VEHICLE PROXIMITY DETECTION AND CONTROL SYSTEMS

• US 20110046867A1
• Filed: 10/14/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dale F. Oexmann
• Original Assignee: Dale F. Oexmann
• Inventors: Oexmann, Dale F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

Multiple vehicles are each equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) and a plurality of accelerometers to provide information related to said vehicle'"'"'s current state. A controller is provided to predict concurrent presence of at least two of said vehicles at a location at some future time. At least one of said vehicles further includes an indicator to indicate the potential for concurrent presence at said location in adequate time for the operator of said at least one of said vehicles to take appropriate evasive action to avoid concurrent presence at said location. Multiple vehicles are each equipped with a GPS and a plurality of accelerometers to provide information related to said vehicle'"'"'s current state, a controller to identify vehicle speed, and an interface between the controller and said vehicle'"'"'s throttle to control acceleration and deceleration. Multiple vehicles are each equipped with a GPS to provide information related to said vehicle'"'"'s current state and a transceiver. A controller is provided for controlling traffic flow through an intersection during periods when traffic flow through said intersection is below a predetermined threshold. The controller includes a transmitter for communicating with the transceiver in each said vehicle.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A system for reducing the likelihood of collision between a first vehicle and a second vehicle, the first vehicle including a first device for receiving global positioning system (GPS) signals, generating at least one of a first time, position and velocity signal based on the received GPS signals, generating at least one of a second time, position and velocity signal based upon the motion of the first vehicle, comparing the first and second signals, generating a corrected first vehicle signal, and transmitting the corrected first vehicle signal, the second vehicle including a second device for receiving GPS signals, generating at least one of a third time, position and velocity based on the received GPS signals, generating at least one of a fourth time, position and velocity based on the motion of the second vehicle, comparing the third and fourth signals, generating a corrected second vehicle signal, a transportation network for generating transportation network data including at least one of:

network capacity data, network layout data, and network traffic data, the second device further storing the transportation network data, receiving the corrected first signal, and calculating from the transportation network data and corrected first and second vehicle signals the likelihood that the positions of the first and second vehicles will coincide at some time on the transportation network.

13. The system of claim 12 further including a third device for receiving differential GPS (DGPS) correction signals and retransmitting the DGPS correction signals, the first device receiving the DGPS correction signals and combining the DGPS correction signals with the GPS signals to generate the at least one of the first time, position and velocity signal.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the second device receives the DGPS correction signals and combines the DGPS correction signals with the GPS signals to generate the at least one of the third time, position and velocity signal.

15. The system of claim 12 further including a third device for receiving differential GPS (DGPS) correction signals and retransmitting the DGPS correction signals, the second device receiving the DGPS correction signals and combining the DGPS correction signals with the GPS signals to generate the at least one of the third time, position and velocity signal.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle further includes a third device for recording at least one of the corrected first vehicle signal and the corrected second vehicle signal.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the second device further produces an indication to an occupant in the second vehicle that it is likely that the positions of the first and second vehicles will coincide at some time on the transportation network.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the second vehicle includes a display coupled to the second device for indicating at least one of:

the location of the first vehicle;

the velocity of the first vehicle;

the direction of travel of the first vehicle;

the location of the second vehicle;

the velocity of the second vehicle;

the direction of travel of the second vehicle; and

, the layout of the transportation network.

19. A system for reducing the likelihood of collision between a first vehicle and a second vehicle in an intersection, the first vehicle including a first device for receiving global positioning system (GPS) signals, generating at least one of a first time, position and velocity signal based on the received GPS signals, generating at least one of a second time, position and velocity signal based upon the motion of the first vehicle, comparing the first and second signals, generating a corrected first vehicle signal, and transmitting the corrected first vehicle signal, the second vehicle including a second device for receiving GPS signals, generating at least one of a third time, position and velocity based on the received GPS signals, generating at least one of a fourth time, position and velocity based on the motion of the second vehicle, comparing the third and fourth signals, generating a corrected second vehicle signal, a traffic flow controller for controlling traffic flow through the intersection, the traffic flow controller receiving the corrected first vehicle signal and corrected second vehicle signal, calculating from the corrected first vehicle signal and corrected second vehicle signal the likelihood that the positions of the first and second vehicles will coincide in the intersection, and generating a traffic flow control signal adapted to minimize the likelihood of coincidence of the first and second vehicles in the intersection.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the traffic flow controller is biased to give precedence to traffic flow in one direction over traffic flow in another direction.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the traffic flow controller is further configured to turn control of traffic over to a standard traffic signal timing mechanism if traffic flow exceeds a threshold.

22. The system of claim 19 further including a third device for receiving differential GPS (DGPS) correction signals and retransmitting the DGPS correction signals, the first device receiving the DGPS correction signals and combining the DGPS correction signals with the GPS signals to generate the at least one of the first time, position and velocity signal.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the second device receives the DGPS correction signals and combines the DGPS correction signals with the GPS signals to generate the at least one of the third time, position and velocity signal.

24. The system of claim 19 further including a third device for receiving differential GPS (DGPS) correction signals and retransmitting the DGPS correction signals, the second device receiving the DGPS correction signals and combining the DGPS correction signals with the GPS signals to generate the at least one of the third time, position and velocity signal.

25. The system of claim 19 wherein at least one of the first vehicle and the second vehicle further includes a third device for recording at least one of the corrected first vehicle signal and the corrected second vehicle signal.