METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT AND WARN PROXIMATE ENTITIES OF INTEREST

• US 20150145701A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 05/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Beggs, Ryan P., Boerger, James C., Hoffmann, David J., Markham, Ken, McNeill, Matthew, Muhl, Timothy, Nelson, Kyle, Oates, James, Senfleben, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 9,542,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/944
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2673 on parts worn by the driver, e.g. clothes, gloves or bags, specially adapted to provide auxiliary vehicle signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2800/20 Utility vehicles, e.g. for agriculture, construction work
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example detection system includes a light source attachable to a forktruck, where the light source projects an illuminated warning field on a floor on which the forktruck is to traverse. The light source projects the illuminated warning field at a distance from a front end of the forktruck. The light source is separate from a headlight of the forktruck.

Claims

1. A detection system comprising:

a light source attachable to a forktruck, the light source to project an illuminated warning field on a floor on which the forktruck is to traverse, the light source to project the illuminated warning field at a distance from a front end of the forktruck, the light source being separate from a headlight of the forktruck.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the light source is to project a first color to provide a first illuminated warning field when a non-hazardous condition is detected and the light source to project a second color different than the first color to provide a second illuminated warning field when a hazardous condition is detected.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first color comprises red and the second color comprises green.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a selector to enable selection between different modes of movement of the forktruck and a detector to determine which of the different modes of movement has been selected via the selector, wherein the modes of movement include at least one of forward, reverse or stationary.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the light source illuminates the illuminated warning field on the floor in front of the forktruck when the forktruck is moving in a forward direction.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the light source comprises at least one of an adjustable aperture, an adjustable lens, or an adjustable position so that at least one of a shape or direction of the light source is modulated based on signal inputs, the signal inputs including at least one of a speed or a mode of movement of the forktruck.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the illuminated warning field projected by the light source has a pre-determined profile.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the profile of the illuminated warning field comprises a cone-shaped profile.

9. A method of providing a warning field, the method comprising:

attaching a light source to a frame of a forktruck; and

projecting a light from the light source to a floor on which the forktruck is to traverse and in a direction of travel of the forktruck, the light providing a visual warning field having a characteristic indicative of a location of the forktruck.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising projecting for at least one of movement or non-movement of the forktruck along the floor.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling, via a controller, the light source to project a first color to provide a first warning field when a non-hazardous condition is detected and the light source to project a second color different than the first color to provide a second warning field when a hazardous condition is detected.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a different mode of movement of the forktruck including at least one of forward, reverse or stationary.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising adjusting at least one of an aperture, a lens, or a position of the light source so that at least one of a shape or direction of the light source is modulated based on signal inputs, the signal inputs including at least one of a speed or the direction of travel of the forktruck.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising projecting the visual warning field with a pre-determined profile.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising projecting the visual warning field with a cone-shaped profile.

16. A forktruck comprising:

a frame;

a pair of headlights; and

a light source attached to the frame at a location spaced apart from the headlights, the light source to project on a floor, upon which the forktruck is to traverse, an optical driving path representative of a visual warning signal, the visual warning signal to project at a fixed location in front of the forktruck to provide a characteristic indicative of at least one of a direction of travel or a location of the forktruck.

17. The forktruck of claim 16, wherein the visual warning signal is projected for at least one of movement or non-movement of the forktruck along the floor.

18. The forktruck of claim 17, wherein the light has a pre-determined profile.

19. The forktruck of claim 18, wherein the light source comprises at least one of an adjustable aperture, an adjustable lens, or an adjustable position to adjust at least one of a shape or direction of the visual warning signal.

20. The forktruck of claim 16, wherein the visual warning signal is conspicuous relative to a light projected by each of the headlights.