-determined distance is at least ten feet or at least three meters and wherein the second pre-determined distance is at least three feet or at least one meter.

6. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first pre-determined amount of time and the second pre-determined amount of time include a pre-determined number of milliseconds.

7. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the directional strobe light of the first warning light includes a white colored directional strobe light.

8. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first warning light furthers includes a static light portion comprising one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

9. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the static light of the second warning light includes one or more Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

10. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the static light of the second warning light includes a yellow colored static light.

11. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein signal detection circuit is automatically enabled when the vehicle reaches a first pre-determined speed wherein the signal detection circuit is automatically disabled when the vehicle reaches a second slower pre-determined speed.

12. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 11 wherein the first pre-determined speed includes a pre-determined crash safety speed and the second slower pre-determined speed includes at least ten miles-per-hour or at least sixteen kilometers-per-hour.

13. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 12 wherein the pre-determined crash safety speed includes a bumper design safety speed defined by United States 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 581.

14. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the solid object includes a tree, wall, sign, barrier or stoplight.

15. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a land vehicle, marine vehicle, rail road vehicle or a vehicle used in outer space.

16. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the front end monitor and the rear end monitor include a two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) real-time camera, Global Positioning System (GPS) monitor or other motion detection device.

17. The rear end collision prevention apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first warning light and the second warning light are dynamically configured from a smart application on a smart phone or tablet computer device used within the vehicle.

18. A rear end collision prevention apparatus, comprising in combination:

a signal detection circuit configured for detecting a signal from a slowing event in a vehicle that is moving including releasing of an accelerator pedal or throttle control in the moving vehicle;

a signal generation circuit connected to the signal detection circuit and connected to a first warning light and a second warning light and configured for generating a first signal to turn on the first warning light within a first pre-determined time of the slowing event and to turn on the second warning light within a second pre-determined time of turning on the first warning light and for generating a third signal to turn on the first warning light and the second warning light simultaneously;

the first warning light installed in a rear portion of the vehicle including a directional strobe light installed to be only visible and viewable by only a second vehicle directly behind the moving vehicle, wherein the first warning light provides a first type of visual information that attracts a frontal vision or peripheral vision focus point of a driver driving the second vehicle behind the moving vehicle; and

the second warning light installed in the rear portion of the vehicle within a pre-determined distance of the first warning light including a static display light also installed to be only viewable by only the second vehicle directly behind the moving vehicle, wherein the second warning light provides a second type of visual information indicating that the moving vehicle has not yet resumed a previous moving speed after the slowing event detected by the signal detection circuit, thereby holding a visual attention of the driver driving the second vehicle behind the moving vehicle,

the rear end collision prevention apparatus reducing or preventing rear end collisions of vehicles and reducing or preventing driver acclimatization to rear end collision lights.

19. A method for rear end collision prevention for a moving vehicle, comprising:

detecting on a signal detection circuit on a rear end collision prevention apparatus a slowing event indicating that a moving vehicle is de-accelerating, the rear end collision apparatus comprising in combination;

a signal detection circuit configured for detecting a signal from one or more of a plurality of slowing events in the moving vehicle,

a signal generation circuit connected to the signal detection circuit and connected to a first warning light and a second warning light and configured for generating a first signal to turn on the first warning light within a first pre-determined time of one or more of the plurality of slowing events and to turn on the second warning light within a second pre-determined time of turning on the first warning light and for generating a third signal to turn on the first warning light and the second warning light simultaneously,

the first warning light installed in a rear portion of the vehicle including a directional strobe light installed to be only visible and viewable by only a second vehicle directly behind the moving vehicle, wherein the first warning light provides a first type of visual information that attracts a frontal vision or peripheral vision focus point of a driver driving the second vehicle behind the moving vehicle,

the second warning light installed in the rear portion of the vehicle within a pre-determined distance of the first warning light including a static display light also installed to be only viewable by only the second vehicle directly behind the moving vehicle, wherein the second warning light provides a second type of visual information indicating that the moving vehicle has not yet resumed a previous moving speed after the one or more of the plurality of slowing events detected by the signal detection circuit;

automatically activating on the signal generation circuit on the rear end collision prevention apparatus the first warning light indicating the moving vehicle has entered the detected slowing event wherein the first warning light attracts a frontal vision or peripheral vision focus point of a driver driving the second vehicle behind the moving vehicle;

detecting on the signal detection circuit on the rear end collision prevention apparatus a second slow event indicating that the moving vehicle is not re-accelerating after the slowing event; and

automatically activating on the signal generation circuit on the rear end collision prevention apparatus the second warning light indicating that the moving vehicle is not yet re-accelerating after the slowing event, wherein the second warning light provides a second type of visual information indicating that the moving vehicle has not yet resumed a previous moving speed,

thereby reducing or preventing rear end collisions of vehicles and reducing or preventing driver acclimatization to rear end collision lights.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

detecting on the signal detection circuit on the rear end collision prevention apparatus a pre-determined type of slowing event indicating that the first moving vehicle is de-accelerating; and

automatically and simultaneously activating on the signal generation circuit on the rear end collision prevention apparatus the first warning light indicating the first moving vehicle has entered the detected pre-determined type of slowing event and the second warning light indicating that the moving vehicle is not yet re-accelerating after the detected pre-determined slowing event.