WO2013028142A1

WO2013028142A1 - A signal system which activates the standard stoplights when vehicle is stationary

Info

Publication number: WO2013028142A1
Application number: PCT/TR2012/000127
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ilker SAFAK
Original assignee: Safak Ilker
Priority date: 2011-08-24
Filing date: 2012-08-17
Publication date: 2013-02-28
Also published as: TR201108539A2

Abstract

The invention aims to forewarn following drivers to evade any rear-end collisions, and is fundamentally about a driver-independent control unit (5) that includes a signalization system which automatically switches on the stoplights (4) in accordance with the frequency data received from the frequency generator (2), when the vehicle is stationary.

Description

DESCRIPTION

A SIGNAL SYSTEM WHICH ACTIVATES THE STANDARD STOPLIGHTS WHEN VEHICLE

IS STATIONARY

Technical Field of the Invention

The invention is related to all motor vehicles including -but not limited to- automobiles, trucks, commercial vehicles, business machines etc, which actively operate on all types of roads and highways.

The invention is particularly related to a signal system which ensures the warning of following vehicles behind, by way of turning on the stoplights in accordance with the speed information, either when the driver of above motor vehicles brakes or when the vehicle is completely still.

Prior Art

Currently, motor vehicles have some signal systems / light indicators which warn other drivers of the move that drives is making or planning to make. These are right and left turn-signal lights and stoplights. Stoplights of current motor vehicles become illuminated when driver presses on brake pedal -either on the move or stationary- and remain unlit otherwise. When brake pedal is not in use, in this case vehicle is not able to release any sign of immobility to vehicles behind. This inability causes unfavourable situations which are vulnerable to accidents especially at night / low visibility conditions.

On account of that all motor vehicles must possess a driver-independent warning system that operates to indicate the motionless position of it. It must be able to sense its own state (on the move / stationary) and turn on the stoplights automatically when it halts. In case of a stop, sometimes as a measure, drivers prefer to use hazard lights to make vehicle noticeable. However, hazard lights which have been switched on with the intention of releasing warning signal to other drivers are not clearly able to indicate that car has stopped (this application is open to misunderstandings). Unfortunately pretty often an accident occurs when a driver sees the hazard lights of a vehicle ahead (which in reality might have stopped in any lane with hazard lights on) and the driver behind deems it on the move thus resulting in maintaining his / her current speed. The entire set of today's segments of vehicles lack this ability.

The deduction here is that, for a following driver, the only way to recognize if vehicle ahead is stationary or not is the degree of brightness of stoplights. The stoplights of vehicles in traffic currently are based on a simple logic. When brake pedal is pressed on, the brake lights radiate a strong red light, whereas no light is released otherwise. That means in the night, the rear view of a moving vehicle (with no brake pedal used) is exactly the same as the one that is stationary. Exactly here at this point a serious life threatening danger emerges. Because one of the vehicles is sitting still while the other is on the move.

Currently, based on deficiencies stated above, some amendments and improvements were made with vehicles. One of them is #TR200607512 a national good practice model application called "Extra Signalization System for Rubber Wheeled Land Vehicles". In an attempt to prevent any adverse situation and traffic accidents that may originate from sudden stops, as an additional warning system to standard lights such as right & left turn-lights, stoplights, hazard lights and reverse gear light, this application covers a signalization system which can be integrated onto vehicles that are currently in use or being manufactured. The said signalization system comprises at least one electronic control unit (ECU) installed in the car adjusting the required warning signs in accordance with the stimulation from triggering terminals and a LED display group that is connected to ECU and located in the rear of vehicle to disseminate the warning signals off.

Nevertheless, the LED display group in this innovation utilized to warn vehicles behind consists solely of a simple plate that has LEDs on it. It simply shows a LED illuminated STOP sign (as a word) when driver presses on brake pedal. When driver gives a signal to turn right or left, the LED display forms an arrow sign accordingly to warn drivers behind. Although it is a system designed to warn drivers, this solution requires an extra apparatus to be mounted on vehicle which reduces the visible field of driver since it curtains some part of rear shield, while creating an additional expense on the other hand.

Another patent related to this subject in the literature is a national patent application with serial #TR200701151 called "Increasing the traffic safety by way of mounting additional stoplights in the front of land motor vehicles. As another attempt to increase traffic safety, this innovation is related to stoplights to be mounted on the upper right & left corners of windscreen of motor vehicles. Only outer, side and front surfaces of mentioned lights are visible to eye, whereas inner, upper and rear surfaces are not. When brake pedal is pressed ,these lights which are visible to other drivers at a distance of 150 - 200 meters, radiate green or blue light. Like regular stoplights, the aim here is to warn other drivers when brake pedal is in use and prevent any accident.

This invention, like the previous one, requires an extra apparatus to be mounted on vehicle which costs additional money. Moreover these warning lights which are mounted on the upper corners of windscreen at a certain height are more likely to merely draw attention of drivers of larger vehicles like trucks, trailers etc. Also visibility of that light for the following vehicle is limited to the driver side only and that is another disadvantage; the right light is curtained.

Above are two examples of patent applications in order to contribute to traffic safety. However both of them lack a system to warn following drivers, which ensures stoplights are on when the vehicle is stationary.

As an inference, there is a need for a new approach which processes the signal data of the frequency sent from the frequency generator and mitigates the above stated disadvantages while setting a solution to current system by way of activating stoplights when vehicle is still.

The Purpose of the Invention

The invention is about a system and the use of that system which meets the requirements stated above and eliminates all deficiencies and bringing about some additional advantages.

One purpose of the invention is to signify to drivers behind that the vehicle is in stationary position in traffic. In order to achieve that, stoplights are automatically switched on when vehicle is still too. Frequency values from the frequency generator are utilized to switch on stoplights. The mobility state of the vehicle is sensed according to these values and this information is used to activate the stoplights with the aim to forewarn the other drivers.

Another purpose of this invention is to develop an accident-preventing practice. In this application the system, that switches on stoplights when vehicle stops, works driver- independently. Ergo, the rear section which the driver has less control on is made safer by a vehicle-controlled signalization.

Reducing the number of rear-end traffic accidents is another purpose of the invention.

The invention -in order to attain the goals stated above- offers a signalization system that automatically activates stoplights (which are normally activated by only pressing the brake pedal) when the speed is 0 km/h and consequently disseminating a signal to other drivers that the vehicle is stationary. The system includes a control unit which:

• receives -from the frequency generator- a signal that bears speed data of vehicle,

• checks whether stoplights are switched on or not in accordance with the speed signal,

• controls automatic activation of stoplights sensing that Speed is 0 km/h.

The control unit is connected to brake pedal in a parallel circuit to activate stoplights without pressing on the brake pedal to reach the aims stated above.

The said system also has a spare battery to be used in case the vehicle battery dies. Structural and characteristic specifications and all advantages of the invention depicted in the figures below and the detailed text that refers to these figures would make it more clear and understandable. Thus, it is recommended that assessment be made on these figures and the corresponding text.

Brief Explanation of the Figures

The invention needs to be assessed along with the figures explained below in order to better understand its structure, additional elements and the advantages it offers.

Figure 1 : The circuit schema of the control unit of the invention which ensures activation of stoplights when vehicle is stationary.

Figure 2: Schematic relationship of the elements which triggers activation of stoplights.

Figure 3a: The state of circuit elements when vehicle is on the move and brake pedal is not pressed.

Figure 3b: The state of circuit elements when vehicle is stationary and brake pedal is not pressed.

Figure 3c: The state of circuit elements when vehicle is stationary and activation of stoplights when brake pedal is pressed.

The drawings are not necessarily scaled and some details are intentionally overlooked in order to simplify them for a better understanding. Additionally, elements that have remarkably identical functions are represented by the same numbers.

Reference Numbers

1. Speedometer 20. Reference voltage generator

2. Frequency generator 30. Frequency voltage converter

3. Brake pedal 40. Analogue digital converter

4. Stoplights 50. Microcontroller unit

5. Control unit 60. Impedance adaptor

5.1 Spare battery 70. Motor active circuit

6. Vehicle battery 80. Light control unit

10. Circuit feeder Detailed Description of the Invention

In this section, preferred structure of the said signalization system is explained in detail for the subject to be better understood.

The invention is about a driver-independent signalization system which automatically switches on the stoplights (4) in accordance with the frequency data received from the frequency generator (2), when vehicle is stationary, in order to warn following drivers.

The signalization system fulfils its function via interactive relation of the indicator (1), the frequency generator (2), the control unit (5) and the stoplights (4). In this signalization system, the frequency value shown in rpm on the indicator (1) is sensed by the control unit (5) and having processed this data by the microcontroller (50) stoplights (4) are activated in accordance with the vehicle speed.

In other words the control unit (5) of the invention activates stoplights (4) when speed data received from the speedometer (1) reads 0 km/h. Additionally, when pressed to slow down, the brake pedal (3) provides electricity power from the main battery (6) and the stoplights (4) get illuminated during a driver-controlled brake too. Again the main battery (6) of the vehicle provides electricity power required by the stoplights (4) in a case when brake pedal (3) is not pressed and vehicle is stationary too. The brake pedal (3) and the control unit (5) could be considered as two separate paralled connected switches to each other. And the vehicle battery (6) is serial connected to both. Only if the brake pedal (3) is pressed then the circuit is closed and the stoplights (4) are switched on by the energy received from the battery (6). Or, if the vehicle speed is sensed by the system as 0 km/h, the circuit is closed over the control unit (5) and then the stoplights (4) are activated.

Figure 2 is a schematic appearance of the functioning system. The speed signal coming from the frequency generator (2) is sent to the speedometer (1) and then to the control unit (5). As auxiliary information, the speed value is reflected on the speedometer (1) in km/h. The control unit (5) checks this speed signal and controls stoplights (4) in accordance with status of vehicle. When the vehicle is stationary, the stoplights (4) of vehicle are illuminated even if the brake pedal (3) is not stepped on. At this course, without any change in the system, stoplights (4) are kept lit whether brake pedal (3) is in use or not. In case of a need (malfunction etc) to detach / replace vehicle battery (6) the spare battery (5.1) connected to control unit (5) gets in charge. This makes it possible for stoplights (4) keep lighting for certain duration.

In figure 3a, the state of elements responsible for closing the circuit when vehicle moves in traffic without use of the brake pedal (3) is shown. In this state, the brake pedal (3) and the control unit (5) are connected with each otherin parallel, and stoplights (4) are serial to them. When it is considered that brake pedal (3) and control unit (5) work in a key logic, while the vehicle cruises in its course normally, brake pedal (3) is not used and stoplights (4) are off.

Shown in figure 3b is a representational circuit schema of illuminated stoplights (4), when speed is 0 km/h and brake pedal (3) is not used. In this case the brake pedal (3) switch is open and the control unit (5) switch is closed. The control unit (5) activates the stoplights (4) according to the speed data which is received from the speedometer (1), even if the brake pedal (3) is not pressed.

In figure 3c, a circuit schema relating illumination of the stoplights (4) when the brake pedal (3) is in use, is shown. Here in this case, circuits of control unit (5) which perceives the speed value of 0 km/h while brake pedal (3) is stepped on, is closed. So the stoplights (4) are on.

The system works as explained below:

• The system is activated when the key is switched to position I (electricity circuits are fed).

• When the key is pulled out from the key slot, since the speed data received from the speedometer (1) will read 0 km/h, the system will not be activated and the stoplights (4) will not be switched on. However, when the driver deems necessary, he/she will be able to activate the system via an additional on/off switch.

• If/when the vehicle battery is dead, within the period of repair / replacement energy required for the stoplights (4) is provided by the spare battery (5.1).

The control unit (5) includes an electronic circuit covered by aluminium box which is a good thermal conductor. This circuit controls functions of the stoplights (4) in accordance with speed data. The control unit (5) is composed of:

• A circuit feeder (10) that converts the battery current from 12 V to 5 V and filters in order to provide proper voltage signal,

• A frequency voltage converter (30) that converts the mechanically or digitally generated speed signal (km/h) to voltage signal and adjusts that signal to a appropriate level so that it can be used as input for the analog digital converter (40),

• A microprocessor controlled analogue digital converter (40) that proportions the voltage signal coming from frequency generator (30) with the reference voltage from reference voltage generator (20) and converts to eight-bit digital data,

• A microprocessor circuit (50) that processes the digital data from analogue- digital converter (40) and controls all input-output units (speed signal-stoplights (4)) in accordance with the process outcomes, • A reference voltage generator (20) that maintains an uninterrupted and constant value of reference voltage required by the analogue-digital converter (40) while it converts the voltage signal from frequency voltage converter (30),

• An impedance adaptor (60) that filters the voltage at frequency voltage converter (30) output in order to prevent fluctuations, then transfers to other circuit units,

• A motor active circuit (70) that interrogates whether the engine is on or off,

• A light control unit (80) -again controlled by the microprocessor (50)- that activates the stoplights (4) via electronic keying.

A constant and stable voltage signal is obtained by adjusting the impedance adaptor (60) to desired level by a potentiometer.

Figure 1 covers a circuit schema in which all elements of the system is depicted. It must be noted that the same functionality can be achieved by different board designs or circuit elements as well. That schema is only an example of many options.

Claims

The invention is about a signalization system which activates the stoplights (4) -which are normally lit when brake pedal (3) is pressed- automatically without using brake pedal when vehicle speed is 0 km/h and ensures release of a warning signal to other vehicles in traffic, to express the vehicle is stationary and characterized in comprising a control unit (5) which,

• receives a signal that bears speed data of vehicle from the frequency generator (2),

• in accordance with the speed signal checks whether the stoplights (4) are on or not,

• controls automatic activation of the stoplights (4) sensing that speed is 0 km/h

It has a signalization system according to the claim 1 , characterized in that, the control unit (5) is connected to the stoplights (4) in parallel in order to ensure activation of the stoplights (4) without pressing the brake pedal.

It has a signalization system according to the claim 1 and 2, characterized in that it includes a spare battery (51) which ensures continuous functionality of the stoplights (4) in case vehicle battery is dead.