Integrated vehicular electronic signalling system
Contents
1. the turn switch lever in the Left position NOR 27 supplies NORs 25 and 29 with a square wave at flasher frequency thus causing left signal lamps 17 and 36 to flash After a set number of flashes the counter 61 supplies NAND 39 with a logic 0 taking away the current from coil 8 While in magnetic detent the turn signal lever 10 can be forced away from the stop arm 2 breaking contact 4 removing the enable form NOR 39 and thus disabling coil 8 The closing of the brake switch 65 causes NORs 26 and 75 to be completed on either side of the vehicle for which the turn signal switch contact is not closed When the hazard warning switch 63 is closed AND 74 lets through the square wave train from port 54 to all four final logic NORs 25 29 72 amp 94 OR 48 transmits a logic 1 to single shot 42 resetting divider 50 so that the hazard warning train always starts with a MARK A general advantage of the present invention over the prior art in general is that it has more wiring in integrated circuits and less in the wiring harness DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG 1 Turn Signal Switch of the invention Cancelling Mechanism not shown FIG 2 Cross Sectional View of Stop Arm and Counterweight sectioned along plane ABC through center of contact in momentary contact position FIG 3 Cross Sectional View as in FIG 2 but with lever in magnetic detent FIG 4 Schematic Diagram of the Electronic Circuit of the Invention FIG 5 S2. turn signal flashing on lamp burnout Vehicular Lamp Status Display System clicking sound in cadence with flashing or tone and automatic turn signal timeout with choice of timeout intervals Separate flasher units are not needed nor a microprocessor 14 Claims 2 Drawing Sheets ES i02 U S Patent Sep 15 1998 Sheet 1 of 2 5 808 545 U S Patent Sep 15 1998 Sheet 2 of 2 5 808 545 T 113 6a 63 c a APIS J oo ool 66 7 4 O OO OQ6a 69 5 808 545 1 INTEGRATED VEHICULAR ELECTRONIC SIGNALLING SYSTEM This is a continuation of application Ser No 08 246 407 filed May 20 1994 now abandoned REFERENCES CITED Ford Light Truck Shop Manual Helm Inc Detroit Mich 48207 1980 ed p 32 41 1 Oldsmobile Service Manual Cutlass et al Oldsmobile Div Service Dept Lansing Mich 48921 1989 ed pp 8a 110 0 ff U S Pat No 4 792 785 Turn Signal Cancelling Appa ratus for Use in Vehicles Miyamaru Yukio et al Filed Sep 14 1982 US Pat No 5 247 280 Combination Vehicle Flasher Having First and Second Flash Rates and Duty Rates Michael D Incorvaia and Timothy W Brooks Filed Aug 1 1991 U S Pat No 5 260 685 Time Delayed Self Cancelling Turn Signal David G Parker Filed Mar 20 1992 U S Pat No 5 264 827 Vehicle Turn Signal Reminder Circuit Henry P Giovanni Filed Mar 19 1992 U S Pat Off Ser No 08 192 015 Vehicular Lamp Status Display
3. two times standard flasher frequency AND 88 comes out with a train consisting of blocks of three rapid MARKs followed by a SPACE of approx one second causing the lamps to send out an S O S type signal If a CD4018 be used as the divide by three the output port is the inverted fourth stage port This feature is not available in the prior art The alternate sides flashing circuitry comprises inverter 76 and a two position switch having regular and alternate positions in the alternate position The Vehicular Lamp Status Display System comprises amplifier units 21 32 71 amp 96 sensing resistors 19 34 69 amp 100 and dashboard light emitting diodes 23 33 68 amp 95 respectively Each comes ON if and only if the correspond ing lamp is conducting current Internal details of one amplifier unit are depicted by differential input amplifier 97 input resistor 99 and feedback resistor 98 This feature is not available in the prior art The double rate on burnout feature comprises the four amplifier units ORs 89 93 amp 91 ANDs 90 amp 92 latch 86 5 808 545 5 ANDs 83 amp 84 and OR 82 When turn signal NOR 27 produces a logic 1 current should flow through lamps 17 amp 36 If not OR 89 produces a logic 1 causing latch 86 to set via OR 91 Then AND 83 lets through the double rate flashing train to NOR 27 The small squares such as 22 30 amp 81 represent tabs of an integrated circuit chip The preferred embod
4. System Norman Dittmar Filed Feb 4 1994 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention refers to vehicular signalling sys tems Consider a typical motor vehicle of the prior art having a signalling system comprising right and left front and rear turn signal lamps a turn signal switch with handle a mechanical cancelling mechanism a brake switch and brake lamps a hazard warning flasher a hazard warning switch with knob and a dashboard on which are turn signal indicators There are also a system ground terminal a battery for d c power and a wiring harness The turn signal switch has three positions Left Off and Right there is a detent in each position For a schematic diagram of a typical signalling system of the prior art see Ford manual loc cit In this system the two rear signal lamps double as brake lamps During simulta neous braking and turn signalling precedence is given to the turn signal signal function Two shortcomings of the prior art are that the cancelling mechanism does not work in a lane changing situation and any clicking sounds made by the turn signal flasher while at highway speed are drowned out by road noise Some recent developments have addressed these two shortcomings There is an alarm system which sounds off loudly if a turn signal is left to flash for more than a minute or so See Oldsmobile Manual op cit H P Giovanni s invention has additionally the restarting of the turn si
5. United States Patent 19 Brueggemann et al US005808545A 5 808 545 Sep 15 1998 11 Patent Number 45 Date of Patent 54 76 5 192 930 INTEGRATED VEHICULAR ELECTRONIC SIGNALLING SYSTEM Inventors Douglas C Brueggemann P O Box 20052 West Palm Beach Fla 33416 0052 Norman R Dittmar 525 5th Ave NW Rochester Minn 55901 2840 Appl No 679 742 Filed Jul 15 1996 Related U S Application Data Continuation of Ser No 246 407 May 20 1994 aban doned Int Clo aaa a a xi B60Q 1 26 USS CC 0262 ly skg 340 468 340 458 340 477 340 331 340 309 15 315 77 315 200 A Field of Search 340 458 468 340 475 477 309 15 331 315 77 200 A References Cited U S PATENT DOCUMENTS 3 1993 Brueggemann et al 340 477 ay 47 OTHER PUBLICATIONS 1987 Mazda RX 7 Workshop Manual 1986 Mazda Motor Corporation pp 15 28 Primary Examiner Thomas Mullen Assistant Examiner Daryl C Pope Attorney Agent or Firm Varnum Riddering Schmidt amp Howlett LLP 57 ABSTRACT An electronic vehicular signalling system is disclosed It has a novel turn signal switch having electromagnetic detents novel electronic circuitry which provides all standard sig nalling functions and optionally features automatic cancel lation of turn signal switch an energy saving hazard warning mode a police alert hazard warning mode double rate
6. chematic Diagram of the Circuit of the Preferred Embodiment of the Invention DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the preferred embodiment the turn signal switch should be as large as necessary to achieve adequate electromagnetic detent force The switch is symmetrical as viewed from the top See FIG 1 The spring return mechanism 11 may be a mechanism of the prior art which always tends to return lever 10 to the Off position with a detent there Contact spring 15 must exert a force like that of the prior art when the turn signal switch is used for momentary signalling The magnetic detent force which is exerted between stop arm 2 and counterweight 3 must be larger than the sum of the force of return mechanism 11 and the force in compres sion of said contact spring 15 To build the turn signal switch I using ferromagnetic material of permeability p and cross sectional area A for a nominal coil emf V and coil radial winding space r 1 the cross sectional area a of the magnet wire to be used in the coil 8 may be estimated by the formula 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 2 2a PE a P AV2 i where F is the desired detent force uo the permeability of space pis the resistivity of the magnet wire FM Fm Fav 7 L is the length of the magnetic circuit through yoke amp lever Then the power P to be dissipated in said coil is Ka FL P Sup U
7. cillator whose frequency is a multiple larger than a standard flashing frequency a frequency divider having a reset port which divider is clocked by said oscillator and produces a periodic 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 6 wave train at said standard flashing frequency on a standard rate port a first electronic switch connected in series with said power source and said terminal of said electromag netic detent means an electronic switch for each said signal lamp con nected in series with each said signal lamp and said power source a first logic circuit connected from said turn signal switch contacts said standard rate port said brake switch and said hazard warning switch to said electronic switch for each signal lamp to perform a standard vehicular turn signalling function a stan dard vehicular hazard warning function and a stan dard vehicular brake signalling function counter having a reset port which counter is clocked by said frequency divider a single shot having an input port and an output port and a second logic circuit connected from said Left and Right turn signal switch contacts and said hazard warning switch to said input port and wherein said output port is connected to said frequency divider reset port and said counter reset port in parallel and a third logic circuit connected from said turn signal switch contacts and said counter to said first electronic switch s
8. coil and no need for electrical contacts An audio frequency signal in sympathy with each MARK of a turn signal flashing sequence is obtained by making the frequency of oscillator 49 a multiple of an audio frequency Audio frequency port 52 delivers a periodic train at audio frequency to logic units 78 amp 79 which then deliver the desired signal to terminal 81 The intensity of brake lamps 36 and 102 can be varied by outfitting to a brake pedal a brake pedal position sensor which produces a periodic wave train whose duty factor varies monotonically with the position of the brake pedal The brake switch 65 is replaced by this sensor A brake lamp circuit separate from the turn signal circuits is used on some cars e g a 1980 Buick Century An advantage of this over the prior art at the time was that the turn signal switch needed only two harness wires rather than six In the present invention only two are needed in either case We claim 1 In a vehicle having left and right front and rear signal lamps a brake switch a hazard warning switch and a power source an electronic signalling system comprising a manually operable three position turn signal switch having Left Off and Right positions and further com prising an electromagnetic detent means in either Left or Right position and a terminal thereto and an elec trical contact for each of said Left and Right positions and an electronic circuit configuration comprising an os
9. et and a double rate port on said frequency divider a lamp status display system comprising a current indi cator unit in series with each signal lamp a fourth logic circuit connected from said left turn signal train net from said right turn signal train net and from said current indicator units such that on either side of the vehicle if a logic level to produce a MARK occurs and one or more of said current indicator units do not produce a logic level indicating current then said first double rate port is connected to said logic circuit in place of said standard rate port 6 The electronic signalling system according to claim 1 further comprising an audio frequency port on said fre 5 808 545 7 quency divider and a fifth logic circuit connected from said audio frequency port from said standard rate port and said turn signal switch contacts to produce an audio frequency train during each MARK of a turn signal sequence 7 The electronic signalling system according to claim 1 in which said logic circuit comprises a first NAND unit connected from said turn signal switch contacts a first inverter connected from said counter a second NAND unit connected from said first inverter and said first NAND unit a first AND unit connected from said turn signal switch left contact and from said brake switch asecond AND unit connected from said turn signal switch right contact and from said brake switch a second inverter connec
10. gnal alarm timeout interval by the closing of the brake switch These two devices do not cancel the turn signal switch however Electrically cancelled turn signal switches have been referred to but not in connection with an automotive turn signal switch Mayamaru Yukio et al refer to a prior art electrically cancelled turn signal switch for motorcycles David G Parker has addressed the problem caused by a truck first swinging one way and then turning the other His invention utilizes a prior art electrically operated means of cancelling a turn signal switch based upon steering wheel movements 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 2 A remaining shortcoming of the prior art is the lack of a definite dashboard indication of the status of each signal lamp Since c 1989 the U S big three manufacturers have been utilizing a transistorized turn signal flashers which provide flashing at double the standard rate when one lamp fails See also U S Pat No 5 247 280 of Michael D Incorvaia These employ relays to simultaneously close contacts and make a clicking sound The thermal flashers which were used extensively prior to 1989 provided a dimly lit dashboard indicator when one signal lamp failed An electronic system for the expressed purpose of pro viding deterministic display of lamp status has been dis closed in U S patent Ser No 08 192 015 The present invention uses this system in its preferred e
11. h said stop arm 10 In a vehicle having left and right front and rear signal lamps a brake switch a hazard warning switch a power source and an electrically cancellable turn signal switch having left and right contacts an electronic signalling sys tem comprising an oscillator whose frequency is a multiple larger than a standard flashing frequency a frequency divider having a reset port which divider is clocked by said oscillator and produces a periodic wave train at said standard flashing frequency on a standard rate port a first electronic switch connected from said power source to said electrically cancelling means of said turn signal switch an electronic switch for each said signal lamp connected in series with each said lamp and said power source a first logic circuit connected from said turn signal switch contacts said standard rate port said brake switch and said hazard warning switch to said electronic switch for each signal lamp to perform a standard turn signal function a standard hazard warning function and a standard brake signalling function a counter having a reset port which counter is clocked by said frequency divider a single shot having an input port and an output port a second logic circuit connected from said left and right turn signal switch contacts and said hazard warning switch to said input port said output port connected to said frequency divider reset port and said counter reset
12. iment of the present invention has the maximum feasible number of electronic components on one chip Net 45 is the power net for the circuitry Diode 46 discharges coil 8 If brake signalling and hazard warning signalling inde pendent of ignition are desired ignition switch 37 needs to be an independent pole which closes when the rest of the ignition switch closes Likewise the hazard warning switch needs an auxiliary pole 62 and the brake switch needs an auxiliary pole 64 In vehicles for which the quiescent power consumption of the logic circuit is tolerable or for which ignition is needed for all signalling these switches may be as represented in FIG 4 The round circles such as 18 35 etc represent contacts to a printed circuit card upon which the chip resides This card has one or more connectors which connect these contacts to a branch of the wiring harness Inside this branch are wires that lead to the four signal lamps a pair going to the turn signal switch and several going to the hazard warning switch and whichever mode switches 28 73 or 103 are used separately To provide a loud clicking sound in sympathy with turn signal flashing a d c driven clapping means may be inserted between the ignition switch 37 and the power net 45 of the circuitry The advantages over the relay clicker flasher unit of the prior art are louder sound by virtue of being designed solely to make noise lower cost due to heavier magnet wire on
13. mbodiment SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects of the present invention are to provide an electronic signalling system which a alleviates the three above cited shortcomings of the prior art b improves upon the performance of the standard signalling functions and c provides new functions which save energy or improve safety There are two main parts to the present invention a turn signal switch which utilizes an electromagnet for Left detent and Right detent and an electronic circuit which controls the signal lamps in such a way that all the standard signalling functions are performed and also has a timeout function which cancels the turn signal switch after a set number of flashes The preferred embodiment features the following items 1 Brake extended turn signal timeout function The object of this is to provide a full turn signal timeout interval after the brake switch is opened 2 Battery saver hazard warning function The object is to allow prolonged hazard warning signalling on battery only by increasing the period of flashing whilst decreasing the duration of each MARK 3 Vehicular Lamp Status Display System See Ser No 08 192 015 4 A Police Alert and alternate sides hazard warning func tions 5 Double rate flashing when one signal lamp fails The turn signal switch See FIG 1 comprises a ferro magnetic yoke 6 having stomp arms 2 and 5 and a core 9 a lever 10 one arm of which is a switch handle 13 and
14. n signal switch the brake switch the hazard warning switch the frequency divider and the signal lamp switches the logic circuit responsive to the periodic signals from the frequency divider and responsive to operation of a selected one of the turn signal switch the hazard switch and the brake switch to operate selected ones of signal lamp switches to activate the signal lamps at different periodic rates determined by the periodic signals
15. o that said electromagnetic detent means is actuated whenever either said turn signal switch contact is closed unless said counter has reached a set count said single shot producing a single resetting pulse for both said frequency divider and said counter whenever either of said turn signal contacts are closed or said hazard warning switch is closed a first logic subcircuit connected from said turn signal switch contacts and said counter to said first electronic switch so that said electromagnetic detent means is actuated whenever either said turn signal switch contact is closed unless said counter has reached a set count 2 The electronic signalling system according to claim 1 further comprising a first OR unit connected from said brake switch and said single shot to said counter reset port 3 The electronic signalling system according to claim 1 further comprising a half rate and a double rate ports on said frequency divider a first logic unit connected from said half rate port from said standard rate port and from said double rate port to produce a reduced duty factor pulse train 4 The electronic signalling system according to claim 1 further comprising a lamp status display system comprising a current indicator unit in series with said power source and one of said signal lamps 5 The electronic signalling system according to claim 1 further comprising a left turn signal train net and a right turn signal train n
16. port in parallel whereby said single shot produces a single resetting pulse for both said frequency divider and said counter when ever either of said turn signal switch contacts are closed or said hazard warning switch is closed a third logic circuit connected from said turn signal switch contacts and said counter to said first electronic switch so that said turn signal switch is cancelled when said counter reaches a set count 11 In an automotive vehicle having a turn signal switch and a hazard warning switch and a plurality of lamps an electronic signaling system responsive to input signals from the turn signal switch and the hazard warning switch to control the lamps to flash at a predefined flashing frequency the signalling system comprising an electronic oscillator providing an oscillator output signal at a selected frequency which is a multiple of the predefined flashing frequency a frequency divider circuit connected to the oscillator circuit and responsive to the oscillator output signal at the selected frequency to generate a divider output signal a logic circuit connected to the frequency divider circuit the turn signal switch the hazard warning switch and 5 808 545 9 the lamps and responsive to the divider output signal to selectively operate the lamps at the predefined flashing frequency the frequency divider circuit generating a plurality of divider output signals at differing frequencies and the logic circ
17. r tm A where l is the length of the coil winding space and f is the fraction of coil winding space occupied by copper The circuit of the preferred embodiment comprises that described in the Summary above and has additional circuitry to perform the battery saver hazard warning feature a police alert hazard warning flashing mode an alternate side hazard warning mode the Vehicular Lamp Status Display circuitry See Ser No 08 192 015 turn signal double rate flashing on burnout and a brake inhibited turn signal timeout function Divider 50 is clocked continually by oscillator 49 said divider has output ports 52 56 which have square waves whose respective frequencies are each an integral fraction of the preceding one They are numbered in order of decreasing frequency in FIG 5 The frequency at output port 54 is standard flasher frequency 53 twice as fast 55 twice as slow In the case of an electrically cancellable turn signal switch the inverter 40 is omitted The battery saver portion of the hazard warning circuitry comprises NOR 80 and switch 103 having three positions 104 105 amp 106 in position 104 NOR 80 produces a train of pulses whose width is standard MARK duration and whose period is four times standard This feature is not available in the prior art The police alert hazard warning mode circuitry comprises divide by 3 unit 87 AND 88 and switch 103 in position 106 The divide by 3 is clocked at
18. rate port and from said inverted fourth stage port to produce a periodic train having three pulses in each period 9 A turn signal switch apparatus comprising a ferromagnetic frame having a planar rectangular base having two sides and first and second ends a right stop arm and a left stop arm which protrude up from along each long side toward the first end of said base and facing each other to form a U shape and also having toward the second end and centered between the long sides of said base a cylindrical solid ferromagnetic core protruding perpendicularly upward from said base a switch lever which pivots about uppermost part of said core in a plane parallel to said base and having a rectangular solid ferromagnetic counterweight at one end of said lever and a standard handle at the other such that said lever may pivot with said counterweight 10 m th 20 25 30 35 40 45 55 65 8 between said left and right stop arms and a contiguous closed magnetic circuit is formed when said counter weight touches either of said stop arms a coil of magnet wire wound around said core and occupying space between said base and said lever two insulated spring loaded electrical contacts one in each said stop arm each having a head such that said head touches said counterweight when said counter weight approaches said stop arm and said head recedes into said stop arm when said counterweight is forced to touc
19. ted from said frequency divider standard rate port a third AND unit connected from said second inverter and from said hazard warning switch a second OR unit connected from said hazard warning switch and from said first NAND unit a first NOR unit connected from said turn signal left contact and from said frequency divider standard rate port asecond NOR unit connected from said turn signal switch right contact and from said frequency divider standard rate port a third NOR unit connected from said third AND unit and from said first NOR unit and a fourth NOR unit connected from said third AND unit and from said second NOR unit a fifth NOR unit connected from said third AND unit from said first NOR unit and from said first AND unit and a sixth NOR unit connected from said second AND unit said second NOR unit and third AND unit first second third and fourth P channel field effect transistors each having a gate a source and a drain with said drains connected to said left and right front and rear signal lamps respectively and with said gates connected from said third fourth fifth and sixth NOR units respectively 8 The electronic signalling system according to claim 1 further comprising a double rate port on said frequency divider a divide by three counter having a clock port and an inverted fourth stage port with clock port connected from said double rate port a fourth AND unit connected from said double
20. the other arm of which is a ferromagnetic counterweight 3 a coil of magnet wire 8 with leads 12 a left contact 7 and a right contact 4 Core 9 extended is the shaft about which lever 10 pivots The electronic circuit comprises an audio frequency oscil lator 49 See FIG 4 a multistage frequency divider 50 having a reset port 51 and a standard rate output port 54 an electronic switch 38 for driving the coil 8 of the turn signal switch first second third and fourth electronic switches 20 31 70 amp 101 in series with each turn signal lamp 17 36 67 amp 102 respectively a counter 61 having a reset port 59 and output ports 57 and 58 and NAND circuit unit NAND 39 which drives switch 38 final logic NORs 25 29 72 amp 94 which drive said four electronic switches respectively left and right brake ANDs 26 and 75 left and right turn signal NORs 27 and 77 hazard warning AND 74 NAND 47 OR 48 single shot 42 and inverters 40 76 and 85 The oscillator 49 runs steadily whenever the system of the present invention is powered The frequency divider 50 produces a square wave train at standard flasher frequency This signal appears on output port 54 5 808 545 3 When turn signal switch contact 7 is closed NAND 47 enables NAND 39 and simultaneously causes single shot 42 to generate a pulse which resets divider 50 and counter 61 The resultant logic 0 on port 57 completes NAND 39 causing coil 8 to conduct current and hold
21. uit selectively responsive to the plurality of divider output signals to selectively operate the lamps at a rate lower than the predefined flashing frequency 12 The electronic signaling system in accordance with claim 11 wherein the frequency divider circuit generates a divider output signal at a predetermined frequency and the logic circuitry is responsive to the divider output signal at the predetermined frequency to generate a series of spaced apart output signals in a repetitive pattern designating a hazard warning mode 13 The electronic signalling system in accordance with claim 11 and further comprising a power net an ignition switch and a current driven clapping means connected between the ignition switch and the power net 14 An electronic signalling system in a vehicle having left front and rear signal lamps and right front and rear signal lamps a brake switch a turn signal switch a hazard warning switch and a power source the electronic signalling system comprising 10 15 20 10 an oscillator operative to provide an oscillator output signal at a predetermined frequency a frequency divider connected to the oscillator and responsive the oscillator output signal to selectively generate a plurality of periodic signals at various dif ferent frequencies a plurality of signal lamp switches each operative to selectively connect the power source to one of the signal lamps and a logic circuit connected to the tur
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