Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – For bicycle
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-04
2001-09-04
Swarthout, Brent A. (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
For bicycle
C340S407100, C340S965000, C701S096000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06285279
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information device for judging traffic conditions and notifying information to a driver.
2. Description of Background Art
Methods have been proposed for determining traffic conditions by detecting another vehicle or a moving body that approaches the driver's vehicle while driving, and informing the driver of the traffic conditions.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open publication No. Hei. 2-216600 discloses a method where a receiver is provided in a vehicle for monitoring the traffic during travel, judging that another moving body is within a short distance by receiving a warning transmitted by a transmitter provided in that moving body, transmitting a warning and notifying the driver of the traffic conditions.
The driver hears and acknowledges this warning, judges the traffic conditions, and actuates operating means such as, for example, a throttle grip in the case of a motorcycle, to reduce the speed of the vehicle.
This warning is a not only an audible signal, but may also be a visible signal, such as the illumination of a display lamp.
In such prior art, since from the time a change occurs in traffic conditions until the driver causes an action in response to the change in conditions the driver follows a series of actions such as visibly or audibly perceiving the warning, recognizing it in his brain, judging conditions, sending operating instructions from his brain to his hands or feet, and then actually carrying out the operation. There is a limit to the extent by which a response time can be reduced from recognizing a warning to the actual human operation of the vehicle.
During an urgent situation, response time is preferably shortened, but there is the limitation described above, and it is possible to fail to recognize the warning due to overlooking, misreading, not hearing, or mishearing the warning if the driver becomes flustered when hurrying.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been conceived in view of the above points, and the object of the invention is to provide an information device that enables a substantial reduction in overall response time and makes it difficult to fail to recognize a warning.
In order to achieve the above described object, the present invention provides an information device including an external force generating means for supplying an external force to an operating means touched by the extremities, the hands or feet, of a driver at the time of the operation of a vehicle; judging means for receiving an external signal and judging traffic conditions; and control means for controlling the driving of the external force generating means based on the determined results of the judging means.
If an external signal is received and traffic conditions are judged, the external force generating means is driven based on the result of the judgement and the external force is supplied to operating means touched by the hands or feet of the driver for controlling driving devices of a vehicle while the vehicle is travelling. This means that information is conveyed to the hands or feet of the driver from the operating means to be operated not according to the hearing or seeing ability of the driver but according to the traffic conditions. Thus, there is no failure to recognize the warning and it is possible to significantly reduce the overall response time.
The present invention provides an information device wherein the external force generating means supplies external force to a throttle grip of a vehicle with handlebars.
If an external signal is received and an external force is supplied to the throttle grip to be actuated according to traffic conditions, information is conveyed directly to the hands of the driver from the throttle grip to be operated not according to the hearing or seeing ability of the driver but according to traffic conditions. Thus, there is no failure to recognize the warning and it is possible to significantly reduce the overall response time.
The present invention provides an information device wherein the external force generating means comprises at least one of an urging means for supplying an urging force to the throttle grip in a direction to reduce the number of engine revolutions, and excitation means for supplying vibration to the throttle grip.
If an external signal is received, vibration is applied to the throttle grip to be actuated according to traffic conditions, and an urging force is applied in a direction to reduce the number of engine revolutions. Thus, the driver recognizes the vibration or urging force directly acting on his hands, so there is no failure to recognize the warning and it is possible to significantly reduce the overall response time.
The present invention provides an information device wherein the external force generating means supplies external force to an accelerator pedal of a four wheeled vehicle.
If an external signal is received and external force is supplied to the accelerator pedal to be actuated according to traffic conditions, information is conveyed directly to the hands of the driver from the accelerator pedal to be operated not according to the hearing or seeing ability of the driver but according to traffic conditions. Thus, there is no failure to recognize the warning and it is possible to significantly reduce the overall response time.
The present invention provides an information device wherein the external force generating means comprises at least one of urging means for supplying a new urging force to the accelerator pedal in a direction to return to a deceleration side, and excitation means for supplying vibration to the accelerator pedal.
If an external signal is received, vibration is applied to the accelerator to be actuated according to traffic conditions. An urging force is applied in a direction to reduce the number of engine revolutions. Thus, the driver recognizes the vibration or a new urging force directly acting on his feet, so there is no failure to recognize the warning and it is possible to significantly reduce the overall response time.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3961598 (1976-06-01), Krieger
patent: 3985195 (1976-10-01), Tixier
patent: 4060008 (1977-11-01), Wilkinson
patent: 4628317 (1986-12-01), Nishikawa et al.
patent: 4848502 (1989-07-01), Kikuta et al.
patent: 5568797 (1996-10-01), Landerretche
patent: 0448756 (1991-10-01), None
patent: 2216600 (1990-08-01), None
Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP.
Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Swarthout Brent A.
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