Apparatus for surveying and marking highways

• US 5,349,520 A
• Filed: 09/09/1991
• Issued: 09/20/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bruce F. Hickman
• Original Assignee: Bruce F. Hickman
• Inventors: Hickman, Bruce F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US07/756,907
• Time in Patent Office: 1,107 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.02, 364/424.03, 364/461, 73/146, 73/902, 340/903, 340/905, 342/47, 342/118, 324/171, 377/24.1
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/30 for measuring roughness or irregularity of surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00

Abstract

An apparatus for collecting, processing and storing data related to the physical features of a highway is carried in one or two vehicles traveling over the highway to be surveyed. A computer in a vehicle receives a signal indicating the distance traveled and various inputs from the vehicle driver, an operator/passenger in the vehicle and/or one or more detectors. The computer can be connected to a display in the vehicle for visually displaying new data as it is collected and previously stored data for comparison purposes. In some instances, the data being collected requires a second vehicle and the computer is connected to the second vehicle via customized radio telemetry equipment which allows for sending signals to and receiving signals from a portion of the system located in the following vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for surveying and marking highways comprising:

a computer for installation in a first vehicle;

first transducer means connected to said computer for sensing increments of distance travelled by the first vehicle and generating a first distance signal representing the increments of distance to said computer, said computer being responsive to said first distance signal and a second distance signal representing increments of distance travelled by a second vehicle for generating a difference signal representing the spacing between the first vehicle and the second vehicle;

a first radio modem connected to said computer;

a first antenna;

a first radio transmitter connected between said modem and said first antenna for generating said difference signal as a first radio signal;

a pulse decoder connected to said computer;

a second antenna;

a first radio receiver connected between said pulse decoder and said second antenna for receiving a second radio signal and generating said second distance signal to said computer;

a display means for installation in a second vehicle;

a second radio modem connected to said display means;

a third antenna;

a second radio receiver connected between said second radio modem and said third antenna for receiving said first radio signal and generating said difference signal to said display means;

a second transducer means for sensing increments of distance travelled by the second vehicle and generating said second distance signal;

a pulse encoder connected to said second transducer means;

a fourth antenna; and

a second radio transmitted for installation in the second vehicle and connected between said pulse encoder and said fourth antenna and responsive to said second difference signal for generating said second radio signal whereby said display means indicates the spacing between the first and second vehicles in response to said difference signal.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a pair of level detectors mounted on the vehicle for generating detector signals representing side to side and front to back angular change of the vehicle with respect to the highway, a level detector circuit connected between said level detectors and said computer for scaling a magnitude of said detector signals and an analog to digital converter connected between said level detector circuit and said computer for converting said detector signals from analog to digital form.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a proximity detector circuit connected to said computer for sensing raised pavement markers and for generating a detector signal representing each marker to said computer.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a pair of motion detectors for generating detector signals representing the passage of a vehicle on the highway and a motion detector circuit connected between said motion detectors and said computer for converting said detector signals to computer input signals.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said computer stores said first distance signal as highway data and including an output device connected to said computer for outputting said highway data collected by said computer, a data base for storing highway data and an input device connected to said data base for inputting said highway data from said output device.

6. An apparatus for surveying and marking highways comprising:

a computer for installation in a vehicle;

a storage device connected to said computer;

a first transducer means connected to said computer for sensing increments of distance travelled along a highway by a first vehicle and generating a first distance signal representing the increments of distance to said computer, said computer being responsive to said first distance signal and a second distance signal for generating a difference signal representing the spacing between the first vehicle and a second vehicle;

a pavemaking application module including a first radio modem connected to said computer, a first radio transmitter connected between said modem and a first antenna for generating said distance signal as a first radio signal, a pulse decoder connected to said computer, a first radio receiver connected between said pulse decoder and a second antenna for receiving a second radio signal and generating said second distance signal to said computer, a display means for installation in the second vehicle, a second radio modem connected to said display means, a second radio receiver connected between said second radio modem and a third antenna for receiving said first radio signal and generating said distance signal to said display means, a second transducer means for sensing increments of distance travelled by the second vehicle and generating said second distance signal, a pulse encoder connected to said second transducer means, and a second radio transmitter connected between said pulse encoder and a fourth antenna and responsive to said second distance signal for generating said second radio signal whereby said display means indicates the spacing between the first and second vehicles; and

a least one application module means connected to said computer for sensing a parameter of the highway other than increments of distance and generating a detector signal representing the parameter sensed to said computer, said computer being response to said first distance signal and said detector signal for generating a highway data signal referencing said detector signal to said first distance signal and storing said highway data signal in said storage device.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said one application module is a speed zone maintenance application module including a pair of level detectors mounted on the vehicle for generating detector signals representing side to side and front to back angular change of the vehicle with respect to the highway and a pair of motion detectors for generating detector signals representing the passage of a vehicle on the highway.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said one application module is a curve analysis/inventory application module including a pair of level detectors mounted on the vehicle for generating detector signals representing side to side and front to back angular change of the vehicle with respect to the highway.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said one application module is a raised pavement marker maintenance application module including a proximity detector circuit connected to said computer for sensing raised pavement markers and for generating a detector signal representing each said pavement marker to said computer.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said one application module is one of a sign maintenance application module, a signal maintenance application module, a lighting maintenance application module, a delineator maintenance application module and a specialized traffic accounts application module.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6 including at least one source of material to be applied to the highway, at least one gun for applying the material to the highway and at least one valve connected between said source and said gun and connected to said computer and wherein said one application module includes a main panel and an operator control panel connected to said computer for generating input signals whereby said computer is responsive to said input signals for controlling said valve to selectively apply the material to the highway.

12. An apparatus for surveying and marking highways comprising:

a computer for installation in a vehicle;

a storage device connected to said computer;

transducer means connected to said computer for sensing increments of distance travelled along a highway by the vehicle and generating a distance signal representing the increments of distance to said computer; and

at least one application module means connected to said computer for sensing a parameter of the highway other than increments of distance and generating a detector signal representing the parameter sensed to said computer, said computer being responsive to said distance signal and said detector signal for generating a highway data signal referencing said detector signal to said distance signal and storing said highway data signal in said storage device, said one application module including a flow detector connected to a traffic line application gun for measuring a flow of material through said gun.