Frequency activated direction indicator
First Claim
1. A direction indicator comprising:
- first sound indicator means preferentially detecting incident sound waves in a predetermined frequency range, originating from a first direction for generating a visual indication having a brightness proportional to the intensity of the incident sound waves in said predetermined frequency range;
second sound indicator means preferentially detecting incident sound waves in said same predetermined frequency range, originating from second direction opposite said first direction for generating a visual signal having a brightness proportional to the incident sound waves, in said predetermined frequency range; and
third sound indicator means preferentially detecting incident sound waves in said same predetermined frequency range, originating from a third direction normal to said first and second directions for generating a visual signal having a brightness proportional to the incident sound waves in said predetermined frequency range.
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Abstract
A direction indicator giving a visual indication of the direction of origin of incident sounds having frequencies in a predetermined frequency range, is disclosed herein. The direction indicator embodies at least three sound detectors, each having an active filter passing electrical signals in a predetermined frequency range and a light emitting diode giving a visual indication of the intensity of the sound in the predetermined range received by the associated sound detector. Two of the sound detectors are disposed to preferentially receive sounds from opposite directions, and the third sound detector is disposed to receive sounds originating from a third direction normal to the directions of the first two. In the preferred embodiment, the direction indicator is an emergency vehicle direction indicator for use in an automobile giving the operator a visual indication of the direction of an emergency vehicle sounding its siren.
33 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A direction indicator comprising:
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first sound indicator means preferentially detecting incident sound waves in a predetermined frequency range, originating from a first direction for generating a visual indication having a brightness proportional to the intensity of the incident sound waves in said predetermined frequency range; second sound indicator means preferentially detecting incident sound waves in said same predetermined frequency range, originating from second direction opposite said first direction for generating a visual signal having a brightness proportional to the incident sound waves, in said predetermined frequency range; and third sound indicator means preferentially detecting incident sound waves in said same predetermined frequency range, originating from a third direction normal to said first and second directions for generating a visual signal having a brightness proportional to the incident sound waves in said predetermined frequency range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In combination with an automotive vehicle having a front, a rear, a right side and left side, said vehicle having a longitudinal axis passing through said front and rear and a transverse axis, normal to said longitudinal axis passing through said right and left sides, an emergency vehicle direction indicator, comprising at least
first sound amplifier means disposed to preferentially receive incident sound waves originating to the right of said vehicle along said transverse axis, said first sound amplifier generating a first output signal having a value proportional to the incident sound waves having frequencies above a predetermined frequency; -
second sound amplifier means disposed to preferentially receive incident sound waves originating to the left of said vehicle along said transverse axis, said second sound amplifier means generating second output signal having a value proportional to the incident sound waves having frequencies above said same predetermined frequency; third sound amplifier means disposed to preferentially receive incident sound waves originating from a direction along said longitudinal axis, said third sound amplifier means generating a third output signal having a value proportional to the incident sound waves having frequencies above said same predetermined frequency; and first comparator means receiving said first and third output signals for generating a first compared signal indicative of the value of said first output signal being greater than said third output signal and a second compared signal indicative of the value of said third output signal having a value greater than said first output signal; second comparator means receiving said second and third output signals for generating a third compared signal when the value of said second output signal is greater than the value of said third output signal and a fourth compared signal when the value of said third output signal is greater than the value of said second output signal; logic means having four outputs, each of said outputs indicative a predetermined direction, said logic means generating a signal on one of said outputs in response to said first, second, third and fourth compared signals; visual indicator means connected to each of the four outputs of said logic means for generating a visual signal indicative of the direction from which said sound waves are originating in response to the signal generated by said logic means. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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Specification