Method and apparatus for signalling motorists and pedestrians when the direction of traffic will change
First Claim
1. In a traffic control system comprising red, green and yellow signal lights for each direction of traffic at an intersection wherein said lights are controlled to cause only one of said lights to be "on" at anyone time in anyone direction with the yellow light following the green light in one traffic direction while the red light is "on" in a cross direction, and the lights in each direction are shifted at intervals to red and green to indicate changes in the direction of traffic:
- the method of signalling motorists and pedestrians by momentarily blinking the red or green light in a given direction while the light is "on" giving its normal signal followed by a continuing steady "on" condition of the light for a duration substantially greater than the duration of the blinking to indicate at the instant of said blinking a predetermined time remaining before the direction of traffic is changed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus of electromechanical or solid-state character is provided for intermittently blinking the traffic control signals at street and road intersections to inform motorists and pedestrians at intervals during each period the lights are red or green as to the time remaining before the lights are changed to green or red to indicate a change in direction of traffic. The apparatus includes an interrupter switch in the power line of the traffic lights and a timer for the interrupter switch cycled by a pulse from the controller of the traffic lights each time the lights are changed. During each cycle of the timer the interrupter switch is operated at intervals to provide distinguishing signals each differing by one blink from the other. For example, the traffic lights may be blinked once when 30 seconds remain before the lights will change and twice at a rate of 3 to 6 per second when 15 seconds remain. By this signalling, motorists are enabled to gauge their speed as they approach street and road intersections to save gasoline and to drive with maximum safety, and pedestrians can know in advance when they have sufficient time to walk across at an intersection with safety.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. In a traffic control system comprising red, green and yellow signal lights for each direction of traffic at an intersection wherein said lights are controlled to cause only one of said lights to be "on" at anyone time in anyone direction with the yellow light following the green light in one traffic direction while the red light is "on" in a cross direction, and the lights in each direction are shifted at intervals to red and green to indicate changes in the direction of traffic:
- the method of signalling motorists and pedestrians by momentarily blinking the red or green light in a given direction while the light is "on" giving its normal signal followed by a continuing steady "on" condition of the light for a duration substantially greater than the duration of the blinking to indicate at the instant of said blinking a predetermined time remaining before the direction of traffic is changed.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. In an apparatus for controlling traffic intersection signal lights comprising red, green and yellow lights in each direction of traffic to inform motorists and pedestrians as to when the lights will change to red and to green to indicate a change in direction of traffic, wherein a predetermined blinking of a red or green light followed by a steady "on" condition is prescribed to signify that a predetermined time remains before the direction of traffic will change:
- the combination with a controller which shifts the lights to red and to green at respective preset time intervals, of an interrupter switch in the power line of the signal lights, timing means cyclically operable to actuate said interrupter switch during each period the lights are red or green for blinking said lights on said said prescribed time basis to signal the time remaining before the direction of traffic will change, wherein the remaining "on" time is substantially greater than the duration of the blinking and means connecting said timing means to said controller for starting each cycle of the timing means the instant the controller shifts said lights to red and to green.
- View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. In a traffic control system comprising red, green and yellow signal lights in cross directions at a traffic intersection:
- the method of controlling said signal lights which comprises causing only one of said lights to be "on" in anyone direction at anyone time with the yellow light following the green light in one direction while the red light is "on" in the cross direction and vice versa, shifting said lights at intervals to red and to green in one direction while the lights are shifted to green and to red in the cross direction to indicate changes in the direction of traffic, and blinking the red light in one direction while the green light is blinked in the cross direction and vice versa, where each blinking signal comprises one or more blinks with multiple blink signals being composed of blinks at a rate of 3 to 6 per second and of a duration of a minor fraction to one second maximum, and wherein each blink signal is followed by a continuing "on" condition of the light for a duration substantially greater than the duration of the blinking signal and is of a character prescribed to signify at the instant of the blinking the time remaining before the direction of traffic will change.
Specification