Vehicle stop lamp system

A luminant indicator system for indicating braking by a vehicle, the luminant indicator system comprising:

• brake switch means having first and second switch states corresponding to whether the vehicle is not in a braking mode or in a braking mode, respectively;
• lamp means for producing an output luminance having a predetermined output luminance characteristic with respect to a magnitude characteristic of an applied input electrical signal, said luminance characteristic including a corresponding first magnitude level of said magnitude characteristic of said applied input electrical signal at which said output luminance is in a low output luminance range approximately between zero and a predeterminable low output luminance level and a corresponding second magnitude level of said magnitude characteristic of said applied input signal at which said output luminance is at a nominal rated output luminance level which is greater than said low output luminance range;
• and
• signal control means responsive to said brake switch means for controlling said magnitude characteristic of said applied input electrical signal to said first magnitude level when said brake switch means is in said first switch state, and said second magnitude level when said brake switch means is in said second switch state.

A vehicle stop lamp system comprising:

• incandescent lamp means for producing an output illumination;
• brake switch means responsive to the application of a braking force to said vehicle;
• controllable switch means for controlling conduction of an electric signal to said incandescent lamp means;
• control means coupled to said controllable switch means for controlling conduction of said electric signal to said incandescent lamp means in response to said brake switch means;
• signal augmentation means coupled to said brake switch means for applying an augmented signal to said incandescent lamp means in response to said brake switch means;
• and
• disablement means for disabling said controllable switch means in response to a difference between said augmented signal and a nominal reference potential.