US 12,071,155 B2
Vehicle driver warning device
Vijay Ojha, Karnataka (IN); Anandhu Krishna, Kerala (IN); and Dushyanth S, Tamil Nadu (IN)
Assigned to VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed by Volvo Truck Corporation, Gothenburg (SE)
Filed on Nov. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/070,864.
Claims priority of application No. 21212686 (EP), filed on Dec. 7, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0174094 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. B60W 50/16 (2020.01); B60W 50/14 (2020.01)
CPC B60W 50/16 (2013.01) [B60W 2050/143 (2013.01); B60W 2050/146 (2013.01); B60W 2540/18 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle driver warning device comprising:
a steering angle sensor configured to produce steering signals representative of a real time angle of rotation of a steering column of a vehicle relative to a reference position,
a control unit operably coupled to the steering angle sensor and configured to receive said steering signals and generate a timer activation signal when an absolute value of the real time angle of rotation of the steering column is equal to a maximum value and a timer deactivation signal when the absolute value of the real time angle of rotation of the steering column is again less than the maximum value after being equal to the maximum value,
a countdown timer operably coupled to the control unit and configured to receive the timer activation signal and the timer deactivation signal, said countdown timer starting a countdown of a preset period of time whenever said countdown timer receives the timer activation signal and interrupting said countdown timer if said countdown timer receives the timer deactivation signal before the end of the preset period of time,
an alarm module operably coupled to the control unit and configured to generate an alarm output perceptible to the driver upon receiving an alarm activation signal,
wherein the control unit is configured to generate and communicate an alarm activation signal to said alarm module at the end of the preset period of time if the control unit determines that the countdown of the preset period of time has not been interrupted.