System and method to wirelessly communicate information between traffic control signs and vehicles

• US 20050280552A1
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arriver Software LLC
• Original Assignee: M/A Com
• Inventors: DiPiazza, Gerald Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A system and method to wirelessly communicate information between traffic control signs and vehicles are provided. The method includes wirelessly communicating traffic control information from a traffic control sign to a vehicle and wirelessly communicating vehicle information from the vehicle to the traffic control sign.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between vehicles and traffic control signs, said method comprising:

wirelessly communicating traffic control information from a traffic control sign to a vehicle; and

wirelessly communicating vehicle information from the vehicle to the traffic control sign.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising communicating the traffic control information from the traffic control sign to an occupant of the vehicle including providing the traffic control information at least one of (i) visually, (ii) audibly and (iii) tactilely within the vehicle.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the traffic control information from the traffic control sign comprises at least one of speed information, hazard information, warning information and alerting information.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vehicle information comprises at least one of vehicle identification information, vehicle speed, and vehicle direction.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the traffic control sign comprises at least one of non-self-illuminating traffic control signs, self-illuminating traffic control signs, traffic control lights, billboards, hazard zone artifacts, flashing road barricades, lane divider cones and barrels.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the communicating wirelessly is performed on at least one of a plurality of frequencies within a predetermined frequency range.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the traffic control sign includes a housing and the housing operates as an antenna.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the communicating wirelessly is performed both when approaching the traffic control sign and after passing the traffic control sign.

9. A method for communicating information to a vehicle, said method comprising:

wirelessly transmitting traffic control information from a traffic control sign; and

wirelessly receiving in a vehicle, the traffic control information transmitted from the traffic control sign.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising at least one of (i) displaying the traffic control information in the vehicle, (ii) audibly outputting the traffic control information in the vehicle and (iii) tactilely providing the traffic control information in the vehicle.

11. A method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising transmitting vehicle information from at least one vehicle to the traffic control sign.

12. A method in accordance with claim 11, further comprising determining at least one of (i) a speed and (ii) a direction of the at least one vehicle based on the received vehicle information.

13. A method in accordance with claim 11, further comprising configuring at least one antenna for mounting to the vehicle for at least one of transmitting and receiving information from the vehicle.

14. A method in accordance with claim 11, further comprising processing the received vehicle information to determine response information to transmit to the vehicle in response to the received vehicle information.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising accessing a set of predetermined responses to determine the response information to transmit to the at least one vehicle.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising transmitting the response information to the at least one vehicle.

17. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the traffic control sign includes a housing and the housing operates as an antenna.

18. A communication system comprising:

at least one traffic control sign configured to wirelessly transmit traffic control information; and

at least one vehicle receiver configured to receive the traffic control information transmitted from the at least one traffic control sign.

19. A communication system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the at least one traffic control sign comprises a traffic control sign communication control component having at least one transmitter and the vehicle comprises a vehicle communication control component having the at least one receiver.

20. A communication system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the traffic control sign communication control component is a low power device.

21. A communication system in accordance with claim 18, further comprising at least one antenna in connection with the at least one vehicle receiver, the antenna configured for attachment to one of (i) a grill or (ii) a bumper of the vehicle and wherein the received traffic control information is provided within the vehicle at least one of (i) visually (ii) audibly and (ii) tactilely.

22. A communication system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the vehicle comprises at least one transmitter for transmitting vehicle information and the at least one traffic control sign comprises at least one receiver for receiving the vehicle information.

23. A communication system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the traffic control sign includes an antenna.

24. A communication system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the traffic control sign includes a housing, the housing operating as an antenna.

25. A communication system in accordance with claim 24, wherein the antenna is a large patch array antenna.

26. A communication system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the traffic control sign transmits information using millimeter wave signals.

27. A communication system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the traffic control sign transmits information at twenty four GHz.

28. A communication system in accordance with claim 18, wherein the traffic control sign transmits information along a narrow beam.