The draining of an automobile battery through inadvertently leaving the automobile lights in their on position is a problem that has plagued motorists since practically the time the automobile was invented. Through haste and oversight motorists commonly leave their vehicles without turning their lights off, only to return to find their vehicle with a dead battery. The recent popularity of timers and daytime running light mechanisms for headlights have only added further to this problem on account of motorists mistakenly believing that their automobile headlights remain on due to the operation of such timers or running lights.
Others have developed numerous mechanisms and lighting systems in an attempt to combat this problem. Such devices include warning chimes, to indicate that a vehicle's lights remain on after the ignition key has been removed, and complex relays and electronic circuitry that prevent a vehicle's lights from remaining on when the ignition has been turned off. While warning chimes provide an audible indicator they do not actively prevent a vehicle's lights from being left on. Chimes only provide limited assistance and suffer from inherent problems. First, since they comprise electronic components they are susceptible to failure. Secondly, in some instances background noise is sufficient to prevent a motorist from realising that the warning chimes are in operation. In the case of individuals with hearing impairment, the warning chimes may serve no purpose whatsoever.
With respect to the use of other electronic components (which may include relays and similar devices) to ensure that headlights do not remain on, they too suffer from inherent problems. First and foremost is the fact that such a systems usually involve relatively complex electrical and electronic circuitry and components, any part of which is subject to failure. In the event that any aspect of such a system fails a motorist may not be aware that the system is no longer working properly and falsely rely upon it to ensure that the automobile headlights are turned off. Furthermore, in the event of failure of part of the system, the cost of locating the failed component and fixing the system can often be very significant. Finally, as the complexity of such electronic systems increases so do the overall vehicle costs.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds