Impact-induced lighting to mitigate post-accident risk
AssigneeUnited Services Automobile Association (USAA)
InventorsSnehal Desai, Andrew L. Anaruk, Bradly J. Billman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates generally to safety lighting devices for automotive vehicles. A safety lighting system coupled to an automotive vehicle includes a power source that is independent of an electrical system of the vehicle. The system also includes a lighting feature electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the lighting feature is configured to activate in response to an impact event.
Claims18
A safety lighting system of an automotive vehicle, wherein the safety lighting system comprises:
- a power source that is independent of an electrical system of the automotive vehicle;
- and
- a lighting feature positioned at an exterior surface of the automotive vehicle and electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the power source and the lighting feature are embedded within the exterior surface of a glass or polymer component of the automotive vehicle or disposed within an at least partially transparent polymer packaging that is adhered to the exterior surface of the automotive vehicle, and wherein the safety lighting system is configured to activate the lighting feature to emit light from the exterior surface of the automotive vehicle in response to an impact event.
A method, comprising:
- modifying a safety lighting device in response to an impact event to activate a lighting feature of the safety lighting device to emit light from the exterior surface of the automotive vehicle, wherein the safety lighting device is disposed at an exterior surface of an automotive vehicle, and wherein the lighting feature is powered by a power source of the safety lighting device that is independent of an electrical system of the automotive vehicle;
- temporarily deactivating the lighting feature to conserve power of the power supply;
- and
- reactivating the lighting feature in response to detecting wireless communication signals.
A safety lighting device for an automotive vehicle, wherein the safety lighting device comprises:
- a polymer packaging comprising an adhesive layer;
- a power source disposed within the polymer packaging that is independent of an electrical system of the automotive vehicle;
- and
- a lighting feature disposed within the polymer packaging and electrically coupled to the power source, wherein the adhesive layer of the polymer packaging is configured to adhere the safety lighting device to an exterior surface of the automotive vehicle, wherein the safety lighting device is configured to activate the lighting feature in response to an impact event of the automotive vehicle to produce light at the exterior surface of the automotive vehicle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.