Patent ID: 9542848
Date: 2017-01-10
CPC Classifications: B60K,B60Q,B60W,G08G

Claim:
1. An apparatus for alerting a driver within an automotive vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an alerting device disposed within the vehicle, the alerting device being configured to alert a driver; a controller controllably coupled to the alerting device, the controller being operable to activate the alerting device to produce an alert; and a hazard detecting device communicatively coupled to the controller, the hazard detecting device being configured to detect a hazard, wherein the controller is configured to activate the alerting device to produce the alert if the hazard detecting device detects a hazard, the alert being produced a predetermined reaction time period before a desired driver response, the controller configured to determine at least one driver response time, the driver response time including the time from the alert to an actual driver response, the controller being configured to alter the predetermined reaction time period based on the at least one driver response time; wherein the alerting device comprises a plurality of lights linearly arranged substantially around an interior perimeter of the vehicle such that the plurality of lights are easily visible to the driver of the vehicle regardless of a direction in which the driver is looking; the controller being configured to illuminate at least one of the plurality of lights corresponding to a location of a hazard detected by the hazard detecting device, the detected hazard being in a first direction from the driver, and the at least one illuminated light being in a second direction from the driver that is substantially the same as the first direction such that a location of the at least one illuminated light indicates to the driver of the vehicle the first direction in which the hazard was detected.