Vehicle signalling system

Abstract

A vehicle signal system for requesting drivers to dim or turn on their vehicles' headlights comprising a signal light for transmitting a high intensity flashing beam to a driver of an oncoming vehicle, a pair of signal lights for transmitting a pair of alternating flashing beams to a driver of a vehicle behind the signalling vehicle, a control unit for controlling the flashing of the high intensity beams and a driver control for activating and de-activating the front and rear signal lights. One feature of the invention is that the driver control is mounted in a day/night rear view mirror near the eye level of the driver. Another feature is that the front signal light is mounted in the forward end of an outside mirror on the side of the vehicle. The signal system has two selectable operating states. In one operating state, the front and rear signal lights automatically flash for predetermined intervals of time. In the other operating state, the signal lights flash continuously until de-activated by the driver. In an alternate embodiment for vehicles equipped with automatic dimming rear view mirrors, the rear signal lights are automatically activated and de-activated by the mirror's light sensing photocell. In another alternate embodiment, a pair of back-up lamps also function as the rear signal lights.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.