System correlating the route of travel of an emergency vehicle with a railroad crossing

• US 6,243,027 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2000
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James L. Hill
• Original Assignee: James L. Hill
• Inventors: Hill, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US09/551,059
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 340/907, 340/910, 340/915, 340/933, 340/938, 340/988, 340/989, 340/993, 340/902, 340/905, 340/906, 340/433, 340/539, 701/117, 701/118, 701/202, 701/205
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A system for correlating the route of travel of an emergency vehicle with a railroad crossing by, when the crossing is blocked, sensing the presence of a train and communicating between the railroad crossing, police stations, fire stations, and an emergency vehicle dispatch center.

Claims

1. A system for dispatching an emergency vehicle including

(a) a dispatch center for receiving emergency calls requesting an emergency vehicle and including a receiver;

and,

(b) monitoring means at a railway crossing remote from said dispatch center and including

(i) sensor means for determining when a train is blocking the railway crossing, and

(ii) a transmitter for transmitting to said receiver a signal when the railway crossing is blocked.

2. A method for dispatching an emergency vehicle including the steps of

(a) providing

(i) a dispatch center for receiving emergency calls requesting an emergency vehicle and including a receiver, and

(ii) monitoring means at a railway crossing remote from said dispatch center and including

sensor means for determining when a train is blocking the railway crossing, and

a transmitter for transmitting to said receiver a signal when the railway crossing is blocked a transmitter for transmitting to said receiver a signal when the railway crossing is blocked, and

(iii) notification means attached to said receiver to notify, when said receiver receives said signal, the dispatch center that the railway crossing is blocked;

and,

(b) when the dispatch center receives a call requesting the dispatch of an emergency vehicle and said notification means indicates that the railway crossing is blocked, dispatching the emergency vehicle along a route of travel which avoids the blocked railway crossing.