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US 8,797,182 B1Granted
Vehicle operator signaling system
OwnerChad Howeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle operator signaling system includes a pair of units with each having a control circuit and a transceiver coupled to the control circuit. A plurality of emitters is coupled to the control circuit. A plurality of actuators is coupled to the control circuit and each is associated with one of the emitters. The transceiver of one of the housings emits a distinct signal associated with an actuated one of the actuators and the transceiver of the one of the housings turns on the emitter associated with the distinct signal.
Claims16
A system for signaling between operators of vehicles, comprising:
- at least two units configured for communication therebetween, each of the units comprising:
- a housing;
- a control circuit mounted on the housing;
- a transceiver configured for transmitting and receiving signals between the units, said transceiver being communicatively coupled to the control circuit;
- a plurality of emitters each being connected to the control circuit, the emitters being mounted on the housing, the plurality of emitters including at least a first emitter and a second emitter;
- a plurality of actuators each being connected to the control circuit, each of the actuators being associated with one of the emitters such that the associated one of the emitters is turned on when an actuator is actuated, the plurality of actuators comprises at least a first actuator and a second actuator;
- wherein the control circuit is configured to cause the transceiver to transmit a first signal when the first actuator is actuated, the control circuit being configured to cause the transceiver to transmit a second signal when the second actuator is actuated, the control circuit being configured to turn on the first emitter when the first signal is received, the control circuit turning on the second emitter when the second signal is received;
- and
- wherein the control circuit and the transceiver are configured to retransmit signals received from another unit to other units to extend an effective transmission range of the another unit.
6 more elements
A system for signaling between operators of vehicles, comprising:
- at least two units configured for communication therebetween, each of the units comprising:
- a housing;
- a control circuit mounted on the housing;
- a transceiver configured for transmitting and receiving signals between the units, said transceiver being communicatively coupled to the control circuit;
- a plurality of emitters each being connected to the control circuit, the emitters being mounted on the housing, the plurality of emitters including at least a first emitter and a second emitter;
- a plurality of actuators each being connected to the control circuit, each of the actuators being associated with one of the emitters such that the associated one of the emitters is turned on when an actuator is actuated, the plurality of actuators comprises at least a first actuator and a second actuator;
- a switch connected to the control circuit, the switch being mounted on the housing;
- and
- a plug being removably coupled to the switch, the switch being actuated when the plug is decoupled from the switch, the control circuit being configured to cause the transceiver to transmit a distress signal to other units which causes the control circuits of the other units to turn on the emitters on the other units;
- and
- wherein the control circuit and the transceiver of each of the units are configured to retransmit signals received from another unit to other units to extend an effective transmission range of each of the units beyond a maximum transmission distance of the unit.
8 more elements
A system for signaling between operators of vehicles, comprising:
- at least a first unit and a second unit, the units being physically independent such that the units are movable to locations remote from each other, each of the units comprising:
- a housing;
- a control circuit mounted on the housing;
- a transceiver configured for wirelessly transmitting and receiving signals between the units, said transceiver being communicatively coupled to the control circuit;
- at least a first indicator set and a second indicator set, each indicator set being mounted on the housing and being connected to the control circuit, each of the indicator sets including a light emitter and an actuator switch, the light emitter of a said indicator set being illuminated when the actuator of the same said indicator set is actuated by a user associated with the unit;
- wherein the control circuit is configured such that actuation of the actuator switch of the first indicator set by a user associated with a said unit causes illumination of the light emitter of the first indicator set of the unit and the transceiver of the unit transmits a first signal that when received by another said unit causes the control circuit of the another unit to illuminate the light emitter of the first indicator set of the another unit such that actuation of the actuator switch on one unit causes illumination of the light emitter of the first indicator set on the unit and the another unit;
- and
- wherein the control circuit is configured such that actuation of the actuator switch of the second indicator set by a user associated with the unit causes illumination of the light emitter of the second indicator set of the unit and the transceiver of the unit transmits a second signal that when received by the another unit causes the control circuit of the another unit to illuminate the light emitter of the second indicator set of the another unit such that actuation of the actuator switch on one unit causes illumination of the light emitter of the second indicator set on the unit and the another unit;
- a switch mounted on the housing and connected to the control circuit;
- and
- a plug being removably coupled to the switch, the switch being actuated when the plug is decoupled from the switch, the control circuit being configured to cause the transceiver to transmit a distress signal, said distress signal when received by one of the units causing the control circuit of the unit to illuminate each of the light emitters on the unit;
- and
- wherein the control circuit and the transceiver of each unit is configured to retransmit signals received from another unit to other units to extend an effective transmission range of each of the units beyond a maximum transmission distance of the unit.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.