Traffic information warning system with single modulated carrier

• US 6,236,336 B1
• Filed: 02/24/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cobra Electronics Corp. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Cobra Electronics Corp. (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Oliva, David C., Thistlethwaite, Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/256,883
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/904, 340/905, 340/906, 455/34.1, 455/34.2, 455/59
• US Class Current: 340/901
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A traffic information warning system for conveying first and second messages regarding a traffic situation from a traffic advisory site is disclosed. The system comprises a transmitter adapted for placement at the advisory site and a receiver. The transmitter includes an oscillator for transmitting a first carrier signal and a second carrier signal. The first carrier signal has a first discrete carrier frequency and the second carrier signal has a second discrete carrier frequency. The first and second discrete carrier signal frequencies are located at a frequency location. The first message of a traffic situation is reflective of the specific frequency locations of the first and second discrete frequencies. A modulator modulates the first carrier signal with a modulating signal reflective of the second message regarding the traffic situation. The second carrier signal comprises an unmodulated signal. The receiver includes scanning circuitry for scanning across a predetermined frequency range to detect the first and second carrier signals and circuitry responsive to the detecting means for determining the first message regarding the traffic situation. The receiver further includes a demodulator for retrieving the first retrieved modulating signal about the first carrier signal, and an annunciator for announcing the first and second messages regarding the traffic situation.

Claims

1. A traffic information warning system for conveying a message regarding a traffic situation from a traffic advisory site, the system comprising a transmitter adapted for placement at the advisory site and a receiver, wherein:

the transmitter includes an oscillator for transmitting a first carrier signal and a second carrier signal, the first carrier signal having a first carrier frequency and the second carrier signal having a second carrier frequency, a modulator for modulating the first carrier signal with a modulating signal reflective of a traffic situation, the second carrier signal comprising an unmodulated signal, the first carrier frequency and the second carrier frequency being spaced apart by a predetermined frequency difference; and

the receiver includes scanning circuitry for scanning across a predetermined frequency range to detect carrier signals separated by the predetermined frequency difference, a demodulator for retrieving a first retrieved modulating signal about the first carrier signal, means for comparing the first retrieved modulating signal to a series of acceptable stored traffic messages and for determining whether the first retrieved modulating signal matches one of the acceptable stored traffic messages, and means for announcing a message regarding the traffic situation.

2. The traffic information warning system of claim 1 wherein the announcing means includes an audible sound.

3. The traffic information warning system of claim 2 wherein the audible sound is a voice-synthesized message.

4. The traffic information warning system of claim 1 wherein the announcing means includes a visible display.

5. The traffic information warning system of claim 1 wherein the announcing means does not announce a message regarding the traffic situation when the first retrieved modulating signal does not match one of the stored traffic messages and does announce a message regarding the traffic situation where the first retrieved modulating signal matches one of the stored traffic messages.

6. The traffic information warning system of claim 1 wherein the traffic advisory site comprises an emergency vehicle.

7. The traffic information warning system of claim 1 wherein the traffic advisory site comprises a roadside hazard.

8. The traffic information warning system of claim 1 wherein toggle means are provided to toggle the first oscillator and second oscillator on and off, so that when the first oscillator is on the second oscillator is off and when the second oscillator is on the first oscillator is off.

9. A traffic information warning system for conveying a message regarding a traffic situation from a traffic advisory site, the system comprising a transmitter adapted for placement at the advisory site, the system comprising a transmitter adapted for placement at the advisory site and a receiver, wherein:

the transmitter includes a first oscillator for transmitting a first carrier signal and a second oscillator for transmitting a second carrier signal, the first carrier signal having a first predetermined carrier frequency and the second carrier signal having a second predetermined carrier frequency, the first and second carrier frequency separated by a predetermined frequency difference, a modulator for modulating the first carrier signal with a modulating signal reflective of a traffic situation, the second carrier signal comprising an unmodulated signal; and

,

the receiver includes scanning circuitry for scanning across a predetermined frequency range to detect carrier signals separated by the predetermined frequency difference, and a demodulator for retrieving a first retrieved modulating signal about the first carrier signal at the first predetermined carrier frequency, means for comparing the first retrieved modulating signal to a series of acceptable stored traffic messages and for determining whether the first retrieved modulating signal matches one of the acceptable stored traffic messages, and means for announcing a message regarding the traffic situation.

10. The traffic information warning system of claim 9 wherein the announcing means includes an audible sound.

11. The traffic information warning system of claim 10 wherein the audible sound is a voice-synthesized message.

12. The traffic information warning system of claim 9 wherein the announcing means includes a visible display.

13. The traffic information warning system of claim 9 wherein the announcing means does not announce a message regarding the traffic situation when the first retrieved modulating signal does not match one of the stored traffic messages and does announce a message regarding the traffic situation when the first retrieved modulating signal matches one of the stored traffic messages.

14. The traffic information warning system of claim 9 wherein the traffic advisory site comprises an emergency vehicle.

15. The traffic information warning system of claim 9 wherein the traffic advisory site comprises a roadside hazard.

16. The traffic information warning system of claim 9 wherein toggle means are provided to toggle the first oscillator and second oscillator on and off, so that when the first oscillator is on the second oscillator is off and when the second oscillator is on the first oscillator is off.

17. A traffic information warning system for conveying first and second messages regarding a traffic situation from a traffic advisory site, the system comprising a transmitter adapted for placement at the advisory site and a receiver wherein:

the transmitter includes a first oscillator for transmitting a first carrier signal and a second carrier signal, the first carrier signal having a first discrete carrier frequency and the second carrier signal having a second discrete carrier frequency, the first and second discrete carrier signal frequencies being located at a frequency location and the first message of a traffic situation being reflective of the specific frequency locations of the first and second discrete frequencies, a modulator for modulating the first carrier signal with a modulating signal reflective of the second message regarding a traffic situation, the second carrier signal comprising an unmodulated signal; and

,

the receiver includes scanning circuitry for scanning across a predetermined frequency range to detect first and second carrier signals, means responsive to the detecting means for determining the first message regarding traffic situation, a demodulator for retrieving a first retrieved modulating signal about the first carrier signal, and means for announcing the first and second messages regarding the traffic situation.

18. The traffic information warning system of claim 17 wherein the announcing means includes an audible sound.

19. The traffic information warning system of claim 18 wherein the audible sound is a voice-synthesized message.

20. The traffic information warning system of claim 17 wherein the announcing means includes a visible display.