Locomotive turn signal automatic start system

Abstract

This invention provides an automatic turn signal activation system for motorcycles, comprising a helmet; a head-tilt detection component mounted on the helmet, which generates a mode activation signal and starts timing when it detects a left or right head tilt; and generates a turn signal when it detects a downward head tilt within a preset time. Left and right indicator components are mounted on the motorcycle's rearview mirrors to issue left and right trigger reminders. A processor is mounted on the helmet, its receiving unit receiving the mode activation signal and the turn signal, transmitting the mode activation signal to the control unit and the turn signal to the wireless central control processing unit. The control unit analyzes the mode activation signal and drives the left or right indicator component to issue a trigger reminder. The wireless central control processing unit analyzes the turn signal and generates a left or right turn signal, causing the vehicle control module to illuminate the corresponding turn signal. Simultaneously, the control unit generates a stop signal to stop the trigger reminder. This provides an intuitive and precise turn signal activation mechanism, which not only improves riding safety and reduces the risk of forgetting to use the turn signal or accidental triggering, but also optimizes the operation process and improves driving convenience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of traffic warning technology, and in particular to an automatic turn signal activation system for motorcycles that can automatically activate the turn signals in advance based on the rider's head movements to warn vehicles approaching from behind, thereby promoting road safety. Prior Technology

[0002] Motorcycles are one of the most common modes of transportation in Taiwan, and they can be seen weaving through traffic in both urban and rural areas. Due to their high mobility and relatively low price, many people choose motorcycles as their primary means of transportation. However, motorcycles have inherent disadvantages compared to cars in terms of driving stability and safety, especially when turning. Poor use of turn signals or mechanical defects often make them a high-risk factor in traffic accidents. According to relevant statistics, a significant proportion of motorcycle accidents are caused by the improper use of turn signals or the failure to promptly alert other road users to the driver's turning intentions, indicating that the current turn signal control mechanisms still have shortcomings.

[0003] Currently, motorcycle turn signals are primarily operated manually by the rider, usually via a switch on the handlebars. While this method is simple and has become part of the riding habit, some problems still exist in practical use. First, many riders, due to negligence or bad habits, fail to activate their turn signals in time when turning, causing oncoming or rear-end vehicles to be unable to anticipate their actions, increasing the risk of accidents. Furthermore, at high speeds, the rider's focus is mainly on the vehicle and the road; additional manual operation may affect driving safety, further increasing the likelihood of misuse or failure to use turn signals.

[0004] Therefore, there is still considerable room for improvement in the current use of motorcycle turn signals. While traditional manual control mechanisms are simple and intuitive, they are prone to misuse or omissions due to rider habits or distractions. Therefore, developing more precise turn signal control technology that aligns with rider behavior patterns is crucial for enhancing motorcycle safety. In light of this, our team has conceived and proposed an automatic turn signal activation system for motorcycles, hoping to effectively address current safety hazards and shortcomings in motorcycle operation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] One objective of this invention is to provide an automatic turn signal activation system for motorcycles, which offers a novel turn signal control mode. This system not only improves the convenience and accuracy of turn signal operation, reducing traffic risks caused by failure to use turn signals, but also enhances the driving safety of motorcycle riders and other road users, making the road environment smoother and safer.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes an automatic turn signal activation system for motorcycles, comprising: a helmet; a head-turning detection component disposed on the helmet, the head-turning detection component being used to detect the rider's head-turning state; when the head-turning detection component detects the rider's head-turning movement as a leftward or rightward head-turning movement, a mode activation signal is generated and a timer is started; after the head-turning detection component generates the mode activation signal, within a preset time, when the head-turning detection component detects the rider's head-turning movement as a downward head-turning movement, a turn signal is generated; preferably, the preset time is 3-5 seconds; a left indicator component disposed on a left rearview mirror of the motorcycle, for issuing a left-triggered reminder for a maximum duration equal to the preset time; a right indicator component disposed on a right rearview mirror of the motorcycle, for issuing a right-triggered reminder for a maximum duration equal to the preset time; and a processor disposed on the helmet and comprising a receiving unit, a control unit, and a wireless central control processing unit, the receiving unit being connected to the head-turning detection component, ... The control unit and the wireless central control processing unit are electrically connected to receive the mode activation signal and the light-up signal, and transmit the mode activation signal to the control unit and the light-up signal to the wireless central control processing unit. After receiving the mode activation signal, the control unit parses the mode activation signal and drives the left indicator component or the right indicator component accordingly to issue the left trigger reminder or the right trigger reminder. The wireless central control processing unit is electrically connected to one of the vehicle's body control modules and the control unit. After receiving the light-up signal, it parses the light-up signal and generates a left turn signal drive signal or a right turn signal drive signal accordingly, so that the body control module illuminates one of the vehicle's left turn signals or a right turn signal drive signal. After receiving the left turn signal drive signal or the right turn signal drive signal, the control unit generates a stop signal to control the left indicator component or the right indicator component to stop the left trigger reminder or the right trigger reminder.

[0007] Preferably, when the head-swinging detection component generates the mode start signal and then generates the mode start signal again within the preset time period after failing to generate the light-on signal, it resets the timing based on the generation time of the last mode start signal.

[0008] Preferably, the head-swaying detection component generates the mode activation signal when it detects that the rider's head is rotating 15 to 30 degrees to the left or right.

[0009] Preferably, the mode activation signal is generated only after the head-shaking detection component detects that the rider's head is shaking to the left or right and holding the position for a certain period of time. The holding time is 0.3 to 1 second.

[0010] Preferably, a warning light is provided on the rear side of the helmet, and the processor further includes an auxiliary warning unit. The auxiliary warning unit is electrically connected to the receiving unit and the warning light to receive and analyze the light signal and generate a left turn signal or a right turn signal accordingly. The warning light performs the corresponding display action according to the left turn signal or the right turn signal.

[0011] Preferably, the left indicator component has a left LED light, the right indicator component has a right LED light, and the left indicator component is located on the top side frame of the left rearview mirror, the right indicator component is located on the top side frame of the right rearview mirror, and the left and right trigger indicators are continuously lit.

[0012] In summary, this motorcycle turn signal automatic activation system can pre-activate the turn signals based on the rider's head movements when the rider intends to turn, effectively reducing human error that may occur with traditional manual turn signal methods, thereby improving riding safety. To avoid accidental triggering of the lights, the system adopts a design that requires the integration of two head movements to illuminate the corresponding turn signal. This not only reduces the risk of misjudgment caused by the rider quickly checking the rearview mirror to assess the road conditions behind, but also ensures the pre-turn signal activation warning effect, providing a more accurate and intelligent riding light mode. In addition, this invention also proposes many additional technical features to enhance the system's functionality in various aspects, as detailed in the preceding paragraphs. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a block module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the application of a preferred embodiment of the present invention (I). Figure 3 is a schematic diagram (II) illustrating the application of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Implementation

[0014] To enable those skilled in the art to clearly understand the content of this invention, the following description and accompanying drawings are provided for your reference. The structural dimensions, proportions, sizes, shapes, or application states shown in the figures are merely illustrative and intended to illustrate the technical features of this invention; they do not represent actual structural designs, and this is hereby stated.

[0015] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3, which are schematic diagrams of the block module and application diagrams (I) and (II) of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. The present invention discloses an automatic start system for motorcycle turn signals, comprising a helmet 10, a head-swaying detection component 11, a left indicator component 12, a right indicator component 13, and a processor 14.

[0016] The helmet 10 is worn on the rider's head. A head-shaking detection component 11 is located on the helmet 10 to detect the rider's head-shaking state. When the head-shaking detection component 11 detects that the rider's head is shaking to the left or right, it generates a mode activation signal and starts timing. Within a preset time after generating the mode activation signal, if the head-shaking detection component 11 detects that the rider's head is shaking downwards, it generates a single-light signal. Preferably, the head-shaking detection component 11 may include, for example, a gyroscope and an accelerometer to detect the rider's head movement, angle changes, etc., thereby determining the rider's head movement state. The rider can maintain a left or right head-shaking state and then shake their head downwards to generate the light signal from the head-shaking detection component 11. Alternatively, they can first shake their head left or right to activate the mode, then return to the forward-looking state and shake their head downwards to generate the light signal from the head-shaking detection component 11.

[0017] The left alert component 12 is located on the left rearview mirror 2 of one locomotive, for issuing a left-triggered alert with a maximum duration of the preset time. The right alert component 13 is located on the right rearview mirror 3 of one locomotive, for issuing a right-triggered alert with a maximum duration of the preset time. The processor 14 is located on the helmet 10 and includes a receiving unit 141, a control unit 142, and a wireless central control processing unit 143. The receiving unit 141 is electrically connected to the head-swaying detection component 11, the control unit 142, and the wireless central control processing unit 143 to receive the mode activation signal and the indicator light signal, and transmit the mode activation signal to the control unit 142 and the indicator light signal to the wireless central control processing unit 143. After receiving the mode activation signal, the control unit 142 parses the mode activation signal and drives the left indicator component 12 or the right indicator component 13 accordingly to issue the left trigger reminder or the right trigger reminder. The wireless central control processing unit 143 is electrically connected to a motorcycle body control module 4 and the control unit 142, wherein the body control module 4 can be an electronic control unit in the motorcycle used to manage and coordinate various electronic systems on the vehicle. After receiving the light-up signal, the wireless central control processing unit 143 analyzes the signal and generates a left turn signal or a right turn signal accordingly. This causes the vehicle control module 4 to illuminate either the left turn signal 5 or the right turn signal 6. Upon receiving the left turn signal or right turn signal, the control unit 142 generates a stop signal to stop the left or right trigger warning from the left indicator component 12 or the right indicator component 13. The left indicator component 12 or the right indicator component 13 may include, for example, a small display or a buzzer, to alert the rider through visual or audible means. Alternatively, in one embodiment, to provide the rider with a more intuitive mode trigger reminder, the left indicator component 12 can have a left LED light 121, and the right indicator component 13 can have a right LED light 131. The left indicator component 12 is located on the top edge of the left rearview mirror 2, and the right indicator component 13 is located on the top edge of the right rearview mirror 3. Both the left and right trigger reminders are continuously illuminated. Thus, when the rider turns their head left or right to trigger the mechanism, the continuously illuminated left or right trigger reminder will indicate that the rider can activate the motorcycle's automatic turn signal system to drive the corresponding left turn signal 5 or right turn signal 6 by turning their head downwards. Furthermore, since the control unit 142 will stop the left trigger warning and the right trigger warning after the left turn signal 5 or the right turn signal 6 is activated, choosing to keep the left trigger warning and the right trigger warning continuously lit can achieve a better notification effect for the rider when the left trigger warning and the right trigger warning are stopped.Furthermore, the left alert component 12 and the right alert component 13 are respectively positioned on the top edge of the left rearview mirror 2 and the right rearview mirror 3, which can draw the rider's attention more strongly, making it easier for the rider to observe the left or right trigger alert.

[0018] Thus, during riding, when the rider wearing the helmet 10 turns their head to the left or right, for example, by turning to the left rearview mirror 2 or the right rearview mirror 3 to check the road conditions behind, the head-turning detection component 11 will detect this action and generate a mode activation signal. Subsequently, the control unit 142 will drive the left indicator component 12 or the right indicator component 13 to issue the corresponding left trigger reminder or right trigger reminder, indicating that the rider has entered the mode stage where the turn signals can be automatically activated. At this time, the rider only needs to turn their head down again (i.e., perform a nodding action). When the head-turning detection component 11 detects this action again, it will generate a light-up signal and drive the motorcycle's left turn signal 5 or right turn signal 6 to illuminate through the wireless central control processing unit 143, achieving the effect of issuing a warning in advance before the rider has officially turned, so as to remind vehicles behind and improve driving safety. From an operational perspective, this motorcycle turn signal automatic activation system offers an innovative signaling mechanism. It is not only convenient to use while riding, but also effectively avoids false triggering caused by brief or non-turning head movements through a two-stage detection mechanism. This ensures the system only activates the turn signals when it confirms the rider's intention to turn. This design reduces the risk of misjudgment due to quickly checking the rearview mirror or other brief head movements, and significantly reduces the likelihood of traffic accidents caused by riders forgetting to activate their turn signals while turning. Notably, the initial trigger condition for the automatic activation mechanism is designed as a left or right head turn, ensuring the rider can smoothly trigger the system with natural riding behavior, without needing to change riding style or be distracted, thus providing excellent safety. Furthermore, to further avoid misjudgment, such as when the rider is only looking elsewhere without actual turning intention, the invention specifically requires a downward head turn to activate the turn signals. This design significantly improves the accuracy of turn signal activation, making the overall system more reliable and effectively reducing traffic risks caused by false triggering or missed signal activation.

[0019] Preferably, when the head-turning detection component 11 generates the mode activation signal and then generates the mode activation signal again within the preset time, it restarts the timing from the time of the last generation of the mode activation signal. Considering that changes in road conditions or other external factors may affect the rider's reaction time, causing them to be unable to immediately perform the downward head-turning action within the preset time, this mechanism automatically extends the head-turning detection time limit when the rider turns their head again after a slight delay due to the situation. This allows the motorcycle's automatic turn signal activation system to adapt more flexibly to different riding situations, ensuring that the turn signals can be activated accurately and promptly, thereby improving the overall user experience and driving safety.

[0020] Furthermore, in one implementation, the head-swaying detection component 11 can be configured to generate a mode activation signal when it detects the rider's head movement as a 15-30 degree rotation to the left or right. This prevents false triggering due to excessively small rotation angles, thereby improving detection accuracy. Simultaneously, it avoids excessively large rotation angles, which would require excessive head movement during riding, affecting stability and safety. Thus, it ensures accurate sensing of turning intentions while maintaining rider comfort and ease of control.

[0021] The preset time can be 3-5 seconds, providing a more natural and rider-friendly turn signal activation process. This 3-5 second preset time allows the rider sufficient time to turn their head downwards after turning left or right to activate the turn signal. Furthermore, a 3-5 second preset time balances immediacy and safety, preventing a preset time that is too short (failing to trigger the turn signal immediately) or too long (causing delayed turn signal recognition). In other words, this preset time range provides a suitable balance, enabling the invention to detect the rider's turn signal intention in real time while minimizing the possibility of false triggering.

[0022] To further prevent accidental triggering due to riders checking road conditions in the rearview mirror or other head-turning actions, in one implementation example, the head-turning detection component 11 generates the mode activation signal only after detecting a leftward or rightward head-turning movement and maintaining a pause for a certain period. This pause period is 0.3 to 1 second. This ensures that the automatic turn signal mechanism is only triggered when the rider actually intends to turn, thereby improving the accuracy of the judgment. By setting this pause period, not only can accidental triggering caused by extremely brief head-turning be effectively eliminated, but also excessively long pause periods can prevent the rider from having difficulty activating the turn signals normally, ensuring the smoothness and practicality of the overall operation.

[0023] To enhance the warning effect, a warning light 101 can be provided on the rear side of the helmet 10. The processor 14 further includes an auxiliary warning unit 144, which is electrically connected to the receiving unit 141 and the warning light 101. It receives and analyzes the light signal and generates a left turn signal or a right turn signal accordingly. The warning light 101 performs corresponding display actions based on the left turn signal or the right turn signal. For example, when the left turn signal 5 is activated, the warning light 101 can display a left arrow or text and patterns to indicate the intention to turn left. Similarly, when the right turn signal 6 is activated, the warning light 101 can also display a right arrow or other text and patterns. Thus, in addition to automatically driving the left turn signal 5 or the right turn signal 6 of the locomotive, the automatic turn signal activation system can also synchronously drive the warning light 101 on the helmet 10 to achieve the effect of multiple warnings for vehicles approaching from behind or around, thereby increasing vehicle safety.

[0024] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, taking a rider's intention to turn left as an example, the rider only needs to turn their head to the left. The head-turning detection component 11 on the helmet 10 generates the mode entry signal, and the left indicator component 12 on the left rearview mirror 2 issues a left trigger reminder in response to the control unit 142 of the processor 14, allowing the rider to know that the mechanism has been successfully triggered by the continuously illuminated light. If the rider does not turn their head down within the preset time or turns their head to the left again, the left trigger reminder will automatically stop after the preset time. If the rider nods down again within the preset time, the head-turning detection component 11 on the helmet 10 generates the light signal, which is then generated by the wireless central control processing unit 143 of the processor 14 to drive the left turn signal, ultimately illuminating the motorcycle's left turn signal 5. Once the left turn signal 5 is illuminated, the control unit 142 stops the left trigger reminder. When the helmet 10 is equipped with the warning light 101, the aforementioned rider action can synchronously drive the warning light 101 on the helmet 10 to display the corresponding illumination state. Here, the warning light 101 can be displayed as a continuously illuminated left arrow to enhance the warning effect for drivers behind.

[0025] In summary, the automatic turn signal activation system of this invention can detect the rider's head movements and activate the turn signals in advance when the rider intends to turn, thereby reducing the omissions or oversights that may occur with traditional manual operation and further improving driving safety. To ensure the accuracy of the signal triggering, this invention employs a dual head movement judgment mechanism, illuminating the corresponding turn signal only when specific conditions are met. This effectively reduces misjudgments caused by the rider quickly checking the rearview mirror to assess the road conditions behind, while ensuring that the turn signals are activated in time before turning, providing a warning function and offering more precise and automated riding assistance. Specifically, this invention ensures that the rider can operate in a simple and intuitive way without compromising riding safety, thereby improving overall driving safety and ease of operation. Furthermore, this invention employs a two-stage confirmation mechanism to effectively avoid accidental triggering of turn signals due to brief or non-turning head movements, ensuring that the corresponding left or right turn signal is activated only when the rider actually intends to turn, further reducing the risk of misjudgment. In addition, the detailed design of the system can be further optimized. For example, if no turn signal is generated within a preset time (e.g., 3-5 seconds) after the mode activation signal is generated, but the rider performs the trigger action again, the timer can be restarted from the last mode activation signal generation time, providing more flexible operation. Furthermore, to reduce the probability of false triggering, the head-turning angle of the mode activation signal can be set, or a certain dwell time (e.g., 0.3-1 second) can be required for left or right head-turning actions, thereby improving the accuracy of turn signal activation. On the other hand, to enhance the warning intensity while riding, the helmet can be equipped with a warning light that displays synchronously with the motorcycle's left or right turn signal, ensuring that drivers behind and around can clearly identify the rider's driving intentions. In addition, the left and right trigger warning lights can be designed to be continuously illuminated, providing a more intuitive turn signal warning mechanism and further improving safety. It is worth mentioning that in Taiwan's traffic environment, motorcycles are one of the main modes of transportation; however, safety during turns is often overlooked. Many riders, due to momentary negligence or poor riding habits, fail to activate their turn signals in time to warn others, thus veering directly out of their lanes and increasing the risk of traffic accidents. To improve this situation, our invention team has actively researched and proposed innovative solutions, creating a natural, convenient, and highly automated operating mode, hoping to reduce the incidence of traffic accidents and contribute to social traffic safety.

[0026] However, the above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention; therefore, any equivalent changes and modifications made without departing from the scope of the present invention should be covered within the patent scope of the present invention.

[0027] 10: Safety Helmet 101: Warning Light 11: Head-swing detection component 12: Left prompt component 121: Left LED light 13: Right-click component 131:Right LED light 14: Processor 141: Receiving Unit 142: Control Unit 143: Wireless Central Control Processing Unit 144: Auxiliary Warning Unit 2: Left rearview mirror 3: Right rearview mirror 4: Body Control Module 5: Left turn signal 6: Right turn signal

Claims

1. An automatic turn signal activation system for a motorcycle, comprising: a helmet for a rider to wear on their head; a head-turning detection component disposed on the helmet, the head-turning detection component being used to detect the rider's head-turning state, wherein when the head-turning detection component detects that the rider's head-turning action is to turn to the left or to the right, a mode activation signal is generated and a timer is started; and within a preset time after the head-turning detection component generates the mode activation signal, when the head-turning detection component detects that the rider's head-turning action is to turn downwards, a turn signal is generated; and a left-side indicator component disposed on a left rearview mirror of the motorcycle, for issuing a left-side trigger reminder for a maximum duration of the preset time. A right-side alert component, located on the right rearview mirror of the motorcycle, is used to issue a right-side trigger alert for a maximum duration of a preset time; and a processor, located on the helmet, includes a receiver unit, a control unit, and a wireless central control processing unit. The receiver unit is electrically connected to the head-turning detection component, the control unit, and the wireless central control processing unit to receive the mode activation signal and the indicator light signal, and transmits the mode activation signal to the control unit and the indicator light signal to the wireless central control processing unit. After receiving the mode activation signal, the control unit parses the mode activation signal and drives the left-side alert component accordingly. The right indicator component issues the left trigger alert or the right trigger alert; the wireless central control processing unit is electrically connected to one of the vehicle's body control modules and the control unit. After receiving the light signal, it parses the light signal and generates a left turn signal or a right turn signal accordingly. The body control module then illuminates one of the vehicle's left turn signals or a right turn signal based on the left turn signal or the right turn signal. After receiving the left turn signal or the right turn signal, the control unit generates a stop signal to control the left indicator component or the right indicator component to stop the left trigger alert or the right trigger alert.

2. The locomotive turn signal automatic start system as described in claim 1, wherein, When the head-swing detection component generates the mode activation signal and fails to generate the light-on signal within the preset time, and then generates the mode activation signal again, it resets the timer based on the generation time of the last mode activation signal.

3. The locomotive turn signal automatic start system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, The head-shaking detection component generates a mode activation signal when it detects the rider's head movement as rotating 15 to 30 degrees to the left or right.

4. The locomotive turn signal automatic start system as described in claim 3, wherein, The preset time is 3 to 5 seconds.

5. The locomotive turn signal automatic start system as described in claim 4, wherein, When the head-shaking detection component detects that the rider's head is shaking to the left or right and holds for a certain period of time, it generates a signal to activate the mode. This holding time is 0.3 to 1 second.

6. The locomotive turn signal automatic start system as described in claim 5, wherein, The helmet is equipped with a warning light on the rear side, and the processor further includes an auxiliary warning unit. The auxiliary warning unit is electrically connected to the receiving unit and the warning light to receive and analyze the light signal and generate a left turn signal or a right turn signal accordingly. The warning light performs the corresponding display action based on the left turn signal or the right turn signal.

7. The locomotive turn signal automatic start system as described in claim 6, wherein, The left indicator component has a left LED light, and the right indicator component has a right LED light. The left indicator component is located on the top side frame of the left rearview mirror, and the right indicator component is located on the top side frame of the right rearview mirror. The left and right trigger indicators are continuously lit.

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