Patent Application
20060044131
The present invention relates generally to vehicle control systems, and more particularly to vehicle turn signal control systems.
A driver of a vehicle may activate a turn signal stalk on the vehicle steering column to indicate that the vehicle is about to make a left or right turn. The stalk includes a switch that activates signal lights to indicate the appropriate turn direction. When the turn is completed, a mechanism activated by the stalk interacts with the steering column to cause the stalk to return to a neutral position, thereby switching off the signal lights. The mechanism for returning the stalk to the neutral position can be quite complex and therefore expensive to manufacture and maintain.
The present invention, in one embodiment, is directed to a turn signal control system for a vehicle having a turn signal indicator. The system includes a wheel position sensor that senses a position of a wheel of the vehicle, and a turn signal control module that switches off the turn signal indicator based on input from the wheel position sensor.
In another embodiment, a turn signal control system for a vehicle includes a turn signal initiating device that initiates a turn signal sequence. A sensor senses a position of a wheel of the vehicle. A turn signal control module uses input from the sensor to determine whether the vehicle has completed a turn and ends the turn signaling sequence based on the determining.
In yet another configuration, the invention is directed to a method of performing a turn signal sequence initiated in a vehicle by a user. The method is implemented by a turn signal control system. A turn signal is activated in response to the initiating. It is determined whether the vehicle has completed a turn. The determining is performed using input of a wheel position sensor. The turn signal is deactivated based on the determining.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating exemplary embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of various embodiments of the present invention is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. For purposes of clarity, the same reference numbers will be used in the drawings to identify similar elements. As used herein, the term module and/or device refers to an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that execute one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.
An embodiment of a turn signal control system is indicated generally in
A user can activate a turn signal initiating device 120, for example, by moving a turn signal stalk mounted to a steering column of the vehicle, to initiate a turn signal sequence as further described below. It should be noted, however, that in other embodiments, other types of turn signal initiating devices may be used. For example, a turn signal initiating device is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, (Attorney Docket No. GP-303739), filed on the same date as the present application and entitled “Facilitating Signaling In a Vehicle”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The turn signal initiating device 120 is connected with a turn signal control module 124. The turn signal control module 124 is connected with one or more turn signal switches 128 which are operable to activate and/or deactivate the turn signals 116 as further described below.
One or more wheel position sensors 134 provide input to the module 124. A wheel position sensor 134 senses information from which a position of a wheel of the vehicle can be determined. Such wheel may include, for example, the steering wheel and/or one or more driven and/or non-driven wheels of the vehicle. A sensor 134 thus can include but is not limited to a steering wheel position sensor in a stability system and/or electric steering system of the vehicle 108. Other types of wheel position sensors also could be used to provide information to the turn signal control module 124 for determining whether a turn has been completed by the vehicle 108. For example, differences in wheel rotation detected by an anti-lock braking system (ABS) could be used to indicate whether a turn has been completed.
A user of the vehicle 108 may initiate a turn signal sequence by activating the turn signal initiating device 120. In one embodiment, the control system 100 performs a turn signal sequence in accordance with a method indicated generally in
If it is determined at step 220 that the turn is completed, at step 228 the turn signal control module 124 activates the switches 128 to switch off the appropriate signals 116. The turn signal control module 124 may also return the turn signal initiating device 120 to a neutral state. For example, in a configuration in which the device 120 includes a turn signal stalk, the turn signal control module 124 may cause the stalk to be released from a depressed position after a left turn, or from an elevated position after a right turn.
It should be noted that the turn signal control module 124 can deactivate the signals 116 independently of the turn signal initiating device 120. Once the user uses the device 120 to initiate a turn signal sequence, the device 120 could be returned to a neutral state at any time, e.g., during the turn signal sequence. In some configurations, the device 120 could be returned to a neutral state by means other than the turn signal control module 124. For example, in a configuration in which the device 120 includes a turn signal stalk, the stalk could be biased in a neutral position to which it returns automatically when released by the user after initiating a turn signal sequence. Referring to
Another embodiment of a turn signal control system is indicated generally in
A user can activate a turn signal initiating device 320, for example, a turn signal stalk, to initiate a turn signal sequence as previously described with reference to
A sensor 340 senses information useful in determining whether the vehicle 308 has completed a turn. For example, in an embodiment wherein the control module 330 includes a stability system controller, a sensor 340 may include a steering wheel position sensor. In another embodiment wherein the control module 330 includes an electric steering system controller, a sensor 340 may include one or more sensors that monitor steering wheel input from the user and/or steering gear position. Other and additional types of sensors, e.g., sensing in connection with an ABS system as previously described, could be used to provide information to the turn signal control module 324 for determining whether a turn has been completed.
Because turn signals are switched off based on sensor input to a control module, there is no longer a need for a complex return mechanism for returning a turn signal stalk to a neutral position. When the foregoing systems and methods are implemented in connection with vehicles, turn signal control is less complex and therefore can be provided at lower cost than previously possible. The foregoing system provides higher quality, reliability and durability compared to turn signal control systems currently in use.
Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and the following claims.
