Traffic signal system for congested trafficways

• US 10,192,441 B1
• Filed: 07/29/2016
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amanda Reed, Daniel E. Reed
• Original Assignee: Amanda Reed, Daniel E. Reed
• Inventors: Reed, Amanda, Reed, Daniel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/223,330
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 340903, 340906, 340902, 340551, 3405731, 3404255, 3405391, 3406913, 3405451, 3406861-6866, 340687
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A traffic signal system for congested trafficways has a plurality of stationary alarm light/sensor-reader combinations and mobile alarm light/sensor-reader combinations monitoring each other and monitory tags placed on individuals, machines, and hazards to provide real time alarms to not only pedestrians but also machine operators, who are potentially approaching harm'"'"'s way, or have the better ability to avert potential harm. Different forms of alarms are provided to indicate different kinds of alarm conditions and to reduce complacency to alarms, and thus improve effectiveness.

Claims

1. A traffic signal system for congested trafficways in a workspace populated by a plurality of pedestrians and a plurality of vehicle-driver driven land vehicles and at least one mobile ceiling hung piece of equipment, said system comprising:

a plurality of transponders for wearing by pedestrians and indicating each such wearer'"'"'s status equates at least to being a pedestrian;

a plurality of vehicle-drivers;

a plurality of transponders for wearing by land vehicles and indicating each such wearer'"'"'s status equates as least to being a land vehicle;

at least one transponder for wearing by the at least one mobile ceiling hung piece of equipment;

a plurality of mobile traffic lights mounted on the land vehicles; and

a plurality of mobile sensors/readers of transponder output mounted on the land vehicles;

wherein the land vehicles include fork trucks as well as mobile aerial work platforms;

wherein each of said mobile sensors/readers of transponder output is configured to monitor for at least one alarm condition and, in the event of the alarm condition, activates at least one alarm signal to the respective vehicle driver.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said transponders comprise RFID devices; and

said sensors/readers comprise RFID readers.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of designated areas of concern within the workspace;

wherein the at least one alarm condition that each mobile sensor/reader mounted to a land vehicle is configured to monitor includes a pedestrian-worn transponder or a vehicle-worn transponder inside of or moving inside to a designated area of concern.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

each mobile sensor/reader mounted to a land vehicle is configured to monitor relative the directions of individual pedestrian-worn transponders and individual vehicle-worn transponders.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the at least one alarm signal to the vehicle driver activated by the mobile sensor/reader of transponder output of the respective land vehicle comprises at least one mobile traffic light, which traffic light is configured to indicate a direction or directions of the transponder or transponders causing the alarm condition.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

a lightbar in the helm of the land vehicle, the lightbar being visible to the vehicle driver and having at least three indications indicative of at least straight ahead, left or right; and

configuring the land vehicle'"'"'s transponder sensor/reader and the lightbar to sense and read the transmissions of any transponders and provide a warning that not only such is within range but also by providing the straight ahead, left or right indication if the transponder is generally straight ahead, or more to the left or right respectively.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the at least one alarm condition that each mobile sensor/reader mounted to a land vehicle is configured to monitor includes any of the following alarm conditions;

—

an area that is hazardous because of utilities or hazardous materials,

a hazardous piece of equipment on the ground plane, and

mobile overhead hazards; and

further comprising a multiplicity of additional transponder devices for attaching or mounting proximate at least one of said multiplicity of additional transponder devices to each hazardous area, hazardous piece of equipment, and mobile overhead hazard;

wherein each of the multiplicity of additional transponder devices is configured to transmit a transmission that identifies a representative attribute of the respective hazardous area, hazardous piece of equipment, or mobile overhead hazard, respectively.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the at least one alarm condition that each mobile sensor/reader mounted to a land vehicle is configured to monitor includes any of the following alarm conditions;

—

restricted access through garage doorway, and

palleted cargo not authorized for handling by the land vehicle; and

further comprising another multiplicity of other transponder devices for attaching or mounting proximate at least one of said multiplicity of additional transponder devices to each restricted access and palleted cargo not authorized for handling by the land vehicle;

wherein each the other multiplicity of other transponder devices is configured to transmit a transmission that identifies a representative attribute of the respective restricted access or palleted cargo not authorized for handling by the land vehicle, respectively.

9. A traffic signal method for congested trafficways in a workspace populated by a pedestrians, a vehicle-driver driven land vehicles, and other hazards;

said method comprising the steps of;

providing a pedestrian with a pedestrian'"'"'s transponder to wear while traversing the workspace;

configuring said pedestrian'"'"'s transponder to transmit a transmission that identifies a representative attribute of said pedestrian;

providing a land vehicle with a land vehicle'"'"'s transponder to be attached or mounted to the land vehicle while traversing the workspace;

configuring said land vehicle'"'"'s transponder to transmit a transmission that identifies a representative attribute of said land vehicle;

providing the pedestrian with at least one or more sensors of transponder output which is or are configured to monitor for at least one alarm condition and, in the event or the alarm condition, activate at least one alarm signal to the pedestrian;

providing the land vehicle with at least one or more sensors of transponder output which is or are configured to monitor for at least one alarm condition and, in the event or the alarm condition, activate at least one alarm signal to the vehicle driver;

further configuring the at least one or more sensors of transponder output linked to the pedestrian with an indication perceptible to the pedestrian but not otherwise perceptible to the vehicle driver providing feedback that the pedestrian'"'"'s transponder is causing an alarm signal perceptible to the vehicle driver; and

further configuring the at least one or more sensors of transponder output linked to the vehicle with an indication for the vehicle driver providing feedback that is perceptible to the vehicle driver but not otherwise perceptible to the pedestrian that vehicle driver'"'"'s vehicle'"'"'s transponder is causing an alarm signal perceptible to the pedestrian.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a second pedestrian with a pedestrian'"'"'s transponder to wear while traversing the workspace;

providing the second pedestrian with at least one or more sensors of transponder output which is or are configured to monitor for at least one alarm condition and, in the event or the alarm condition, activate at least one alarm signal to the second pedestrian; and

further configuring the at least one or more sensors of transponder output linked to the second pedestrian with an indication for the second pedestrian providing feedback that his or her transponder is causing an alarm signal perceptible to the vehicle driver.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

further configuring the at least one or more sensors of transponder output linked to the vehicle with one indication for the vehicle driver signifying that ‘

a pedestrian is within range’ and

another indication that signifies that ‘

at least two pedestrians are within range.’

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the ‘

pedestrian is within range’

indication comprises one illuminated image; and

the ‘

at least two pedestrians are within range’

indication comprises another illuminated image.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a second land vehicle with a land vehicle'"'"'s transponder to have attached or mounted thereto while traversing the workspace; and

configuring the second land vehicle'"'"'s transponder to transmit a transmission that identifies a representative attribute of the second land vehicle;

providing the second land vehicle with at least one or more sensors of transponder output which is or are configured to monitor for at least one alarm condition and, in the event or the alarm condition, activate at least one alarm signal to the vehicle driver of the second land vehicle;

further configuring the at least one or more sensors of transponder output linked to the second land vehicle with an indication for the driver of the second land vehicle providing feedback that his or her vehicle'"'"'s transponder is causing an alarm signal perceptible to the vehicle driver of said one land vehicle; and

further configuring the at least one or more sensors of transponder output linked to said one land vehicle with an indication for the vehicle driver of said one land vehicle providing feedback that his or her vehicle'"'"'s transponder is causing an alarm signal perceptible to the vehicle driver of the second land vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

further configuring the at least one or more sensors of transponder output linked either land vehicle with one indication for the vehicle driver of that land vehicle with an indication signifying that a ‘

pedestrian is within range’ and

another indication that signifies that the other ‘

land vehicle is within range.’

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

providing the vehicle driver of said one land vehicle with a driver'"'"'s transponder to wear while traversing the workspace and configuring that driver'"'"'s transponder to transmit a transmission that identifies a representative attribute of that vehicle driver;

providing the vehicle driver of the second land vehicle with a driver'"'"'s transponder to wear while traversing the workspace and configuring that driver'"'"'s transponder to transmit a transmission that identifies a representative attribute of that driver of the second vehicle; and

further configuring the at least one or more sensors of transponder output linked either land vehicle with one indication for the vehicle driver of that land vehicle with an indication signifying that a lone detection is made of a driver'"'"'s transponder in the absence of, or remote from, detection of a land vehicle transponder.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing other specified hazards with a specified hazard transponder to be attached or mounted proximate to the other specified hazards while within the environment of the workspace;

configuring said specified hazard transponder to transmit a transmission that identifies a particular attribute of the specified hazard;

providing the land vehicle with a sensor and warning alarm combination to be attached or mounted to the land vehicle while traversing the workspace;

configuring the land vehicle'"'"'s sensor and warning alarm combination to detect the specified hazard transponders and provide a warning that the land vehicle is within range by means of the warning alarm.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the specified hazards can comprise any of;

—

an area that is hazardous because of utilities or hazardous materials,

a hazardous piece of equipment on the ground plane,

mobile overhead hazards,

mobile ceiling hung equipment,

restricted access through garage doorway, and/or

palleted cargo not authorized for handling by the land vehicle.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

a lightbar in the helm of the land vehicle, the lightbar being visible to the vehicle driver and having at least three indications indicative of at least straight ahead, left or right; and

configuring the land vehicle'"'"'s sensor and the lightbar to sense any pedestrian transponders and provide a warning that not only such is within range but also by providing the straight ahead, left or right indication if the pedestrian transponder is generally straight ahead, or more to the left or more to the right respectively.