# US 10,369,925 B2 · Integrated and automated automotive brake/horn/light apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,369,925 B2 - Document ID: US10369925B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/177,304 - Filed: 2016-06-08 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2015-06-08 - Applicants: Robert J. Cannella; Mark D. Lorusso - Inventors: Robert J. Cannella; Mark D. Lorusso - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369925B2 ## CPC - B60Q 5/006: {indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians} - B60Q 1/525: {automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data} - B60Q 9/008: {for anti-collision purposes} - B60T 7/22: initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle {, or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle} - B60T 17/22: Devices for monitoring or checking brake systems; Signal devices - B60Q 2900/30: Lamps commanded by wireless transmissions - B60T 2201/022: Collision avoidance systems - B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL - B60T: VEHICLE BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF; BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS OR PARTS THEREOF, IN GENERAL (electrodynamic brake systems for vehicle, in general B60L; brakes per se, i.e. devices where braking effect occurs, including ultimate brake actuators, F16D); ARRANGEMENT OF BRAKING ELEMENTS ON VEHICLES IN GENERAL; PORTABLE DEVICES FOR PREVENTING UNWANTED MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES; VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS TO FACILITATE COOLING OF BRAKES ## Abstract An apparatus and method to automatically and individually, simultaneously, and/or sequentially operate a horn system, a light system and/or a braking system of a vehicle. A threat detection system secured in the vehicle detects threats and sends one or more signals, directly or indirectly, to the braking, horn and/or light systems to activate those systems to improve delivery time of safety and/or emergency warning signals to third party vehicles and pedestrians. The systems can be connected directly via relay, or may incorporate an intermediary electronic control unit or controller to coordinate operation of the systems. A deactivation device enables a driver to disconnect the threat detection system from the horn, light and braking systems to permit manual control of those systems. A second deactivation device permits the driver to disconnect coordinated control of the brake, horn and/or light systems from the threat detection system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for operating automatically vehicle horn, light and braking systems simultaneously comprising: a vehicle; a threat detection system for detecting external threats secured in the vehicle, wherein the threat detection system comprises at least one sensor for detecting external threats; an electronic control unit secured in the vehicle and connected to the threat detection system; a vehicle horn system secured in the vehicle for emitting audible signals and connected to the electronic control unit; a vehicle light system secured in the vehicle for emitting visual signals from the front, side and/or back of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle light system is connected to the electronic control unit; a vehicle braking system incorporated into the vehicle and connected to the electronic control unit, wherein detection of an external threat by the at least one sensor sends at least one signal to the electronic control unit, which, in response to the at least one signal, sends at least one activation signal to automatically and simultaneously activate the braking system, the horn system and the light system without driver input. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising relays positioned between the electronic control unit and the horn system and light system to relay signals received from the control unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising at least one light in the light system wherein the electronic control unit operates the at least one light when the electronic control unit is engaged. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a central processing system connected between the electronic control unit and the horn and light systems to process and relay signals from the electronic control unit to the horn and light systems. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the electronic control unit is wired directly to the horn and light systems. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a relay between the electronic control unit and horn system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a relay between the electronic control unit and light system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising at least one transmitter connected to the electronic control unit and at least one receiver connected to the horn and light systems to wirelessly transmit signals from the electronic control unit to the horn and light systems. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electronic control unit comprises a pair of horn contacts and a pair of light contacts whereby an electrical signal is sent to the horn system when the horn contacts touch and an electrical signal is sent to the light system when the light contacts touch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a light control switch positioned in the vehicle and positioned electrically between the electronic control unit and the light system wherein the light control switch disengages the light system from control of the electronic control unit when activated. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of electronic control units to control the brake, horn and lights systems. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the plurality of electronic control units receive signals from a central processor that receives one or more signals from the threat detection system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the plurality of electronic control units are secured to one or more buses. ### Claim 14 An apparatus for automatically operating a vehicle horn and/or light system comprising: a threat detection system for detecting external threats secured in a vehicle; wherein the threat detection system comprises at least one sensor for detecting external threats; a controller secured in the vehicle, wherein the controller is connected to the threat detection system; a vehicle horn system for emitting audible signals secured in the vehicle; a vehicle light system for emitting visual signals from the front, side and/or back of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle light system is secured in the vehicle; and, a brake system secured in the vehicle, wherein detection of a threat by the threat detection system sends at least one signal to the controller, which sends at least one activation signal to the brake system to automatically activate the brake system, which sends a feedback signal to the controller during or after brake activation to send an activation signal to the horn and/or light systems to automatically activate one or both systems. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the apparatus further comprises relays secured between the controller and sub-systems including the horn system, the light system and the threat detection system. ### Claim 16 A method of automatically operating a vehicle horn system and a vehicle light system simultaneously comprising the steps of: providing a vehicle with a threat detection system for detecting external threats secured in the vehicle, wherein the threat detection system comprises at least one sensor for detecting external threats; providing a vehicle horn system for emitting audible signals secured in the vehicle; providing a vehicle light system for emitting visual signals from the front, side and/or back of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle light system is secured in the vehicle; providing a brake system secured in the vehicle; providing an electronic control unit secured in the vehicle connected to the threat detection system, the horn system, the light system and the brake system; detecting a threat with the threat detection system; sending a signal from the threat detection system to the electronic control unit; and, sending a first activation signal from the electronic control unit to the horn system and the light system to automatically and simultaneously activate the horn and light systems. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of sending a second activation signal from the electronic control unit to the brake system to activate the brake system brakes. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of: sending the first and second signals simultaneously to automatically operate the brake system, the horn system and the light system simultaneously.