System and method for broadcasting colored light for emergency signals
First Claim
1. A system for generating and broadcasting lighting signals from a vehicle, comprising:
- means for providing distinct beams of continuous light including at least first and second beams;
a modulator optically coupled to receive the first beam for modifying the properties of the first beam into modulated light periodically varying between at least two output states; and
a converter optically coupled to the modulator and to the second beam by distinct fiber optic transmission paths for conveying the modulated light and the second beam to an exterior of the vehicle, thereby broadcasting from the vehicle at least one of the modulated light and the second beam.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lighting system and method for broadcasting colored lights as emergency warning signals from a light source. A centralized continuous light source is coupled via a fiber optic transmission medium to an external display location such as a lens or the like located on a vehicle. The color and the relative intensity of each color is periodically modulated to alternate between at least two states such that the contrast between these alternating states is perceived by observers to be a flashing source of light with no off-time. The frequency and the duty cycle of the repetition rate of alternating between the states may be further controlled to better draw attention to the light source. In one embodiment, the external display locations include optical converters, each converter having multiple input facets and optically arranged to broadcast light received at its facets at predetermined vertical and horizontal output angles.
74 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for generating and broadcasting lighting signals from a vehicle, comprising:
- means for providing distinct beams of continuous light including at least first and second beams;
a modulator optically coupled to receive the first beam for modifying the properties of the first beam into modulated light periodically varying between at least two output states; and
a converter optically coupled to the modulator and to the second beam by distinct fiber optic transmission paths for conveying the modulated light and the second beam to an exterior of the vehicle, thereby broadcasting from the vehicle at least one of the modulated light and the second beam. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- means for providing distinct beams of continuous light including at least first and second beams;
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14. A system for generating and broadcasting lighting signals, comprising:
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means for providing distinct beams of continuous light including at least a first beam and a second beam; a filter optically connected to receive the first beam, the filter having at least two selectable settings for modulating the spectral composition of the received light in accordance with the setting thereof; a converter optically connected to an output of the filter and to the second beam for broadcasting the modulated light and the second beam into an ambient atmosphere; and a controller connected to the filter for selecting the setting thereof to selectively modulate the spectral composition of the broadcasted light. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A converter in an emergency vehicle for coupling light from a light pipe and broadcasting more than one light beam with each of the light beams having a distinct spatial orientation, the converter comprising:
- a monolithic piece of optically transparent material having at least two input facets for coupling to light pipes in order to inject light from the light pipes into the material and an output facet forming a lens for broadcasting the beams having distinct spatial orientations, depending on which of the input facets provides the source of the light for the beam.
Specification