Network and connected devices for emergency response and roadside operations

• US 10,237,900 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2017
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whelen Engineering Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Whelen Engineering Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Jackson, Cole, Garrett, Caleb
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Justin Y
• Application Number:
  US15/805,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20180132285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 497 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/47 Direct command from other road users, i.e. the command for switching or changing the beam is sent by other vehicles or road devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0446 worn on the body to detect changes of posture, e.g. a fall, inclination, acceleration, gait
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/009 Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/002 Distress signalling devices, e.g. rescue balloons vehicle optical signalling for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/006 Portable traffic signalling devices G08B5/004 takes precedence; emergency signalling devices to be placed on roads or vehicles B60Q7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0955 transportable
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 : Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 : for emergency connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 : Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 : Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A self-assembling network is configured to automatically and dynamically connect devices used in operations carried out on or near roads bearing vehicle and pedestrian traffic. An automatic, ad hoc network connecting existing and new devices can be used to enhance safety by gathering and exchanging safety critical information. In some cases, existing equipment can be augmented with a network controller and radio frequency communications to permit the devices to join a wireless local network and exchange information over the network. New devices, including wearable devices, can be configured to act as nodes on the wireless local network. Establishing the relative position of vehicles, sensors, wearables, and other nodes on the disclosed ad hoc wireless network allows the coordination of functions based on position.

Claims

1. A system for management of a plurality of devices associated with emergency response and roadside operations connected by a wireless local network, each said device representing a node in said wireless local network and each said node comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media;

one or more sensors for collecting information from the ambient environment surrounding each said node;

a wireless transceiver; and

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to automatically connect to all other nodes for which a wireless signal is available;

program instructions to periodically determine a position of each node;

program instructions for each node to transmit information corresponding to a position of each node;

program instructions to employ the position of each node to define the position of each node relative to other nodes; and

program instructions to coordinate the activity of nodes according to relative position of the nodes,

wherein said at least one of said devices is a motor vehicle having at least one of a multifunction visual warning device and a multifunction audio warning device, and said program instructions comprise;

program instructions to establish the position of said motor vehicle; and

program instructions to operate said multifunction visual warning device or said multifunction audio device according to the position of said motor vehicle, and

wherein said motor vehicle comprises a plurality of motor vehicles, each of said plurality of motor vehicles including warning signal generators producing warning signals, and said program instructions comprise;

program instructions to coordinate warning signals of said motor vehicle with warning signals of other motor vehicles over said wireless network according to the relative positions of said motor vehicles.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said program instructions comprise:

program instructions to periodically send a time reference on said wireless network;

program instructions to, after receiving said time reference, establish a time said time reference was received; and

program instructions to transmit a timestamp associated with said time reference on said wireless network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said wireless network is a mesh network and at least three nodes are fully meshed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of said nodes are equipped to receive a GPS timing signal, and said program instructions comprise:

synchronizing communications among said plurality of nodes using the GPS timing signal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of nodes equipped to receive a GPS timing signal include a timing module incorporating a temperature controlled crystal oscillator, and said program instructions comprise:

maintaining a timing signal for communications on said wireless network by means of said temperature controlled crystal oscillator, with reference to the most recent GPS timing signal.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said nodes include a plurality of traffic directing devices, each of said plurality of traffic directing devices having one or more functions and configured to transmit position data over said network, said program instructions comprising:

program instructions to calculate a position for each of said plurality of traffic directing devices relative to the other of said traffic directing devices; and

program instructions to coordinate a function of said traffic directing devices according to the position of each said traffic directing device relative to the of said plurality of traffic directing devices.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said one or more sensor is selected from the group including infrared, radar, camera, accelerometer, gyroscope, temperature, air quality, heartrate monitor, and magnetometer.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of said devices is a motor vehicle and said motor vehicle is equipped with sensors to detect movement of objects and vehicles in proximity to said motor vehicle, and said program instructions comprise:

using information from said sensors to establish the speed and heading of objects relative to said motor vehicle; and

transmitting a warning to other nodes via said wireless network when an object will encroach upon a safety margin surrounding said motor vehicle.

9. A roadside operations safety system comprising:

a plurality of nodes connected by means of a wireless mesh network, each said node comprising;

a computer processor;

a computer readable storage media;

a position sensor to establish a position of each node;

a wireless transceiver; and

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by said computer processor, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to automatically connect to all other nodes for which a wireless signal is available;

program instructions to periodically determine a position of each node;

program instructions for each node to periodically transmit information corresponding to its position;

program instructions to employ the position of each node to define the position of each node relative to other nodes,

wherein said plurality of nodes includes a plurality of motor vehicles, each motor vehicle equipped with a multifunction warning signal device, said program instructions comprising;

program instructions to coordinate operation of the multifunction warning signal devices of said plurality of motor vehicles according to a position of each said motor vehicle relative to the other of said plurality of motor vehicles.

10. The roadside operations safety system of claim 9, wherein at least one node is a motor vehicle configured with a multifunction warning signal device, said program instructions comprising:

program instructions to coordinate operation of said multifunction warning signal device according to the position of said motor vehicle relative to other nodes on said wireless mesh network.

11. The roadside operations safety system of claim 9, wherein at least one of said nodes is equipped with a GPS receiver receiving a GPS timing pulse, and a timing module including a temperature stable crystal oscillator, said program instructions comprising:

program instructions to maintain a communications timing signal for said wireless mesh network by means of said temperature stable crystal oscillator, with reference to the most recent GPS timing pulse.

12. The roadside operations safety system of claim 9, wherein at least one node includes at least one sensor to detect movement of objects relative to said at least one node, said program instructions comprising:

program instructions to employ information from said at least one sensor to determine the speed and direction of an object relative to said node; and

program instructions to transmit a warning to other nodes on said wireless mesh network when an object will encroach upon a safety margin surrounding said node.

13. The roadside operations safety system of claim 12, wherein said at least one sensor is selected from the group including:

infrared, radar, camera, accelerometer, gyroscope, temperature, and magnetometer.

14. A method for operating devices in a network including at least one emergency vehicle having a multi-function visual warning device or a multifunction audio warning device, said method comprising:

establishing a wireless network between said devices without human intervention, including said at least one emergency vehicle;

transmitting data over said network;

processing said data to determine the position of each device relative to the other of said devices, including said at least one emergency vehicle;

operating at least one of said devices according to the position of said at least one device relative to the other of said devices;

transmitting data between said at least one emergency vehicle and at least one standalone device physically separated from said at least one emergency vehicle, and

generating coordinated warning signals on said standalone device and one of said multifunction visual warning device or said multifunction audio warning device on said at least one emergency vehicle, coordination of said warning signals determined by the position of said standalone device relative to said at least one emergency vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said devices include a plurality of emergency vehicles, each of said emergency vehicles having a multifunction visual warning device or a multifunction audio warning device, said method comprising:

calculating relative movement between plurality of emergency vehicles based upon data transmitted over said network, and

transmitting a collision warning from a first emergency vehicle to a second emergency vehicle when said calculated relative movement indicates a likelihood of collision between said first and second emergency vehicles.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said devices include at least one standalone device equipped with a sensor and controller, said standalone device having a plurality of functions, some of said functions being dependent upon a position of said device relative to said at least one emergency vehicle, said method comprising:

exchanging data between said standalone device and said at least one emergency vehicle;

calculating a relative position of said standalone device relative to said at least one emergency vehicle; and

selecting from said plurality of functions of said standalone device based upon the relative position of said standalone device relative to said at least one emergency vehicle.

17. The method of claim 14, comprising:

transmitting data from a sensor on said network, and

calculating a relative position of devices on said network based at least in part upon data from said sensor;

transmitting said relative positions over said network; and

saving said relative positions in memory.

18. The method of claim 14, comprising:

designating a leader device from among said devices, and

operating said devices according to instructions from said leader transmitted over said network.

19. The method of claim 14, comprising:

periodically repeating the step of processing said data to determine the position of each device relative to the other of said devices, including said at least one emergency vehicle;

transmitting said relative positions over said network; and

transmitting said relative positions to a command center remote from said network via a cellular data connection.