GB2431033A

GB2431033A - Anti-Tailgating Device

Info

Publication number: GB2431033A
Application number: GB0520045A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Cunningham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-10-01
Filing date: 2005-10-01
Publication date: 2007-04-11
Also published as: GB2431033A9; GB0520045D0

Abstract

An anti tailgating device comprises a sensor, preferably infra red, for determining the distance to a following vehicle, a digital display, a camera and a transmission means. If the sensor determines that the vehicle has been following within a predetermined distance for a period of time a digital display providing warning messages to the following vehicle can be operated. This operation may be automatically or under the control of the driver. The sensor can also cause a camera to be operated for recording an image of the following vehicle. The image can then be transmitted, for example by Bluetooth õ , as evidence to an enforcement authority. The device can be used on any vehicle including motorbikes, mopeds or bicycles. When the device is located on a bicycle, power can be derived from a generator linked to the pedals or solar panels.

Description

ANTI-TAILGATE DEVICE

This invention relates to an anti-tailgating device.

Tailgating is a huge problem on the roads today. Many people are injured or killed each year due to reckless drivers, driving too close to the vehicle in front.

Problems occur when drivers have to brake suddenly and they are hit from behind, by a driver who has failed to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

The anti-tailgate device could prevent most tailgaters, and collect digital or photo filmed evidence in the case of a rear-end or front-end collision. This can later be used for police and insurance purposes. The device is made up of a PIR (passive infra red) motion detector or another similar motion detector that would be set to trigger within certain parameters. lt would also have a camera that could record digital and other film and this to an independent device via a wireless connection, possible blue tooth-. In addition to this, a digital display is needed to inform drivers that they are tailgating and that it is advisable to keep the appropriate distance. This digital display could also double as a brake light when it is not needed to let drivers know they are tailgating.

A device that is activated as you are driving a vehicle on a motorway or another road. When a vehicle is driving behind you very close to the back of your vehicle, they are effectively tailgating. The PIR or other motion detector, which is set to a measured distance, detects this. This parameter would be the distance laid down by law, in which it states the appropriate space between two vehicles on the road to maintain safety.

There may be a time delay fitted to the motion detector so that it operates automatically when it detects that a vehicle has been tailgating for a specified period of time. Alternatively, the device could be made to operate manually at the flick of a switch or via voice activation. The device could then operate the back digital display. The digital board display could have messages that appear.

These could be either standard or custom messages. Messages such as PLEASE KEEP BACK, KEEP YOUR DISTANCE or NOW FILMING could then appear. The message board may also have these words flashing or with different colours to express urgency. When someone is tailgating and are told that they are being filmed, most would keep their distance out of fear of their insurance company refusing to insure them any longer.

A device that could have a camera fitted at the side of the display or another part of the back of the vehicle. This camera would record the other vehicle's registration, the driver and other details including, the actual distance, showing the very back of your car and the distance between that shot and the vehicle tailgating will also be recorded. This evidence can be used later for police and or insurance purposes. z

The camera would also have a memory as a way of storing the images or film.

The film could also be sent to a computer or another indepenp device to store the images or film in a remote location. It could use blue-tootNiechnology as the link between the camera and the independent device. The purpose of this would be that in the event of an accident, the device or camera might be damaged.

This way you still have the film that would be sufficient evidence for the police or insurance companies. The camera could be of many types, including infra red or even a device similar in function to a web cam for the link with a computer. The device could also employ numerous cameras if needed, as the camera may need to record in poor light.

Many vehicles now have a long, thin red brake light display at the back of the vehicle, usually located at the top of the back window. This is a prime location for the device, as the driver behind will have full visibility of this. This device could also double as that very same brake light as well, in normal circumstances, or act as the anti-tailgating device when the offence occurs. The device can also be separate, positioned at another point on the back of the vehicle.

A situation may arise when you are in a traffic jam and the car behind is very close for long periods. That is why it also gives the driver the option of triggering the device manually on command. It may also have a cut out switch that would stop the device if your brakes were kept pressed, your handbrake on, or another condition indicative of a traffic jam.

The device may also have another useful purpose as the motion detector linked with the camera could activate when you put the vehicle in reverse. It would then be possible to view the rear of the vehicle, this may aid drivers when parking in a tight space. There could be a display or another way of viewing what the camera is focused on inside the vehicle to enable you see all around the vehicle's rear and park more safely. As many modern vehicles today have satellite navigation, the display could even be on the same screen as this feature or another type of display inside the vehicle, possibly a television screen.

The product could be fitted to a new vehicle being built in the factory or be installed in a second hand vehicle. The device could also be adapted to fit to the front of the vehicle as a further safety measure. This time against those who may hit your vehicle when parked and fail to leave insurance details. This too, is a problem that frequently occurs in city centers, car parks and other locations.

Again, when a vehicle approaches your vehicle too closely the camera will activate. The device could have a timer fitted to it so that it is only active for a specified period of time, possibly the time it takes to go shopping in the city center, by the driver of the vehicle. Otherwise, the device could be active too long and drain all of the vehicle's battery. Other measures to prevent the battery's power being needlessly wasted are, the system may have switch that turns off the whole device completely, and another timer that deactivates the device after a set time, if the driver forgets to turn the device off when turning the vehicle's engine off.

A device like this could be applied to any type of vehicle including motorbikes, mopeds or even a pedal bike, as well as others. In the case of a motorbike, moped or pedal bike, the display could be positioned beneath the seat. In this location if vehicles get too close to the bike, the display also acts as a light, which makes the bike more visible. The device is ideal to be fitted on bikes, as they are more prone to be involved in accidents that cause injury due to there not being as much protection for the driver as there is in a car. With a bike, there is no need to fit a screen that enables the driver to see behind them, or a device on the front of the bike. This will cut the cost of fitting the device on a bike. With a pedal bike or other non-electrical vehicle, there is the problem of generating the energy to enable the device to work. There are numerous solutions to this problem, one of which could involve a generator that powers the device. The generator could utilise the drivers energy when pedalling for example. Another solution could involve solar panels fitted to the bike. Both of these are environmentally friendly.

Also the device could be adapted so that it can be charged like a mobile phone.

A device like this should reduce the amount of insurance premium you pay for your vehicle as you are proactively helping to reduce the chance of an expensive insurance claim. This reduction of money saved could even offset the cost of buying the product. I believe that once the device has proven its worth to the public and insurance companies, then it would reduce accidents overall, save lives, and bring insurance costs right down. This is because the public would know the device and less people would take the risk of driving recklessly.

Claims

CLAIMS ANTI-TAILGATE DEVICE

1. The motion detector that may be a passive infrared device or a similar detector would be set to activate either manually or automatically when the offending vehicle has breached the legal parameter for the safe driving distance between vehicles on the road, the motion detector would be set to only activate when the parameter has been breached.

2. A device that has a camera(s) that is capable of recording film or taking snapshots so that there is evidence of the tailgating incident.

3. A road safety device whose camera(s) would also be capable of sending images and or film from the camera(s) to a remote location such as a computer, also the device would have a hard drive to store these images and or film, the object is to clarify this sort of driving and who is liable in the event of an accident where the vehicle has been damaged.

4. A road safety device that has a digital display board with the capability to display pre-set messages or customised messages, the device would be fitted in a visible place such as the back of a vehicle.

5. The digital display can be linked wirelessly or via the mains to a camera(s) that would be activated as the display board is activated.

The camera(s) would be built into or linked with the board itself, the wireless version would also have a display to notify the driver that the device may need recharging in a similar manner to a mobile phone, as

pointed out in the description.

6. The automatic version would work on a timer so that the device is not needlessly switched on when vehicles are very close, this may occur in situations such as a traffic jam.

7. A device that would have the capability to use blue-tooth technology or similar wireless connection technology in order to send the information or film to a remote location.

8. A device that could have the capability to use the same motion detector to enable the driver to reverse safely with the use of cameras to show the area at the back of the vehicle as you are reversing.

9. The device that can still be active when the cars engine is off, if set by the driver, this could be to pick up a careless driver bumping your car, the device would also have a timer so that the driver can set it to be on for a specified amount of time, so that the battery is not needlessly wasted.