Emergency radio frequency warning device

• US 4,296,496 A
• Filed: 11/28/1978
• Issued: 10/20/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William S. Sadler
• Original Assignee: William S. Sadler
• Inventors: Sadler, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): NG, JIN FAY
• Application Number:
  US05/964,152
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 340/32.33, 340/171 R, 340/208, 340/539, 340/384 E, 455/1, 455/46, 455/54, 455/57, 455/59, 455/102, 455/103, 455/109, 455/101, 455/118
• US Class Current: 455/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 29/246 Signals or brake- or lighting devices mounted on the road vehicle and controlled from the vehicle or train
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

An emergency radio warning device in the form of a broad band radio frequency interference generator. A broad band generator generates a broad band beat signal which is coupled to a mixer. An audio signal which corresponds to an audio warning signal, such as a whistle or a siren, modulates an R-F carrier signal in a balanced modulator to provide a double side band signal. This signal is modulated by the broad band beat signal in the mixer, amplified and transmitted so that the radios in vehicles in the immediate area will receive an audible interference signal regardless of the particular channel to which the radio is turned. The audible interference signal may be an intelligible reproduction of the input audio signal so that the driver of the vehicle can determine whether the warning signal is generated by a train whistle, a siren, or a human voice. If desired, the double side band signal can be filtered to provide a single side band signal in order to reduce the power requirements of the system.

Claims

1. A radio frequency warning device for communicating with an AM radio receiver adapted to receive signals on any one of a plurality of AM broadcast carrier frequencies comprising:

means for generating a signal having components ranging across a broad frequency band;

means for generating an R-F signal;

means responsive to an audio frequency signal and said R-F signal for causing the generation of a suppressed carrier modulation signal;

means for modulating said suppressed carrier modulation signal and said broad band frequency signal to thereby generate a broad band AM radio interference signal having respective components at frequencies simulating sidebands to each of said plurality of AM broadcast carrier signals; and

means for transmitting said broad band interference signal, said broad band interference signal generating an intelligible audio signal when received by said AM radio receivers tuned to any of said plurality of carrier frequencies.

2. The radio frequency warning device of claim 1 wherein said suppressed carrier modulation signal is a double side band signal.

3. The radio frequency device of claim 2 wherein said broad band signal is a broad band beat signal having a plurality of frequency components spaced from one another by a predetermined frequency interval.

4. The radio frequency warning device of claim 3 wherein said means for generating a signal having a broad frequency band comprises a radio frequency oscillator for generating an R-F signal, a pulse generator for generating a repetitive pulse signal, and means for modulating the radio frequency signal by said repetitive pulse signal.

5. The radio frequency warning device of claim 3 wherein said means for generating said broad band signal comprises means for generating an R-F signal, means for generating a multi-frequency R-F signal, said multi-frequency R-F signal having frequencies which are separated from one another by a predetermined frequency interval, and means for modulating said R-F signal with said multi-frequency signal.

6. A radio frequency warning device for providing an intelligible audio signal on a plurality of predetermined AM radio broadcast carrier frequencies comprising:

means for generating a broad band frequency signal having frequency components at, at least, a plurality of predetermined frequencies, said frequency components being separated in frequency by a predetermined amount;

means for generating an R-F signal;

means responsive to an audio frequency warning signal and said R-F signal for generating a suppressed carrier modulation signal; and

means for modulating said suppressed carrier modulation signal and said broad band frequency signal to thereby generate a plurality of AM radio frequency warning signals at frequencies simulating sidebands to each of said AM radio broadcast carrier frequencies to provide an audio warning signal component on each of said predetermined AM radio broadcast carrier frequencies.

7. The radio frequency warning device of claim 6 wherein said suppressed carrier modulation signal is a double side band signal.

8. The radio frequency warning device of claim 7 wherein said means for generating a signal having a broad frequency band comprises a radio frequency oscillator for generating an R-F signal, a pulse generator for generating a repetitive pulse signal, and means for modulating the radio frequency signal by said repetitive pulse signal.

9. The radio frequency warning device of claim 6 wherein said means for generating said broad band signal comprises means for generating an R-F signal, means for generating a multi-frequency R-F signal, said multi-frequency R-F signal having frequencies which are separated from one another by a predetermined frequency interval, and means for modulating said R-F signal with said multi-frequency signal.