Patent ID: 7755474

Claim:
An automotive brake lighting system for use with a vehicle hydraulic brake system having a piston located in an associated housing of the vehicle hydraulic brake system, the automotive brake lighting system comprising: a brake pedal coupled to the piston of the vehicle hydraulic brake system; a detector integrated with the vehicle hydraulic brake system to detect a displacement of the piston of the vehicle hydraulic brake system; a brake light having a first and second light sources mounted, wherein the brake light is configured to indicate braking in response to the displacement of the piston of the vehicle hydraulic brake system; a sensor associated with the detector to provide a signal corresponding to the displacement of the piston of the vehicle hydraulic brake system for signaling selective powering of either one of the first light source or the second light source or both of the first and second light sources at substantially the same time based on calibrated braking outputs to maintain consistent braking visual indications for particular signals corresponding to sensed braking inputs; a controller coupled to the sensor for determining positions and movements of the brake pedal based on positions and movements of the piston for calibrating an initial position of the brake pedal to a first braking rate of the motor vehicle and a first position of the brake pedal to a second braking rate to controllably light the first and second light sources such that a unique visual warning pattern is formed by varying visual indications from the brake light in response to a change in a braking rate, wherein the calibrated brake outputs are calibrated to braking rates of the motor vehicle and wherein the automotive brake lighting system is integrated in the motor vehicle by a vehicle manufacturer.