Pedestrian warning system

• US 20080094254A1
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: TK Holdings Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hill, John
• Application Number:
  US11/905,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20080094254A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/944
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/00 Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/02 Synthesis of acoustic waves synthesis of speech G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 11/00 Transmission systems employing sonic, ultrasonic or infrasonic waves

Abstract

A pedestrian warning system includes an ultrasonic emitter provided on a vehicle configured to emit an ultrasonic signal and configured to create a shaped ultrasonic field. The ultrasonic emitter may be configured to generate a sonic signal to warn pedestrians in a specific area that the vehicle is approaching.

Claims

1. A pedestrian warning system, comprising:

at least two ultrasonic emitters provided on a vehicle configured to emit ultrasonic signals, having different frequencies, and configured to create a shaped ultrasonic field,

wherein the ultrasonic emitters are further configured to cause the ultrasonic signals to interfere with each other to generate a sonic signal to warn pedestrians in a specific area that the vehicle is approaching.

2. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic emitters are powered by electrical circuitry of the vehicle.

3. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 1, wherein the specific area is in front of the vehicle.

4. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 1, wherein the specific area is behind the vehicle.

5. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 1, wherein the operation of the emitters are controlled by a control module.

6. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 1, wherein the shaped ultrasonic field has a cylindrical shape.

7. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 1, further comprising a barrier placed near the ultrasonic emitters to direct the sonic signal.

8. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 1, wherein the sonic signal is emitted in one direction.

9. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic emitters are place inside the vehicle.

10. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic emitters are placed outside of the vehicle.

11. A pedestrian warning system, comprising:

an ultrasonic signal source configured to generate at least two ultrasonic signals;

a signal modulator configured to modify at least one of the signals from the ultrasonic signal source to create at least two different ultrasonic signals and

at least one ultrasonic emitter provided on a region of a vehicle configured to emit the ultrasonic signals and configured to create a shaped ultrasonic field,

wherein the at least one ultrasonic emitter is configured to cause the ultrasonic signals to interfere with each other to generate a sonic signal to warn pedestrians in a specific area that the vehicle is approaching.

12. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 11, further comprising a generator configured to generate an electrical signal, wherein the signal modulator is configured to modulate the at least one of the ultrasonic signals with the electrical signal.

13. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one ultrasonic emitter, the ultrasonic signal source, the electrical signal generator and the signal modulator are powered by electrical circuitry of the vehicle.

14. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 11, wherein the specific area is in front of the vehicle.

15. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 11, wherein the specific area is behind the vehicle.

16. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 12, wherein the signal modulator is configured to modulate the at least one of the ultrasonic signals with the electrical signal using amplitude modulation.

17. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one ultrasonic emitter causes the ultrasonic signals to interfere.

18. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 11, wherein the shaped ultrasonic field has a cylindrical shape.

19. The pedestrian warning system according to claim 11, further comprising a barrier placed near the ultrasonic emitter to direct the sonic signal.

20. A method for automatically generating a warning sound, comprising:

generating two ultrasonic signals having different frequencies;

providing at least two ultrasonic emitters on a vehicle to emit the ultrasonic signals; and

positioning the at least two ultrasonic emitters on the vehicle to create a shaped ultrasonic field and to cause the ultrasonic signals to interfere with each other to generate a sonic signal to warn pedestrians in a specific area that the vehicle is approaching.