Stop alert warining system

• US 20060071814A1
• Filed: 10/04/2004
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aaron Cummings, Richard Cummings
• Original Assignee: Aaron Cummings, Richard Cummings
• Inventors: Cummings, Richard, Cummings, Aaron
• Granted Patent: US 7,151,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/92 for velocity measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

An on-site roadway warning system for alerting a driver of an approaching vehicle of a need to brake the vehicle. A transceiver radiates electromagnetic energy toward the approaching vehicle and receives reflected energy from the vehicle. A processor processes data about the reflected energy in relation to data about the radiated energy to yield data disclosing both range of the approaching vehicle from the transceiver and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the transceiver. The processor processes the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the transceiver and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the transceiver in relation to the stored data, and activates a signaling device to signal the approaching vehicle when the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the transceiver and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the transceiver correlates with stored data that identifies a potentially dangerous combination of range and rate.

Claims

1. An on-site roadway warning system for alerting a driver of an approaching vehicle of a need to brake the vehicle, the warning system comprising:

a transceiver for radiating electromagnetic energy toward the approaching vehicle and receiving reflected energy from the vehicle;

a processor associated with the transceiver for processing data about the reflected energy in relation to data about the radiated energy to yield data disclosing both range of the approaching vehicle from the transceiver and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the transceiver;

the processor containing stored data that correlates various combinations of range and speed that distinguish between combinations of potentially dangerous range and speed and combinations that are not potentially dangerous;

the processor operating to process the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the transceiver and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the transceiver in relation to the stored data; and

a signaling device that is activated to signal the approaching vehicle when the processor determines that the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the transceiver and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the transceiver correlates with stored data that identifies a potentially dangerous combination of range and rate.

2. An on-site roadway warning system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the signaling device comprises a visible signaling device that produces a visible signal for alerting the driver of the approaching vehicle.

3. An on-site roadway warning system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the signaling device comprises an audible signaling device that produces an audible signal for alerting the driver of the approaching vehicle.

4. A traffic roadway intersection comprising:

intersecting roads;

a self-contained warning system proximate the intersection for alerting a driver of an approaching vehicle of a need to brake the vehicle,

the warning system comprising,

i) a transceiver for radiating electromagnetic energy toward the approaching vehicle and receiving reflected energy from the vehicle,

ii) a processor associated with the transceiver for processing data about the reflected energy in relation to data about the radiated energy to yield data disclosing both range of the approaching vehicle from the intersection and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the intersection,

iii) the processor containing stored data that correlates various combinations of range and speed that distinguish between combinations of potentially dangerous range and speed and combinations that are not potentially dangerous,

iv) the processor operating to process the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the intersection and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the intersection in relation to the stored data, and

v) a signaling device that is activated to signal the approaching vehicle when the processor determines that the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the intersection and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the intersection correlates with stored data that identifies a potentially dangerous combination of range and rate.

5. A traffic roadway intersection as set forth in claim 4 wherein the signaling device comprises a visible signaling device that is proximate the intersection and produces a visible signal for alerting the driver of the approaching vehicle.

6. A traffic roadway intersection as set forth in claim 4 wherein the signaling device comprises an audible signaling device that is proximate the intersection and produces an audible signal for alerting the driver of the approaching vehicle.

7. A traffic roadway intersection as set forth in claim 4 wherein the stored data that correlates various combinations of range and speed that distinguish between combinations of potentially dangerous range and speed and combinations that are not potentially dangerous comprises one set for one road surface condition and a second set for a second road surface condition, and the particular one of the two sets that is processed is selected based on prevailing road surface condition.

8. A traffic roadway comprising:

a road on which vehicles travel;

a self-contained warning system proximate the road for alerting a driver of a vehicle approaching the warning system of a need to brake the vehicle, the warning system comprising,

i) a transceiver for radiating electromagnetic energy toward the approaching vehicle and receiving reflected energy from the vehicle,

ii) a processor associated with the transceiver for processing data about the reflected energy in relation to data about the radiated energy to yield data disclosing both range of the approaching vehicle from the warning system and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the warning system,

iii) the processor containing stored data that correlates various combinations of range and speed that distinguish between combinations of potentially dangerous range and speed and combinations that are not potentially dangerous,

iv) the processor operating to process the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the warning system and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the warning system in relation to the stored data, and

v) a signaling device that is activated to signal the approaching vehicle when the processor determines that the data disclosing range of the approaching vehicle from the warning system and rate at which the vehicle is approaching the warning system correlates with stored data that identifies a potentially dangerous combination of range and rate.

9. A traffic roadway as set forth in claim 8 wherein the signaling device comprises a visible signaling device that is proximate the road and produces a visible signal for alerting the driver of the approaching vehicle.

10. A traffic roadway as set forth in claim 8 wherein the signaling device comprises an audible signaling device that is proximate the road and produces an audible signal for alerting the driver of the approaching vehicle.

11. A traffic roadway as set forth in claim 8 wherein the stored data that correlates various combinations of range and speed that distinguish between combinations of potentially dangerous range and speed and combinations that are not potentially dangerous comprises one set for one road surface condition and a second set for a second road surface condition, and the particular one of the two sets that is processed is selected based on prevailing road surface condition.