VEHICLE PACER SYSTEM AND A METHOD OF SPACING MOVING VEHICLES ALONG A TRAFFIC LANE OF A ROADWAY

• US 3,872,423 A
• Filed: 06/27/1973
• Issued: 03/18/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John Yeakley
• Original Assignee: John Yeakley
• Inventors: Yeakley, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooper, William C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Myers, Randall P.
• Application Number:
  US05/373,918
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 340/22,31R,32,33,35,36,43
• US Class Current: 340/932
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

In order to maintain successive vehicles in a traffic lane in spaced apart relation, a series of means are disposed along the traffic lane to display a pacing signal. Each of these means is adapted to selectively display a pacing signal or indicator which is timed with respect to the other means so as to provide a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'continuous signal'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' corresponding to a vehicular speed of, for example, 60 miles per hour along the lane. By keeping pace with the signal as it appears from one means to the others along the series of means, a vehicle can be maintained at the programmed speed, while simultaneously being maintained at a substantially fixed distance from a vehicle in front and a vehicle in back. The signals are programmed for each means so as to space successive vehicles apart at a distance corresponding to the programmed speed for the vehicles and the time interval from one displayed pacing signal to the next.

Claims

1. In a vehicle pacer system for spacing immediately successive vehicles apart in a traffic lane of a roadway, a series of signal indicating means disposed along the traffic lane in equal spacings relative to each other, said spaceing (s) corresponding to a distance equal to a multiple of vehicle length for a given speed (v) and each means having at least two indicators for visual display and a radio receiver for receiving a first signal to visually display one of said indicators and for permitting visual display of another of said indicators in response to an absence of said first signal;

and a radio transmitter remotely located with respect to said series of signal indicating means for emitting said signal simultaneously to said radio receiver of each signal indicating means repeatedly at time intervals (t) to obtain an alternating visual display of said indicators in each signal indicating means and to obtain a visual display of said one indicator at each successive sigNal indicating means in a continuous corresponding to said given speed for a vehicle travelling along the traffic lane, said time intervals (t) being determined by dividing said spacing (s) in feet by said given speed (v) in feet per second, whereby successive continuous sequences of visual display of said one indicator by said series of signal indicating means enables immediately successively travelling vehicles to be spaced apart in the traffic lane at said spacing (s) of said signal indicating means.

2. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 1 wherein each signal indicating means includes a first element mounted in a stationary position and a second element mounted to move between a first position aligned with said first element to permit visual viewing of only one of said elements as said one indicator, and a second position out of alignment with said first element to permit visual viewing of both elements as said another indicator.

3. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said second element is pivotally mounted relative to said first element to mask said first element in said first position.

4. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 2 wherein each element is an hour-glass shaped segment.

5. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said signal indicating means includes reflectors to facilitate viewing of said elements in each said position.

6. A vehicle pacer system for spacing immediately successive vehicles apart in a traffic lane of a roadway comprising a series of signal indicating means disposed along the traffic lane in predetermined equally spaced apart relation to each other, each means having two indicators for selective visual display, a radio receiver means electrically connected to said indicators for selecting one of said indicators for visual display in response to a first signal, for selecting the other of said indicators for visual display in response to a second signal and for selecting both said indicators for visual display in response to both said signals;

and a radio transmitting means remotely located with respect to said series of signal indicating means for simultaneously emitting said signals to each said receiver means at predetermined time intervals to obtain a visual display of said indicators in alternating manner in each signal indicating means and to obtain a visual display of said one indicator at each successive signal indicating means in a continuous sequence corresponding to a predetermined speed for a vehicle travelling along the roadway, whereby successive continuous sequences of said one indicator in said series of signal indicating means enables successively travelling vehicles to be spaced apart on the roadway at said predetermined speed.

7. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said indicators of each signal indicating means are geometrically displaced from each other and wherein each signal indicating means includes a masking means positioned over said indicators to mask at least one said indicators from view.

8. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said two indicators of each signal indicating means are geometrically spaced indicators of different colors disposed in a common vertical plane.

9. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 8 wherein each signal indicating means further includes a pair of transparent sheets in front of and coincident with said indicators, a film layer of nematic liquid crystal material sandwiched between said sheets, a transparent electrical conductor disposed in said sheet remote from said indicators and transparent electrical conductors disposed in said sheet closest said indicators each oriented in coincidence with only one of said indicators, and a signal generator electrically connected to said latter electrical conductors and electrically connected to said receiver means for selectively delivering a voltage to said latter electrical conductors in response to said signals from said receiver means to cause excitation of said nematic crystal material coincident with a selected electrical conductor and masking of a coincident indicator.

10. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 9 wherein each said indicator includes a pair of quadrant-shaped indicators of identical color disposed in symmetrical opposition to each other.

11. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 6 wherein each signal indicating means includes a housing having said indicators and said receiver means mounted therein, at least one solar cell for generating electricity within said housing, at least one battery connected to said solar cell for storing the generated electricity and to said receiver for actuating said receiver, and a signal generator within said housing connected to said receiver means and said battery to receive said signals from said receiver means and connected to said indicators for displaying at least one said indicators in response to said signals.

12. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 6 which includes a signal generator connected to said transmitting means to deliver said signals thereto and an adjustable timer connected to said signal generator for varying said time intervals.

13. A vehicle pacer system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said roadway has tow lanes for traffic and wherein two series of said signal indicating means are positioned along said roadway with each said series being positioned along a different said lane.

14. A vehicle pacer system for a roadway comprising a series of signal indicating means disposed along the roadway in equal spacings relative to each other, said spacings corresponding to a distance equal to a multiple of standard vehicle length for a given speed, each signal indicating means having at least two indicators for visual display, a radio signal receiving means electrically connected to said indicators for selecting one of said indicators for visual display in response to a first signal and for selecting another of said indicators for visual display in response to an absence of said first signal;

and radio transmitting means remotely located with respect to said series of signal indicating means for repeatedly communicating said first signal simultaneously to a plurality of said signal receiving means at predetermined time intervals for thereby enabling a sequential visual display of said indicators in an alternating manner in individual signal indicating means and to obtain a visual display of said one indicator at each successive signal indicating means in a continuous sequence corresponding to said given speed, whereby successive continuous sequences of said one indicator at said signal indicating means enables successive travelling vehicles on the roadway to be paced at said given speed and to be spaced apart on the roadway at a distance corresponding to said spacing.

15. A vehicle pacer system for a roadway comprising a series of signal indicating means disposed along the roadway at equal spacings relative to each other, said spacings corresponding to a multiple of a distance equal to a multiple of standard vehicle lengths for a given speed, each signal indicating means having at least two indicators for selective visual display, a radio signal receiving means electrically connected to said indicators for selecting one of said indicators for visual display in response to a first signal and for selecting another of said indicators for visual display in response to an absence of said first signal;

and radio transmitting means remotely located with respect to said series of signal indicating means for repeatedly transmitting said first signal simultaneously to a plurality of said signal receiving means at predetermined time intervals and for preset time periods and for thereby enabling a sequential visual display of said indicators in an alternating manner in individual signal indicating means and to obtain a visual display of said one indicatOr at each successive signal indicating means in a continuous sequence corresponding to said given speed whereby successive continuous sequences of said one indicator at said signal indicating means enables successively travelling vehicles on the roadway to be paced at said given speed and to be spaced apart on the roadway a distance substantially equal to said distance.

16. A method of spacing moving vehicles along a traffic lane of a roadway comprising the steps of disposing a series of signal indicating means along the traffic lane in equal spacings relative to each other, each said spacing corresponding to a distance equal to a multiple of standard vehicle length for a given speed and each means having a radio receiver and at least two indicators for selective visual display with one of said indicators being adapted for visual display in response to reception of a first signal in said radio receiver and another of said indicators being adapted for visual display in response to an absence of said first signal in said radio receiver;

and emitting said signal from a location remote from the series of signal indicating means to said radio receiver of each signal indicating means simultaneously at predetermined time intervals for relatively short preset time durations to obtain an alternating sequential visual display of the indicators in each signal indicating means while also obtaining a visual display of the one indicator at each successive signal indicating means in a continuous sequence corresponding to said given speed for a vehicle travelling along the traffic lane, whereby successive continuous sequences of a visual display of the one indicator at the signal indicating means enables immediately successive travelling vehicles to be spaced apart in the traffic lane at said spacing.

17. A signal indicating means for a vehicle pacer system having at least two indicators for visual display, said indicators being of different colors and geometrically displaced from each other in a common vertical plane, a receiver for visually displaying one of said indicators in response to a first signal and for permittting visual display of another of said indicators in response to an absence of said first signal, a pair of transparent sheets in front of and coincident with said indicators, a film layer of nematic liquid crystal material sandwiched between said sheets, a transparent electrical conductor disposed in said sheet remote from said indicators and transparent electrical conductors disposed in said sheet closest said indicators each oriented in coincidence with only one of said indicators, and a signal generator electrically connected to said latter electrical conductors and electrically connected to said receiver for selectively delivering a voltage to said latter electrical conductors in response to said signals from said receiver to cause excitation of said nematic crystal material coincident with a selected electrical conductor and masking of a coincident indicator.