Apparatus for broadcasting a warning signal

• US 20040201494A1
• Filed: 05/28/2004
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emergency Warning Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Emergency Warning Systems Limited
• Inventors: Tringali, Salvatore, Manson, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 7,098,804 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/902
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle

Abstract

There is disclosed, vehicle mounted apparatus for broadcasting a warning signal on a radio channel to thereby warn of the vehicle'"'"'s approach, the apparatus includes a transmitter for broadcasting a warning signal on a radio channel, and a controller for controlling the strength of the broadcast warning signal on the basis of a signal strength of a normal signal on the radio channel to thereby control a broadcast range of the warning signal.

Claims

1. Vehicle mounted apparatus for broadcasting a warning signal on a radio channel to thereby warn of the vehicle'"'"'s approach, the apparatus including:

a transmitter for broadcasting a warning signal on a radio channel; and

a controller for controlling the strength of the broadcast warning signal on the basis of a signal strength of a normal signal on the radio channel to thereby control a broadcast range of said warning signal.

2. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller also controls said warning signal in accordance with the speed of a vehicle.

3. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said apparatus includes a memory associated with said controller for storing a signal strength of the normal radio channel.

4. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 3 including a receiver for receiving and measuring said normal signal strength of said radio channel and storing said signal strength in said memory, and wherein said controller controls the strength of the warning signal on the basis of the signal strength currently stored in said memory.

5. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said receiver periodically monitors said signal strength to thereby update said signal strength for said radio channel stored in said memory.

6. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is configured to broadcast warning signals on a plurality of radio channels.

7. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said apparatus is configured to broadcast said warning signals concurrently.

8. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein said apparatus is configured to broadcast said warning signals on each of said radio channels in turn.

9. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said receiver monitors the signal strength on a channel which is currently not being broadcast upon.

10. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said receiver monitors said signal strength during pauses in transmission of said warning signal.

11. Vehicle mounted apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitter has a directional antenna oriented in the direction of travel of said vehicle for transmitting said warning signal when said radio channel is in the frequency range 80 to 120 megahertz.

12. A method of broadcasting a warning signal including:

broadcasting a warning signal on a radio channel using a transmitter; and

controlling the strength of the warning signal on the basis of the signal strength of a normal signal on said radio channel to thereby control a broadcast range of said warning signal.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 further including also controlling the strength of the warning signal on the basis of the speed of the vehicle.