Absolute acceleration sensor for use within moving vehicles

Abstract

A method of and system for detecting absolute acceleration along various axes relative to a desired movement vector while moving relative to a gravity source includes steps of determining a vertical acceleration, perpendicular to the desired movement vector and substantially anti-parallel to a gravitational acceleration due to the gravity source; determining a longitudinal acceleration, parallel to the desired movement vector and to output at vertical acceleration signal and a longitudinal acceleration signal; determining an inclination of the desired movement vector relative to the gravitational acceleration; and processing the vertical acceleration signal, the longitudinal acceleration signal, and the inclination signal to produce an absolute vertical acceleration signal and an absolute longitudinal acceleration signal.

1 - 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A communication system for a vehicle, comprising:
 a. an absolute deceleration detector including a two-axis accelerometer to sense a vertical acceleration and a longitudinal acceleration, a gyroscope to sense an inclination of a movement vector relative to the gravitational acceleration, and a control logic and configured to determine an absolute deceleration statues of the vehicle;   b. a braking system engagement detector to detect a braking status of the vehicle;   c. an alerting device capable of signaling other drivers of a deceleration condition of the vehicle; and   d. a control device coupled to the absolute deceleration detector, the braking system engagement detector, and the alerting device, wherein the deceleration detector sends signals to the control device and the control device operates the alerting device in a manner dependent on the absolute deceleration status of the vehicle wherein the control logic uses the inclination of movement vector, a vertical acceleration, and a longitudinal acceleration to determine the absolute deceleration status.   
     
     
         43 . The communication system of  claim 42 , wherein the alerting device comprises lamps on the vehicle that are capable of flashing. 
     
     
         44 . The communication system of  claim 43 , wherein the lamps are capable of flashing only at a constant rate. 
     
     
         45 . The communication system of  claim 43 , wherein the lamps are capable of flashing at a variable rate, and further wherein the control device is configured to flash the lamps at a rate correlated to a rate of deceleration. 
     
     
         46 . The communication system of  claim 43 , wherein the lamps are one of the following: conventional signaling lamps and conventional brake lamps. 
     
     
         47 . The communication system of  claim 46 , wherein the control device further comprises a control system for the conventional brake lamp system, whereby the communication system is an integrated control and circuitry system for all brake lamps. 
     
     
         48 . The communication system of  claim 46 , wherein the existing control system for the conventional brake lamp system is substantially unmodified, and wherein the control device communicates with the conventional brake lamp system in a substantially separate manner. 
     
     
         49 . The communication system of  claim 46 , wherein the control device is an addition to a control system for the conventional brake lamp system. 
     
     
         50 . The communication system of  claim 43 , wherein the lamps are in addition to conventional brake lamps and conventional signaling lamps. 
     
     
         51 . The communication system of  claim 42 , wherein the control device receives signals from the deceleration detector, a throttle engagement detector, a clutch engagement detector, and the braking system engagement detector in cycles. 
     
     
         52 . A method of determining an absolute deceleration status of a vehicle comprising:
 a. sensing an acceleration in a first vertical direction;   b. sensing an acceleration in a second longitudinal direction;   c. sense an inclination of a movement vector relative to the gravitational acceleration;   d. detect a braking status of the vehicle;   e. based on the vertical acceleration, the longitudinal acceleration, and the inclination of a movement vector relative to the gravitational acceleration, determining the absolute deceleration status.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , comprising activating an alerting device. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the alerting device comprises lamps on the vehicle that are capable of flashing. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the lamps are capable of flashing only at a constant rate. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the lamps are capable of flashing at a variable rate, and further wherein the control device is configured to flash the lamps at a rate correlated to a rate of deceleration. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the lamps are one of the following: conventional signaling lamps and conventional brake lamps. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the control device further comprises a control system for the conventional brake lamp system, whereby the communication system is an integrated control and circuitry system for all brake lamps. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the existing control system for the conventional brake lamp system is substantially unmodified, and wherein the control device communicates with the conventional brake lamp system in a substantially separate manner. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the control device is an addition to a control system for the conventional brake lamp system. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the lamps are in addition to conventional brake lamps and conventional signaling lamps. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the control device receives signals from the deceleration detector, a throttle engagement detector, a clutch engagement detector, and the braking system engagement detector in cycles. 
     
     
         63 . A communication system for a vehicle, comprising:
 a. an absolute deceleration detector including a two-axis accelerometer to sense a vertical acceleration and a longitudinal acceleration, a gyroscope to sense an inclination of a movement vector relative to the gravitational acceleration, and a control logic and configured to determine an absolute deceleration statues of the vehicle;   b. a braking system engagement detector to detect a braking status of the vehicle;   c. a throttle engagement detector to detect a throttle engagement of the vehicle;   d. an alerting device capable of signaling other drivers of a deceleration condition of the vehicle; and   e. a control device coupled to the absolute deceleration detector, the braking system engagement detector, the throttle engagement detector, and the alerting device, wherein the deceleration detector sends signals to the control device and the control device operates the alerting device in a manner dependent on the absolute deceleration status of the vehicle wherein the control logic uses the inclination of movement vector, a vertical acceleration, and a longitudinal acceleration to determine the absolute deceleration status.   
     
     
         64 . The communication system of  claim 63 , wherein the alerting device comprises lamps on the vehicle that are capable of flashing. 
     
     
         65 . The communication system of  claim 64 , wherein the lamps are capable of flashing only at a constant rate. 
     
     
         66 . The communication system of  claim 64 , wherein the lamps are capable of flashing at a variable rate, and further wherein the control device is configured to flash the lamps at a rate correlated to a rate of deceleration. 
     
     
         67 . The communication system of  claim 64 , wherein the lamps are one of the following: conventional signaling lamps and conventional brake lamps.