Indicating apparatus from preventing vehicles from colliding with each other as they pass

• US 5,448,219 A
• Filed: 11/21/1994
• Issued: 09/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Horibata, Noriko, Yoshikawa, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US08/344,705
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/905, 340/928, 340/917, 340/919, 340/908, 340/908.1
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 7/00 Arrangement or adaptation of portable emergency signal devices on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/075 Ramp control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

An indicating apparatus for preventing vehicles from colliding with each other as they pass an intersection of roads includes a vehicle sensing device placed on one of the roads a predetermined distance from the intersection for sensing a vehicle approaching the intersection, an alarm indicating device placed at the predetermined point on the other road, and a control device for causing the alarm indicating device to indicate alarm when the vehicle sensing device detects a vehicle approaching the intersection.

Claims

1. An indicating apparatus for preventing vehicles from colliding as they pass through an intersection having visual obstructions, the intersection including a first road on which vehicles do not stop before passing through the intersection and a second road on which vehicles must temporarily stop before entering the intersection, the apparatus comprising:

vehicle sensing means located along the first road a predetermined distance from said intersection for detecting vehicles approaching said intersection on the first road;

alarm indicating means located at a predetermined point on the second road; and

control means for causing said alarm indicating means to Actuate an alarm for a predetermined interval of time after said vehicle sensing means detects a first vehicle approaching said intersection on the first road and for causing said alarm indicating means to continue actuating said alarm if said vehicle sensing means detects a second vehicle approaching said intersection on the first road before said first vehicle has passed said intersection.

2. An indicating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said alarm indicating means comprises a "STOP" traffic sign and at least one lamp provided in the vicinity of said traffic sign which is switched on and off in response to the control means.

3. An indicating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said alarm indicating means comprises a "STOP" traffic sign and at least one arrow-shaped lamp provided in the vicinity of said traffic sign which is switched on and off in response to the control means.

4. An indicating apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said alarm indicating means comprises at least one lamp switched on and off in response to the control means and half-buried in the second road immediately before said intersection.

5. An apparatus for signalling a traffic condition at an intersection, comprising:

a sensor for sensing vehicles travelling on a first road passing through the intersection, the first road having traffic preference such that the vehicles do not stop before passing through the intersection;

an indicating device located at a predetermined position along a second road on which vehicles must temporarily stop before passing through the intersection;

a controller, coupled to the sensor, for controlling the indicating device for a first predetermined period of time after a first vehicle is sensed travelling on the first road and for controlling the indicating device for a second predetermined period of time after a second vehicle is sensed travelling on the first road if the second vehicle is sensed during the first predetermined period of time.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the indicating device includes a light which is switched on and off in response to the controller.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the indicating device further includes a STOP sign with the light.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a portion of the indicating device is buried in the second road.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the indicator device includes a plurality of lights which are cyclically flashed in response to the controller.

10. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the indicating device includes an arrow-shaped light which is switched on and off in response to the controller.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the indicating device further includes a STOP sign with the arrow-shaped light.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the indicator device includes a plurality of arrow-shaped lights which are cyclically flashed in response to the controller.

13. A method for signalling a traffic condition at an intersection comprising the step of:

sensing vehicles travelling on a first road passing through the intersection, the first road having traffic preference such that the vehicles do not stop before passing through the intersection;

indicating for a first predetermined period of time at a predetermined position along a second road that a first vehicle has been sensed travelling on the first road, the vehicles traveling on the second road temporarily stopping before passing through the intersection; and

indicating for a second predetermined period of time at the predetermined position along the second road when a second vehicle has been sensed travelling on the first road during the first predetermined period of time.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of indicating includes switching a light on and off.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of indicating includes cyclically flashing a plurality of lights.