Claims
- 1. A method of indicating the state of motion of a subject vehicle to a driver of a following vehicle by means of an array of lamps mounted on the subject vehicle and operable to produce a visual display indicative of the state of motion; the method comprising the steps of
- sensing a measure of velocity of the subject vehicle by operation of a vehicle motion measuring means; and
- determining whether the measure of velocity is less than a reference value and, when so determined, illuminating said lamps in a time dependent sequence to produce an animated visual display indicative of the state of motion as being stationary;
- wherein the lamps are mounted in a row extending transversely of the subject vehicle, the row comprising a central portion and left and right end portions, and including the further step of providing the animated visual display by illuminating the lamps and sequentially deactuating selected pairs of lamps to create a pattern cyclically moving symmetrically outwardly from said central portion of the row to both said left and right end portions of the row.
- 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the central portion includes at least one brake actuated lamp which is illuminated solely in response to actuation of the brakes of the subject vehicle.
- 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the animated visual display indicative of the state of motion as being stationary is produced independently of whether the brakes of the subject vehicle are actuated.
- 4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle motion measuring means comprises a wheel speed sensor of an anti-lock brake system (ABS) of the subject vehicle.
- 5. A motor vehicle display system for indicating the state of motion of a subject vehicle to a driver of a following vehicle, the system comprising:
- an array of lamps mounted in use on the subject vehicle and operable to produce a visual display indicative of the state of motion;
- a vehicle motion measuring means operable to sense a measure of velocity of the subject vehicle;
- means for comparing the measure of velocity with a reference value; and
- means for illuminating said lamps in a time dependent sequence in response to said measure of velocity being determined to be less than said reference value, whereby the sequence produces an animated visual display indicative of the state of motion as being stationary;
- wherein the array of lamps comprises a row extending transversely of the subject vehicle, the row comprising a central portion and left and right end portions, and wherein the means for illuminating said lamps is operable to produce said animated display by illuminating the lamps and sequentially de-actuating selected pairs of lamps to create a pattern cyclically moving symmetrically outwardly from said central portion of the row to both said left and right end portions of the row.
- 6. A motor vehicle display system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the ventral portion comprises at least one brake actuated lamp which is illuminated solely in response to actuation of the brakes of the subject vehicle.
- 7. A motor vehicle display system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the array of lamps comprises four pairs of lamps, each pair of lamps being symmetrically located relative to a central brake actuated lamp which is illuminated solely in response to actuation of the brakes of the subject vehicle.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
9202472 |
Feb 1992 |
GBX |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/284,540, filed Aug. 5, 1994 which status is pending.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4566862 |
Meinershagen |
Jan 1986 |
|
4663609 |
Rosario |
May 1987 |
|
5017904 |
Browne et al. |
May 1991 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 263 262 A2 |
Aug 1987 |
EPX |
3907714 A1 |
Sep 1990 |
DEX |
40 20 610 A1 |
Jan 1992 |
DEX |
8300073 |
Jan 1983 |
NLX |
2 114826 |
Aug 1983 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Armour and Carter, "Multi-brakelight array control equipment," Road Research Laboratory, Department of the Environment RRL Report LR 374 (1971). |
Rutley and Mace, "An evaluation of a brakelight display which indicates the severity of braking, " Road Research Laboratory, Department of the Environment RRL Report LR 287 (1969). |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
284540 |
Aug 1994 |
|