Warning systems

• US 6,232,887 B1
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph E. Carson
• Original Assignee: Joseph E. Carson
• Inventors: Carson, Joseph E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/289,156
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 340/903, 340/433, 340/825.21, 340/539, 340/431, 246/124, 246/125, 246/121, 246/128, 246/130
• US Class Current: 340/903
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 23/06 for warning men working on the route
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A warning system for warning a user of an approaching vehicle, wherein the approaching vehicle activates a signal transmitter. The system comprising at least one transmitter and at least one receiver. The transmitter includes a member for receiving the signal from a signal transmitter; and a member associated with the receiving means for transmitting at least one signal component. The receiver is positioned remotely from the transmitter and includes a member for receiving the at least one signal component, a member associated with the receiving means for processing the at least one signal component and a member associated with the processing means for alerting a user as to an approaching vehicle.

Claims

1. A warning system for warning a user of an approaching vehicle, wherein the approaching vehicle activates a signal transmitter, the system comprising:

a single transmitter including

means for receiving the signal from a signal transmitter; and

means associated with the receiving means for transmitting at least one signal component;

wherein the single transmitter is associated with an existing warning structure and the signal transmitter comprises a signal transmitter associated with an existing warning structure, and

at least one receiver positioned remotely from the transmitter including

means for receiving the at least one signal component;

means associated with the receiving means for processing the at least one signal component; and

means associated with the processing means for alerting a user as to an approaching vehicle.

2. The warning system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one signal component transmitted by the transmitter comprises at least two signal components.

3. The warning system according to claim 2 wherein the one of the at least two signal components comprises a ping signal, which ping signal serves to verify communication between the receiver and the transmitter.

4. The warning system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one signal component transmitted by the transmitter comprises at least three signal components,

the first of the at least three signal components comprising a warning signal to indicate an approaching vehicle;

the second of the at least three signal components comprising an informational signal having information pertaining to at least one of the following;

direction of the vehicle, speed of the vehicle, and approach speed of the vehicle; and

the third of the at least three signal components comprising a ping signal, which ping signal serves to verify communication between the receiver and the transmitter.

5. The warning system according to claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises a receiver box positioned remotely from the transmitter.

6. The warning system according to claim 1 wherein the alerting means comprises at least one of a visual, an audio or a tactile alert.

7. The warning system according to claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises a pager receiver positioned remotely from the transmitter.

8. The warning system according to claim 1 wherein the receiver comprises a safety receiver system positioned remotely from the transmitter.

9. The warning system according to claim 8 wherein the safety receiver system further comprises at least one of a vest and a helmet.

10. The warning system according to claim 9 wherein the alerting means comprises at least one of visual, audio or tactile alert.

11. The warning system according to claim 10 wherein the tactile alert comprises a vibrating member positionable against a user.

12. The warning system according to claim 10 wherein the visual alert comprises an alphanumeric display unit associated with the vest.

13. The warning system according to claim 10 wherein the audio alert comprises:

means for playing a stored voice message;

at least one headphone associated with the playing means and positioned within the helmet.

14. The warning system according to claim 1 further comprising means for coordinating the transmitter and the receiver to minimize the instances of false signals, wherein the coordinating means comprises:

a unique identifier associated with the at least one receiver;

means associated with the transmitting means for processing the signal component to include the unique identifier of the at least one receiver prior to transmission thereof; and

means associated with the processing means of the receiver for analyzing the received at least one signal component to determine if the received at least one signal component was directed to the receiver, to in turn, determine as to whether to process the at least one signal component.

15. The warning system according to claim 14 further comprising means for resetting the processing means of the transmitter.

16. The warning system according to claim 14 further comprising:

means for storing the desired unique identifier for each of the at least one receiver associated with the transmitting means.

17. The warning system according to claim 16 wherein the storing means comprises:

an input device; and

a storage medium associated with the processing means and with the input device.

18. The warning system according to claim 1 further comprising means for resetting the processing means of the receiver.

19. A receiver for use in association with a vehicle warning system for warning of approaching vehicles having at least one transmitter for transmitting at least one signal component, comprising:

means for receiving the at least one signal component;

means associated with the receiving means for processing the at least one signal component;

means associated with the processing means for alerting a user as to an approaching vehicle; and

a unique identifier associated with the receiver, which unique identifier is input into the transmitter of the vehicle warning system upon use in association therewith, to, in turn, facilitate the transmission by the transmitter of signals to the desired receivers, and to facilitate the maintenance by the transmitter of receivers associated therewith.

20. The receiver according to claim 19 wherein the receiver comprises a safety receiver system including:

a vest; and

a helmet,

wherein the alert means includes at least one audio, visual or tactile alert associated with at least one of the vest and the helmet.

21. The receiver according to claim 20 wherein the alert means comprises a tactile alert associated with the vest.

22. The receiver according to claim 20 wherein the alert means comprises a visual alert associated with a lower surface of a bill of the helmet.

23. The receiver according to claim 20 wherein the alert means comprises a visual alert comprising an alphanumeric LCD display associated with the vest.

24. The receiver according to claim 19 wherein the receiver comprises a pager receiver.

25. The receiver according to claim 24 wherein the pager receiver includes at least one of an audio, visual or tactile alert.

26. The receiver according to claim 25 wherein the tactile alert comprises a vibrating alert.

27. The receiver according to claim 25 wherein the visual alert comprises an alphanumeric LCD display.

30. The method according to claim 27 wherein the signal component comprises three signal components.

28. A method for warning of an oncoming vehicle, wherein the oncoming vehicle triggers a sensor which activates a vehicle signal transmitter comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting a unique identifier associated with a receiver in use with the vehicle signal transmitter;

(b) repeating the step of inputting for each receiver in use with the vehicle signal transmitter;

(c) receiving the signal by a transmitter triggered by the vehicle;

(d) forming a signal component for each unique identifier associated with the receiver, each such signal component comprising a warning signal component and the unique identifier;

(e) transmitting the formed signal components;

(f) receiving the at least one signal component by each receiver positioned remotely from the transmitter;

(g) processing only the signal component having the unique identifier corresponding the unique identifier of the receiver for each receiver in use with the vehicle signal transmitter; and

(h) alarming a user utilizing a receiver that has processed the signal component as to the oncoming vehicle, pursuant to the processed signal component.

29. The method according to claim 28 wherein the step of transmitting further includes the step of transmitting at least one unique identifier along with the at least one signal component, the method further comprising the step of analyzing the at least one unique identifier, to in turn, determine that the received at least one signal component should be processed.