ONBOARD TRAFFIC AND PEDESTRIAN WARNING SYSTEMS AND METHODS HAVING OPTICAL AND AUDIO SIGNAL FEEDBACK AND CONTROL

• US 20170169703A1
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Published: 06/15/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Transoft Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Transoft Solutions Inc.
• Inventors: CARRASCO, Milton, CHENG, Steven Kin Shing, CHAN, Steven Chi Kit
• Granted Patent: US 10,446,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/46 for giving flashing caution signals during drive, other than signalling change of direction, e.g. flashing the headlights or hazard lights
• 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 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/301 combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8033 for pedestrian protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8086 for vehicle path indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8093 for obstacle warning
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/145 Haulage vehicles, trailing trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/148 Semi-trailers, articulated vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/30 Railway vehicles
• 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

Warning systems (S) and methods (M1, M2) for alerting traffic and pedestrians within a projectable area in relation to a location and path of a vehicle (100), e.g., an articulated vehicle during forward or rearward motions and turning manoeuvres. Beam(s) (98) of coherent light, e.g., high-irradiance laser light, are emitted from point(s) relative to the vehicle (100), preferably from a high angle for reducing eye exposure. Laser beam(s) map a grid on the roadway and adjacent areas of the imminent path of the turning vehicle (100), by way of a set of instructions executable by a processor. The instructions involve computing, programming, and/or updating vehicle parameters, in relation to a warning device (99), e.g., a retrofittable and/or programmable device, in response to changes in vehicle-configuration or warning system (S) location, the warning system (S) being manually or automatically triggerable in response to sensors disposed in relation to the vehicle (100).

Claims

1. A warning system, comprising:

at least one sensor disposable in relation to a vehicle and capable of detecting information relating to at least one vehicle parameter and at least one object within a projectable area;

at least one rotatable signal generator disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of emitting and projecting at least one signal in relation to the at least one object within the projectable area; and

a controller disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of receiving feedback from the at least one sensor and of instructing the at least one rotatable signal generator based on the feedback while the vehicle is in motion, the controller capable of predicting a pathway of the vehicle in relation to an instantaneous disposition of the vehicle in advance of the vehicle'"'"'s travel and a pathway of a potential obstacle in relation to an instantaneous disposition of the potential obstacle in advance of the obstacle'"'"'s travel, whereby an advance warning is providable.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one storage device disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of storing the information relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within the projectable area.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one display device disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of providing at least one portion of the information by way of displaying at least one image on a display screen.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the information comprises data relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within the projectable area.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle comprises an articulated vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the articulated vehicle comprises at least one of a tractor-trailer, a multi-segment bus, a train, a subterranean train, an elevated train, a vehicle towing a trailer, a tractor towing a plane, a tram, and a vehicle towing another vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one signal comprises at least one optical or audio beam.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one optical beam comprises at least one of a laser signal and a radar signal.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one storage unit disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of storing the information relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within a projectable area; and

at least one display device disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of providing at least a portion of the information by way of displaying at least one image on a display screen,

wherein the information comprises data relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within the projectable area,

wherein the vehicle comprises an articulated vehicle,

wherein the articulated vehicle comprises at least one of a tractor-trailer, a multi-segment bus, a train, a vehicle towing a trailer, and a vehicle towing another vehicle,

wherein the at least one optical signal comprises at least one optical beam, and

wherein the at least one optical beam comprises at least one of a laser signal and a radar signal.

10. A method of fabricating a warning system, comprising:

providing at least one sensor disposable in relation to a vehicle and capable of detecting information relating to at least one vehicle parameter and at least one object within a projectable area;

providing at least one rotatable optical signal generator disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of emitting and projecting at least one optical signal in relation to the at least one object within the projectable area; and

providing a controller disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of receiving feedback from the at least one sensor and of instructing the at least one signal generator based on the feedback while the vehicle is in motion, the controller providing comprising providing the controller as capable of predicting a pathway of the vehicle in relation to an instantaneous disposition of the vehicle in advance of the vehicle'"'"'s travel and a pathway of a potential obstacle in relation to an instantaneous disposition of the potential obstacle in advance of the obstacle'"'"'s travel, whereby an advance warning is providable.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing at least one storage device disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of storing the information relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within a projectable area.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing at least one display device disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of providing at least a portion of the information by way of displaying at least one image on a display screen.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor providing comprises providing the at least one sensor capable of detecting information comprising data relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within the projectable area.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one signal generator is one of an optical, audio or olfactory signal generator and comprises providing the at least one optical signal generator capable of generating the at least one optical signal as at least one of an optical beam or sound.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein providing the at least one rotatable optical signal generator comprises providing the at least one rotatable optical signal generator capable of generating at least one optical beam as at least one of a laser signal and a radar signal.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing at least one storage device disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of storing the information relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within a projectable area; and

providing at least one display device disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of providing at least a portion of the information by way of displaying at least one image on a display screen,

wherein the at least one sensor providing comprises providing the at least one sensor capable of detecting information comprising data relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within the projectable area,

wherein the at least one optical signal generator providing comprises providing the at least one optical signal generator capable of generating the at least one optical signal as at least one optical beam, and

wherein the at least one optical signal generator providing comprises providing the at least one optical signal generator capable of generating the at least one optical beam as at least one of a laser signal and a radar signal.

17. A method of warning at least one of traffic, a pedestrian, and a driver by way of a warning system, comprising:

providing a warning system, the warning system comprising;

at least one sensor disposable in relation to a vehicle and capable of detecting information relating to at least one vehicle parameter and at least one object within a projectable area;

at least one rotatable optical signal generator disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of emitting and projecting at least one optical signal in relation to the at least one object within the projectable area; and

a controller disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of receiving feedback from the at least one sensor and of instructing the at least one rotatable optical signal generator based on the feedback while the vehicle is in motion, the controller providing comprising providing the controller as capable of predicting a pathway of the vehicle in relation to an instantaneous disposition of the vehicle in advance of the vehicle'"'"'s travel and a pathway of a potential obstacle in relation to an instantaneous disposition of the potential obstacle in advance of the obstacle'"'"'s travel, whereby an advance warning is providable; and

activating the warning system, thereby providing advance warning.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the warning system providing further comprises:

providing at least one storage device disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of storing the information relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within the projectable area; and

storing the information relating to the at least one vehicle parameter and the at least one object within the projectable area.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the warning system further comprises:

at least one display device disposable in relation to the vehicle and capable of providing at least one portion of the information by way of displaying at least one image on a display screen.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein providing the warning system additionally comprises at least one of installing and retrofitting the warning system in relation to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises an articulated vehicle.