Transmitter apparatus and system for remote signaling

Abstract

An electronic system is described for controlling vehicle message lighting including turn and stop indicator signal lights, which system does not require any pre-existing wiring harness in either a towing vehicle 101 or any towed vehicle 104 to be in serviceable condition. In one embodiment the system implements a reliable wireless detection method based on feedback to confirm the state of operation of any such pre-existing ‘vehicle indication signal drive line’ and includes a control apparatus that wirelessly transmits 230 instructions to at least one local receiver 150 controlling a number of message devices, including, but not limited to, vehicle indication signal lights. Another embodiment of the system bypasses any pre-existing wiring harness and permits the operator to manually over ride its detector. Advantageously, the portable control transmitter apparatus and each receiver apparatus 150 of the invented system are easily installed by a nontechnical person requiring minimal tooling and then operated by an unskilled user.

1 .- 49 . (canceled) 
     
     
         50 . A wireless signal indication system for a vehicle having a plurality of driver actuatable vehicle controls and a plurality of built-in exterior safety visual indicators located at an exterior of the vehicle and perceivable therefrom, the wireless signal indication system comprising:
 at least one sensor position to sense a condition of the driver actuatable vehicle controls of the vehicle;   a wireless transmitter configured to transmits wireless signals;   at least one circuit that communicatively couples the at least one sensor and the wireless transmitter; and   at least one wireless receiver configured to receive the wireless signals transmitted by the wireless transmitter and coupled to control at least some of the exterior safety visual indicators of the vehicle in response to the received wireless signals.   
     
     
         51 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 50 , further comprising:
 a housing that houses the at least one sensor, the housing removably attachable to at least one of a steering wheel or a steering column of the vehicle.   
     
     
         52 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 50  wherein the vehicle controls are factory built-in to the vehicle and the at least one sensor is responsive to electromagnetic fields generated in response to actuation of the driver actuatable vehicle controls by the driver. 
     
     
         53 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 52  wherein the at least one sensor includes a Hall effect sensor positioned to sense an electromagnetic field emitted in response to actuation of the driver actuatable vehicle controls by the driver. 
     
     
         54 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 52  wherein the at least one circuit is configured to translate electromagnetic signals sensed by the at least one sensor into signals recognizable by the at least one wireless receiver. 
     
     
         55 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 54  wherein the at least one circuit includes at least one processor that is selectively configurable to translate electromagnetic signals in formats associated with respective ones of at least two different vehicles to a set of instructions recognizable by the at least one wireless receiver. 
     
     
         56 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 55  wherein the at least one circuit includes plurality of input keys, at least one memory and at least one display, the memory, the keys and the display configured to allow selective configuration of the processor. 
     
     
         57 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 50  wherein the at least one sensor includes a photo-sensor positioned to sense light emitted by at least one factory built-in internal indicator located in an interior passenger compartment of the vehicle. 
     
     
         58 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 50  wherein the at least one sensor includes a number of photo-sensors positioned to sense light emitted by the exterior safety visual indicators located at the exterior of the vehicle. 
     
     
         59 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 58 , further comprising:
 a number of remote feedback wireless transmitters, each of the remote feedback wireless transmitters physically positioned at least proximate a respective one of the photo-sensors and configured to transmit a wireless signal indicative of an operational property of the respective one of the exterior safety visual indicators.   
     
     
         60 . A wireless signal indication system for use with a towed vehicle and a towing vehicle, the towing vehicle having a plurality of driver actuatable vehicle controls and a plurality of built-in exterior safety visual indicators located at an exterior of the towing vehicle and perceivable therefrom, the wireless signal indication system comprising:
 a base coupleable to at least one of a steering wheel, a steering column or a dashboard of the towing vehicle to sense a condition of the driver actuatable vehicle controls;   at least one sensor carried by the base, the at least one sensor responsive to electromagnetic fields emitted in response to activation of the vehicle controls of the towing vehicle;   a wireless transmitter communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor, and configured to transmit wireless signals indicative of activation of the vehicle controls of the towing vehicle; and   at least one wireless receiver positioned at the towed vehicle configured to receive the wireless signals transmitted by the wireless transmitter and coupled to control a number of safety visual indicators carried by the towed vehicle in response to the received wireless signals.   
     
     
         61 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 60 , further comprising:
 at least one control circuit communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to transform a number of patterns encoded in the electromagnetic fields sensed by the at least one sensor into an instruction recognizable by the at least one wireless receiver.   
     
     
         62 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 61  wherein the at least one control circuit includes at least one processor that is selectively trainable to transform patterns encoded in the electromagnetic fields associated with respective ones of at least two different vehicles into a number of instructions from a set of instructions recognizable by the at least one wireless receiver. 
     
     
         63 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 62  wherein the at least one circuit includes plurality of input keys, at least one memory and at least one display, the memory, the keys and the display configured to allow selective training of the processor. 
     
     
         64 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 60  wherein the base is removably coupleable to the steering wheel, the steering column or the dashboard of the towing vehicle. 
     
     
         65 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 60  wherein the safety visual indicators carried by the towed vehicle are factory built-in safety visual indicators. 
     
     
         66 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 60  wherein the at least one sensor includes a photo-sensor positioned to sense light emitted by at least one factory built-in internal indicator located in the dashboard of the towing vehicle. 
     
     
         67 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 60  wherein the at least one sensor includes a number of photo-sensors positioned to sense light emitted by the exterior safety visual indicators located at the exterior of the towing vehicle. 
     
     
         68 . The wireless signal indication system of  claim 67 , further comprising:
 a number of remote feedback wireless transmitters, each of the remote feedback wireless transmitters physically positioned at least proximate a respective one of the photo-sensors and configured to transmit a wireless signal indicative of an operational property of the respective one of the exterior safety visual indicators of the towing vehicle.