TRAFFIC CONTROLLED DISPLAY
First Claim
1. A roadway signage system responsive to the speed of vehicular traffic, comprising:
- a sign arranged to display images selected from the group consisting of moving and static images,a motion sensor arranged to detect said speed of said vehicular traffic on a roadway within a predetermined distance from said sign,a data resource providing said moving and static display images,an electronic control system responsive to said motion sensor and comprising a memory and a computer for communicating between said sign, said data resource, said memory, and said motion sensor,said electronic control system being programmed to cause said sign to display said moving images when said traffic moves at less than a predetermined speed and to display said static images when said traffic moves at greater than said predetermined speed,whereby when said traffic moves at greater than said predetermined speed, said sign displays said static images and when said traffic moves at less than said predetermined speed, said sign displays said moving images, thereby displaying more information when said traffic moves slowly while avoiding distracting drivers while said traffic moves swiftly.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sign (100) displays moving, still, or blank images (130). In one aspect the sign is mounted over a roadways for viewing by occupants of vehicular traffic (105) and pedestrians. In another aspect the sign is mounted on a vehicle. An associated sensor (125, 220, 221, 222) senses the motion of traffic in the vicinity of the sign. When traffic moves at less than a predetermined speed, the sign displays moving or changing information. At greater speeds the display on the sign is either still or blank, so as to avoid distracting nearby drivers. An electronic system (135) provides various aspects that augment sign operation such as GPS, reception of signage information for use in particular locations, advertiser billing information based on sign usage, and collection and reporting of demographics that aid advertisers in maximizing their impact.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A roadway signage system responsive to the speed of vehicular traffic, comprising:
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a sign arranged to display images selected from the group consisting of moving and static images, a motion sensor arranged to detect said speed of said vehicular traffic on a roadway within a predetermined distance from said sign, a data resource providing said moving and static display images, an electronic control system responsive to said motion sensor and comprising a memory and a computer for communicating between said sign, said data resource, said memory, and said motion sensor, said electronic control system being programmed to cause said sign to display said moving images when said traffic moves at less than a predetermined speed and to display said static images when said traffic moves at greater than said predetermined speed, whereby when said traffic moves at greater than said predetermined speed, said sign displays said static images and when said traffic moves at less than said predetermined speed, said sign displays said moving images, thereby displaying more information when said traffic moves slowly while avoiding distracting drivers while said traffic moves swiftly. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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23. A method for displaying information in the vicinity of a vehicular roadway, comprising:
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providing a sign within view of traffic on a roadway, said sign being arranged to display information selected from the group consisting of moving, still, blank, and dark information, providing a data resource for supplying said information for display by said sign, providing means for detecting speed and direction of said traffic on said roadway, and providing a control system comprising a computer and a memory and connected to said sign, said data resource, and said means for detecting said speed of said traffic, and arranged to select said information supplied by said data resource based on said speed and direction of said traffic, and said control system arranged so that when said traffic moves at greater than a predetermined speed, said sign displays information selected from the group consisting of still, blank, and dark information, and when said traffic moves at less than said predetermined speed said sign displays information selected from the group consisting of moving, still, blank, and dark information, whereby when said traffic moves toward said sign at greater than said predetermined speed said sign displays said still, blank, and dark information so that said sign does not distract drivers on said roadway. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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28. A dual-message sign for use on roadways, comprising;
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a sign having a front surface, a first image on said front surface of said sign, said first image positioned to be visible only over a first predetermined range of angles with respect to said front surface of said sign, a second image on said front surface of said sign at the same time that said first image is displayed on said sign, said second image positioned to be visible only over a second predetermined range of angles with respect to said front surface of said sign, said first and said second predetermined ranges of angles being different, said first image positioned to be visible from within a first vehicle when said first vehicle is a predetermined distance from said sign so that a sight line that extends from said first vehicle to said sign lies within said first predetermined range of angles with respect to said front surface of said sign, said second image positioned to be visible from within a second vehicle when said second vehicle is a predetermined distance from said sign so that a sight line that extends from said second vehicle to said sign lies within said second predetermined range of angles with respect to said front surface of said sign, such that only said first image is visible to said first vehicle and only said second image is visible to said second vehicle.
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29. A roadway signage system, comprising:
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a sign arranged to display images selected from the group consisting of moving and static images, a sensor arranged to detect the number of vehicles present on a roadway within a predetermined distance from said sign, a data resource providing said display images, an electronic control system responsive to said sensor and comprising at least said sign, said data resource, a memory, and a computer for communicating between said sign, said data resource, said memory, and said sensor, said electronic control system being programmed to cause said sign to display said images when a specified number of vehicles are present at a stop light, and to cause said sign to cease displaying said images upon termination of said stop light, whereby when a specified number of vehicles are present at a stop light, said sign displays said images, and when said stop light terminates, traffic moves again and said display reverts to a static image.
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Specification