Traffic condition displaying system

• US 5,892,461 A
• Filed: 09/24/1997
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joong-Hoon Dokko
• Original Assignee: Joong-Hoon Dokko
• Inventors: Dokko, Joong-Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US08/937,401
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 340/907, 340/908, 340/936, 340/937, 340/469, 340/815.41, 340/905
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A system for providing warning notices of potentially unsafe road conditions ahead. The system includes a graphic display unit, having a plurality of light emitting pixels, for displaying a road condition ahead, a display unit driver for driving the light emitting pixels of the graphic display unit, a controller for transmitting control signals and graphic data to be displayed to the display unit driver, a plurality of manually operable switches for commanding the controller to perform a programmed operation, and a car speed sensor for detecting car speed and transmitting the detected car speed to the controller.

Claims

1. A traffic condition displaying system for providing a warning notice when an emergency state happens in a car road, the system comprising:

an graphic display unit for displaying a road traffic condition, having a plurality of light emitting pixels;

a display unit driver for driving the light emitting pixels of said graphic display unit;

a controller for transmitting control signals and graphic data to be displayed to said display unit driver;

a plurality of manually operable switches for instructing said controller to perform a programmed operation;

a car speed sensor for detecting a car speed and for transmitting signals, based on the detected car speed, to said controller;

a warning lamp for providing a visible warning notice to drivers;

a lamp driver for driving said warning lamp;

a warning tone generator for providing an audible warning notice to drivers;

a warning tone generator driver for driving said warning tone generator; and

a photo sensor, connected to said controller, for detecting a brightness on a road,

wherein a brightness of said graphic display unit is adjusted based on a signal from the photo sensor, and

wherein the visible and audible warning notices are generated together with the warning graphic data displayed according to an operation signal from at least one of the manually operable switches and the car speed from the car speed sensor.

2. A system for providing a warning notice of potentially unsafe road and traffic conditions ahead, the system comprising:

a) a graphic display unit for displaying a message concerning upcoming road and traffic conditions;

b) a plurality of switches;

c) a car speed sensor for detecting a car speed; and

d) a controller for controlling the graphic display unit based on a state of the plurality of switches and a car speed detected by the car speed sensor,

wherein at least some of the plurality of switches are installed at roadway beyond the graphic display unit at intervals of between 50 and 100 meters.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the message indicates that there is an upcoming tunnel.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the graphic display unit is arranged approximately 500 meters before the upcoming tunnel.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the car speed sensor is arranged before an entrance of the upcoming tunnel.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the car speed sensor is arranged at between 50 and 100 meters from an entrance of the upcoming tunnel.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the car speed sensor is arranged before an entrance of the upcoming tunnel.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein the car speed sensor is arranged at between 50 and 100 meters from an entrance of the upcoming tunnel.

9. The system of claim 4 further comprising a reset switch for resetting the system is traffic conditions have normalized.

10. A traffic notification system comprising:

a) a central computer;

b) a first station for providing a warning notice of potentially unsafe road and traffic conditions ahead, the first station including

i) a graphic display unit for displaying a message concerning upcoming road and traffic conditions,

ii) a plurality of switches,

iii) a car speed sensor for detecting a car speed, and

iv) a controller for controlling the graphic display unit based on a state of the plurality of switches, a car speed detected by the car speed sensor, and commands from the central computer, and for providing information to the central computer; and

c) a second station, located at a different place than the first station, for providing a warning notice of potentially unsafe road and traffic conditions ahead, the second station including

i) a graphic display unit for displaying a message concerning upcoming road and traffic conditions,

ii) a plurality of switches,

iii) a car speed sensor for detecting a car speed, and

iv) a controller for controlling the graphic display unit based on a state of the plurality of switches of the second station, a car speed detected by the car speed sensor of the second station, and commands from the central computer.