Vehicle collision warning system with proximity sensing and approaching vehicle warning signal generation
AssigneeTruck-Lite Co., LLC
InventorsPaul G. Sniegocki, Roger Elmer, Michael Violi, Justin Gregory, Seth Ammer, Michael Marley, Nadim Farhat
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle collision warning system integral with or otherwise affixed or mounted to a first vehicle that includes a proximity sensor to detect an approaching vehicle within a predetermined safety zone and emits a warning signal to the driver of the approaching vehicle. Exemplary embodiments to not also warn the driver of the first vehicle when the approaching vehicle is detected within the safety zone of the first vehicle.
Claims17
An after-market collision warning system for a first vehicle, comprising:
- a housing;
- a light module carried by the housing;
- a proximity sensor carried by the housing, configured to detect an approaching vehicle within a predetermined safety zone around the first vehicle;
- a processor carried by and housed inside the housing and connected to the proximity sensor, configured to process sensor signals indicating object proximity;
- an electronic driver carried by and housed inside the housing, powered by one or more batteries or by the first vehicle's power system and connected to the processor, configured to cause the light module to emit light as a warning signal to a driver of the approaching vehicle when the sensor signal indicates the approaching vehicle within the safety zone;
- wherein the collision warning system does not also provide another warning signal specifically directed toward a driver of the first vehicle when the sensor signal indicates an approaching vehicle within the safety zone within a first threshold distance (or some other measured parameter indicating that an impact is possible without intervention).
A method of warning of a potential collision, comprising:
- detecting, by a proximity sensor incorporated in an after-market light module of a first vehicle, approaching vehicle within a predetermined safety zone around the first vehicle;
- processing, by a processor connected to the proximity sensor, sensor signals indicating proximity of the approaching vehicle;
- causing, by an electronic driver housed within the light module and powered by one or more batteries or by the first vehicle's power system, the light module to emit light as a warning signal to a driver of the approaching vehicle when the sensor signal indicates the approaching vehicle within the safety zone;
- further comprising not also providing another warning signal specifically directed toward a driver of the first vehicle when the sensor signal indicates an approaching vehicle within the safety zone within a first threshold distance (or some other measured parameter indicating that an impact is possible without intervention).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.