Remote lighting system and its operation method

Abstract

An auxiliary lighting system for a helmet operable with a vehicle's lighting system including vehicle brake lights, the system including a helmet portion and a vehicle portion. The helmet portion includes a helmet lighting unit, a microcontroller in communication with the helmet brake lights, and a helmet transceiver in communication with the microcontroller. The vehicle portion includes a support, the vehicle transceiver, and an accelerometer coupled to the support and in communication with the microcontroller. The microcontroller is programmed with an algorithm such that the microcontroller receives a signal indicative of a relative position of the accelerometer, determines a performance capability of the accelerometer in detecting acceleration of the vehicle relative to the Earth based on the signal indicative of the accelerometer's position, and presents an indication of the performance capability of the accelerometer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 856,222, filed on June 3, 2019, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] Remote lighting operable to match corresponding lighting of a vehicle, and a method of operating the lighting. In particular, a lighting system attachable to a safety helmet and operable to match the lighting of a power sports vehicle such as a motorcycle, and a method of using the same.

Background Art

[0003] Riding a motorcycle or engaging in power sports is a necessary means of transportation for some people and an enjoyable form of entertainment for others. Whether power sports riding is done out of necessity or for entertainment, it is a dangerous means of locomotion.

[0004] One of the main risks when riding a motorcycle is the risk of rear or side collisions. That is, the risk that a motorcycle rider will collide with another vehicle from the rear or side. Additionally, motorcycles typically only include a single array of running lights, brake lights, and turn signals mounted at a height of approximately 2 - 3 feet from the ground. This is compared to the lighting of passenger cars and trucks, which is typically provided as a left - right pair separated by 3 - 4 feet from the ground and enhanced by the Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL) required by law for passenger cars manufactured since 1986.

[0005] Attempts have been made to increase the visibility of motorcycles and riders by providing a remotely-operated auxiliary light or lighting system that can be worn by a motorcycle rider and is typically attached to the back of a safety helmet for the rider. For example, U.S. Patent No. 7,218,214 to Werner et al. (the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference) discloses an auxiliary safety lighting system that is remotely operated by wireless HF field backscatter signal communication. Other patents and published patent applications also disclose remotely-operated lighting. Additionally, several remotely-lit products for motorcycle helmets have been introduced to the commercial market.

[0006] Obtaining acceptance in the mass market for new products is challenging. In today's "connected" world, customers immediately seek simplicity and versatility in the products they purchase, such as the purchase of an auxiliary remote lighting system for a motorcycle helmet. The main needs of customers in such a system are compatibility with the specific motorcycle they own and the ability to easily attach system components to the motorcycle and the helmet. Installation procedures require minimal mechanical and electrical skills.

[0007] At the same time as that need, there is a strong desire to provide a single auxiliary remote lighting system that can be easily adapted to the majority of currently used motorcycles. This is desirable for manufacturing such a system in large quantities so that the manufacturing cost is low enough to enable a retail purchase price that motorcycle riders will gladly pay. If lighting system manufacturers need to create individual units for each motorcycle make and model on the road, the logistics of such an endeavor are difficult and the manufacturing cost of the individual products will be too high to succeed in the market.

[0008] Customers also desire "smart" devices, i.e., devices incorporating intelligence features that provide advantages not previously possible with simple analog devices. As applied to an auxiliary remote lighting system for a motorcycle helmet, customers are seeking additional safety features and attributes in the system. Customers also desire a lighting system that they can adapt to the way they set it up on their motorcycle.

Summary of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, an auxiliary lighting system for a helmet operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system, and a method of using such a system are provided, which satisfy the aforementioned needs.

[0010] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a first auxiliary lighting system is provided for a helmet operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system including a vehicle brake light. The auxiliary lighting system includes a helmet portion and a vehicle portion.

[0011] The helmet portion includes a helmet power supply, a helmet lighting unit connected to the power supply and including a helmet brake light, a microcontroller connected to the power supply and in signal communication with the helmet brake light, and a helmet transceiver in signal communication with the microcontroller. The vehicle portion includes a vehicle portion support attachable to the vehicle, a vehicle transceiver in wireless signal communication with the helmet transceiver, and a vehicle accelerometer coupled to the vehicle portion support and in signal communication with the microcontroller. The vehicle transceiver can be coupled to the support. The vehicle accelerometer is operable to transmit a signal indicating the relative position of the accelerometer with respect to the earth's gravitational field.

[0012] The microcontroller is programmed with an algorithm such that, during execution, it receives a signal indicating the relative position of the accelerometer and determines the performance capabilities of the accelerometer when detecting the vehicle's acceleration relative to the earth based on the signal indicating the relative position of the accelerometer, and presents a display of the performance capabilities of the accelerometer to the user of the auxiliary lighting system.

[0013] The vehicle portion of the system may further include a vehicle accelerometer performance indicator. In such a case, the display of the performance capabilities of the vehicle accelerometer may be presented on the vehicle accelerometer performance indicator. Alternatively, the vehicle accelerometer performance indicator may be virtually presented to the user by the display screen of the mobile device.

[0014] The helmet portion can further include a helmet portion support and a helmet accelerometer coupled to the helmet portion support and in signal communication with a microcontroller. The helmet accelerometer is operable to transmit a signal indicating an upward or downward position of the helmet portion support relative to the helmet. In one example, the microcontroller can be programmed at runtime with an algorithm such that the microcontroller receives a signal indicating an upward or downward position of the helmet portion support relative to the helmet. When the helmet portion support is in the upward position, the algorithm instructs the microcontroller to turn on a first helmet signal light of the helmet lighting unit when the vehicle left signal light is on, and to turn on a second helmet signal light of the helmet lighting unit when the vehicle right signal light is on. When the helmet portion support is in the downward position, the algorithm instructs the microcontroller to turn on the first helmet signal light when the vehicle right signal light is on, and to turn on the second helmet signal light when the vehicle left signal light is on. In another example, the microcontroller can be programmed at runtime with an algorithm such that the microcontroller receives a signal indicating the position of the helmet portion support relative to the helmet, and when the helmet portion support is in the downward position, the algorithm instructs the microcontroller to operate an alarm device of the helmet portion of the system.

[0015] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a first method is provided for installing an auxiliary lighting system for a helmet that is operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system including a vehicle brake light. The auxiliary lighting system may include a helmet light portion and a vehicle light portion. The helmet light portion may include a helmet lighting unit including a brake light, a microcontroller in signal communication with the helmet brake light, and a helmet transceiver in signal communication with the microcontroller. The vehicle portion may include a vehicle portion support, a vehicle transceiver in wireless signal communication with the helmet transceiver, and a vehicle accelerometer coupled to the vehicle portion support and in signal communication with the microcontroller. The vehicle accelerometer is operable to transmit a signal indicative of the relative position of the vehicle portion support with respect to the earth's gravitational field.

[0016] In the case of such a lighting system, the method includes attaching the vehicle portion support to the vehicle and determining the performance capabilities of the accelerometer when detecting the acceleration of the vehicle relative to the earth based on the signal from the vehicle accelerometer. The method may further include presenting a display of the performance capabilities of the accelerometer to a user of the auxiliary lighting system. The method may further include rotating the vehicle and the vehicle portion of the system, detecting the rotation with the vehicle accelerometer, delivering a signal representative of the rotation from the accelerometer to the microcontroller, and improving the performance capabilities of the accelerometer based on the signal.

[0017] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a second auxiliary lighting system is provided for a helmet operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system including a vehicle left turn signal and a vehicle right turn signal. The auxiliary lighting system includes a helmet portion including a helmet portion support, a helmet lighting unit, a microcontroller, and a helmet accelerometer. The helmet lighting unit is attached to the helmet portion support and includes a first helmet turn signal and a second helmet turn signal. The microcontroller is in signal communication with the first helmet turn signal and the second helmet turn signal. The helmet accelerometer is coupled to the helmet portion support and is operable to communicate a signal indicative of an upward position or a downward position of the helmet portion support relative to the helmet to the microcontroller. The microcontroller is programmed with an algorithm that, at runtime, when the signal from the accelerometer indicates an upward position of the helmet portion support, causes the microcontroller to turn on the first helmet turn signal when the vehicle left turn signal is on and to turn on the second helmet turn signal when the vehicle right turn signal is on.

[0018] The algorithm may include instructions that, at runtime, when the signal from the accelerometer indicates a downward position of the helmet portion support, cause the microcontroller to turn on the first helmet turn signal when the vehicle right turn signal is on and to turn on the second helmet turn signal when the vehicle left turn signal is on. The algorithm may include instructions that, at runtime, when the signal from the accelerometer indicates a downward position of the helmet portion support, direct the algorithm to cause the microcontroller to operate an alarm device of the auxiliary lighting system. The auxiliary lighting system may further include a vehicle portion including a helmet transceiver in signal communication with the microcontroller and a vehicle transceiver in wireless signal communication with the helmet transceiver.

[0019] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a second method of installing an auxiliary lighting system for a helmet that is operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system including a vehicle left turn signal and a vehicle right turn signal is provided. The auxiliary lighting system includes a helmet lighting unit including a helmet partial support, a first helmet turn signal and a second helmet turn signal attached to the helmet partial support, a microcontroller that signal communicates with the first helmet turn signal and the second helmet turn signal, a helmet transceiver that signal communicates with the microcontroller, and a helmet light portion including a helmet accelerometer coupled to the helmet partial support and signal communicating with the microcontroller. The helmet accelerometer is operable to transmit a signal indicating an upward position or a downward position of the helmet partial support relative to the helmet.

[0020] In such a lighting system, the method includes attaching the helmet partial support to the helmet and detecting whether the helmet partial support is in an upward position or a downward position based on a signal from the helmet accelerometer. If it is detected that the helmet partial support is in an upward position, the method may further include turning on the first helmet turn signal when the vehicle left turn signal is on and turning on the second helmet turn signal when the vehicle right turn signal is on. If it is detected that the helmet partial support is in a downward position, the method may further include turning on the first helmet turn signal when the vehicle right turn signal is on and turning on the second helmet turn signal when the vehicle left turn signal is on. Alternatively, if it is detected that the helmet partial support is in a downward position, the method may further include operating an alarm device of the auxiliary lighting system.

[0021] The present disclosure is provided with reference to the following drawings, in which like numbers refer to like elements.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4A

Figure 4B

Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 6

[0023] The present invention is described in relation to certain preferred embodiments. However, it should be understood that there is no intention to limit the present invention to the described embodiments. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0024] For a general understanding of the present disclosure, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals are used throughout to indicate like elements. The drawings should be regarded as illustrative and are for illustrative purposes only. Dimensions, positions, orders, and relative sizes reflected in the attached drawings may vary.

[0025] The lighting systems of the present disclosure are described in the context of their use as remote lighting systems, any of which may be embedded in or coupled to a motorcycle helmet and include lighting elements operable to correspond to respective lighting elements of the motorcycle. However, no remote lighting system of the present disclosure should be construed as limited to use only in motorcycle helmets. The remote lighting system can be worn in other locations of the rider, such as a rider's jacket under the neck portion. Further, the remote lighting system and method of using the same are applicable to other vehicles, particularly "power sports" vehicles. As used herein, the term "power sports vehicle" includes, but is not limited to, motorcycles, scooters, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), personal watercraft ("jet skis"), and snowmobiles.

[0026] Furthermore, the remote lighting system is adaptable to any application where it is desirable to provide remote lighting in a manner corresponding to primary lighting of an object. With respect to vehicle applications, the remote lighting system is also adaptable to vehicle towing applications. A towed vehicle, such as a disabled automobile, or a trailer without its own lighting can temporarily attach the remote lighting system of the present disclosure to be more visible for safer towing.

[0027] Furthermore, the descriptions provided herein can identify specific components having adjectives such as "top", "upper", "bottom", "lower", "left", "right", etc. These adjectives are provided in the context of the usage of the remote lighting system of the safety helmet and the orientation of the drawings. This description should not be construed as limiting the use of the remote lighting system in a specific spatial direction unless otherwise specified. The system can be used in directions other than those shown and described herein.

[0028] Connection references used herein (e.g., attach, couple, connect, and join) should be construed broadly and should be understood to include intermediate members between sets of elements and relative movement between elements, unless otherwise specified. Thus, a connection reference does not necessarily mean that two elements are directly connected and fixed to each other.

[0029] The term "provide", such as "provide a helmet", when recited in the claims, is not intended to require a particular delivery or receipt of the provided item. Rather, the term "provide" is used only for the purpose of clarity and readability to enumerate the items referred to by subsequent elements of the claim.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary helmet safety lighting system of the present disclosure. System 100 is depicted in the drawings and is described as being used with a motorcycle as an exemplary vehicle for use with system 100. The system of FIG. 1 is similar to the system of FIG. 3B shown in the co-owned PCT application number US2018 / 035547 (the " '547 application"), the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Other helmet safety lighting systems can be adapted to operate as systems according to the present disclosure, including the systems shown and described in FIGS. 3A and 3C of the '547 application.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, the auxiliary lighting system 100 includes a helmet portion 110 and a vehicle portion 160. The helmet portion 110 includes a helmet power supply 130, a helmet lighting unit 140 connected to the power supply 130 and including a helmet brake light 142, and a microcontroller 111 connected to the power supply 130 and in signal communication with the brake light 142 via a helmet transceiver 150. The helmet portion 110 may further include a first helmet signal light 144A and a second helmet signal light 144B that are in signal communication with the microcontroller 111. The vehicle portion 160 includes a vehicle portion support 162 attachable to a vehicle (e.g., the motorcycle 10 of FIG. 2), a vehicle transceiver 170 coupled to the support 162 and in wireless signal communication with the helmet transceiver 150, and a vehicle accelerometer 180 coupled to the vehicle portion support 162 and in signal communication with the transceiver 170. The vehicle portion support 162 attachable to the vehicle may be a rigid printed circuit board to which the vehicle transceiver 170 and the vehicle accelerometer 180 are coupled. Alternatively, the vehicle portion support 162 may be a rigid block of material in which the vehicle transceiver 170 and the vehicle accelerometer 180 are plotted or embedded. Alternatively, the vehicle portion support 162 may be a rigid plate of material to which the vehicle transceiver 170 and the vehicle accelerometer 180 are attached. In other examples of the system 100 (not shown), the microcontroller 111 of the helmet portion 110 may be provided as a component on the vehicle portion 160 such that wireless communication between the vehicle portion 160 and the helmet portion 110 is adapted such that the lights 142, 144A, and 144B on the helmet portion 110 are operable as described herein.

[0032] In the development of the lighting system 100, it has been found that there is a large variation in the selection of where to attach the support 162 of the vehicle part 160 of the lighting system, i.e., the motorcycle part 160. One of the reasons is that there is a large variation in the structure of motorcycles, and accordingly, there is also a large variation in the attachment positions of the motorcycle parts. Another reason is that two customers are using motorcycles of the same manufacturer and model, but have chosen to attach their respective motorcycle parts 160 to the motorcycles in different ways. Although various attachment locations are conceivable in this way, it is desirable to ensure that customers do not accidentally set up the lighting system in such a way that it becomes inoperable.

[0033] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of some exemplary attachment positions and orientations of the motorcycle part of the lighting system 100 on the motorcycle 10. The motorcycle part 160A is attached to the rear section of the seat 12 and below it. The motorcycle part 160B is attached to the motorcycle frame 14 under the central section of the seat 12. The motorcycle part 160C is attached to the motorcycle frame 14 under the rear section of the gasoline tank 16. The motorcycle part 160D is attached to the underside of the motorcycle frame 14 under the central section of the gasoline tank 16. The motorcycle part 160E is attached to the underside of the motorcycle frame 14 under the front section of the gasoline tank 16. Each of the motorcycle parts 160A - 160E has an arrow indicating the relative orientation. The motorcycle parts 160B and 160C have a relative upward orientation, and the motorcycle parts 160A, 160D, and 160E have a relative downward orientation. Other attachment configurations according to the specific motorcycle structure, including attachment to a substantially vertical surface instead of the substantially horizontal plane shown in Figure 2, may be possible. It is not practical to manufacture a customized lighting system configured for each motorcycle manufacturer and model on the market, and it is not possible to predict the variations in the way customers install the lighting system on their motorcycles.

[0034] Accordingly, it has been found that this wide variation in possible attachment positions and orientations of the motorcycle parts presents a problem. When providing the lighting system 100 of the present disclosure, a vehicle accelerometer 180 is used to detect deceleration (i.e., negative acceleration), and in such a situation, a brake light on the helmet light unit can send a signal to a microcontroller to turn on, as disclosed in the aforementioned '547 application.

[0035] When using a typical accelerometer, it is assumed that the accelerometer is firmly attached to a support in a specific direction with respect to the Earth's gravitational field. This attachment arrangement is necessary for the accelerometer to function optimally or, in some cases, to function properly when detecting the acceleration of the object to which it is attached. The desired attachment position can be regarded as the "default position" of the accelerometer.

[0036] In the lighting system 100 of the present disclosure, the default position of the accelerometer occurs when the support 162 of the vehicle part 160 (and the vehicle accelerometer 180) is attached in an upward position, such as the motorcycle part 160B in FIG. 2. However, when the vehicle part 160 (and the vehicle accelerometer 180) is attached to an alternative position, such as the motorcycle parts 160A, 160C, 160D, or 160E in FIG. 2, in such a situation, the signal indicating the relative positions of the vehicle part support and the accelerometer 180 is no longer accurate and / or may not be strong enough to be useful for controlling the lighting unit 140 of the helmet part 100. Accordingly, the performance capabilities of the motorcycle accelerometer 180 when detecting motorcycle acceleration may be impaired or it may become inoperable.

[0037] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the above problem can be solved by providing an accelerometer performance indicator 113 and selecting a satisfactory position of the vehicle sub-support 162 based on the display of the accelerometer performance indicator 113. The algorithm executed by the microcontroller 111 of the helmet portion 110 analyzes the signal from the vehicle accelerometer 180 and includes instructions to determine whether the signal is sufficient to accurately determine the acceleration of the motorcycle portion 160 of the system 100 (and thus, the acceleration of the motorcycle 10). The possible performance of the accelerometer 180 can be indicated by the accelerometer performance indicator 113. Thus, in setting up the motorcycle portion 160 of the system 100, the user can move the motorcycle sub-support 162 and the accelerometer 180 to various possible mounting positions on the motorcycle 10 and select a position based on the indication from the accelerometer performance indicator 113.

[0038] In some cases, the accelerometer performance indicator 113 may be attached to the motorcycle sub-support 162. Such an accelerometer performance indicator 113 includes indicator lights such as green, yellow, and red, and can indicate the possibility that the performance of the accelerometer is good, medium, and poor. In another case, the accelerometer performance indicator 113 can be provided as an image on the display of the mobile device 30 that communicates with the microcontroller 111. When the user moves the motorcycle sub-support 162 and the accelerometer 180 to various possible mounting positions on the motorcycle 10, the accelerometer performance indicator 113 on the mobile device display can indicate the relative accelerometer performance.

[0039] In yet another case, the virtual models of the motorcycle 10 and the motorcycle portion 160 of the system 100 can be provided by software on a mobile device. The software on the mobile device is operable to enable a user to manipulate the virtual position of the motorcycle portion 160 of the system 100 on the motorcycle 10 via an appropriate input, namely a touch screen. Thus, a user of the system can study the actual motorcycle 10, select possible desired positions for the motorcycle portion support 162 and the accelerometer 180, and then manipulate the virtual position of the motorcycle portion 160 of the motorcycle system 100 within the virtual model to corresponding possible desired positions. The algorithm executed by the microcontroller 111 can include instructions for analyzing a look-up table 128 stored in the memory 120 that contains data regarding the signal from the vehicle accelerometer 180 as a function of the position of the accelerometer 180. Thus, the user can determine whether the possible desired positions enable satisfactory accelerometer performance.

[0040] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the above problem can be solved by putting the system 100 into a "teaching" mode in which the brake light 142 of the helmet lighting unit 140 is operated before using the lighting system 100 after attaching the motorcycle portion 160 of the system 100 to a desired position on the motorcycle 10. This is best understood with reference to FIG. 3, which is a flowchart showing a method 300 of installing an auxiliary lighting system for a helmet that is operable in conjunction with the vehicle lighting system. The method includes steps for optimizing the performance of the vehicle accelerometer 180 based on the orientation of the motorcycle portion 160 of the lighting system 100 attached to the motorcycle 10.

[0041] Method 300 includes identifying 310 an appropriate location to attach the motorcycle partial support 162 to the motorcycle 10 and attaching 320 the support 162 to that location. The motorcycle portion 160 of the system 100 is connected 330 to the power supply, ground, brake, and left and right turn signal wiring of the motorcycle. Next, power is supplied 340 to the motorcycle portion 160 and the helmet portion 110 of the system 100.

[0042] The motorcycle 10 is preferably in a "neutral position", i.e., standing upright with respect to the earth 2 (and its gravitational field) as shown in Figure 4A, and the motorcycle partial teaching mode is initiated 350. This can be done by performing a specific predetermined input to the system, such as by applying power to the system 100. The microcontroller 111 is programmed to output a communication indicating that the system 100 is in the teaching mode, such as by flashing the lights 142, 144A, and 144B of the lighting unit 140 four times in succession at high speed, or by emitting a series of high-speed chirps from the speaker 119 (e.g., the dwell time between on / off is less than 1 second). Alternatively, if the system 100 is arranged to communicate with a mobile device 30 such as a smartphone or with a computer 20, the teaching mode start command can be input via that device.

[0043] When the system 100 enters the teaching mode with the motorcycle 10 in the neutral position, the motorcycle 10 is tilted, i.e., rotated 360 degrees to the left (as viewed from the rear of the motorcycle), as shown in FIG. 4B. In a specific example, a tilt of about 15 degrees to the left is sufficient, which is conveniently the typical tilt amount when the motorcycle 10 is resting on a typical side kickstand 18. With the motorcycle 10 tilted to the left, the position of the motorcycle partial support 162 relative to the motorcycle 10 can be registered based on the signal from the vehicle accelerometer 180 . According to an algorithm programmed into the microcontroller, in a state where it is known that the motorcycle is tilted to the left, the microcontroller 111 then executes instructions for determining the positions of the motorcycle position support 162 and the accelerometer 180

[0044] . When the determination is made according to the algorithm, a second series of flashes of the lighting unit 140 and / or a chirp from the speaker 119 can be issued, indicating that the teaching mode has been completed. Subsequently, based on that determination, when the system is used, the algorithm further includes instructions for calculating the acceleration of the motorcycle partial support 162 (and the motorcycle 10) with respect to changes in the positions of the motorcycle position support 162 and the accelerometer 180 of the motorcycle 10 from the considered default position. It should be understood that the algorithm can be based on tilting the motorcycle to a position in the right direction, the forward direction, or the rearward direction. However, with most motorcycle kickstands, the motorcycle can be tilted to the left in a stable position, so tilting to the left is described here as an exemplary case in the algorithm.

[0044] The above method has been described with respect to conventional motorcycles, but it should also be understood that it is applicable to other vehicles including, but not limited to, three-wheeled motorcycles, tilting three-wheelers (such as the Can-Am Spyder manufactured by BRP Inc. of Valcourt, Quebec, Canada), motorcycles with sidecars, snowmobiles, and jet skis. The method of tilting the vehicle to the left may vary depending on its structure. In the case of a jet ski, a leftward title can be given with respect to the floating water surface rather than a solid ground or trailer.

[0045] In another aspect of the present disclosure, an auxiliary lighting system for a helmet is provided that is operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system including a vehicle left turn signal and a vehicle right turn signal. Referring again to FIG. 1, the auxiliary lighting system 100 may include a helmet lighting unit 140 including a first helmet turn signal 144A and a second helmet turn signal 144B, a microcontroller 111 in signal communication with the first helmet turn signal 144A and the second helmet turn signal 144B, a helmet transceiver 150 in signal communication with the microcontroller 111, a helmet partial support 114, and a helmet accelerometer 117 coupled to the helmet partial support 114 and in signal communication with the microcontroller 111. The helmet partial support 114 may be a printed circuit board, a block of material, or a plate of material to which the helmet transceiver 150 and the helmet accelerometer 117 are coupled. The helmet accelerometer 117 is operable to transmit a signal indicating the helmet partial support 114 in an upward position or the helmet partial support 114 in a downward position with respect to the helmet.

[0046] The microcontroller 111 is operable to execute an algorithm. The algorithm may include instructions such that when, during execution, a signal from the accelerometer 117 indicates an upward position of the helmet portion support 114 as shown in FIG. 5B, the microcontroller 111 turns on the first helmet signal light 144A when the vehicle left signal light is on, and the microcontroller 111 turns on the second helmet signal light 144B when the vehicle right signal light is on. The algorithm may further include instructions such that when, during execution, a signal from the accelerometer 117 indicates a downward position of the helmet portion support 114 as shown in FIG. 5A, the microcontroller 111 turns on the first helmet signal light 144A when the vehicle right signal light is on, and the microcontroller 111 turns on the second helmet signal light 144B when the vehicle left signal light is on. The algorithm may include instructions such that when, during execution, a signal from the accelerometer 111 indicates a downward position of the helmet portion support 114, the algorithm instructs the microcontroller 111 to operate an alarm device such as the audio speaker 119 of the auxiliary lighting system. The auxiliary lighting system 100 may further include a vehicle portion 160 including a helmet transceiver 150 that signal communicates with the microcontroller 111 and a vehicle transceiver 170 that wirelessly signal communicates with the helmet transceiver 150.

[0047] In another aspect of the present disclosure, a second method of installing an auxiliary lighting system as described above is provided. This system is operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system that includes a vehicle left turn signal and a vehicle right turn signal. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a method of defining proper left and right turn signal operations of a helmet lighting unit of such a lighting system 100. Method 400 includes attaching 410 a helmet portion support 114 having a lighting unit 140 thereon to a helmet 20. Attachment 410 can be performed and the helmet portion 110 of the system 100 remains in a predetermined position on the helmet 20 during use by a motorcyclist. However, a motorcyclist may have multiple helmets and may desire to move the helmet portion 110 of the system 100 from one helmet 20 to another. Or, it may be necessary to remove the helmet portion 110 from the helmet 20 in order to replace the battery. The helmet portion 110 of the system 100 is removably coupled to the helmet 20 by, for example, hooks and loop fasteners, and thus can be easily removed from and reattached to the helmet 20 or moved to another helmet.

[0048] The helmet portion 110 of the system 100 may not be particularly distinctive in that it has an orientation with the apparent right side up (FIG. 5B), also referred to herein as the upward position, and an upside-down orientation (FIG. 5A), also referred to herein as the downward position. Thus, when a motorcyclist attaches a helmet portion support 114 having a helmet lighting unit 140 to a helmet, if he attaches the helmet lighting unit 140 upside down as shown in FIG. 5A, he will cause a problem. When the left turn signal 244L of the motorcycle is on, the first helmet signal light 144A on the right side lights up, and when the right turn signal 244R of the motorcycle is on, the first helmet signal light 144B on the left side lights up. This is the opposite of the desired operation.

[0049] The lighting system 100 and method 400 of the present disclosure solve this problem. Referring back to FIG. 6, after the helmet portion support 114 with the helmet lighting unit 140 is attached to the helmet 20, power is applied to the helmet portion 110 of the system 100 at 420. As part of the startup protocol, the microcontroller 111 starts a diagnostic check at 430. Based on the signal from the helmet accelerometer 117, the microcontroller detects at 440 whether the helmet portion support 114 is in an upward (right side up) or downward (upside down) position.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 5B, if it is detected that the helmet portion support 114 is in the upward position, that part of the startup protocol is performed. In the operation of the system 100, when the vehicle left turn signal lamp 244L is lit, the first helmet signal lamp 144A on the left side is lit, and when the vehicle right turn signal lamp 244R is lit, the second helmet signal lamp 144B on the right side is lit. This is the desired operation.

[0051] However, as shown in FIG. 5A, if it is detected that the helmet portion support 114 is in the downward position, the microcontroller 111 resets the orientation of the helmet portion support 114 so that the right side is up. As a result, when the vehicle left turn signal lamp 244L is lit, the helmet signal lamp 144B on the left side is lit, and when the vehicle right turn signal lamp 244R is lit, the second helmet signal lamp 144A on the right side is lit.

[0052] In an alternative variation of method 400, if the microcontroller 111 detects that the helmet part support 114 is in an upside - down position 440, the microcontroller 111 can issue an alarm 470 such as a blinking sequence of the brake light 142 and / or the signal lights 144A and 144B, and / or an audible chirp via the speaker 119. Such an alarm 470 is known as an instruction 480 for the motorcyclist to remove the helmet part support 114 equipped with the lighting unit 140 from the helmet 20, invert it, and re - attach it to the helmet 20, as shown in step 490. When the helmet part 110 is inverted and re - attached to the helmet 20, the light blinking and / or the chirp alarm is stopped by the microcontroller 111.

[0053] Accordingly, it is clear that according to the present disclosure, an auxiliary safety lighting system for use in combination with a vehicle, and a method of operating the safety lighting system are provided. The foregoing technology and the description of the present invention are merely illustrative of the nature of the subject matter, manufacture, and use of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope, application, or use of any particular invention claimed in this application, or any other application that may claim priority from this application, or any patent issued therefrom. When reviewing the description, the following definitions and non - limiting guidelines should be considered.

[0054] The headings of the present disclosure (such as "Background" and "Summary") and the sub - headings used in this specification are intended only for a general organization of topics within the technology and are not intended to limit the disclosure of the technology or any of its aspects. In particular, the subject matter disclosed in the "Background" may include new technologies and may not constitute a description of the prior art. The subject matter disclosed in the "Summary" is not a comprehensive or complete disclosure of the entire scope of the technology or its embodiments.

[0055] To the extent that other references may contain similar information in the background of this specification, the statements do not admit that those references are prior art or have any relevance to the patentability of the technology disclosed herein. The background description is intended only to provide a general overview of the claims.

[0056] The descriptions and specific examples are illustrative of embodiments of the technology disclosed herein but are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the technology. Further, the listing of multiple embodiments having the described features is not intended to exclude other embodiments having additional features or other embodiments incorporating different combinations of the described features. The specific examples are provided for the purpose of explaining how to make and use the compositions and methods of this technology and are not intended to represent whether or not a given embodiment of this technology has been made or tested.

[0057] As used herein, the terms "preferred" and "preferably" refer to embodiments of the technology that provide certain benefits under certain circumstances. However, in the same or other circumstances, other embodiments may also be preferred. Further, the listing of one or more preferred embodiments does not mean that other embodiments are not useful and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the technology.

[0058] Unless otherwise specified, relational terms used in this disclosure should be construed to include certain tolerances that those skilled in the art would recognize as providing equivalent functionality. By way of example, the term "vertical" is not necessarily limited to exactly 90.00°, but is also limited to any variation thereof that those skilled in the art would recognize as providing equivalent functionality for the purposes described for the related member or element. Terms such as "about" and "substantially" in the context of a configuration generally relate to an arrangement, position, and / or configuration that is exactly or sufficiently close to the related element's position, arrangement, or configuration, without substantially changing the present invention, but preserving the operability of the elements within the present invention. Similarly, unless specifically specified or unclear from the context, numerical values should be construed to include certain tolerances that those skilled in the art would recognize as being of negligible importance and not substantially changing the operability of the present invention.

[0059] As used herein, the words "comprise", "include", "contain", and variations thereof are intended to be non-limiting, such that the recitation of items in a list does not exclude other similar items that may be useful in the materials, compositions, apparatuses, and methods of this technology. Similarly, the terms "can" and "may" and variations thereof are intended to be non-limiting, such that the claim that an embodiment can or may include a particular element or feature does not exclude other embodiments of this technology that do not include those elements or functions. Unless otherwise noted, the auxiliary lighting systems disclosed herein include all combinations of the disclosed features, whether or not each possible combination of the features defining the system is explicitly described.

[0060] Since the basic concept of the present disclosure has been described as above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing detailed disclosure is intended to be presented by way of example only and is not limiting. Although not explicitly stated herein, various changes, improvements, and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. These changes, improvements, and modifications are intended to be proposed by this specification and are within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Further, the described order of processing elements or sequences, or the use of numbers, characters, or other designations, is not intended to limit the claimed process to any particular order, except as explicitly recited in the claims.

Claims

1. An auxiliary lighting system for a helmet operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system including a vehicle brake light, comprising: a) a helmet portion having a microcontroller; b) a vehicle portion including: a vehicle portion support attachable to the vehicle; a vehicle transceiver in signal communication with the microcontroller; a vehicle accelerometer coupled to the vehicle portion support and operable to communicate a signal indicative of the relative position of the vehicle accelerometer with respect to the earth's gravitational field to the microcontroller; The microcontroller is programmed with an algorithm that, during execution, receives the signal indicative of the relative position of the accelerometer by the microcontroller, determines the performance capabilities of the vehicle accelerometer when detecting the acceleration of the vehicle with respect to the earth based on the signal indicative of the position of the vehicle accelerometer, and, when the vehicle rotates from a neutral position to an alternative position when the vehicle is in a fixed position and the microcontroller receives a signal representing the rotation from the vehicle accelerometer, improves the performance capabilities of the vehicle accelerometer based on the signal. An auxiliary lighting system.

2. The auxiliary lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle portion of the system further includes a vehicle accelerometer performance indicator, and a display of the performance capabilities of the vehicle accelerometer is presented to the vehicle accelerometer performance indicator.

3. The auxiliary lighting system according to claim 2, wherein the display of the performance capabilities of the vehicle accelerometer is presented on a display screen of a mobile device.

4. The auxiliary lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the helmet portion further includes a helmet portion support and a helmet accelerometer coupled to the helmet portion support and operable to communicate a signal indicative of an upward position of the helmet portion support or a downward position of the helmet portion support with respect to the helmet to the microcontroller.

5. The lighting system of the vehicle further includes a vehicle left signal light and a vehicle right signal light. The helmet portion further includes a helmet accelerometer that signal-communicates with the microcontroller, a helmet portion support, a first helmet signal lamp attached to the helmet portion support, and a second helmet signal lamp attached to the helmet portion support. The microcontroller, during execution, receives a signal from the helmet accelerometer indicating the correct position of the helmet portion support with respect to the helmet or the upside-down position of the helmet portion support when the helmet is in a fixed position. When the helmet portion support is in the correct position, the algorithm instructs the microcontroller to turn on the first helmet signal lamp when the vehicle left signal lamp is on and to turn on the second helmet signal lamp when the vehicle right signal lamp is on. When the helmet portion support is in the upside-down position, the algorithm instructs the microcontroller to turn on the first helmet signal lamp when the vehicle right signal lamp is on and to turn on the second helmet signal lamp when the vehicle left signal lamp is on, as programmed by the algorithm, for the auxiliary lighting system according to claim 1. **Claim 6** The lighting system of the vehicle further includes a vehicle left signal lamp and a vehicle right signal lamp. The helmet portion further includes a helmet accelerometer that signal-communicates with the microcontroller, a helmet portion support, a first helmet signal lamp attached to the helmet portion support, and a second helmet signal lamp attached to the helmet portion support. When the microcontroller runs, it receives a signal from the helmet accelerometer indicating the position of the helmet partial support relative to the helmet. When the helmet partial support is in the correct position, the algorithm instructs the microcontroller to turn on the first helmet signal light when the vehicle left signal light is on and to turn on the second helmet signal light when the vehicle right signal light is on. When the helmet partial support is in the upside-down position, the algorithm is programmed to instruct the microcontroller to operate the warning device of the system. The auxiliary lighting system according to claim 1.

7. A method of installing an auxiliary lighting system operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system including a vehicle brake light, wherein the auxiliary lighting system comprises a helmet light portion including a microcontroller and a helmet transceiver in signal communication with the microcontroller, a vehicle partial support, a vehicle transceiver in wireless signal communication with the microcontroller, and a vehicle acceleration meter coupled to the vehicle partial support and operable to communicate with the microcontroller and transmit a signal indicating the relative position of the vehicle partial support with respect to the earth's gravitational field when the vehicle is in a neutral position. The vehicle part includes, attaching the vehicle partial support to the vehicle, determining the performance capability of the accelerometer when detecting the acceleration of the vehicle relative to the earth based on the signal from the vehicle accelerometer, while holding the vehicle in a fixed position, rotating the vehicle and the vehicle part of the system from the neutral position of the vehicle, detecting the rotation of the vehicle with the vehicle accelerometer, delivering a signal representing the rotation from the accelerometer to the microcontroller, and improving the performance capability of the accelerometer based on the signal. A method comprising

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising presenting a display of the performance capability of the accelerometer to a user of the auxiliary lighting system.

9. An auxiliary lighting system for a helmet operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system including a vehicle left signal light and a vehicle right signal light, the vehicle lighting system being in signal communication with a) a helmet part support; b) a helmet lighting unit attached to the helmet part support and including a first helmet signal lamp and a second helmet signal lamp; c) a microcontroller in signal communication with the first helmet signal lamp and the second helmet signal lamp; d) a helmet light part including a helmet accelerometer that is coupled to the helmet part support when the helmet is in a fixed position, in signal communication with the microcontroller, and operable to transmit a signal indicating a correct position of the helmet part support relative to the helmet or an upside-down position of the helmet part support to the microcontroller; wherein the microcontroller is programmed with an algorithm that, during execution, when the helmet is in the fixed position and the signal from the accelerometer indicates the correct position of the helmet part support, causes the microcontroller to turn on the first helmet signal lamp when the vehicle left signal lamp is on and to turn on the second helmet signal lamp when the vehicle right signal lamp is on, an auxiliary lighting system. **Claim 10** The auxiliary lighting system according to claim 9, wherein the algorithm, during execution, when the helmet is in the fixed position and the signal from the accelerometer indicates an upside-down position of the helmet part support, causes the microcontroller to turn on the first helmet signal lamp when the vehicle right signal lamp is on and to turn on the second helmet signal lamp when the vehicle left signal lamp is on. **Claim 11** The auxiliary lighting system according to claim 9, wherein the algorithm, during execution, when the helmet is in the fixed position and the signal from the accelerometer indicates an upside-down position of the helmet part support, instructs the microcontroller to operate an alarm device of the auxiliary lighting system. **Claim 12** The auxiliary lighting system according to claim 9, further comprising a vehicle part including a helmet transceiver in signal communication with the microcontroller and a vehicle transceiver in wireless signal communication with the helmet transceiver. **Claim 13** A method of installing an auxiliary lighting system for a helmet operable in conjunction with a vehicle lighting system including a vehicle left signal lamp and a vehicle right signal lamp, the auxiliary lighting system comprising: a helmet lighting unit including a helmet partial support, a first helmet signal lamp and a second helmet signal lamp attached to the helmet partial support; a microcontroller in signal communication with the first helmet signal lamp and the second helmet signal lamp; a helmet transceiver in signal communication with the microcontroller; and a helmet accelerometer coupled to the helmet partial support, operable to communicate with the microcontroller and transmit a signal indicating a correct position or an upside-down position of the helmet partial support with respect to the helmet. attaching the helmet partial support to the helmet; detecting whether the helmet partial support is in the correct position or the upside-down position based on a signal from the helmet accelerometer when the helmet is in a fixed position.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising turning on the first helmet signal lamp when the vehicle left signal lamp is on and turning on the second helmet signal lamp when the vehicle right signal lamp is on, if it is detected that the helmet partial support is in the correct position.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising turning on the first helmet signal lamp when the vehicle right signal lamp is on and turning on the second helmet signal lamp when the vehicle left signal lamp is on, if it is detected that the helmet partial support is in the upside-down position.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising activating an alarm device of the auxiliary lighting system if it is detected that the helmet partial support is in the upside-down position.

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