Means, methods, and apparatus to reduce the possibility of a motor vehicle entering a freeway ramp in the wrong direction of travel-towards oncoming traffic

• US 20070150183A1
• Filed: 12/23/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ron Tolmei
• Original Assignee: Ron Tolmei
• Inventors: Tolmei, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 7,650,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence

Abstract

A system used to reduce the possibly of a vehicle entering a freeway ramp in the wrong direction of travel, towards oncoming traffic, is disclosed. The preferred system is comprised of equipment used in conjunction with orbiting satellite transceivers with receivers, such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) or OnStar™ by General Motors, housed in a vehicle and having the ability in real time to compute the receiver'"'"'s, and consequently the vehicle'"'"'s, longitude, latitude, and direction of travel. These devices in collaboration with a controller and freeway mounted mirrors constitute a timely, cost-effective, realizable, and simple means to reduce the possibility of entering a freeway ramp in the wrong direction of travel.

Claims

1. A system to reduce the possibility of a vehicle entering a freeway ramp in the wrong direction of travel, towards oncoming traffic, and comprised of a navigation receiver, computer, electromechanical controls, and devices with said devices being comprised of:

A satellite receiver, with or without bidirectional communications capability, housed in a motor vehicle with global positioning capabilities to compute, display and annunciate, its longitude, latitude and direction of travel in conjunction with mirrors being positioned in proximity to freeway access ramps so positioned as to reflect an oncoming vehicle, and its headlights, such that the vehicle'"'"'s driver sees his vehicle as an oncoming vehicle, stops, and reverses his direction of travel thereby avoiding a collision.

2. The satellite receivers as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electromechanical or solid state controller to nondestructively disable a vehicle ignition system when a satellite receiver computes and detects that the receiver'"'"'s, and therefore vehicle'"'"'s, location and direction of travel is such that the vehicle is entering, or about to enter, a freeway ramp in the wrong direction of travel.

3. The satellite receiver'"'"'s electromechanical, solid state, or computer controller as recited in claim 1, wherein said controls are switches and relay contacts that provide a means to disable the vehicle'"'"'s ignition system, bypass the ignition disabling contacts when the vehicle'"'"'s transmission is in reverse, and the momentary, or timed delayed, switch to enable starting the vehicle when disabled by ignition disabling contacts enabled by the satellite receiver'"'"'s control logic.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprised of mirrors or reflective devices of any wavelength and having any optical, infrared, laser, or ultraviolet reflective characteristics implemented in a flat, spherical, parabolic, ellipsoidal, surface, cylindrical, prism, or beam-splitting manner or diffraction gratings and being composed of metal, glass, plastic or coated with any material as a means of reflecting, distorting or absorbing an image at any wavelength.

5. The satellite receiver as recited in claim 1, wherein said device being comprised of or compatible with global positing systems (GPS) or OnStar™

technology having a graphic display, visual and audible annunciation with or without bidirectional communications capabilities and an external interface.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprised of mirrors, reflectors, or radiation emitting devices used in conjunction with, part of, or integrated with freeway entrance or exit signs indicating “

Wrong Way”

or “

Do Not Enter”

of any wavelength and having any optical, infrared, laser, or ultraviolet reflective characteristics implemented in a flat, spherical, parabolic, ellipsoidal, surface, cylindrical, prism, or beam-splitting manner or diffraction gratings and being composed of metal, glass, plastic or coated with any material as a means of reflecting, distorting or absorbing an image at any wavelength.

7. The satellite receiver as recited in claim 1, wherein said device being comprised of or compatible with storage capabilities using, magnetic, optical, infrared or solid state technology such that stored information retained in any medium may be used to reconstruct or process information either with or without the use of bidirectional communications capabilities or an external interface.

8. The satellite receiver as recited in claim 1, wherein said device being comprised of or compatible with video cameras or recorders using, magnetic, optical, infrared or solid state technology such that stored information retained in any medium may be used to reconstruct or process information either with or without the use of bidirectional communications capabilities or an external interface.

9. The controller or computer as recited in claim 1, wherein said device being comprised of or compatible with video cameras, recorders or storage devices such that stored information retained in any medium may be used to reconstruct or process information.