Communications: electrical – Aircraft alarm or indicating systems – Nonalarm flight indicator
Reexamination Certificate
1996-10-21
2002-09-24
Swarthout, Brent A. (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Aircraft alarm or indicating systems
Nonalarm flight indicator
C307S010800, C340S471000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06456206
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inclement weather safety system, wherein the various lights on a vehicle will strobe and vary intensity depending on the weather conditions.
This invention is suitable for any vehicle that is used during inclement weather.
The present invention is directed to allowing other drivers in your vicinity to see your vehicle at a further distance away, where there is very severe inclement weather conditions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The turning on of the headlights of a vehicle during poor visibility conditions is a safety measure. In some states the law requires that when the windshield wipers are turned on, such as during rain conditions, the headlights must also be turned on. Operation of the vehicle exterior lights not only enhances visibility by the vehicle operator, but also enhances visibility of the vehicle to third parties.
Previously, there have been inventions that are in vehicles that automatically switch on hazard lights of a motor vehicle if the vehicle falls below a prescribes threshold speed or when the closure speed or distance between the motor vehicle and another motor vehicle drops below prescribed values.
Other inventions turn on the vehicles headlights when the windshield wipers are turned on. For example, in U.S. Pat No. 4,656,363, to Carter et al. and Rosenblum U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,099. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,120 to Schultz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,837 to Nolin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,845 to Vanderpoel, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,596 to Aloisantoni all disclose similar or related systems. The U.S. Pat No. 3,769,519 to Adamian discloses an automatic control for the headlights responsive to ambient light levels.
There have also been inventions in the prior art that vary the blink rate of the brake lights of a vehicle in proportion with the degree of hazard sensed according to change in deceleration such as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,594. Freeman et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,013 of Freeman teaches the concept of controlling the duty cycle of a pulse-form signal provided for energization of vehicle brake lights for purposes of controlling brake light intensity in stepwise manner as a function of brake pressure.
Numerous innovations for inclement weather safety systems have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,373, titled Multi-level Illumination Control System for Automotive Signaling, invented by William H. Freeman, John H. Scandrett And John R. Durbin a vehicular borne illumination control system of the invention for vehicular use automatically controls intensity of a signal light source, i.e., center mounted brake signal, as a function of one or more safety-affecting parameters, e.g., deceleration and/or light level or other ambient condition including fog or precipitation as sensed by sensor(s) of the system. MOSFET switching controls energization of the light from vehicle power, with capability of providing different possible illumination levels by duty cycle control. A microcontroller is responsive sensor input for controlling the duty cycle to vary energization of the light source for transition between said different illumination levels. The transition is thus able to be varied according to a time-varying function, as effectively by spiked overdriving or underdriving, to compensate for human physiological inability to perceive change in the different intensity levels or states. This invention varies the intensity of the brake light depending upon various inputs into the sensors.
It has nothing to do with the climate that the vehicle is traveling in or increase illumination of the vehicle's lighting systems.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,331, titled Automatic Vehicle Headlight/taillight Control, invented by Jack B. Meister, an apparatus for operating exterior lights on an automotive vehicle under inclement weather conditions that includes an electronic switch responsive to a vehicle operator for selectively activation the vehicle windshield wipers under inclement weather conditions. and electronic circuitry responsive to the windshield wiper switch for automatically applying electrical power to the vehicle exterior lights. The electronic circuitry preferably comprises a latch circuit that is set by operator activation of the vehicle windshield wipers for maintaining illumination of the vehicle exterior lights even if the windshield wipers are later deactivated by the operator. The latch circuit is reset by operation of the vehicle ignition switch to disenable ignition at the vehicle engine. Thus, the vehicle exterior lights are activated. and remain activated under inclement weather conditions that require operation of the windshield wipers. This invention turns on the exterior lights of a vehicle when inclement weather is detected whereas the present invention will strobe or vary the illumination of the various lighting systems of the vehicle to warn other vehicles and aid them in detection of the illuminated vehicle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,185,558, titled Vehicle Light, Windshield Wiper Control System, invented by Charles E. Benedict and Donald M. Stumpf, a vehicle's input switches relating to ignition, lights and moisture or rain provide responsive inputs that feed through a digital logic circuit to outputs of an electronic switching device for automatically activating the vehicle's lights and wipers. An alarm may be activated if certain input switches are turned on when the ignition is off. The digital logic circuit may be discrete, a programmable read only memory (PROM) or a programmable logic array (PLA). The electronic switching device may constitute a driver circuit and an integrated circuit which includes both a relay switching circuit and a switched circuit, for example a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) driver and a power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor (MOSFET) integrated circuit. This system activates the vehicles lights and wipers whereas the present invention varies the illumination of the vehicle or strobes the vehicles lights to warn oncoming vehicles.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,370, titled Intelligent, Automatic Hazard Light for a Motor Vehicle, invented by Karl F. Milde an intelligent electronic circuit apparatus is disclosed for automatically controlling the hazard warning system (such as tail light) of a motor vehicle so as to assist in preventing accidents. The apparatus includes a switch for selectively connecting the tail light with a voltage source and a control device for automatically closing the switch, thereby connecting the tail light to the voltage source, in response to a condition indicating a hazard to other vehicles in the vicinity. The invention provides means for sensing the driving environment of the motor vehicle and for changing the condition of response in dependence upon the sensed environment. This invention controls the hazard warning system to warn other vehicles of a hazard whereas the present invention controls any number of lighting systems of the vehicle in order to aid in other vehicles being able to see the equipped vehicle at greater distances by increasing the illumination of the lighting systems of said vehicle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,441, invented by Nallinger differs from the present invention because the present invention describes a complete inclement weather safety system. This system comprises specific safety enhancements to a large number of vehicle lights, resulting in a complete warning system for trailing as well as oncoming vehicles. By comparison, the Nallinger patent fails to claim as comprehensive a total system as does the present invention. The Nallinger patent is specifically designed to increase the effectiveness of turn indicator lights. While it is applicable for this specific but limited use, the patent as a whole constitutes merely a limited aspect of the complete presen
Jacobson Irving
Rocca Richard M.
Rocca Richard M.
Swarthout Brent A.
Taphorn Joseph B.
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