Illuminated vehicle warning system

• US 9,139,131 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2014
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BLC Paws, LLC
• Original Assignee: BLC Paws, LLC
• Inventors: Jones, Markley L., Edwards, Joseph L., Edwards, Matthew L., Zamer, John E., Folkert, Piotr A., Sirmon, James B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehmood, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Terrell, Emily C
• Application Number:
  US14/155,164
• Publication Number:
  US 20150197182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 340/467, 340463-479, 340/453
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2696 Mounting of devices using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/302 mounted in the vicinity, e.g. in the middle, of a rear window
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/442 visible on the front side of the vehicle, e.g. for pedestrians
• 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 1/445 controlled by inertial devices
• 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 2900/30 Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions

Abstract

An illuminative device (100) includes a control circuit (101), an acceleration detector (102) operable with the control circuit, and a plurality of light sources (103) operable with the control circuit. The control circuit is to receive an input (108) from the acceleration detector indicating deceleration (601) exceeds a predetermined threshold (662). Upon receipt of the input, the control circuit is to deliver a time-varying control signal to continuously illuminate the plurality of light sources with an illumination level varying between a first non-zero illumination level (664) and a second non-zero illumination level (665) in accordance with a frequency of the time-varying control signal.

Claims

1. An illuminative device, comprising:

a control circuit;

an acceleration detector operable with the control circuit; and

a plurality of light sources operable with the control circuit;

the control circuit to;

receive an input from the acceleration detector indicating deceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

upon receipt of the input, deliver a time-varying drive signal to continuously illuminate the plurality of light sources with an illumination level varying between a first non-zero illumination level and a second non-zero illumination level as the time-varying drive signal varies between a first positive magnitude to illuminate the plurality of light sources at the first non-zero illumination level and a second positive magnitude to illuminate the plurality of light sources at the second non-zero illumination level.

2. The illuminative device of claim 1, each of the plurality of light sources comprising a maximum output illumination level, the first non-zero illumination level less than thirty percent of the maximum output illumination level.

3. The illuminative device of claim 2, the second non-zero illumination level greater than eighty percent of the maximum output illumination level.

4. The illuminative device of claim 3, the first non-zero illumination level about twenty percent of the maximum output illumination level.

5. The illuminative device of claim 1, the predetermined threshold about seventy-five percent of one standard gravity (g).

6. The illuminative device of claim 1, the frequency less than five Hertz.

7. The illuminative device of claim 6, the frequency about two Hertz.

8. The illuminative device of claim 1, further comprising a chassis coupled to or integrated with the plurality of light sources.

9. The illuminative device of claim 8, the plurality of light sources arranged to form a triangle.

10. The illuminative device of claim 9, the chassis pellucid interior the triangle.

11. The illuminative device of claim 8, further comprising a detachable connector to attach the chassis to a window of a vehicle.

12. The illuminative device of claim 11, the detachable connector comprising a suction cup.

13. The illuminative device of claim 1, the plurality of light sources integral with a window of a vehicle.

14. The illuminative device of claim 1, further comprising a control switch to, when actuated, cause the control circuit to deliver the time-varying drive signal independent of the input.

15. The illuminative device of claim 14, further comprising a master switch to prevent illumination of the plurality of light sources when actuated.

16. The illuminative device of claim 15, one or more of the control switch or the master switch wirelessly in communication with the control circuit.

17. The illuminative device of claim 1, the plurality of light sources comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes to emit red light.

18. An illuminative device, comprising:

a housing;

an acceleration detector disposed in the housing;

a control circuit disposed in the housing to receive an input from the acceleration detector; and

a plurality of light sources disposed on or in the housing, arranged in a triangle and operable with the control circuit;

the control circuit to, when the input indicates deceleration in excess of a threshold, deliver a time-varying drive signal to illuminate the plurality of light sources at a time-varying non-zero illumination level ranging from less than thirty percent of a maximum illumination level of the plurality of light sources to more than seventy percent of the maximum illumination level at a predetermined frequency as the time-varying drive signal varies between a first positive magnitude to illuminate the plurality of light sources at a first non-zero illumination level and a second positive magnitude to illuminate the plurality of light sources at a second non-zero illumination level.

19. The illuminative device of claim 18, the control circuit to terminate the time-varying drive signal after a predetermined duration.

20. A method of illuminating a plurality of light sources arranged as a warning triangle, comprising:

detecting deceleration in excess of a threshold; and

causing, with a time-varying drive signal, the plurality of light sources to emit light at time-varying non-zero illumination levels between less than thirty percent of a maximum illumination level and more than seventy percent of the maximum illumination level as the time-varying drive signal varies between a first positive magnitude to illuminate the plurality of light sources at a first non-zero illumination level and a second positive magnitude to illuminate the plurality of light sources at a second non-zero illumination level.