DSRC-EQUIPPED PORTABLE CHANGEABLE SIGN

• US 20150199902A1
• Filed: 01/09/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Original Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Inventors: Hayee, M. Imran, Ibrahim, Umair, Kwon, Eil
• Granted Patent: US 10,026,313 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0955 transportable

Abstract

A road sign includes a display and a controller having a memory for storing messages to be shown on the display and providing signals to the display to show at least one stored message on the display. A communication link receives information issued for a vehicle, generates a message from the received information, and provides the generated message to the controller with instructions to show the generated message on the display.

Claims

1. A road sign comprising:

a display;

a controller having a memory for storing messages to be shown on the display and providing signals to the display to show at least one stored message on the display; and

a communication link that receives information issued for a vehicle, that generates a message from the received information, and that provides the generated message to the controller with instructions to show the generated message on the display.

2. The road sign of claim 1 wherein the information issued for the vehicle is sent as a dedicated short range communication.

3. The road sign of claim 2 wherein the road sign further comprises a battery.

4. The road sign of claim 1 wherein the communication link further comprises a position system and wherein generating a message comprises generating a distance based on the received information and a position provided by the position system.

5. The road sign of claim 4 wherein the received information indicates a position for a start of congestion on a road and wherein the generated distance comprises a distance between the road sign and the start of congestion.

6. The road sign of claim 5 wherein the received information further comprises a travel time for passing through the congestion.

7. The road sign of claim 6 wherein the at least one stored message comprises a first message comprising the distance between the road sign and the start of congestion and a second message comprising a travel time for passing through the congestion.

8. The road sign of claim 7 further comprising a mobile body capable of being positioned before an exit on a road.

9. A system comprising:

a road sign receiving a message issued for a vehicle on a road and displaying messages based on information in the received message.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the message issued for the vehicle is broadcast using a dedicated short range communication standard.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the road sign comprises a portable road sign.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the road sign further comprises a position system that provides a value representing the position of the road sign.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the information in the received message comprises position information and wherein the road sign further comprises a processor that determines a distance between the position of the road sign and the position in the received message and wherein the road sign displays the distance.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the information in the received message comprises a position for a start of congestion on the road and a time for travelling to the end of the congestion.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the road sign constructs and displays a first message that shows the distance to the start of congestion and the road sign constructs and displays a second message that shows the time to travel to the end of the congestion.

16. A system comprising:

a host that transmits information about congestion through a network of vehicles on a road;

a road sign positioned near the road that receives the information about the congestion and converts the information into at least one message displayed on the road sign.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the host comprises a stationary host positioned at an expected end point of congestion.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the information about the congestion comprises a position where the congestion starts.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the road sign converts the position where the congestion starts into a distance from the road sign to the position where the congestion starts.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the road sign comprises a position system that determines the current position of the road sign.