Pedestrian Signal Housing with Information Display

• US 20110140923A1
• Filed: 12/10/2009
• Published: 06/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary Keller
• Original Assignee: Gary Keller
• Inventors: Keller, Gary
• Granted Patent: US 8,232,896 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/944
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 27/00 Combined visual and audible advertising or displaying, e.g. for public address

Abstract

A traditional pedestrian signal housing with a video display screen mounted to a pedestrian side of the traditional pedestrian signal housing is disclosed. The video display screen is mounted to the pedestrian side of the pedestrian signal housing by way of a face plate. Tunnel visors may be attached to the traditional pedestrian signal housing to prevent cross traffic from being distracted by the visual images displayed on the video display screen. The information displayed on the video display screen may be advertisements, information, directions, etc. Local or national entities may pay for advertisements to generate revenues for the cities or governmental entities.

Claims

1. A pedestrian traffic control system disposed between first and second sidewalks, the system comprising:

a first pedestrian light signal disposed at the first sidewalk for directing pedestrian traffic from the second sidewalk to the first sidewalk and for displaying information to pedestrians waiting at the first sidewalk to cross over to the second sidewalk, the first traditional pedestrian light signal comprising;

a first housing defining a street side and an opposed pedestrian side, the street side having a lightable walk indicia and a lightable stop indicia, the lightable walk indicia being lighted for a first period of time to direct pedestrians to cross from the second sidewalk to the first sidewalk, the lightable stop indicia being lighted for a second period of time to direct pedestrians to wait at the second sidewalk until safe;

a first video screen disposed on the pedestrian side of the first housing to display information to pedestrians waiting at the first sidewalk to cross over to the second sidewalk;

a second pedestrian light signal disposed at the second sidewalk for directing pedestrian traffic from the first sidewalk to the second sidewalk and for displaying information to pedestrians waiting at the second sidewalk to cross over to the first sidewalk, the second traditional pedestrian light signal comprising;

a second housing defining a street side and an opposed pedestrian side, the street side having a lightable walk indicia and a lightable stop indicia, the lightable walk indicia being lighted for a third period of time to direct pedestrians to cross from the first sidewalk to the second sidewalk, the lightable stop indicia being lighted for a fourth period of time to direct pedestrians waiting at the first sidewalk until safe;

a second video screen disposed on the pedestrian side of the second housing to display information to pedestrians waiting at the second sidewalk while waiting to cross over to the first sidewalk.

2. The pedestrian traffic control system of claim 1 further comprising a first speaker disposed within the first housing for projecting audio in sync with video displayed on the first video screen to pedestrians waiting at the first sidewalk.

3. The pedestrian traffic control system of claim 1 further comprising a computer wherein the computer syncs the information displayed on the first video screen to the lightable stop indicia of the second pedestrian signal, and the computer syncs the information displayed on the second video screen to the lightable stop indicia of the first pedestrian signal.

4. The pedestrian traffic control system of claim 1 further comprising a first sensor disposed at the first sidewalk and in communication with the first video screen, a second sensor disposed at the second sidewalk and in communication with the second video screen and a computer controlling the first and second video screens, wherein the computer controls the information to be displayed on the first video screen so as to be initiated when a first pedestrian triggers the first sensor, and the computer controls the information to be displayed on the second video screen so as to be initiated when a second pedestrian triggers the second sensor.

5. The pedestrian traffic control system of claim 4 wherein the first and second sensors are a push button switch or a motion sensor.

6. The pedestrian traffic control system of claim 4 wherein the computer controls the information displayed on the first video screen so as to terminate before or at the time the lightable stop indicia of the second pedestrian light signal is deactivated, and the computer controls the information displayed on the second video screen so as to terminate before or at the time the lightable stop indicia of the first pedestrian light signal is deactivated.

7. The pedestrian traffic control system of claim 1 wherein the information is local advertisement, directions or safety information.

8. The pedestrian traffic control system of claim 1 wherein the first and second pedestrian traffic signals further comprise first and second tunnel visors attached to the pedestrian side of the first and second pedestrian traffic signals.

9. A method of safely displaying information to pedestrians waiting to cross a pathway disposed between first and second sidewalks, the method comprising the steps of:

activating a lightable stop indicia of a second pedestrian light signal disposed at the second sidewalk;

upon activation of the lightable stop indicia of the second pedestrian light signal, activating a first video screen of a first pedestrian light signal disposed at the first sidewalk so that pedestrians at the first sidewalk waiting to cross the pathway to the second sidewalk can view information displayed on the first video screen;

activating a lightable stop indicia of a first pedestrian light signal disposed at the first sidewalk;

upon activation of the lightable stop indicia of the first pedestrian light signal, activating a second video screen of a second pedestrian light signal disposed at the second sidewalk so that pedestrians at the second sidewalk waiting to cross the pathway to the first sidewalk can view information displayed on the second video screen.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

synching deactivation of the lightable stop indicia of the second pedestrian signal and the first video screen;

synching deactivation of the lightable stop indicia of the first pedestrian signal and the second video screen.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the synching steps comprise the steps of:

deactivating the lightable stop indicia of the second pedestrian signal;

before or upon deactivating the lightable stop indicia of the second pedestrian signal, deactivating the first video screen;

deactivating the lightable stop indicia of the first pedestrian signal;

before or upon deactivating the lightable stop indicia of the first pedestrian signal, deactivating the second video screen.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the activating the first and second video screens comprise the steps of:

triggering a first push button or a first motion sensor associated with the first pedestrian signal;

upon triggering the first push button or first motion sensor, activating the first video screen;

triggering a second push button or a second motion sensor associated with the second pedestrian signal;

upon triggering the second push button or second motion sensor, activating the second video screen.