Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02351138 2001-06-20
AUTOMOBILE PROXIMITY WARNING SYSTEM
Field of Invention
This invention relates to automobile proximity warning systems. In particular,
this
invention relates to a proximity warning system that alerts a driver when an
obstacle is in
proximity of the vehicle during both driving and parking operations.
Background of the Invention
Proximity sensing systems for automobiles are known. In such system, one or
more sensors are positioned around a motor vehicle to sense an object in
proximity of the
vehicle and warn the driver, for example located in a "blind spot" where the
object may
be obscured by a portion of the vehicle or outside of the field of view of the
rear- and
side-view mirrors in the automobile.
For example, United States Patent No. 5,319,359 describes a detection assembly
having multiple motion detectors mounted around the exterior of the vehicle
and an alarm
assembly for warning the driver when motion is detected near the vehicle. This
system
notifies the driver of a parked vehicle when an intruder is approaching the
vehicle.
Published Canadian Patent Application No. 2,310,570 describes a sensing and
indicating
device which utilizes ultrasound transducers to alert the driver when an
obstacle is in the
vicinity of the vehicle, for example in a parking garage.
However, such systems are designed to operate only when parked or during
parking procedures. There are many situations which arise under normal driving
conditions which pose an accident hazard, and these can be much more dangerous
because of the high speeds that can be involved. A conventional proximity
warning
system which alerts the driver only when the hazard is imminent, is not a
suitable solution
during normal driving conditions. Because of human nature and particularly the
tendency
to panic in an emergency, unless the driver is very skilled and experienced at
making
-1-
CA 02351138 2001-06-20
split-second decisions to deal with imminent hazards, driver reactions under
these
conditions are often irrational and can actually cause an accident rather than
prevent one.
It would accordingly be advantageous to provide an automobile proximity
warning system which is designed to operate under both parking and normal
driving
conditions. It would further be advantageous to provide an automobile
proximity warning
system in which the driver is given different levels of warning indicators,
allowing the
driver to make a more considered judgment as to the appropriate course of
action to take
and to thus respond more rationally to a hazard encountered while driving or
parking, to
increase the driver's chances of avoiding an accident.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a proximity
warning system for a motor vehicle designed to operate during both parking and
driving
operations, which provides different levels of warning indicators to forewarn
a driver
when a hazard is encountered, and to alert the driver when action needs to be
taken and
when a collision is imminent unless corrective action is taken. The system of
the
invention provides a simple visual interface which gives an instantaneous
indication of
the distance of an obstacle while driving or parking, to which the driver can
react without
substantial mental processing information to assess the extent of the hazard.
The invention accomplishes this by providing a proximity warning system
comprising a series of proximity sensors disposed at selected points about the
periphery
of the automobile, which detect not only the presence of an obstacle but also
its
proximity, and an alarm system which alerts the driver using different
indicators
corresponding to different levels of proximity to the vehicle. The driver is
thus alerted to
the presence of a potential obstacle before it actually becomes a hazard, and
through
graduating levels of indicator warnings can determine whether the object is
approaching
-2-
CA 02351138 2001-06-20
the vehicle, and when the hazard becomes imminent, in order to take
appropriate
corrective action.
In the preferred embodiment the indicators are displayed on any or all of the
windshield and the rear- and side-view mirrors, so as not to distract the
driver's attention
from the road under an alarm condition, and comprise green, yellow and red
warning
indicators which respectively represent an object in proximity of the vehicle
at ranges of
50 to 25 inches, 25 to 12 inches and less than 12 inches. Also, in the
preferred
embodiment an audible indicator sounds when the proximity warning system
detects the
presence of an obstacle.
In a further preferred embodiment a strobe light is provided on the vehicle in
a
position where it is visible to surrounding vehicles, the strobe being
activated by a button
in the automobile cabin within reach of the driver, to visually warn a nearby
driver that a
collision is imminent. The strobe activation button is inactive until the
proximity warning
system senses an obstacle within the "red zone" (i.e. within 12 inches of the
vehicle), at
which point the strobe activation button becomes operational and is preferably
illuminated to indicate to the driver that the strobe light can be activated.
The driver then
has the option of depressing the strobe activation button to activate the
strobe for a
defined interval (for example two seconds) and warn the driver of an
approaching vehicle
of the imminent hazard. This feature is particularly useful where a driver is
unable to take
evasive action, for example being trapped beside a large truck during a turn,
and needs to
warn the driver of the truck that a vehicle is present in the path of the
truck.
The present invention thus provides a proximity warning system for a vehicle,
comprising a plurality of proximity sensors disposed about the vehicle, and at
least one
alarm indicator panel within sight of a driver of the vehicle, comprising a
plurality of
indicator lights, each indicator light being activated when one or more of the
proximity
sensors detects an obstacle within a different predefined range of distance
from the
-3-
CA 02351138 2001-06-20
vehicle, whereby the driver is provided with an indication of the distance of
the obstacle
from the vehicle by viewing the indicator light which is activated.
In further aspects of the proximity warning system of the invention: an
external
alarm indicator comprises a light visible from outside the vehicle activated
by a button
disposed within reach of the driver; the button is inactive during normal
driving
conditions and becomes operational when an indicator light is activated; the
button is
illuminated when the button becomes operational; the alarm indicator panel
comprises
three indicator lights respectively associated with three ranges of distance
of the obstacle
from the vehicle; the indicator lights are coloured green, yellow and red
representing
progressively shorter distances from the obstacle to the vehicle; an alarm
indicator panel
is disposed on a windshield of the vehicle; an alarm indicator panel is
disposed on a rear
view mirror of the vehicle; an alarm indicator panel is disposed on at least
one side view
mirror of the vehicle; and/or an audible alarm is activated when an indicator
light is
activated.
The present invention further provides a method of warning a driver of a
vehicle
of an obstacle in proximity of the vehicle, comprising the steps of: a.
sensing an obstacle
in proximity of the vehicle and determining the distance of the obstacle from
the vehicle,
and b. activating one of a plurality of lights in at least one alarm indicator
panel within
sight of a driver of the vehicle, each indicator light representing an
obstacle within a
different predefined range of distance from the vehicle to indicate the
distance of the
obstacle from the vehicle.
In further aspects of the method of the invention, the method further
comprises the
steps of: activating a button within reach of the driver, when an indicator
light is
activated, for activating an external alarm indicator comprising a light
visible from
outside the vehicle; illuminating the button when the button becomes
operational;
activating an audible alarm when an indicator light is activated; and/or the
indicator lights
-4-
CA 02351138 2001-06-20
are coloured green, yellow and red representing progressively shorter
distances from the
obstacle to the vehicle.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of
the
invention,
Figure 1 is top plan view of a vehicle embodying the system of the invention,
Figure 2 is side elevation of the vehicle of Figure 1,
Figure 3 is front elevation of the vehicle of Figure 1,
Figure 4 is a schematic view showing preferred positions for the indicator
panels
according to the invention, and
Figure 5 is a top plan view of an automobile showing alternative preferred
positions for the strobe light and strobe light activation button.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Figures 1 to 3 illustrate an automobile 10 having proximity sensors 20, for
example ultrasound or microwave transducers, disposed at various positions
about the
body of the vehicle 10. The sensors 20 may be commercially available proximity
detectors, which are well known to those skilled in the art, for example as
described in
Canadian Patent Application No. 2,310,570 which is incorporated herein by
reference.
Any number of sensors 20 may be disposed in any desired position about the
vehicle 10,
most advantageously near the vehicle's blind spots at a level below the hood
and trunk of
the vehicle 10. The sensors 20 may be recessed into rubber standoffs along the
vehicle's
bumpers, and along the side mouldings of the vehicle, which typically define
the
outermost projecting portion of the vehicle body.
-5-
CA 02351138 2001-06-20
An alarm system 30 for the invention is illustrated in Figure 4. Preferably
the
alarm system 30 comprises a central console 32 which contains the alarm
circuitry, and
which may optionally be integrated into the vehicle 10, and a plurality of
indicator panels
40 which notify the driver when an obstacle 2 is in the proximity of the
vehicle 10 and
provide an indication as to the distance of the object 2 from the vehicle 10.
In the
preferred embodiment this is accomplished using different colours of indicator
lights
corresponding to different levels of proximity of the object 2 to the vehicle
10.
In the preferred embodiment indicator panels 40 are provided on, or integrated
into, the windshield 12 (seen in Figures l and 2), and the rear-view mirror 14
and both
side-view mirrors 16 as illustrated in Figure 4. Indicator panels 40 may also
be provided
along the sides of, or adjacent to, the rear window so as to be readily
visible when the
driver is backing up the vehicle, and in any other position which would allow
the driver to
see an indicator panel 40 without diverting their attention from driving.
The indicator panels 40 provide indicator lights 42, 44 and 46, for example
conventional light emitting diodes, liquid crystal diodes or other suitable
indicators,
preferably coloured green, yellow and red, respectively. The indicator lights
42, 44 and 46
represent an object in proximity of the vehicle at various distances, which
may if desired
be adjustable and can be selected according to the tolerance and reaction time
of the
driver. In one preferred embodiment the green indicator 42 is activated in
response to the
detection of an obstacle 2 within the range of 50 to 25 inches from the
vehicle 10; the
yellow indicator 44 is activated in response to the detection of an obstacle 2
within the
range of 25 to 12 inches; and the red indicator 46 is activated in response to
the detection
of an obstacle 2 within a distance of less than 12 inches.
In the preferred embodiment an audible indicator (not shown) also sounds when
the proximity warning system detects the presence of an obstacle 2. The
audible indicator
may sound in response to the detection of an obstacle 2 at any distance from
the vehicle
-6-
CA 02351138 2001-06-20
within the selected range of the warning system, for example when any of the
indicators
42, 44 and 46 are activated, or may sound only when the yellow indicator 44 or
red
indictor 46 is activated to warn the driver of an approaching or imminent
hazard.
In a preferred embodiment an external warning indicator such as a strobe light
50
is provided on the vehicle 10 in a position where it is visible to surrounding
vehicles, for
example in the headlamp housings, or for vehicles having headlamp doors, in
the parking
lamp/turn signal housing as shown in Figure 5, to visually warn a nearby
driver that a
collision is imminent. Figure 4 illustrates a alternate embodiment in which
the strobe
light 50 is affixed to the driver side side-view mirror 16. This external
warning is
particularly useful in the common situation where a vehicle 10 is trapped
beside a truck
making a right-hand turn and is unable to take evasive action. The strobe
light 50 is
activated by a strobe activation button 52 located in the cabin of the vehicle
10 within
reach of the driver, for example on the controller console 32 as shown in
Figure 4, or on
one of the steering wheel crossbars as shown in Figure 5. The strobe
activation button 52
is inactive during normal driving conditions.
When the proximity warning system senses an obstacle within the "red zone"
(i.e.
within a distance of 12 inches from the vehicle), the strobe activation button
52 becomes
operational. Preferably the strobe activation button 52 is illuminated to
indicate to the
driver that the strobe activation button 52 is operational and the strobe
light 50 can be
activated. This also reminds the driver of the strobe alert option. When the
strobe
activation button 52 is operational the driver can depress the strobe
activation button 52
to activate the strobe light SO for a preset interval (for example two
seconds) to warn the
driver of the approaching vehicle of the imminent hazard. The strobe light 50
can be
activated indefinitely while the strobe activation button 52 is operational,
and operates for
the preset interval each time the strobe activation button 52 is depressed. If
desired the
strobe activation button 52 can become operational during any indicator level,
for
example when the yellow indicator 44 or green indicator 42 is activated.
CA 02351138 2001-06-20
In the preferred embodiment the driver has the option of turning off the green
and
yellow indicators 42, 44, for example by switching toggle switch 56 (shown in
Figure 4).
This allows the driver to disable the longer range indicators where vehicles
may be
persistently impinging into the ranges set for these indicators, for example
during heavy
traffic conditions. However, the red indicator 46 should remain active in any
driving
situation as an indication of a potential hazard.
The invention thus provides an easily readable indication of an obstacle 2 in
the
vicinity of the vehicle 10, allowing the driver to react quickly and before
the hazard
becomes imminent. The invention provides both internal and optionally external
warning
indicators, with the advantage that the external indicator cannot be activated
unless the
proximity sensors 20 detect a vehicle within a distance from the vehicle 10
that initiates a
warning indication.
A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described by way of example
only. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that certain modifications and
adaptations
may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.
_g_
