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EP-4741228-A2 - CONTROL OF HIGH VISIBILITY VEHICLE LIGHT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

EP4741228A2EP 4741228 A2EP4741228 A2EP 4741228A2EP-4741228-A2

Abstract

A system provides for strobing or high conspicuity signaling with vehicle hazard and other lights depending upon inputs and parameters.

Inventors

  • Coetzee, Andrew
  • Dench, Julian
  • INCORVAIA, Mike
  • O'BRIEN, MICHAEL
  • POWERS, STEPHEN
  • SULLIVAN, JAMES
  • TUCKER, Austin
  • TUCKER, DANIEL
  • TUCKER, DAVID

Assignees

  • Emergency Safety Solutions, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20220124

Claims (9)

  1. A system comprising: a microcontroller having operational control over a set of vehicle signal lights including at left front light on a left front of the vehicle, a right front light on a right front of the vehicle, a left rear light on a left rear of the vehicle, and a right rear light on a right rear of the vehicle; a first user control for sending a signal to the microcontroller to activate the set of vehicle lights as emergency hazard flashers; a first user output operated by the microcontroller to offering a selection to a user to strobe the set of vehicle lights when the signal to activate the set of vehicle lights as emergency hazard flashers has been received; and a second user control for sending a signal to the microcontroller to select strobing of the set of vehicle lights; wherein the microcontroller flashes the set of vehicle lights as emergency hazard flashers when the signal has been received to activate the set of vehicle lights as emergency hazard flashers but the signal has not been received to select strobing of the set of vehicle lights; wherein the microcontroller strobes the set of vehicle lights when the signal has been received to activate the set of vehicle lights as emergency hazard flashers and the signal has been received to select strobing of the set of vehicle lights; and a cycle rate of the strobing perceptibly exceeds a cycle rate of the flashing.
  2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second user control comprise a soft switch.
  3. The system of claim 2, wherein the second user control and the first user output comprise a touch screen.
  4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first user control comprises a vehicle hazard light switch.
  5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one vehicle sensor providing an indication to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller offers the selection to a user to strobe the set of vehicle lights when the signal to activate the set of vehicle lights as emergency hazard flashers has been received and the indication has been received.
  6. The system of claim 5, wherein the indication corresponds to activation of a vehicle safety system.
  7. The system of claim 5, wherein the indication corresponds to activation of a vehicle emergency system.
  8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one vehicle sensor providing a parameter to the microcontroller, wherein the microcontroller offers the selection to a user to strobe the set of vehicle lights when the signal to activate the set of vehicle lights as emergency hazard flashers has been received and the parameter is within a predetermined threshold.
  9. The system of claim 8, wherein the parameter comprises vehicle speed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES This application claims the benefit of U.S continuation-in-part application Serial No. 17/156,496, filed on January 22, 2021, entitled CONTROL OF HIGH VISIBILITY VEHICLE LIGHT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, and incorporates such application by reference into this disclosure as if fully set out at this point. FIELD OF THE INVENTION This 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. Even more particularly, this disclosure relates to systems and methods for convenient and safe deployment of enhanced vehicle emergency and hazard lighting systems. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For non-emergency vehicles (e.g., passenger cars) standard emergency or hazard flasher lights provide a relatively low amount of visual distinction compared with non-emergency lighting (e.g., headlights, daytime running lights, signal lights etc.). Solutions have been provided in the art including high visibility strobing systems such as those described in U.S. Patent No. 9,481,331 to Tucker et al. In some cases, a user of a vehicle that is so equipped, may inadvertently deploy a high visibility emergency strobe, or may deploy a high visibility strobe when conditions are not warranted. Over use of high visibility strobes could have the effect of desensitizing the driving public over time. In the short term, deployment of a high visibility strobe may represent a distraction when a genuine emergency does not exist. What is needed is a system and method for addressing the above and related problems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention of the present disclosure, in one aspect thereof, comprises a system having a microcontroller having operational control over a set of vehicle lights corresponding to left and ride sides of the vehicle, and a plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle and configured to provide data to the microcontroller indicative of whether the vehicle is nearer the left or right side of a roadway on which the vehicle was travelling. The microcontroller receives a request to strobe lights associated with the vehicle it strobes the set of vehicles light from right to left if the vehicle is within a first predetermined distance of a right side of the roadway. When the microcontroller receives a request to strobe lights associated with the vehicle it strobes the set of vehicle lights from left to right if the vehicle is within a second predetermined distance of a left side of the roadway. In some embodiments, when the microcontroller receives a request to strobe lights associated with the vehicle it strobes the set of vehicle lights in a non-directional manner if the vehicle is outside of a third predetermined distance of the right or left sides of the roadway. The plurality of sensors may include a GPS sensor and/or a camera. The system may include a sensor in communication with the microcontroller indicating whether the vehicle is facing an incorrect direction on the roadway. The sensor in communication with the microcontroller indicating whether the vehicle is facing an incorrect direction on the roadway may comprise an accelerometer, a compass, a camera, and/or a radar. The invention of the present disclosure, in another aspect thereof, comprises a system having a microcontroller with operational control over a set of vehicle lights corresponding to left and ride sides of the vehicle, and a plurality of sensors associated with the vehicle and configured to provide data to the microcontroller indicative of an operational state of the vehicle. When the microcontroller receives a request to strobe lights associated with the vehicle it strobes the lights when it determines, based on data from the plurality of sensors, that the vehicle is in a distressed state. A distressed state may be indicated by airbag deployment, ABS deployment, a rollover event, and/or activation of a traction control system. In some embodiments, the microcontroller strobes the lights when it determines, based on data from the plurality of sensors, that the vehicle was in a distressed state within a predetermined time frame. In some embodiments, the microcontroller flashes the lights associated with the vehicle when it receives a request to strobe lights associated with the vehicle, but the vehicle is in a non-distressed state based on data from the plurality of sensors. Indicators of a non-distressed state may include activation of cruise control, a vehicle speed over a predetermined limit, a phone call to a non-emergency number, and/or an excessive entertainment system volume. The invention of the present disclosure, in another aspect thereof, comprises a system including a microcontroller having operational control over a set of vehicle lights corresponding to left and ride sides of a front and back of the vehicle, at least on