Commercial Vehicle Back-Up Trainer and Method
AssigneeJ.J. Keller & Associates, Inc.
InventorsJason Jon Kreidler, Ryan N. Gens, Benjamin Luke Burleson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A commercial vehicle backup trainer and method for enabling drivers to practice backing up and to provide the drivers with real-time feedback during backup training.
Claims26
A commercial vehicle backup trainer comprising:
- a distance sensor for measuring the distance between the rear of a commercial vehicle and a fixed training target while a driver is practicing backing up the commercial vehicle;
- and
- a visual indicator viewable by the driver of the commercial vehicle that changes color as the distance between the commercial vehicle and the training target changes as the driver is practicing backing up towards the training target.
A commercial vehicle backup trainer comprising:
- a distance sensor;
- color changeable lights;
- a display screen;
- a processor in communication with the distance sensor, the color changeable lights and the display screen;
- and
- a support structure for supporting the distance sensor, the color changeable lights, the display screen and the processor;
- wherein the distance sensor continually measures the distance between the rear of a commercial vehicle that is being backed up toward the support structure and continually communicates that distance to the processor,
- wherein the processor continually communicates the distance to the display screen for viewing by the commercial vehicle's driver, and
- wherein the processor changes the color changeable lights for viewing by the commercial vehicle's driver as the distance of the commercial vehicle to the support structure decreases as the commercial vehicle is being backed up toward the support structure.
A method for a driver to practice backing up a commercial vehicle toward a fixed training target while being provided real time feedback in a first mode, the method comprising the steps:
- providing a fixed training target for a driver of a commercial vehicle to practice backing up toward;
- continuously measuring the distance between the rear of the commercial vehicle and the fixed training target while the driver is practicing backing up the commercial vehicle;
- and
- providing real-time visual feedback to the driver as the distance between the rear of the commercial vehicle and the fixed training target changes using color changeable lights.
A method for a driver to practice backing up a commercial vehicle toward a fixed training target while being provided real time feedback, the method comprising the steps:
- providing a fixed training target for a driver of a commercial vehicle to practice backing up toward;
- continuously measuring the distance between the rear of the commercial vehicle and the fixed training target while the driver is practicing backing up the commercial vehicle;
- and
- providing real-time feedback to the driver of the distance between the rear of the commercial vehicle and the fixed training target and of the skew angle of the commercial vehicle relative to the fixed training target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.