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EP-4737215-A2 - ENHANCED COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE HAZARD LIGHTS

EP4737215A2EP 4737215 A2EP4737215 A2EP 4737215A2EP-4737215-A2

Abstract

A system for implementing strobing of existing vehicle hazard lights including an interface to a vehicle wiring harness configured to receive input to an existing vehicle flasher module, and a strobing circuit that responds to an activation signal from the vehicle wiring harness that is indicative of a hazard flasher deployment event by producing an electrical output through the interface to the vehicle wiring harness that causes a strobing of existing vehicle hazard lamps

Inventors

  • TUCKER, DANIEL
  • COBB, JOHN
  • TORKELSON, JONATHAN
  • KIMBERLIN, DENVER
  • MAURYA, Devender

Assignees

  • Emergency Safety Solutions, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20160127

Claims (10)

  1. A system for implementing strobing of existing vehicle hazard lights comprising: an interface to a vehicle wiring harness (208) configured to receive lighting activation signals generated by a user; and a strobing circuit (300) that responds to a first activation signal from the vehicle wiring harness that is indicative of a hazard flasher deployment event by producing a first electrical output through the interface to the vehicle wiring harness that causes a strobing of existing vehicle hazard lamps, and that responds to a second activation signal from the vehicle wiring harness by producing a second electrical output through the interface to the vehicle wiring harness that causes a strobing of existing vehicle hazard lamps; wherein the strobing cycle rate on each of the existing vehicle hazard lamps is perceptibly faster than a flashing cycle rate of existing vehicle signal lamps; and wherein the first and second electrical outputs utilize the same wiring.
  2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first activation signal and the second activation signal are identical.
  3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first activation signal and the second activation signal are provided by the same user control.
  4. The system of claim 1, wherein the strobing circuit provides a plurality of different strobing effects via the wiring harness, the plurality of strobing effects being selected by subsequent activation signals indicative of subsequent hazard flasher deployment.
  5. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the plurality of strobing effects indicates a directional signal by strobing existing vehicle lamps on one of the left or right side of the vehicle before those of the other side.
  6. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface and the strobing circuit are an integrated component that replaces an existing vehicle flasher module.
  7. The system of claim 1, wherein the strobing effect on each of the existing vehicle hazard lamps has a cycle of at least 4 Hertz.
  8. The system of claim 1, wherein the strobing circuit comprises a programmable microcontroller (302).
  9. The system of claim 1, wherein the strobing circuit further comprises an accelerometer and causes the strobing of existing vehicle hazard lamps in response to predetermined acceleration events being detected by the accelerometer.
  10. The system of claim 1, wherein the strobing circuit is interfaced to an existing vehicle safety system and causes the strobing of existing vehicle hazard lamps in response to a notification of a predetermined safety related event by the existing vehicle safety system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This Application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 14/875,883, filed October 6, 2015, titled, "ENHANCED COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE HAZARD LIGHTS", which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/083,619 filed November 24, 2014, titled, "VISUAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM WITH AUTOMATIC DEPLOYMENT CAPABILITY FOR EXISTING VEHICLE WIRING SYSTEMS", and Continuation U.S. Patent Application No. 14/933,881, filed November 5, 2015, titled, "ENHANCED COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE HAZARD LIGHTS" all of which are herein incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to emergency or hazard lights for automobiles, RVs, trailers, motorcycles and vehicles in general, and, more particularly, to emergency or hazard lights that strobe and give visual direction for increased safety and visibility. BACKGROUND The advent of light emitting diode (LED) technologies has enhanced lighting capabilities to a point where vehicle based lights are becoming more effective as visual signals during emergencies and hazardous situations. Emergency services, law enforcement agencies, traffic control, and other government agencies have recognized this fact and added separate strobe lighting systems to their vehicles. These systems are added on to what would otherwise be a factory stock lighting setup and operate using a wiring and switch platform that is independent from the traditional hazard light circuit. Foreign and domestic auto manufacturers often use blinker switches based on decades-old technology in order to make automobile blinkers and hazard emergency lights blink or flash. Even where newer microcontrollers are used, they effect only the well-known signal and hazard flasher operations of decades past. A problem with existing systems and modes of operation with respect to emergency flashers is that a double blinker flashing during an emergency, on a roadside for example, is insufficiently visible and does not provide a high level of clear visual communication to other drivers that a safety hazard exists. Many citizens are killed each year while using their flashing hazard lights during emergency situations on the road. Flashing or double blinking emergency lights are nowhere near as effective as strobing hazard lights. Another problem with existing emergency flashers is that they are not always deployed when a genuine emergency exists. Occupants may be injured or otherwise unable to deploy the emergency flashers when they are needed most. A disabled vehicle on a roadway is a hazard to other vehicles and all vehicle occupants. In other cases, a vehicle may be off the roadway such that further collision danger is minimal. Nevertheless, hazard lights can be critical in quickly locating vehicles that have left the roadway either purposefully (e.g., to leave the flow of traffic) or as the result of an accident. Laws related to strobing lights on vehicles address emergency or law enforcement related vehicles. For example, there are laws for emergency and police vehicles reserving a combination of strobing colors on top of vehicles, or in a light bar, or mounted elsewhere. These laws reinforce the belief that strobing lights are significantly more effective during vehicle emergencies due to their higher visibility, attention grabbing attributes, and ability to provide useful visual information and direction to others. With the increasing use of cell phones and text messaging (while operating a vehicle) becoming more of a safety problem, a need exists to enhance a citizen's emergency visual communication abilities when on the side of the road and without getting out of their vehicle. A need also exists for an automated visual emergency communication system to enhance a citizen's ability to automatically signal to others during emergency situations when the operator is unable to activate such a visual communication signal system on his or her own. What is needed is a system and method for addressing the above, and related, issues. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention of the present disclosure, in one aspect thereof, comprises a system for implementing strobing of existing vehicle hazard lights including an interface to a vehicle wiring harness configured to receive input to an existing vehicle flasher module, and a strobing circuit that responds to an activation signal from the vehicle wiring harness that is indicative of a hazard flasher deployment event by producing an electrical output through the interface to the vehicle wiring harness that causes a strobing of existing vehicle hazard lamps. The strobing effect on each of the existing vehicle hazard lamps has a cycle that is perceptibly faster than a cycle of existing vehicle signal lights. Wherein a user signals a hazard flasher deployment by an existing vehicle hazard flasher switch inside the vehicle. The strobing circuit may provide a plurality of different strobing