US 7482916

Patent Analysis: US 7,482,916

Date of Analysis: April 26, 2026

Patent Number: 7,482,916

Summary

Title	Automatic signaling systems for vehicles
Assignee	Wyoming Technology Licensing LLC
Inventors	Anita Au, Gerald Chan
Filing Date	January 28, 2005
Issue Date	January 27, 2009
Abstract	An automatic signaling system includes a processor having an input for receiving a signal from a sensor, and an output configured to be coupled to a signaling system of a vehicle, the signaling system having a turn signal light, wherein the processor is configured to automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the signal received from the sensor. A method for activating a turn signal light of a vehicle includes receiving a signal from a sensor, and automatically activating the turn signal light of the vehicle based at least in part on the received signal.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims

This patent describes a system that automatically activates a vehicle's turn signals. The core of the invention is a processor that takes input from a sensor to decide when to activate the signals. The independent claims outline four main variations of this system:

• Claim 1: This claim describes the fundamental system. It consists of a processor that receives a signal from a sensor. Based on this signal, the processor automatically turns on the vehicle's turn signal. The key here is the automatic activation based on sensor input, without the driver having to manually use the turn signal lever.

• Claim 20: This claim focuses on the method of activating the turn signal. It outlines the process of receiving a signal from a sensor and then automatically activating the turn signal based on that signal. This claim protects the process itself, not just the physical system.

• Claim 33: This claim covers a computer-readable medium (like a CD or flash memory) that contains instructions for a processor. When these instructions are executed, they cause the processor to automatically activate the turn signal based on a sensor's signal. This is important for protecting the software that runs the automatic signaling system.

• Claim 47 & 51: These claims describe the user control for the automatic signaling system. They detail a turn signal lever that, in addition to its normal function, has a switch or can be moved in a specific direction (like pushing it forward) to turn the automatic signaling system on or off. This gives the driver the ability to enable or disable the automatic feature.

Litigation Status

As of April 2026, a review of available information indicates that US Patent 7,482,916 has been asserted in litigation against General Motors and Toyota by the current assignee, Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC. Additionally, third-party firm Unified IP Services has reportedly been engaged in identifying prior art against claim 33 of this patent. A direct search of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) dockets for 2026 did not yield specific case information for this patent. This does not confirm the absence of an appeal, only that no records were located in this specific search.

Active Litigation Identified for U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916

As of May 1, 2026, U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916, assigned to Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC, is involved in active litigation against major automotive manufacturers. The following cases have been identified:

Case 1: Litigation against General Motors LLC

• Plaintiff: Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC
• Defendant: General Motors LLC
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas
• Case Number: 1:2026cv00810
• Filing Date: April 1, 2026
• Status: This case is currently open and in its early stages. The complaint alleges infringement of U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916 along with several other patents.

Case 2: Litigation against Toyota Motor North America, Inc.

• Plaintiff: Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC
• Defendant: Toyota Motor North America, Inc.
• Jurisdiction: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
• Case Number: 2:2026cv00268
• Filing Date: April 1, 2026
• Status: This case is also open and in its initial phases. The complaint asserts that Toyota has infringed on U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916 and other related patents.

Additionally, it has been noted that Unified IP Services is actively seeking to identify and chart prior art against claim 33 of the '916 patent in response to these lawsuits.

Given that the "PTAB proceedings on file" states no AIA trial proceedings were found via the USPTO ODP API, and my initial web search did not immediately surface any specific PTAB cases for US7482916 (the search results provide general information about IPR, PGR, and CBM processes), I will conclude that there are no active or concluded PTAB proceedings for this patent based on the current available information. I need to explicitly state this.## Proceedings Overview

As of May 22, 2026, there are no active or concluded AIA trial proceedings (Inter Partes Review, Post-Grant Review, or Covered Business Method review) on file for US Patent 7,482,916. The USPTO Open Data Portal API indicates no such proceedings, and a targeted web search for PTAB activity did not surface any records. This means the patent's claims have not been challenged or adjudicated before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board.

Strategic Summary

All claims of US Patent 7,482,916 remain untested by AIA trial proceedings. This means no claims have been canceled, sustained, or narrowed through the PTAB process. The patent owner, Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC, has not faced a PTAB challenge on this patent.

The absence of PTAB activity implies that potential petitioners have either not found strong enough prior art to warrant a challenge, or have opted for other strategies (e.g., district court litigation, settlement). Since no PTAB proceedings have occurred, there is no estoppel landscape under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) for this patent. This means a defendant currently facing assertion of this patent is not barred from raising any prior-art grounds that could have been raised in an IPR or PGR. Any relevant prior art, including that cited during prosecution (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,712,618, 6,226,389 B1, 6,321,159 B1, and 3,771,096), remains fully available for use in district court or future PTAB petitions.

The patent expired on January 28, 2025, meaning any ongoing litigation would be for past infringement only. The current litigation against General Motors LLC and Toyota Motor North America, Inc. would therefore pertain to alleged infringement that occurred before the patent's expiration.

Recommended Next Steps

Since there are no PTAB proceedings on file for US7482916, there are no specific trial-stage milestones to track. For a defendant currently being asserted against:

• Review all claims for validity challenges: Given the absence of PTAB challenges, a thorough invalidity analysis, including a fresh prior art search, would be highly recommended. The prior art cited during prosecution (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,712,618, 6,226,389 B1, 6,321,159 B1, and 3,771,096) should be meticulously re-evaluated for its applicability to all asserted claims.
• Consider the expired status: As the patent expired on January 28, 2025, any potential liability is limited to damages for past infringement. This significantly alters the risk profile compared to an active patent.
• Focus on claim construction and non-infringement: Without PTAB precedent on claim validity, claim construction in district court will be a critical battleground. Strong non-infringement arguments based on careful claim construction should be developed.
• Evaluate the continuation patents: While the parent patent 7482916 has expired, its continuation patents (e.g., US 7,986,223, US 8,378,805, etc.) are still active and may be asserted. Any defensive strategy should extend to these related patents.

Inventors

• Anita Au: No employer listed in patent. Assumed individual at the time of filing.
• Gerald Chan: No employer listed in patent. Assumed individual at the time of filing.

No unusual patterns, such as all inventors departing the original assignee, were observed as the patent application was filed by the individual inventors.

Original assignee

The original assignee on the patent application was the individual inventors, Anita Au and Gerald Chan. The issued patent US7482916B2 lists the inventors but does not explicitly name a corporate assignee on its front page. There is no information to suggest that the individual inventors shipped a product embodying the claims, nor would they have a primary line of business in the sense of a commercial entity.

Assignment timeline

• 2020-03-05 (executed) / recorded 2020-03-12 — Reel 049580/0675
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: Au, Anita; Chan, Gerald
  • Assignee: AutoSignal, LLC
  • Correspondent: Matthew S. Williams, Williams Law, P.C., 455 E. North Water St. #1709, Chicago, IL 60611. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer from individual inventors to an LLC.
• 2026-01-20 (executed) / recorded 2026-01-28 — Reel 065586/0681
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: AutoSignal, LLC
  • Assignee: Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC
  • Correspondent: Matthew S. Williams, Williams Law, P.C., 455 E. North Water St. #1709, Chicago, IL 60611. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Transfer from one LLC to another LLC.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7482916
    2005 : Filed by individual inventors
    2009 : Issued to individual inventors
    2020 : Assigned to AutoSignal LLC
    2025 : Patent expired
    2026 : Assigned to Wyoming Technology Licensing LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Present.
   • The transfer to "AutoSignal, LLC" (Reel 049580/0675, recorded 2020-03-12) and subsequently to "Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC" (Reel 065586/0681, recorded 2026-01-28) are strong signals. The "Licensing, LLC" suffix for the current assignee specifically indicates a licensing-only business model.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Present.
   • Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC is the current assignee and is actively asserting this patent in litigation against General Motors LLC and Toyota Motor North America, Inc., as noted in the "Litigation summary" section (Case Numbers: 1:2026cv00810 and 2:2026cv00268, filed April 1, 2026).
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present.
   • Matthew S. Williams of Williams Law, P.C., is listed as the correspondent for both recorded assignments (Reel 049580/0675 and Reel 065586/0681).
4. Cascading transfers — Not present.
   • Only two assignments are recorded over a six-year period, which does not constitute multiple consecutive transfers within a short timeframe.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Present.
   • The patent was assigned to Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC on 2026-01-20 (executed) and recorded on 2026-01-28 (Reel 065586/0681). Infringement lawsuits against General Motors LLC and Toyota Motor North America, Inc. were filed on April 1, 2026, approximately two months after this assignment.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present.
   • There is no evidence from the assignment records to indicate a bankruptcy filing by any assignor.
7. Privateering — Unclear.
   • While the current assignee is an NPE, there is no explicit evidence (e.g., from SEC filings or public reports) to suggest this is a privateering arrangement where an operating company transferred the patent for assertion on its behalf.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present.
   • The chain terminates with an entity actively asserting the patent, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence

Justification: Multiple strong signals support an NPE classification. The patent was transferred from individual inventors to "AutoSignal, LLC" and then to "Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC," with the latter's name suggesting a licensing focus (Reel 049580/0675 and 065586/0681). Matthew S. Williams of Williams Law, P.C., acted as the recurring correspondent for both transfers, a common characteristic of NPE operations. Crucially, the final assignment to Wyoming Technology Licensing, LLC in January 2026 immediately preceded the filing of infringement lawsuits in April 2026, indicating a pre-litigation transfer to an asserting entity.

USPTO Assignment Center search page for verification: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/query?query=7482916

Prior Art Analysis for U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916

The following analysis details the most relevant prior art cited during the prosecution of U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916. These references were considered by the USPTO examiner and/or cited by the applicant and are therefore material to the patentability of the claimed invention. The analysis focuses on the potential for these references to anticipate the patent's claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102, which requires that a single prior art reference disclose each and every element of a claimed invention.

---

Reference 1: U.S. Patent No. 5,712,618 ("the '618 patent")

• Full Citation: U.S. Patent No. 5,712,618, "Automatic turn signal device," issued to Dale K. Pratt.
• Dates: Filed August 15, 1995; Issued January 27, 1998.
• Description: The '618 patent discloses a device that automatically activates a vehicle's turn signals. The system uses sensors to measure the steering wheel's angle of rotation, the vehicle's lateral speed, and its lateral acceleration. A microprocessor analyzes these inputs to determine if the driver is initiating a turn or lane change and, if so, automatically activates the appropriate turn signal. The '916 patent itself acknowledges this prior art in its background section (Col. 2, lines 1-5).
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This patent presents a strong case for anticipating the broadest claims of the '916 patent.
  • Claim 1 & Claim 20: These claims broadly recite a system and method comprising a sensor, a processor, and the automatic activation of a turn signal based on the sensor's signal. The '618 patent appears to disclose every element of these claims. It uses multiple sensors (steering angle, speed, acceleration), a processor ("microprocessor"), and its explicit purpose is to "automatically activate" the turn signals. While the '916 patent's preferred embodiment uses a camera to detect lane markings, the language of independent claims 1 and 20 is not limited to a specific type of sensor and therefore reads on the system described in the '618 patent.

---

Reference 2: U.S. Patent No. 6,226,389 B1 ("the '389 patent")

• Full Citation: U.S. Patent No. 6,226,389 B1, "Motor vehicle warning and control system," issued to Jerome H. Lemelson.
• Dates: Filed June 3, 1999; Issued May 1, 2001.
• Description: The '389 patent describes a comprehensive vehicle control system that uses a variety of sensors, including video cameras, to monitor the vehicle's surroundings and the driver's condition. The system uses a computer ("processor") to analyze sensor data, including detecting lane markings, to identify hazardous conditions. When a hazard is detected, such as an unintentional lane departure, the system can issue a warning to the driver or take automatic control of the vehicle (e.g., braking or steering). The '916 patent also acknowledges this reference in its background section (Col. 1, lines 47-53).
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: The '389 patent does not appear to explicitly disclose the automatic activation of turn signals as a response. It focuses on warnings (e.g., audible alarms, visual alerts on the dashboard) and vehicle control actions. Therefore, it likely does not anticipate claim 1 or 20 under the strict requirements of § 102, because the specific element of "activating the turn signal light" is missing. However, it discloses the core technology of using a camera-based sensor and a processor to detect a vehicle's position relative to lane markings, making it a very strong reference for an obviousness rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103, as discussed in the "Obviousness" section of this report.

---

Reference 3: U.S. Patent No. 6,321,159 B1 ("the '159 patent")

• Full Citation: U.S. Patent No. 6,321,159 B1, "Driving lane tracking system," issued to Dirk van Buer and Karl-Heinz Gats-Kopp.
• Dates: Filed February 17, 2000; Issued November 20, 2001.
• Description: The '159 patent discloses a system for keeping a vehicle within its driving lane. It uses an optical sensor (camera) to detect lane markings and a control unit (processor) to determine the vehicle's position relative to those markings. Based on this determination, the system can automatically intervene in the vehicle's steering to maintain its position within the lane. This is commonly known as a Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS).
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: Similar to the '389 patent, the '159 patent does not appear to teach the activation of turn signals. The stated purpose of the system is to prevent a lane departure by actively steering the vehicle back into the lane. Automatically signaling a turn would be contrary to the system's primary function of maintaining the current lane. Therefore, this reference does not anticipate the claims of the '916 patent, but it establishes that the use of cameras and processors for lane detection and vehicle position analysis was known in the art prior to 2004.

---

Reference 4: U.S. Patent No. 3,771,096 ("the '096 patent")

• Full Citation: U.S. Patent No. 3,771,096, "Lane changing signaling device," issued to Shigeru Ono.
• Dates: Filed May 1, 1972; Issued November 6, 1973.
• Description: This early patent discloses a mechanical and electrical system that automatically activates the turn signal when the steering wheel is turned a certain amount, characteristic of a lane change. It employs a rotary electrical connector attached to the steering column to sense the steering action and trigger the signaling circuit.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: Much like the '618 patent, this reference discloses a system for automatically activating turn signals based on sensor input (in this case, a rotary sensor on the steering column). It therefore could be argued to anticipate the broad language of Claim 1 and Claim 20, which are not limited to a particular sensor technology. It provides further evidence that the general concept of automatic turn signal activation was well-established long before the '916 patent's filing date.

Obviousness Analysis of U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916

To the Examiner:

This analysis details the grounds for considering the claims of U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916 ("the '916 patent") to be obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103 in view of prior art available before the earliest priority date of March 15, 2004.

The '916 patent describes an automatic signaling system for vehicles. The core of the invention lies in using a sensor to detect a vehicle's position relative to lane markings and a processor to automatically activate the turn signal when the vehicle is about to change lanes. While the patent presents several embodiments, the fundamental concept was well-established in the field of automotive safety systems prior to 2004.

The following analysis will demonstrate that a person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) at the time of the invention would have been motivated to combine existing technologies to arrive at the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success.

State of the Art Prior to March 15, 2004:

Before 2004, the automotive industry was actively developing driver assistance systems. Lane Departure Warning (LDW) systems, which use cameras and other sensors to detect when a vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane, were a known concept. These systems would typically provide an audible or visual alert to the driver.

Key Prior Art References and Motivation to Combine:

Primary Reference: U.S. Patent No. 6,226,389 B1 ("the '389 patent"), filed on June 3, 1999, discloses a motor vehicle warning and control system that uses various sensors, including a video camera, to monitor the vehicle's environment and the driver's state. The '389 patent explicitly discusses detecting the vehicle's position relative to lane markings and taking action based on that information. While the '389 patent focuses on providing a warning or taking control of the vehicle, the fundamental elements of using a sensor to monitor lane position and a processor to interpret that data are present.

Secondary References:

• U.S. Patent No. 5,712,618 ("the '618 patent"), filed on August 15, 1995, describes an automatic signaling device that activates turn signals based on the steering wheel's angle of rotation, lateral speed, and acceleration. This patent establishes the concept of automatically activating turn signals without direct driver input.
• U.S. Patent No. 3,771,096 ("the '096 patent"), filed on November 6, 1973, discloses a lane-changing signaling device that employs a rotary electrical connector joined to the steering wheel. This demonstrates an early attempt to automate turn signal activation in response to a lane change.

Analysis of Obviousness:

A POSITA, aware of the developments in LDW systems as described in the '389 patent, would have recognized the potential to enhance these systems beyond simple warnings. The '618 and '096 patents demonstrate that the idea of automating turn signals was not new.

The motivation to combine the teachings of these patents would have been to create a more comprehensive safety system. Instead of merely alerting a driver who is already drifting out of their lane, a POSITA would have seen the logical next step as proactively signaling the driver's unintended maneuver to other vehicles. This would be a natural progression from a driver-centric warning to a broader, traffic-aware safety feature.

Claim-by-Claim Analysis:

• Independent Claim 1: This claim outlines the basic system of a sensor, a processor, and automatic turn signal activation. The '389 patent teaches the use of a sensor and processor for lane detection, while the '618 and '096 patents teach the automatic activation of turn signals. Combining these would have been obvious to a POSITA seeking to improve vehicle safety.
• Dependent Claims related to sensor type: Claims specifying the use of a camera or other optical sensors are rendered obvious by the '389 patent, which explicitly discloses a video camera for lane detection.
• Dependent Claims related to user controls: Claims that add a switch to activate or deactivate the system would have been an obvious design choice for any automotive feature, allowing the driver to disable the system if desired. This is a standard practice in vehicle design and would not require an inventive step.
• Dependent Claims related to sensitivity adjustment: The idea of adjusting the sensitivity of a safety system is a well-known engineering principle. A POSITA would have naturally considered allowing for adjustments to accommodate different driving styles and conditions. This would have been an obvious improvement to prevent false activations.

Conclusion:

The '916 patent, while describing a useful feature, does not represent a non-obvious leap in technology. The core concepts of lane detection with sensors and automatic turn signal activation were present in the prior art. A POSITA at the time would have been motivated to combine these existing technologies to create the system described in the '916 patent with a reasonable expectation of success. Therefore, the claims of U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916 are obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103.

Patent Term and Status for U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916

Patent Term Adjustments (PTA) / Patent Term Extensions (PTE):
A review of the prosecution history and status for U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916 indicates no Patent Term Adjustments or Extensions were granted. The patent's term was not extended beyond the standard 20-year period.

Continuity Data:
U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916 is the parent patent in a large family of continuing applications. This indicates a strategy to protect evolving aspects of the automatic signaling technology over time. Each of the following patents claims priority back to the '916 patent's application:

• U.S. Patent No. 7,986,223: Issued from continuation application US12/360,081.
• U.S. Patent No. 8,378,805: Issued from continuation application US13/191,404.
• U.S. Patent No. 9,248,777: Issued from continuation application US13/770,970.
• U.S. Patent No. 9,505,343: Issued from continuation application US15/009,383.
• U.S. Patent No. 10,046,696: Issued from continuation application US15/348,766.
• U.S. Patent No. 10,293,743: Issued from continuation application US16/101,306.
• U.S. Patent No. 10,569,700: Issued from continuation application US16/417,628.
• U.S. Patent No. 11,897,388: Issued from continuation application US16/785,246.

No divisional applications were filed; all related patents are continuations.

Patent Family:
The patent family for U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916 consists of the parent patent and the eight subsequent continuation patents listed above. No foreign counterparts or applications under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) were identified.

Projected Expiration Date:
The term for a U.S. utility patent is 20 years from the earliest non-provisional filing date.

• Filing Date: January 28, 2005
• Calculated Expiration: January 28, 2025

Based on this calculation, and confirmed by the "Expired - Lifetime" legal status provided in the patent's data, U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916 expired on January 28, 2025. Therefore, as of today's date, May 1, 2026, the patent is no longer in force.

Defensive Disclosure and Prior Art Generation for U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916

Publication Date: May 1, 2026
Subject: Derivatives and extensions of automatic vehicle signaling systems based on lane position sensing.
Reference Patent: U.S. Patent No. 7,482,916, "Automatic signaling systems for vehicles" (the '916 patent).

This document serves as a defensive disclosure to establish prior art for innovations and improvements related to the automatic activation of vehicle turn signals based on sensor data, as broadly described in the '916 patent. The following disclosures detail derivative inventions, cross-domain applications, and integrations with emerging technologies.

---

Derivatives of Core Claim 1: The Basic System

Claim 1: An automatic signaling system, comprising: a processor having an input for receiving a signal from a sensor, and an output configured to be coupled to a signaling system of a vehicle, the signaling system having a turn signal light, wherein the processor is configured to automatically activate the turn signal light based at least in part on the signal received from the sensor.

Derivative 1.1: Multi-Sensor Fusion with Redundancy

• Enabling Description: This system utilizes a sensor array comprising a primary forward-facing CMOS camera, a Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) thermal camera, and a 77 GHz RADAR sensor. The processor is a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) executing a sensor fusion algorithm. The algorithm weights inputs based on environmental conditions; for instance, in fog or heavy rain, RADAR data is weighted more heavily than visual data from the CMOS camera. The LWIR camera provides robust lane marking detection at night or in low-light conditions by detecting temperature differences between the road surface and paint. If one sensor provides anomalous data (e.g., due to obstruction or failure), it is automatically discounted by the processor, which then relies on the remaining sensors to maintain system functionality, thereby providing a fail-operational capability.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  graph TD
      A[CMOS Camera] --> C{FPGA Processor};
      B[LWIR Thermal Camera] --> C;
      D[77 GHz RADAR] --> C;
      C -- Fused Data --> E[Lane Position Analysis];
      E -- Position Exceeds Threshold --> F[Activate Turn Signal];
  

Derivative 1.2: Solid-State LiDAR and Predictive Path Analysis

• Enabling Description: The sensor is a solid-state LiDAR unit, providing a high-density 3D point cloud of the road ahead. The processor, an automotive-grade System-on-a-Chip (SoC) with an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), uses the point cloud data to not only identify lane boundaries but also to model the road's curvature and predict the vehicle's trajectory. The system activates the turn signal not just when a boundary is approached, but when the vehicle's projected path, calculated over a 3-second future time horizon, indicates a lane departure. The activation threshold is dynamically adjusted based on vehicle speed, with a lower proximity tolerance at higher speeds.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  sequenceDiagram
      participant LiDAR as Solid-State LiDAR
      participant SoC as Automotive SoC (NPU)
      participant VCU as Vehicle Control Unit
  
      LiDAR->>SoC: Transmit Point Cloud Data
      SoC->>SoC: Analyze Point Cloud for Lane Boundaries
      SoC->>SoC: Calculate Vehicle's 3-Second Projected Path
      alt Projected Path Crosses Lane Boundary
          SoC->>VCU: Send Turn Signal Activation Command
      end
  

Derivative 1.3: Ultrasonic Side-Sensing for Urban Environments

• Enabling Description: In this embodiment, the system uses a distributed network of twelve ultrasonic sensors embedded along the vehicle's sides and bumpers, similar to those used for parking assist. The processor continuously monitors the time-of-flight data from these sensors to map the precise distance to curbs, barriers, and adjacent lane markings. This is particularly effective in low-speed, urban environments where forward-looking cameras may have limited fields of view. The system triggers the turn signal when the vehicle's lateral drift rate, calculated from changes in sensor readings over time, exceeds a pre-set threshold (e.g., 0.5 meters/second) while in close proximity (e.g., less than 0.75 meters) to a lane line.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  graph LR
      subgraph Vehicle
          US1[Ultrasonic Sensor 1]
          US2[Ultrasonic Sensor 2]
          US3[...]
          US12[Ultrasonic Sensor 12]
      end
      subgraph Processing Unit
          CPU[Processor]
          MEM[Memory with Thresholds]
      end
      US1 --> CPU
      US2 --> CPU
      US3 --> CPU
      US12 --> CPU
      CPU -- Compares to Thresholds --> MEM
      CPU -- Drift Rate Exceeded --> TS[Turn Signal System]
  

Derivative 1.4: Geomagnetic Sensor Integration

• Enabling Description: This system uses a sensitive three-axis magnetometer as the primary sensor. It is designed for road systems where magnetic tape or magnetically charged markers are embedded in the road surface to define lane boundaries. The processor analyzes the magnetic field data to determine the vehicle's lateral position relative to these markers. This provides a highly reliable signal that is immune to weather conditions like snow, rain, or fog that can obscure visual markings. An activation signal is sent to the turn signal system when the magnetometer detects a lateral deviation greater than 50% of the distance to the adjacent magnetic marker.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  stateDiagram-v2
      [*] --> In_Lane
      In_Lane: Monitoring Magnetic Field
      In_Lane --> Approaching_Boundary: Lateral Deviation > 50%
      Approaching_Boundary: Activate Turn Signal
      Approaching_Boundary --> In_Adjacent_Lane: Lane Change Confirmed
      Approaching_Boundary --> In_Lane: Corrective Steering Detected
      In_Adjacent_Lane --> [*]
  

Derivative 1.5: Graphene-Based Strain Sensors in Tires

• Enabling Description: The system uses graphene-infused piezoelectric strain sensors integrated into the sidewalls of the vehicle's tires. These sensors detect minute changes in tire deformation as it passes over different surfaces. The processor is trained to recognize the unique deformation signature created when a tire rolls over a painted lane marking, a rumble strip, or a Botts' dot. By comparing inputs from the left and right tires, the processor can determine if the vehicle is drifting. If the right-side tire registers a lane marking signature without a corresponding manual signal from the driver, the system activates the right turn signal.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  classDiagram
  class TireSensor {
    +string sensorID
    +float strainValue
    +detectSurfaceType()
  }
  class Processor {
    +analyzeTireData(left_sensor, right_sensor)
    +activateSignal(direction)
  }
  class TurnSignalSystem {
    +activate(direction)
  }
  Processor --> TireSensor : receives data from
  Processor --> TurnSignalSystem : controls
  

---

Derivatives of Core Claim 20: The Method

Claim 20: A method for activating a turn signal light of a vehicle, comprising: receiving a signal from a sensor; and automatically activating the turn signal light of the vehicle based at least in part on the received signal.

Derivative 2.1: Cross-Domain Application - Agricultural Robotics

• Enabling Description: The method is applied to an autonomous agricultural tractor. The "lanes" are crop rows detected by a stereo-vision camera system (the sensor). The "turn signal" is a set of high-intensity LED strobe lights (e.g., amber and green) mounted on a mast. When the tractor's guidance system determines a turn is imminent to enter the next crop row, it receives a signal from the camera system confirming it is at the end of a row. The processor then automatically activates the appropriate strobe light to signal its intent to other autonomous or human-operated vehicles in the field, preventing collisions during coordinated harvesting operations.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  flowchart TD
      A[Stereo-Vision Sensor Detects End of Crop Row] --> B{Processor Receives Signal};
      B --> C{Is Turn Imminent?};
      C -- Yes --> D[Activate Directional Strobe Light];
      C -- No --> A;
      D --> E[Execute Turn into Next Row];
  

Derivative 2.2: Cross-Domain Application - Aerospace Autopilot

• Enabling Description: The method is adapted for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operating in a designated air corridor. The "sensor" is a combination of GPS and an ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) receiver. The "lane boundaries" are the geofenced perimeters of the flight corridor. If the UAV's flight path, as reported by its GPS, is projected to deviate from the corridor, the processor automatically activates a change in the UAV's transponder squawk code or a dedicated digital flag in its ADS-B out-stream. This "signal" alerts air traffic control and other ADS-B equipped aircraft of an unplanned maneuver.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  sequenceDiagram
      participant UAV
      participant ATC as Air Traffic Control
      participant OtherAircraft as Other Aircraft
  
      UAV->>UAV: Project Flight Path vs. Geofence
      alt Path Deviation Detected
          UAV->>ATC: Transmit Alert Squawk Code
          UAV->>OtherAircraft: Broadcast ADS-B Deviation Flag
      end
  

Derivative 2.3: Cross-Domain Application - Personal Mobility Device Safety

• Enabling Description: The method is implemented on an electric scooter or e-bike. The sensor is a 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). The processor analyzes the IMU data to detect a sharp lean angle (e.g., > 15 degrees) sustained for more than 500 milliseconds, which is indicative of a turn. This automatically activates integrated LED light strips on the corresponding side of the scooter, providing a turn signal without requiring the rider to remove their hands from the handlebars. The system is calibrated for a speed threshold (e.g., > 5 mph) to avoid activation during stationary balancing.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  stateDiagram-v2
      state "Stationary or Straight" as Straight
      [*] --> Straight
      Straight --> Turning: Lean Angle > 15° for >500ms
      Turning --> Straight: Lean Angle < 5°
  
      state Turning {
          entry / activate_led_signal()
          exit / deactivate_led_signal()
      }
  

---

Derivatives of Core Claim 33: The Computer Program Product

Claim 33: A computer program product for use with an automatic signaling system of a vehicle...the process includes automatically activating a turn signal light of the vehicle based at least in part on a signal received from a sensor.

Derivative 3.1: AI/Machine Learning Integration for Predictive Signaling

• Enabling Description: The computer program product is an AI model, specifically a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network, trained on a massive dataset of real-world driving scenarios. The software receives input not just from the lane-detection camera, but also from sensors monitoring the driver's head position and eye gaze, surrounding vehicle positions (via V2X communication), and navigation system data (upcoming turns or exits). The AI model predicts the probability of an intentional lane change. When this probability exceeds a confidence threshold (e.g., 95%), the software triggers the turn signal before the vehicle begins to deviate from its lane, providing an earlier warning to other drivers.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  graph TD
      subgraph Inputs
          A[Lane Camera Data]
          B[Driver Head/Gaze Data]
          C[V2X Traffic Data]
          D[Navigation Route]
      end
      subgraph AI Core
          E[LSTM Network]
      end
      subgraph Output
          F[Turn Signal Activation]
      end
      A & B & C & D --> E
      E -- Lane Change Probability > 95% --> F
  

Derivative 3.2: IoT Integration for Smart City Communication

• Enabling Description: The software is an IoT client running on the vehicle's telematics control unit. Upon receiving a lane departure signal from the primary sensor processor, the program does two things: 1) activates the local turn signal, and 2) publishes an MQTT message to a smart city traffic management broker. The message payload includes the vehicle's ID, location, and intended direction of movement (e.g., {"VID": "A4B3C2", "lat": 40.7128, "lon": -74.0060, "action": "LANE_CHANGE_RIGHT"}). This allows traffic infrastructure, such as smart traffic lights or digital signage, to anticipate the vehicle's maneuver, potentially adjusting light timing or warning other vehicles in a blind spot.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  sequenceDiagram
      participant Sensor
      participant Vehicle_Processor
      participant Vehicle_TCU as "TCU (IoT Client)"
      participant MQTT_Broker as "City MQTT Broker"
      participant Traffic_Infra as "Smart Infrastructure"
  
      Sensor->>Vehicle_Processor: Lane Deviation Detected
      Vehicle_Processor->>Vehicle_TCU: Signal Lane Change Intent
      Vehicle_TCU->>MQTT_Broker: PUBLISH (VID, location, action)
      MQTT_Broker->>Traffic_Infra: Forward Message
      Traffic_Infra->>Traffic_Infra: Adjust Signals/Signage
  

Derivative 3.3: Blockchain Integration for Auditable Event Logging

• Enabling Description: The computer program product includes a module for creating and signing a cryptographic transaction whenever the automatic signaling system is activated. The sensor data (timestamp, image hash, distance to lane line) and the activation command are bundled into a data packet. This packet is hashed and anchored to a private, permissioned blockchain maintained by the vehicle manufacturer or a consortium. This creates an immutable, tamper-proof log of every automatic signaling event. In the event of an accident, this log can be audited by insurance companies or regulatory bodies to verify that the system functioned correctly and provided adequate warning.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  flowchart LR
      A[Sensor Detects Lane Drift] --> B{Processor Activates Signal};
      B --> C[Create Data Packet: Timestamp, Image Hash, GPS];
      C --> D[Cryptographically Hash Packet];
      D --> E[Sign & Submit Transaction to Blockchain];
      E --> F((Immutable Ledger));
  

---

Derivatives of Core Claims 47 & 51: The User Control

Claims 47 & 51 describe a control lever with a switch or a distinct movement (e.g., forward push) to enable/disable the automatic system.

Derivative 4.1: Haptic Feedback Control with Adaptive Sensitivity

• Enabling Description: The turn signal lever incorporates a haptic feedback motor. The system has three modes, selected by a capacitive touch sensor on the end of the stalk: Off, Standard, and Aggressive. When the automatic system is active and detects a lane drift, it first provides a haptic "nudge" or vibration through the lever, alerting the driver. If the driver does not correct the drift within 750ms, the system then automatically activates the visual signal. The "Aggressive" mode has a shorter haptic-to-visual delay (250ms) and higher sensitivity, intended for highway driving.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  stateDiagram-v2
      [*] --> Off
      Off --> Standard: Tap on Stalk
      Standard --> Aggressive: Tap on Stalk
      Aggressive --> Off: Tap on Stalk
  
      state Standard {
          [*] --> Idle
          Idle --> HapticAlert: Lane Drift Detected
          HapticAlert --> VisualSignal: No Correction in 750ms
          HapticAlert --> Idle: Correction Detected
          VisualSignal --> Idle: Lane Change Complete
      }
      state Aggressive {
          [*] --> Idle
          Idle --> HapticAlert: Lane Drift Detected
          HapticAlert --> VisualSignal: No Correction in 250ms
          HapticAlert --> Idle: Correction Detected
          VisualSignal --> Idle: Lane Change Complete
      }
  

Derivative 4.2: "Inverse" or Failure Mode Operation

• Enabling Description: This design prioritizes safe failure. If the processor detects a fault in the primary lane detection sensor (e.g., camera lens obscured, no valid data for >2 seconds), it immediately enters a "manual-only" mode. In this mode, the automatic function is disabled, a "System Fault" icon is illuminated on the instrument cluster, and the turn signal stalk will pulse with a low-frequency vibration every 30 seconds to remind the driver that the automatic feature is inoperative. This prevents the driver from relying on a non-functional system and ensures they revert to manual signal operation. The system can only be re-activated after a successful self-test on the next ignition cycle.
• Mermaid Diagram:

  graph TD
      A{System On} --> B{Monitor Sensor Health};
      B -- No Fault --> C[Automatic Mode Active];
      C --> B;
      B -- Fault Detected --> D[Enter Fail-Safe Mode];
      D --> E[Disable Automatic Activation];
      D --> F[Display Fault on Dash];
      D --> G[Activate Periodic Haptic Alert in Stalk];
  

---

Combination Prior Art Scenarios

1. Combination with CAN Bus Protocol (ISO 11898): The automatic signaling system's processor (as in Claim 1) does not directly interface with the turn signal bulbs. Instead, it acts as a node on the vehicle's Controller Area Network (CAN) bus. When a lane departure is detected, the processor broadcasts a standard CAN message (e.g., with identifier 0x2C4) containing a data payload that commands the Body Control Module (BCM) to activate the turn signals. The BCM, which already controls lighting, receives and executes this command. This integrates the invention into standard automotive electronic architecture, making it an obvious implementation for a person skilled in the art of vehicle electronics.

2. Combination with Robot Operating System (ROS): The method of Claim 20 is implemented as a ROS node within an autonomous vehicle's software stack. A publicly available ROS package for camera-based lane detection (e.g., opencv_lane_detector) publishes lane boundary data to a ROS topic called /lane_info. A new "auto_signal_node" subscribes to this topic. When the data on /lane_info indicates the vehicle is within a threshold distance of a boundary, this node publishes a std_msgs/Bool message to a /turn_signal_cmd topic, which is then translated into a CAN bus message by a separate ros_can_bridge node. This uses an open-source framework to achieve the patented method.

3. Combination with MQTT Protocol: The IoT-integrated derivative (Derivative 3.2) is implemented using the open-source MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) protocol, an ISO standard (ISO/IEC 20922). The vehicle's processor runs a Paho MQTT client library to connect to a public or private MQTT broker. This combination allows the vehicle's lane departure data to be transmitted in a standardized, lightweight format, making the integration with disparate smart city systems (which also support the open MQTT standard) an obvious step for creating a V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) safety system.