Programmable emergency signalling device and system

• US 5,422,623 A
• Filed: 08/05/1993
• Issued: 06/06/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Federal Signal Corporation
• Original Assignee: Federal Signal Corporation
• Inventors: Kekeis, Kent A., Benner, Michael, Bader, Joseph F., Gieffers, Ward, Hilburger, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US08/102,690
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 340/471, 340/472, 340/331, 340/332, 340/490, 340/815.19, 340/458, 362/35, 362/80
• US Class Current: 340/331
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle

Abstract

An emergency signalling system is disclosed that incorporates an emergency signalling device including a light source and reflector mounted for relative rotation in incremental steps in either clockwise or counterclockwise directions. A programmable control unit of the signalling system provides digital signals to a drive source for controlling the speed and direction of the relative rotation. In response to the digital signals, the signalling device executes a variety of different visual patterns. The signalling system can be programmed from a keyboard preferably integrated into a control head mounted to a dashboard area of a vehicle incorporating the emergency signalling system. Virtually any type of visual warning pattern based on the relative rotation of a light source and reflector can be executed by the signalling device if properly programmed.

Claims

1. A light signalling system for providing one of a plurality of visual patterns for an emergency or warning signal in response to a user'"'"'s selection, the system comprising:

a lamp and a reflector;

a mounting assembly that provides for the rotation of the reflector around the lamp;

a motor coupled to the mounting assembly for driving the rotation of the reflector in incremental steps, where each of the incremental steps is of a predetermined arcuate value;

a memory containing the plurality of visual patterns for the rotation of the reflector, at least some of the visual patterns defining speed and direction commands for the incremental steps of the rotation of the reflector;

a control panel responsive to the user'"'"'s selection for selecting one of the plurality of visual patterns contained in the memory for the rotation of the reflector; and

control means responsive to the selection by the user of said one of the visual patterns for providing drive signals to the motor for driving the motor in the incremental steps in accordance with the speed and direction commands of the selected visual pattern.

2. The signalling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control means includes means for turning on and off the lamp in association with the generation of the drive signals to the motor.

3. The signalling system as set forth in claim 1 including:

a sensor for sensing when the reflector is in a reference position and in response thereto providing a reference signal to the control means.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the control means includes means responsive to the reference signal from the sensor for rotating the reflector to a home position.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control means includes a microprocessor and a motor driver, where the drive signals are provided to the motor from the motor driver.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5 wherein the speed and direction commands are provided from the microprocessor to the motor driver and include a first signal for controlling the direction of rotation of the reflector and a second signal for controlling a frequency of the drive signals.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control panel includes an array of switches and means responsive to actuation by the user of the switches in the array of switches for selecting one of the plurality of visual patterns stored in the memory.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 including means for detecting a failure of the lamp.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of visual patterns includes 1) continuous or discontinuous rotation of the reflector in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, 2) oscillation of the reflector and 3) slow rotation or oscillation of the reflector that visually reveals the incremental steps of the reflector.

10. A signalling system for creating visual patterns alternatively operable in programming and operating modes, the signalling system comprising:

at least one visual signalling device comprising a lamp and a reflector;

a mounting assembly that provides for the rotation of the reflector;

a motor coupled to the mounting assembly for driving the rotation of the reflector;

a memory containing a plurality of visual patterns for execution by the at least one visual signalling device, wherein at least some of the patterns correspond to a sequence of drive signals applied to the motor for controlling a speed and a direction of the rotation of the reflector;

an array of switches;

a controller responsive to the array of switches for selecting one of the plurality of visual patterns to be executed by the system;

the controller including;

a) means responsive to actuation of a first group of the switches of the array of switches for placing the system in the programming mode, wherein the first group includes one or more of the switches;

b) means responsive to actuation of a second group of the switches of the array of switches when the system is in the programming mode for selecting at least one of the visual patterns to be executed when the system is in the operating mode; and

c) means responsive to actuation of a third group of the switches of the array of switches when the system is in the operating mode for executing at least one of the visual patterns selected in the programming mode by driving the motor with the sequence of drive signals corresponding to the selected visual pattern.

11. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the means responsive to the second group of the switches when the system is in the programming mode includes means for selecting one of a plurality of possible layouts for the array of switches, each of the layouts assigning a selected one of the plurality of visual patterns to a particular switch of the third group of the switches so that actuation of the particular switch of the third group, when the system is in the operating mode, causes the controller to respond by generating the pattern at the visual signalling device that was assigned to the particular switch.

12. The system as set forth in claim 11, said system including a plurality of visual signalling devices wherein the means responsive to the actuation of the second group of the switches when the system is in the programming mode also includes means for modifying the selected one of the plurality of visual patterns assigned to the particular switch in order to customize the selected visual pattern to match a predetermined desired pattern.

13. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said at least one signalling device is mounted in a housing forming a light bar for mounting to a motor vehicle.

14. The system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the array of switches is mounted within a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

15. The system as set forth in claim 10 wherein the controller comprises a programmed microprocessor.

16. An emergency signalling device mounted to a vehicle for executing a visual pattern, the device comprising in combination:

a light source;

a mounting for the light source;

a reflector assembly for orbiting the light source;

a motor for driving the orbit of the reflector assembly in incremental rotational steps, where each of the steps is of a predetermined arcuate value;

a memory containing a plurality of different visual patterns executable by the orbiting of the reflector assembly in response to the motor, where at least some of the visual patterns contain information regarding a frequency and a direction of the incremental steps to be made by the reflector assembly in response to the motor;

a user interface for selecting one of the visual patterns in the memory; and

a control unit in communication with the memory and the user interface for selecting one of the visual patterns in the memory, the control unit providing drive signals to the motor in accordance with the frequency and direction information of the selected visual pattern for controlling the speed and direction of the rotation of the reflector assembly, thereby causing the rotation of the reflector assembly that executes the selected visual pattern.

17. The emergency signalling device as set forth in claim 16 including at least one sensor for detecting a relative position of the reflector assembly orbiting the light source.

18. The emergency signalling device as set forth in claim 16 wherein the reflector assembly includes a reflector and a means for carrying the reflector in its orbit and the mounting for the light source includes means for suspending the light source above the means for carrying the reflector.

19. The emergency signalling device as set forth in claim 16 wherein the motor is a stepper motor.

20. The emergency signalling device as set forth in claim 16 where the user interface for selecting one of the visual patterns in the memory includes a control head mounted within a passenger compartment of the vehicle and operatively connected to the control unit, the control head comprising an array of switches and means responsive to actuation of one of the switches for causing the control unit to drive the reflector assembly in a manner corresponding to one of the visual patterns stored in the memory.

21. The emergency signalling device as set forth in claim 16 wherein the mounting for the light source includes means for maintaining the light source in a stationary position as the reflector assembly orbits the light source.

22. An emergency signalling system for a vehicle comprising in combination:

a signalling device assembly for generating a light beam comprising a reflector and a light source mounted to the vehicle for rotating the reflector;

a source of signals for controlling the direction and speed of the rotation of the reflector;

the assembly including a means for driving the rotation of the reflector in incremental steps in response to the signals to create a visual pattern, where the visual pattern includes a number of incremental steps in the same direction and each of the number of incremental steps is of a predetermined arcuate value and made in a direction and repeated at a frequency in accordance with the signals controlling a direction and a speed of the rotation of the reflector around the light source;

a user interface; and

a control unit responsive to the user interface and in communication with the source of signals for changing the visual pattern created by the rotation of the reflector by changing at least the speed or the direction of some of the sequential incremental steps of the reflector.

23. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 22 wherein the change of the visual pattern is derived from a selected one of a group of different visual patterns stored in a memory associated with the control unit, where the group of different patterns are accessible to be alternatively executed by the signalling device when the control unit is in an operating mode.

24. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 23 where the control unit includes a programming mode for changing the composition of the group of different patterns accessible in the operating mode.

25. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 24 where the control unit alternates between the programming and operating modes in response to inputs at the user interface.

26. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 25 wherein the signalling device assembly is one of a plurality of signalling device assemblies, the control unit including means for controlling each of the assemblies to create a collective visual effect.

27. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 24 wherein the memory includes a plurality of visual patterns, a subset of which comprise the group that are alternatively accessible in the operating mode.

28. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 27 wherein the memory includes alternative layouts of the group of visual patterns accessible in the operating mode, each layout providing the group of visual patterns with a different composition of visual patterns selected from the plurality of visual patterns in the memory.

29. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 22 where the driving means is a stepper motor and the source of signals is a driver for the motor.

30. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 22 wherein the visual pattern created by the rotation of the reflector is an oscillating beam of light.

31. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 22 wherein the visual pattern created by the rotation of the reflector is a rotating beam of light.

32. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 22 wherein the visual pattern created by changing at least the speed or direction of some of the sequential incremental steps of the reflector is a flashing beam of light.

33. The emergency signalling system as set forth in claim 22 wherein the visual pattern created by the rotation of the reflector by changing at least the speed or direction of some of the sequential incremental steps of the reflector is a steady light in a single direction.

34. A light signalling system for an emergency vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one rotatable signalling device for generating a visual pattern;

a motor having a drive shaft for driving the rotation of the signalling device;

a housing for the signalling device and the motor for mounting to the vehicle;

a memory containing a plurality of alternative visual patterns for execution by the signalling device, at least some of the visual patterns including information for controlling a speed and a direction of the rotation of the drive shaft of the motor in order to rotate the signalling device to generate one of the visual patterns;

a user interface mounted inside the vehicle and responsive to a user input;

microprocessor-based circuitry contained in the housing and responsive to the user input at the user interface for selecting one of the plurality of alternative visual patterns in the memory for execution by the signalling device in accordance with a predetermined program executed by the circuitry; and

said microprocessor-based circuitry includes means for providing drive signals to the motor in accordance with the speed and direction information of the selected visual pattern, thereby causing the signalling device to generate the selected visual pattern.

35. The light signalling system as set forth in claim 34 wherein the microprocessor-based circuitry and the user interface are connected by way of a first duplex cable providing information in a serial format.

36. The light signalling system as set forth in claim 35 wherein the user interface includes a control head accessible to a user in a driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle and a unit programmable by way of the control head, where the control head and the programmable unit are remote from one another and connected by way of a second duplex cable providing information in the serial format.

37. A light signalling system for providing one of a plurality of alternative visual patterns for an emergency or warning signal in response to a selection by a user, the system comprising:

a plurality of rotatable signalling devices, each device comprising;

(a) a lamp and a reflector;

(b) a mounting assembly for the lamp and the reflector that allows for the rotation of the reflector; and

(c) a motor coupled to the mounting assembly for driving the rotation of the reflector in incremental steps, wherein each of the incremental steps is of a predetermined arcuate value;

a memory containing the plurality of alternative visual patterns, each of said patterns being executable by one of the rotatable signalling devices and at least some of the patterns containing information regarding a speed and a direction of the rotation of the reflector;

a user interface for selecting one or more of the plurality of alternative visual patterns for execution by a group of the plurality of rotatable signalling devices; and

a control unit responsive to the memory and the user interface for providing drive signals to each of the motors of the group of signalling devices for initiating a sequence of the incremental steps to at least one of the motors in accordance with the speed and direction information of at least one of the selected visual patterns to thereby cause the group of signalling devices to execute a collective visual effect.

38. The system as set forth in claim 37 wherein the group of signalling devices executing the selected one or more visual patterns includes at least two signalling devices, each of the signalling devices generating the same visual pattern as the other.

39. The system as set forth in claim 38 wherein the user interface includes a spatial pattern of light emitting devices that mimic the spatial relative positioning of the plurality of lamps and reflectors, the user interface also including means for illuminating a selected one of the light emitting devices whose positions in the pattern correspond to the relative spatial positions of the one of the plurality of lamps and reflectors receiving control signals from the control unit.

40. The system as set forth in claim 37 wherein the group of signalling devices executing the selected one or more visual patterns includes at least two signalling devices, each of the signalling devices generating a visual pattern different from the other.

41. The system as set forth in claim 37 wherein the drive signals to at least one of the motors holds the reflector stationary relative to the lamp.

42. An emergency signalling system for mounting to a vehicle for executing a visual pattern of a beam of light, the device comprising in combination:

a light source;

a rotatable reflector assembly associated with the light source for generating the beam of light;

a reversible motor for driving the rotation of the reflector assembly in order to rotate the beam of light;

a switch for selectively enabling the light source;

a memory containing a plurality of different visual patterns of the beam of light, including a pattern of a rotating beam of light, a pattern of an oscillating beam of light and a pattern of a flashing beam of light, wherein each of the patterns for the rotating and the oscillating beam of light includes a speed and a direction information for controlling the rotation of the reflector;

a user interface for selecting one of the visual patterns in the memory; and

a controller in communication with the memory and the user interface for providing drive signals to the reversible motor and the switch to create the selected visual pattern.

43. An emergency signalling system for a vehicle comprising in combination:

a signalling device assembly for generating a beam of light rotatable about an axis;

a base for supporting the signalling device assembly;

a memory containing visual patterns to be made by the beam of light;

a source of signals responsive to the memory for controlling a direction and a speed of the rotation of the beam of light in order to produce one of the visual patterns;

a reversible motor for rotating the signalling device assembly in response to the signals to cause the beam of light to create the visual patterns;

a user interface; and

a control unit responsive to the user interface and in communication with the source of signals for changing the visual pattern of the beam of light created by signalling device assembly.