Wrong way indication beacon and related methods

• US 10,109,192 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2017
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Central Florida Expressway Authority, University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc. (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: Central Florida Expressway Authority, University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc. (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Al-Deek, Haitham, Quinn, Corey
• Primary Examiner(s): Dsouza, Adolf
• Application Number:
  US15/797,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20180075743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/00 Arrangement of road signs or traffic signals; Arrangements for enforcing caution for obstructing or restricting traffic E01F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/54 of traffic, e.g. cars on the road, trains or boats
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/056 with provision for distinguishing direction of travel
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A wrong way vehicle detection system may include a warning station, a communications device and a controller to operate a forward facing movement sensor at the warning station to detect a wrong way vehicle on the roadway, and responsive to the detection of the wrong way vehicle on the roadway by the forward facing movement sensor, activate at least one flashing beacon and operate a rear facing movement sensor at the warning station to detect movement of the wrong way vehicle beyond the warning station. The controller may also, responsive to detection of the wrong way vehicle moving beyond the warning station, send a wrong way vehicle detection alert via the communications device. The system may further include a navigation server to receive the wrong way vehicle detection alert and send a wrong way driver warning to a mobile wireless communications device(s) within a geographic boundary of the warning station.

Claims

1. A wrong way vehicle detection system comprising:

a warning station positioned along a roadway and comprising

a wrong way indication sign facing away from a direction of oncoming traffic on the roadway,

at least one flashing beacon adjacent the wrong way indication sign,

a forward facing movement sensor adjacent the wrong way indication sign and facing away from the direction of oncoming traffic on the roadway, and

a rear facing movement sensor adjacent the wrong way indication sign;

a communications device;

a controller configured to

operate the forward facing movement sensor to detect a wrong way vehicle on the roadway,

responsive to the detection of the wrong way vehicle on the roadway by the forward facing movement sensor, activate the at least one flashing beacon and operate the rear facing movement sensor to detect movement of the wrong way vehicle beyond the warning station, and

responsive to detection of the wrong way vehicle moving beyond the warning station, send a wrong way vehicle detection alert via the communications device; and

a navigation server configured to receive the wrong way vehicle detection alert and send a wrong way driver warning to at least one mobile wireless communications device within a geographic boundary of the warning station.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the wrong way driver warning includes a wrong way indicator corresponding to a geographic location of the warning station.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the wrong way driver warning includes a text message.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the wrong way driver warning includes an audible message.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one flashing beacon comprises a pair of flashing beacons.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the at least one pair of flashing beacons comprises an upper pair of flashing beacons above the wrong way indication sign, and a lower pair of flashing beacons positioned below the wrong way indication sign.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the warning station further comprises a forward facing camera adjacent the wrong way indication sign and coupled to the controller;

and wherein the controller further causes the forward facing camera to take a picture responsive to the forward facing movement sensor detecting the wrong way vehicle on the roadway.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the warning station further comprises a rear facing camera adjacent the wrong way indication sign and coupled to the controller;

and wherein the controller further causes the rear facing camera to take a picture responsive to the rear facing movement sensor detecting movement of the wrong way vehicle beyond the warning station.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the warning station is positioned along an off ramp of a mainline roadway, and further comprising a camera positioned adjacent the intersection of the mainline roadway and the off ramp and configured to take a picture responsive to detecting movement of the wrong way vehicle beyond the warning station to confirm entry of the wrong way vehicle onto the mainline roadway.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the forward facing and rear facing movement sensors comprises a radar sensor.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the forward facing and rear facing movement sensors comprises a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensor.

12. A wrong way vehicle detection method for a warning station positioned along a roadway, the warning station comprising a wrong way indication sign facing away from a direction of oncoming traffic on the roadway, at least one flashing beacon adjacent the wrong way indication sign, a forward facing movement sensor adjacent the wrong way indication sign and facing away from the direction of oncoming traffic on the roadway, and a rear facing movement sensor adjacent the wrong way indication sign, the method comprising:

operating the forward facing movement sensor to detect a wrong way vehicle on the roadway;

responsive to the detection of the wrong way vehicle on the roadway by the forward facing movement sensor, activating the at least one flashing beacon and operating the rear facing movement sensor to detect movement of the wrong way vehicle beyond the warning station using the controller;

responsive to detection of the wrong way vehicle moving beyond the warning station, sending a wrong way vehicle detection alert via the communications device using the controller; and

at a navigation server, receiving the wrong way vehicle detection alert and sending a wrong way driver warning to at least one mobile wireless communications device within a geographic boundary of the warning station.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the wrong way driver warning includes a wrong way indicator corresponding to a geographic location of the warning station.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the wrong way driver warning includes a text message.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the wrong way driver warning includes an audible message.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one flashing beacon comprises an upper pair of flashing beacons above the wrong way indication sign, and a lower pair of flashing beacons positioned below the wrong way indication sign.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the warning station further comprises a forward facing camera adjacent the wrong way indication sign and coupled to the controller;

and further comprising causing the forward facing camera to take a picture responsive to the forward facing movement sensor detecting the wrong way vehicle on the roadway using the controller.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the warning station further comprises a rear facing camera adjacent the wrong way indication sign and coupled to the controller;

and further comprising causing the rear facing camera to take a picture responsive to the rear facing movement sensor detecting movement of the wrong way vehicle beyond the warning station using the controller.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the warning station is positioned along an off ramp of a mainline roadway, and further comprising using a camera positioned adjacent the intersection of the mainline roadway and the off ramp to take a picture responsive to detecting movement of the wrong way vehicle beyond the warning station to confirm entry of the wrong way vehicle onto the mainline roadway.