US5220307A — Warning system distinguishing wheel skidding and …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 159 words

A warning system for alerting a vehicle driver to different types of traction losses comprising: a first sensing circuit for detecting a loss of adhesion by a vehicle wheel with respect to a relatively moving traction surface; a second sensing circuit for detecting application of a vehicle brake; a logic circuit for combining sensor signals from said first and second sensing circuits and for producing a first command signal indicative of the detection of both the loss of adhesion by said vehicle wheel and the application of said vehicle brake and a second command signal indicative of the detection of the loss of adhesion by said vehicle wheel but not the application of the vehicle brake; a first indicator responsive to the first command signal of said logic circuit for alerting the vehicle driver to wheel skidding; and a second indicator responsive to the second command signal of said logic circuit for alerting the vehicle driver to wheel slipping.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 159 words

A warning system for alerting a vehicle driver to different types of traction losses comprising: a first sensing circuit for detecting a loss of adhesion by a vehicle wheel with respect to a relatively moving traction surface; a second sensing circuit for detecting application of a vehicle brake; a logic circuit for combining sensor signals from said first and second sensing circuits and for producing a first command signal indicative of the detection of both the loss of adhesion by said vehicle wheel and the application of said vehicle brake and a second command signal indicative of the detection of the loss of adhesion by said vehicle wheel but not the application of the vehicle brake; a first indicator responsive to the first command signal of said logic circuit for alerting the vehicle driver to wheel skidding; and a second indicator responsive to the second command signal of said logic circuit for alerting the vehicle driver to wheel slipping.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

The warning system of claim 1 in which said first and second indicators produce respective warning signals that are sensorially distinguishable for eliciting different responses from the vehicle driver.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 32 words

The warning system of claim 2 in which said respective warning signals are sensorially distinguishable by the driver without changing a driver's line of sight away from the relatively moving traction surface.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The warning system of claim 3 in which said respective warning signals are audible.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

The warning system of claim 4 in which one of said warning signals produced by the first indicator is a sound suggestive of a skidding wheel.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

The warning system of claim 5 in which another of said warning signals produced by the second indicator is a sound suggestive of a slipping wheel.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

The warning system of claim 1 in which said first sensing circuit includes a sensor for detecting a pronounced vibration induced by said vehicle wheel having lost adhesion with respect to the relatively moving traction surface.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 24 words

The warning system of claim 7 in which the pronounced vibration detected by said sensor is induced by both wheel skidding and wheel slipping.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 25 words

The warning system of claim 8 in which said first sensing circuit includes a filter for isolating a range of frequencies of the pronounced vibration.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 51 words

The warning system of claim 9 in which said first sensing circuit also includes a level detector for measuring an amplitude of the isolated frequency range and a comparator for comparing the amplitude of the isolated frequency range with a threshold to detect said loss of adhesion by said vehicle wheel.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 114 words

A system for warning a vehicle driver of both wheel skidding and wheel slipping comprising: a first sensing circuit for detecting a pronounced vibration induced by a vehicle wheel having lost adhesion with respect to a relatively moving traction surface; a second sensing circuit for detecting application of a vehicle brake; a logic circuit combining outputs of said first and second sensing circuits for distinguishing between a loss of wheel adhesion due to wheel skidding and a loss of wheel adhesion due to wheel slipping; and a warning device for producing sensorially distinguishable warning signals for eliciting different responses from the vehicle driver in response to the detection of wheel skidding and wheel slipping.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 114 words

A system for warning a vehicle driver of both wheel skidding and wheel slipping comprising: a first sensing circuit for detecting a pronounced vibration induced by a vehicle wheel having lost adhesion with respect to a relatively moving traction surface; a second sensing circuit for detecting application of a vehicle brake; a logic circuit combining outputs of said first and second sensing circuits for distinguishing between a loss of wheel adhesion due to wheel skidding and a loss of wheel adhesion due to wheel slipping; and a warning device for producing sensorially distinguishable warning signals for eliciting different responses from the vehicle driver in response to the detection of wheel skidding and wheel slipping.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 11 in which said first sensing circuit includes a sensor for monitoring a vehicle drive line for the pronounced vibration.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 12 in which said first sensing circuit includes a filter for isolating a range of frequencies of the pronounced vibration.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 49 words

The system of claim 13 in which said first sensing circuit includes a level detector for measuring an amplitude of the isolated frequency range and a comparator for comparing the amplitude of the isolated frequency range with a threshold to detect the loss of adhesion by said vehicle wheel.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of claim 11 in which said warning signals are sensorially distinguishable by the driver without changing a driver's line of sight away from the relatively moving traction surface.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 12 words

The system of claim 15 in which said warning signals are audible.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 35 words

The system of claim 16 in which one of said warning signals is a sound suggestive of a skidding wheel and the other of said warning signals is a sound suggestive of a slipping wheel.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 56 words

The system of claim 11 in which wheel skidding is distinguished by the detection of both the loss of adhesion by a vehicle wheel and the application of a vehicle brake and wheel slipping is distinguished by the detection of the loss of adhesion by a vehicle wheel but not the application of a vehicle brake.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of alerting a vehicle driver to different types of traction losses comprising the steps of: sensing vehicle operating conditions with a first sensing circuit for detecting a loss of adhesion by a vehicle wheel with respect to a relatively moving traction surface; sensing vehicle operating conditions with a second sensing circuit for detecting application of a vehicle brake; combining outputs of said first and second sensing circuits in a logic circuit for distinguishing between a loss of wheel adhesion due to wheel skidding and a loss of wheel adhesion due to wheel slipping; and producing sensorially distinguishable warning signals for eliciting different responses from the vehicle driver to the detection of wheel skidding and wheel slipping.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of alerting a vehicle driver to different types of traction losses comprising the steps of: sensing vehicle operating conditions with a first sensing circuit for detecting a loss of adhesion by a vehicle wheel with respect to a relatively moving traction surface; sensing vehicle operating conditions with a second sensing circuit for detecting application of a vehicle brake; combining outputs of said first and second sensing circuits in a logic circuit for distinguishing between a loss of wheel adhesion due to wheel skidding and a loss of wheel adhesion due to wheel slipping; and producing sensorially distinguishable warning signals for eliciting different responses from the vehicle driver to the detection of wheel skidding and wheel slipping.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 60 words

The method of claim 19 in which said step of combining outputs includes distinguishing wheel skidding by the detection of both the loss of adhesion by said vehicle wheel and the application of said vehicle brake and distinguishing wheel slipping by the detection of the loss of adhesion by said vehicle wheel but not the application of said vehicle brake.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 38 words

The method of claim 20 in which said step of producing warning signals includes producing warning signals that are sensorially distinguishable by the driver without changing a driver's line of sight away from the relatively moving traction surface.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 21 in which said step of producing warning signals includes producing warning signals that are suggestive of wheel skidding and wheel slipping.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 22 in which said step of producing warning signals includes producing one of the warning signals as a sound suggestive of a skidding wheel and the other of the warning signals as a sound suggestive of a slipping wheel.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 19 in which said step of sensing vehicle operating conditions with said first sensing circuit includes monitoring a vehicle drive line for the pronounced vibration.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method of claim 24 in which said step of sensing vehicle operating conditions with said first sensing circuit includes isolating a range of frequencies of the pronounced vibration.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 50 words

The method of claim 25 in which said step of sensing vehicle operating conditions with said first sensing circuit includes measuring an amplitude of the isolated frequency range and comparing the amplitude of the isolated frequency range with a threshold to detect the loss of adhesion by said vehicle wheel.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 26 words

The method of claim 20 in which said step of sensing vehicle operating conditions with said second sensing circuit includes monitoring a vehicle brake light circuit.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-06-14	1996-12-14	1997-06-15	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-06-14	2000-12-14	2001-06-15	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-06-14	2004-12-14	2005-06-15	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Warning system distinguishing wheel skidding and wheel slipping

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