Communications: electrical – External condition vehicle-mounted indicator or alarm – Transmitter in another vehicle
Patent
1994-08-05
1998-10-27
Hofsass, Jeffery A.
Communications: electrical
External condition vehicle-mounted indicator or alarm
Transmitter in another vehicle
340464, 340466, 340467, 340479, B60Q 100
Patent
active
058283196
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display system for a motor vehicle. The display system according to the invention enables an observer to gain some appreciation of the magnitude of the deceleration of an observed motor vehicle, for example, from a following motor vehicle and to be informed if that observed motor vehicle is stationary or moving.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known vehicle display systems include a system which indicates the severity of vehicle braking. One such system is disclosed in Road Research Laboratory Report LR287 issued by the UK Ministry of Transport. Report LR287 discloses a system comprising a multiple brakelight visual display. The number of brake indicator lights which are illuminated in a display is dependent upon the magnitude of deceleration of the vehicle. Report LR287 also refers to a throttle-operated brakelight which is activated to indicate a low level of vehicle deceleration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a motor vehicle display system which preferably comprises vehicle deceleration detection means and an indicator in which the vehicle deceleration detection means operatively communicates with the indicator to generate a predetermined signal independently of the braking system of the vehicle so that said indicator presents a visual display indicative of the magnitude of deceleration of the vehicle. According to a feature of this aspect of the invention the deceleration detection means may comprise a piezo-resistive seismic accelerometer, or a vehicle velocity measuring and timing reference device which device calculates vehicle deceleration. With respect to the latter device this may comprise a part of a vehicle's anti-lock braking system.
Another aspect of the invention provides a motor vehicle display system which preferably comprises vehicle motion detection means and an indicator which vehicle motion means operatively communicate with said indicator to generate a predetermined signal so that said indicator presents a visual display indicative of the vehicle being stationary. In a preferred form both this stationary indicator and the progressive brake warning system are provided in the same display system. The predetermined signal generated by the indicator may be a random signal.
According to a feature of this aspect of the invention the vehicle motion detection means may comprise a vehicle velocity measuring device such as an opto-sensor associated with the vehicle speedometer. Alternatively it is possible to utilize information relating to the velocity of the vehicle generated by an anti-lock braking system as source data for the vehicle traction detection means.
According to another feature of this aspect of the invention the indicator may comprise an array of lamps which are illuminated and extinguished in a time dependent manner to indicate that the vehicle is stationary. This animate display may be a predetermined sequence of activating and deactivating the lamps or it may be random; if the sequence is predetermined, it may be cyclic. The stationary vehicle display can be deactivated after vehicle traction begins. Preferably the display may remain observable while the vehicle engine is running and the vehicle is stationary until a second vehicle is detected as being a predetermined distance behind the first vehicle using a vehicle distance measuring device. This feature will avoid annoying following drivers in slow moving and stationary traffic.
Another aspect of the invention provides a vehicle proximity detector which preferably comprises a transducer and a control module wherein said transducer is operative to produce an output signal and to receive an input signal.
The time delay between the output and input signals being indicative of the distance between the transducer and an object, such as a following vehicle, and wherein said control module is operative to drive said transducer and to provide a module output signal dependent on the tim
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Cucinotta Marco
Hall Simon Lewis Marshall
Strong Gareth Anthony
Tonkin Mark Christopher
Design Technology & Innovation Limited
Hofsass Jeffery A.
Lefkowitz Edward
Rosenberg Sumner C.
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