System for assisting drivers to negotiate intersections

• US 6,396,417 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Jin-Dong
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/751,298
• Publication Number:
  US 20010050620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 340/904,907,909,936,991,929,915,988
• US Class Current: 340/904
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for assisting drivers to negotiate intersections comprising a wireless unit, which is mounted in a vehicle, for performing a wireless transmission and reception of various signals, and displaying various symbols to aid the driver in passing through an intersection; a bi-directional base station for receiving vehicle position signals from the wireless unit, then re-transmitting the vehicle position signals; a traffic light unit provided at an intersection or crosswalk, the traffic light unit displaying lights and signals; and an information service management center for receiving signals from the traffic light unit to determine an illumination state of the same, and transmitting the signals from the traffic light unit to the base station via a wire connection.

Claims

1. A system for assisting drivers negotiate intersections comprising:

a wireless unit, which is mounted in a vehicle, for performing a wireless transmission and reception of various signals, and displaying various symbols to aid the driver in passing through an intersection;

a bi-directional base station for receiving vehicle position signals from the wireless unit, then re-transmitting the vehicle position signals;

a traffic light unit provided at an intersection or crosswalk, the traffic light unit displaying lights and signals; and

an information service management center for receiving signals from the traffic light unit to determine an illumination state of the same, and transmitting the signals from the traffic light unit to the base station via a wire connection.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless unit comprises:

a ground positioning system (GPS) for detecting the vehicle position and transmitting the vehicle position signals;

a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a present speed of the vehicle and outputting corresponding signals;

a controller for receiving the vehicle speed signals output by the vehicle speed sensor, and receiving traffic signal information of the traffic light unit transmitted from the base station after passing through the information service management center, the traffic signal information including a present illumination state of the traffic light unit, a light change sequence, and a duration of illumination, after which the controller determines a distance to the intersection and an optimum symbol to aid the driver; and

a display unit for displaying various symbols to aid the driver in passing through the intersection.