Light fixture with object detection system

• US 6,124,808 A
• Filed: 09/09/1998
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William F Budnovitch Revocable Trust
• Original Assignee: William F Budnovitch Revocable Trust
• Inventors: Budnovitch, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Sihong
• Application Number:
  US09/150,417
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 340/932.2, 340/541, 340/565, 340/517, 340/933, 340/436, 340/567, 340/691.1
• US Class Current: 340/932.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/48 for parking purposes

Abstract

A light fixture with a detection system includes a sensor subsystem with vehicle and personnel sensors. The detection system also includes an indicator/display subsystem with empty space, moving vehicle and personnel present indicators. The detection system further includes a control subsystem mounted in the light fixture and connected to the sensor and indicator subsystems for actuating the indicators in response to the signal inputs from the sensors. Applications of the detection system in parking structures and industrial facilities are disclosed.

Claims

1. A detection system for a plurality of light fixtures mounted on the ceiling of a multi-space parking facility for illuminating same, which includes:

a) a sensor subsystem mounted on each light fixture and including a motion sensor;

b) an indicator subsystem mounted on each light fixture and including an indicator having on and off conditions, said on condition indicating the availability of at least one parking space from among a plurality of parking spaces in the vicinity of said light fixture;

c) a control subsystem connected to the sensor and indicator subsystems and including switching means for switching each said indicator between its on and off conditions in response to an input from said sensor subsystem;

d) said control subsystem including global positioning system (GPS) coordinate storage means for storing the global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of a plurality of predetermined locations each associated with a respective light fixture and interactive communication means for interactively communicating with a user global positioning system (GPS) transceiver with reference to said predetermined location;

e) a plurality of stations each associated with a respective light fixture and including means for communicating with said control subsystem; and

f) said control subsystem including a system processor including an interface for interactively communicating with said user GPS transceiver.

2. The detection system according to claim 1, which includes:

a) a differential global positioning system (DGPS) fixed reference receiver associated with said control subsystem and adapted for interacting with said user (GPS) transceiver.