Patent ID: 6441730
Filing Date: 2002-08-27
Classification: B60Q

Abstract:
A system for monitoring the brake lamp signaling function of a motor vehicle, the system comprising:a lamp block including a plurality of lamps; a switch operatively connected to said lamp block for providing an enable signal when a brake pedal is depressed; a sensor operatively connected to said switch for sensing a lamp excitation current when the brake pedal is depressed; a microprocessor operatively connected to said sensor, said microprocessor including a memory for storing a plurality of reference signals, each reference signal indicative of a nominal lamp excitation current required for illumination of a full compliment of operating lamps of said lamp block and a successively lesser number of operating lamps of said lamp block, said microprocessor comparing the lamp excitation current from said sensor with each of the reference signals to determine the presence and number of operative lamps from the plurality of lamps of said lamp block and storing in said memory the number of operative lamps when the lamp excitation current sensed by said sensor is less than the nominal lamp excitation current stored in the memory of said microprocessor; and an output interface operatively connected to said microprocessor and adapted to operatively connect to external equipment to permit automated read-out of the number of operative lamps stored in the memory of said microprocessor.