System and Method for Vehicular Communications

• US 20070242337A1
• Filed: 04/17/2007
• Published: 10/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Bradley
• Original Assignee: James Bradley
• Inventors: Bradley, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,961,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/237
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/0017 Devices integrating an element dedicated to another function
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1125 using a single common optical path
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/116 Visible light communication

Abstract

A method for communicating with a vehicle has a generator for producing a data stream that can indicate, street sign information, house number, lead vehicle information, traffic information, oncoming vehicle information, juxtaposed vehicle information, a voice channel, etc. vehicle information can indicate braking, low beam requests, direct or indirect traffic flow information, adjacency, partial adjacency, or presence of nearby vehicles, etc. This signal is generated by at least one of: the sign, house number, oncoming vehicle, lead vehicle, operator of the lead vehicle, operator of the oncoming vehicle, operator of the juxtaposed vehicle, a traffic control system. A device for generating such data streams is discussed, as well as, a device for receiving such data streams. Information pertinent to the people in the vehicles or operation of the vehicle can be modulated on the link.

Claims

1. A communications arrangement for transmitting a message from a vehicle, said vehicle having an operator controllable assembly operable by a vehicle occupant for selectively energizing a plurality of electrical connectors that connect to operator controllable vehicle lights including one or more of turn signals, brake lights, headlights, and parking lights, said arrangement comprising:

a processor having a modulator and being coupled to the operator controllable assembly, said modulator being adapted to be connected to one or more of the plurality of connectors to affect the one or more of turn signals, brake lights, headlights, and parking lights, said modulator having an input adapted to receive an occupant-initiated control signal and produce in response an encoded main signal selectively modulated at or above a critical flashing frequency or with a pulse duration that is human imperceptible; and

a receiver having a light sensing device for producing a detection signal; and

a utilization device coupled to said receiver for using the detection signal.

2. A communications arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said light sensing device has a narrow spectral response that is narrower than the visible spectrum.

3. A communications arrangement according to claim 1 wherein said utilization device comprises:

an analyzer for decoding said detection signal to produce a decoded signal.

4. A communications arrangement according to claim 3 wherein said utilization device comprises:

an annunciator for producing a human-perceptible signal in response to said decoded signal.

5. A communications arrangement according to claim 4 wherein said annunciator comprises:

a speech synthesizer for producing a verbal message in accordance with said decoded signal.

6. A communications arrangement according to claim 5 wherein said speech synthesizer is operable to produce a verbal message in a user selected language.

7. A communications arrangement according to claim 4 wherein said annunciator comprises:

a character display for producing a legible message in accordance with said decoded signal.

8. A communications arrangement according to claim 4 wherein said main signal is encoded with bit time synchronization information related to at least one of:

receiver field rate, receiver frame rate, or receiver line rate.

9. A communications arrangement for transmitting a message from a vehicle, said vehicle having an externally powered, but otherwise, stand-alone enhanced lighting assembly comprising:

a processor having a modulator, said modulator being adapted to energize one or more of;

head lights, fog-lights, position lights, mirror lights, parking lights, tail lights, turn signals, and brake lights, said modulator having an input adapted to receive a processor-initiated sequence and produce in response an encoded main signal modulated at or above a critical flashing frequency or with an inter-pulse blanking interval that is human imperceptible.

10. A communications arrangement according to claim 9 comprising:

a base adapted to attach to one of the electrical connectors; and

a light emitter, said processor being coupled to said base and said light emitter.

11. A communications arrangement according to claim 9 wherein said vehicle has a plurality of electrical connectors, said communications arrangement comprising:

a base adapted to attach to one of the electrical connectors; and

a light emitter, said processor being coupled to said base and said light emitter;

said base, light emitter, and processor forming a readily installable, self-contained assembly.

12. A system for exchanging messages among a plurality of vehicles, each of said vehicles having one or more externally detectable signalers, said system having in each vehicle a transceiver comprising:

a processor having a vehicle sensitive apparatus for producing a dynamic signal signifying traveling information associated with dynamic operation of said vehicle, said processor including

a modulator coupled to said vehicle sensitive apparatus and adapted to be coupled to the one or more signalers for sending thereto in response to said dynamic signal a main signal modulated and encoded to indicate at least some of the traveling information, said transceiver comprising;

a receiver mounted in said vehicle and having a luminance sensing device for producing a detection signal in response to receipt of the main signal sent from the one or more externally detectable signalers of other ones of the vehicles; and

a utilization device mounted in said vehicle and coupled to said receiver for using the detection signal.

13. A system according to claim 12 wherein said vehicle sensitive apparatus is operable to compose said dynamic signal with publishable information about travel history of the vehicle.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein said utilization device is operable to store therein publishable information in said detection signal about travel history for other ones of said vehicles.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said processor is coupled to said utilization device and is operable to compose the dynamic signal with publishable information stored in said utilization device about the other ones of the vehicles.

16. A method for exchanging messages among a plurality of vehicles, each of said vehicles having a transceiver, a luminance sensing device, and one or more externally detectable signalers, the method comprising the steps of:

producing a dynamic signal signifying traveling information associated with dynamic operation of a given one of said vehicles;

sending to the one or more signalers in response to said dynamic signal a main signal modulated and encoded to indicate at least some of the traveling information;

producing a detection signal from the luminance sensing device in response to receipt thereof of the main signal sent from the one or more externally detectable signalers of other ones of the vehicles; and

using the detection signal.

17. A method according to claim 16 comprising the step of:

composing said dynamic signal with publishable information about travel history of the given one of the vehicles.

18. A method according to claim 17 comprising the step of:

storing publishable information in said detection signal about travel history for other ones of said vehicles.

19. A method according to claim 18 comprising the step of:

composing the dynamic signal with previously stored, publishable information about the other ones of the vehicles.

20. A method of transmitting an optically encoded message from a vehicle having one or more signalers having one or more stand-alone externally detectable lights, said method comprising the steps of:

producing and sending to the at least one signaler an encoded modulation signifying at least one of;

an indication of vehicle identification, and lamp assembly serial number, wherein said externally detectable lights include at least one of;

headlamp, fog-lamp, position lamp, mirror lights, parking lights, tail light, turn light, and brake light, said modulation being responsive to a processor-initiated sequence in order to produce an encoded main signal modulated at or above a critical flashing frequency or with an inter-pulse blanking interval that is human imperceptible.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the signalers comprise a modulator assembly which is configured to appear as a conventional lighting assembly format, at the bulb level of assembly.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the modulation assembly is powered by conventional vehicle wiring.