Abstract:
A warning system for a vehicle is provided. The warning system has a sensor for detecting an obstruction near the vehicle, a control apparatus to produce a signal in response to the detected obstruction, and an alert device configured to direct a driver&#39;s attention to the obstruction.

Description:
DESCRIPTION 
   The invention concerns a warning device in motor vehicles, in accord with the generic concept of Claim  1 . 
   In recent times, motor vehicles have been equipped with a multitude of warning and monitoring apparatuses. For instance, EP 1 068 992 A2 has disclosed a backing-up assistance for vehicles, by means of which the location and the size of an obstruction behind a motor vehicle can be determined and the driver informed thereof. 
   The sensors employed for this system are based on ultrasonics, infrared, radar and detection by means of electromagnetic radiation. In the case of commercial vehicles, such sensors were not only installed at the rear of the vehicles, but also on the sides and the fronts thereof This is done so that those areas, which are not immediately within the visual range of the driver, i.e. blind zones at the front, rear and the sides of the vehicle, are monitored and in case an obstruction appears in these areas a warning signal can be produced. Normally, an acoustic warning signal signals to the driver that a an obstruction lies before, behind or at the side of his vehicle. The driver must now look at his various display apparatuses in the outside mirrors and/or at a monitor responding to a camera in the rear area, to determine where the subject of the signal is located. In doing this, valuable time is lost, within which period an accident can occur. Additionally the danger is present, that the driver generally can&#39;t determine just where the obstruction is to be found. 
   It is thus the purpose of the present invention to so improve the aforesaid warning apparatuses, that the location and the position of the subject obstruction is more easily made known to the driver. 
   The achievement of this purpose will be accomplished by the features of Claim  1 . 
   If an obstruction is detected, by means of one or more of the sensors, which find their place on the sides, rear and/or on the forward part of the motor vehicle, then a control apparatus, which is associated with said sensors, advises the driver as to which specific display apparatus out of the multitude of display apparatuses his attention should be directed. By a glance on this selected display apparatus, for instance, on the left outside mirror, the driver can discern the detected obstruction which was detected by one of the sensors. Alternatively, the produced advisory signal indicates directly the location of the detected obstruction. The driver receives, not so much just a inconclusive acoustic signal, which indicates an obstruction, wherever it may be, as this is the case in accord with the state of the technology. Contrarily, by the signal in accord with the invention, this being either optical and/or acoustic, the driver is informed as to the exact location of the detected obstruction and he can thus act more quickly and in a considered manner. Additionally this leads also to an avoidance of stress situations for the driver, since he essentially more rapidly, i.e. immediately, knows where the detected obstruction is to be found. 
   In the case of the display equipment in accord with the present invention, the primary concern embraces the outside mirror on the motor vehicle, which, in the case of trucks or larger commercial vehicles, is a main mirror and, at the least, is accompanied by a wide angle mirror. 
   The wide angle mirror allows recognition of obstructions both to the side as well as to the front of the vehicle, which are not directly immediately visible in the main mirror, since they are in the “dead angle” of reflected images. 
   Additionally, the display apparatuses, in accord with the present invention, include monitors for supervisory cameras, LED/LDC modules and the like (Claim  2 ). 
   In accord with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, Claim  3  describes a means for optical display of the advisory signals produced by the control apparatus. In this case, fortunately, (Claim  4 ) a plurality of display means are provided, which respectively are spatially linked with that display apparatus through which the detected obstruction is visible. If, for instance, an obstruction is detected by a sensor on the left side of the vehicle, then there will appear in the wide angle mirror on the left driver&#39;s side a blinking signal (Claim  5 ), which alerts the driver that, in this mirror, that is, in this display apparatus, that obstruction is visible, which was detected by the sensor (Claim  6 ). 
   In accord with a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, instead of a blink signal, or in addition to the blink signal, an advisory text can be displayed, which indicates the location of the obstruction which was picked up by the sensor. 
   In accord with a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, as seen in Claim  7 , provision can be made for an acoustic means for the emitting of an acoustic warning signal of the obstruction detected by the sensors. In the case of this acoustic means, the alarm can by produced and emitted by a loud speaker or peep-signal, as this is already known in the state of the technology. Additionally it is also possible, that, according to the location of the detected obstruction in relation to the vehicle, different tones, i.e., peep-signals of varied pitch or with different sound patterns can be produced and emitted. 
   In accord with a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, as indicated by Claim  8 , a speech emitting device is provided, by means of which the location of an obstruction detected by the sensors is made known by spoken word. By means of this spoken word, first, the information can be given, that an obstruction is to be found on left side of the driver and additionally, the information can be added, that the obstruction is recognizable in the left outside rearview mirror or certainly in the wide angle mirror. 
   The remaining subordinate claims concern themselves with further advantageous embodiments of the invention. 

   
     Further details, features and advantages of the invention arise from the following description of a preferred embodiment, with the air of the drawing. There is shown in: 
       FIG. 1  a schematic presentation of the arrangement of a plurality of sensors around a vehicle, 
       FIG. 2  a schematic presentation of a first embodiment of the invention, 
       FIG. 3  a detail from  FIG. 2 , 
       FIG. 4  a schematic presentation of a second embodiment of the invention, and 
       FIG. 5  A schematic presentation of a third embodiment of the invention. 
   

     FIG. 1  shows, schematically, an example arrangement of sensors  1  to  8  on a motor vehicle  10 , that is, a truck, for the detection of obstructions. In this case, the first and second sensors,  1  and  2  are on the forward end of the vehicle for the detection of obstructions directly in front of said vehicle. The third and the fourth sensors  3  and  4 , are on the rear of the vehicle  10 , for the detection of obstruction behind the vehicle. The fifth and sixth sensors  5 ,  6 , are found on the right side of the vehicle for the detection of obstructions to the right of the vehicle  10 . The seventh and eighth sensors  7 ,  8  are on the left side of the vehicle for the detection of obstructions on that side. Additionally, a backing-up camera is  12  is provided, by means of which the sector in the rear of the vehicle  10  can be directly supervised. 
     FIG. 2  shows schematically a first embodiment of the invention with a plurality of display devices in the for of a left outside mirror  14 , a right outside mirror  16  as well as a monitor  18 . The right and left outside mirror arrangements  14 ,  16  and the monitor  18  are connected to a control apparatus  20 . The control apparatus  20 , in turn, is connected with the sensors  1  to  8 . The control unit  20  is additionally connected with a loudspeaker  22  for the emitting of an acoustic warning signal. The loudspeaker  22  can be deactivated by means of a switch  24 . The left, as well as the right, outside mirror arrangement  14 ,  16 , possesses respectively a main mirror  26 ,  28  and a wide angle mirror  30 ,  32 . 
   In the right, lower corner of the left wide angle mirror  30  is provided a first LED-element  34 , which would serve for the optical display of the advisory signal produced by the control apparatus  20 , in case the sensors  7  or  8  detect an obstruction on the left side of the vehicle. In such a case, the first LED element  34  blinks, as this is shown in  FIG. 3 , when the sensors  7  and  8  detect an obstruction. In an analogous manner, in the left, lower corner of the right wide angle mirror  32 , a second LED-element  36  is provided, which blinks, when the sensors  5  and  6  on the right side of the vehicle  10  detect an obstruction. A third LED-element  38  is in the area of the under edge of the monitor  18 . The third LED-element  38  blinks, when the sensors  3  and  4 , on the rear of the vehicle  10  detect an obstruction. If, by means of the first sensor  1  of the left forward end of the vehicle  10  detects an obstruction, then the first LED-element blinks in the left wide angle mirror  30 . If, by means of the second sensor  2 , an obstruction is found on the right forward end of the vehicle  10 , then the second LED-element  36  in the right wide angle mirror  32  blinks. Additionally, upon the detection of an obstruction, by means of any of the sensors  1  to  8 , an acoustic warning signal will be generated and emitted by the loud speaker  22 . 
   By means of the spatial arrangement of the LED-elements  34 ,  36  and  38  to the respective display apparatus, i.e. left wide angle mirror  30 , right wide angle mirror  32 , or monitor  18 , the attention of the driver is directed to the respective blinking LED-element  34 ,  36  or  38  on the corresponding display apparatus, in which the detected obstruction should be seen. Thereby, the driver can correspondingly react without delay. 
     FIG. 4  shows, schematically, a second embodiment of the invention, in which, on the monitor  18  are shown in stylized manner, the individual display apparatuses, that is, the left and right outside mirror arrangements  14  and  16 , with the main mirrors, respectively  26  and  28 , and with the wide angle mirrors, likewise,  30  and  32 . Should now, for example, the seventh sensor  7  detect an obstruction, then, on the monitor  18 , the stylized image of the left wide angle mirror  10  blinks, and the driver of the vehicle  10  is thereby apprised, that the detected obstruction is to be seen in the left wide angle mirror  30  of the left outside mirror  14  assembly. If an obstruction is detected by the third of fourth sensor on the rear of the vehicle  10 , then the stylized presentation of the left and right outside mirror arrangements  14  and  16  are extinguished. In the monitor  18 , a marking element on the under edge thereof illuminates or blinks. Thereby the driver is given notice, that the detected obstruction is to be seen on the monitor  18 . 
   Additionally, or alternatively, the marking element  40  on the monitor  18  can be designed as a text display, in which written notice is to be given relative to which location of the vehicle  10  a detected obstruction is to be found, for instance, in the form of a brief text, “Obstruction in the area of the right driver door”. 
     FIG. 5  shows schematically a third embodiment of the invention, in which the advisory signal produced by the control apparatus  20  is spoken over the loudspeaker  22  as a vocal statement, such as “Obstruction in the area of the left driver side”. In this case a voice module  42  is inserted between the control apparatus  20  and the loudspeaker  22 . 
   Also, combinations of the three differing embodiments among one another are possible. 
   REFERENCE NUMBERS 
   
       
         1 – 8  sensors 
         10  vehicle, motor vehicle, generally referring to a commercial vehicle 
         12  backing-up camera 
         14  left outside mirror assembly 
         16  right outside mirror assembly 
         18  monitor 
         20  control apparatus 
         22  loudspeaker 
         24  switch 
         26  left main mirror 
         28  right main mirror 
         30  left wide angle mirror 
         32  right wide angle mirror 
         34  first LED-element 
         36  second LED-element 
         38  third LED-element 
         40  marking element 
         42  voice emission module