Emergency traffic signal device

• US 6,850,169 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2003
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Payam Manavi
• Original Assignee: Payam Manavi
• Inventors: Diba, Keyvan T., Manavi, Payam
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/440,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 340901-904, 340/906, 340/907, 340/929, 340/691.1, 340/691.6, 340/815.45, 340/815.47, 340/815.42, 455/227, 455/228
• US Class Current: 340/902
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096 provided with indicators in which a mark progresses showing the time elapsed, e.g. of green phase

Abstract

An emergency traffic signal device comprising a plurality of elongated display units that are affixed to the traffic signal around the three traffic lights thereon and comprise arrays of LEDs capable of displaying graphic directional instructions in the form of moving chevrons or arrows that indicate the need to move laterally to the side of the road in response to preemptive signals detected by a controller. The display units are mounted on channel-shaped bodies to be retrofitted to the signal, or are installed as original equipment on new signals, preferably in a continuous band around the traffic lights. Alternatively, message display panels, also responsive to the controller, are applied to one or both of the upper and lower sides of the traffic signal, and additional arrays of LEDs are provided in the positions of two of the traffic lights to emit standard color lights during normal operation and to display graphic directional symbols in response to emergency signals.

Claims

1. An emergency traffic signal device for use as a traffic signal to be actuated by a preemptive emergency signal from an approaching emergency vehicle, said device comprising:

a backing panel for said traffic signal having top, bottom and side edges and a plurality of traffic lights mounted in a row on said backing panel;

a plurality of elongated display elements mounted on said backing panel and extending along the edges thereof around said traffic lights, each of said display elements comprising at least one electro-optically responsive display unit operable when actuated to display a preselected graphic directional symbol for directing motorists approaching the traffic signal device;

and a controller for said display elements connected to the elements and responsive to said preemptive emergency signal to actuate the elements and produce said preselected directional symbols thereon.

2. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 1 wherein said elongated display elements comprise elongated attachment elements each having a channel-shaped body for filling over one of said edges and a front side portion for overlying the backing panel.

3. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 1 wherein said elongated display elements are mounted on said backing plate within channels formed in said plate around said traffic lights.

4. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 3 wherein said elongated display elements form a substantially continuous peripheral band around said backing panel.

5. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 1 wherein said elongated display elements surround said backing plate as a peripheral band.

6. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 1 wherein said elongated display elements further including at least one message display panel mounted on said backing panel and operable to display selected instructional messages.

7. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 6 wherein two such message display panels are mounted on opposite sides of said traffic lights.

8. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 1 further including at least one electro-optically responsive display panel for overlying one of said traffic lights and operable to limit colored traffic signal light during standard operation, and operable when actuated by said controller to display a preselected graphic display symbol.

9. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 1 wherein said electro-optically responsive display units are arrays of LEDs.

10. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 8 wherein said electro-optically responsive display panel is an array of LEDs.

11. An emergency traffic signal device for use on a traffic signal having traffic lights mounted on a backing panel with a front side having generally horizontal and vertical side edges, to be actuated by a preemptive emergency signal from an approaching emergency vehicle, said device comprising:

a set of elongated attachment elements mountable along the horizontal and vertical edges of the backing panel and each having a channel-shaped body for fitting over one of said edges and a front side portion for overlying the front side of the backing panel;

at least one electro-optically responsive display unit mounted on each of said attachment elements on said front side portion thereof and operable when actuated to display a preselected graphic directional symbol;

and a controller for said attachment elements connected to the elements and responsive to said preemptive emergency signal to actuate the elements and produce said preselected directional symbols thereon.

12. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 11 wherein said backing plate has upper, lower, and side edges and said set of attachment elements includes at least one element on each of said sides.

13. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 11 wherein said display units are arrays of LEDs capable of being actuated in preselected patterns to display the preselected graphic directional symbols.

14. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 13 wherein said symbols are selected from the group comprising chevrons and arrows.

15. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 11 wherein said backing panel is rectangular, having upper, lower and elongated side edges, and said set of attachment elements includes two elements on each elongated side edge and one element on each of said upper and lower edges.

16. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 11 wherein said backing panel is rectangular, having elongated upper and lower edges and shorter side edges, and said set of attachment elements includes two elements on each of the elongated upper and lower edges and one element on each of the shorter side edges.

17. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 11 wherein said controller is mountable on said backing panel and is connected by wires to the respective attachment elements.

18. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 11 further including at least one electro-optically responsive lamp mounted on one of said traffic lights and connected to said controller, said electro-optically responsive lamp being capable of providing a standard light during standard operation of the traffic signal and being capable of providing a preselected directional symbol in response to the preemptive emergency signal.

19. An emergency traffic signal device as defined in claim 18 wherein said preselected directional symbol is selected from the group comprising chevrons and arrows.

20. The method of controlling a traffic signal having a plurality of traffic lights arranged in a row on a backing panel top, bottom and side edges, in response to preemptive emergency signals for overriding normal operation of the traffic signal, the traffic signal being disposed at an intersection of roadways, comprising the steps of:

providing a set of elongated attachment elements for the traffic signal having electro-optically responsive display units that are operable when actuated to display a preselected graphic directional symbol for lateral movement;

affixing the attachment elements to the backing panel around the traffic lights along said edges;

and providing a controller for detecting the preemptive emergency signal, determining the direction from which the signals are approaching the controller, and actuating said display units to display the preselected graphic directional signal;

and actuating said display units through said controller to actuate said display units when lateral movement is appropriate.

21. The method as defined in claim 20 wherein the backing panel has top, bottom and side edges and the affixing step includes the positioning of at least one of the attachment elements along each of the edges.

22. The method as defined in claim 20 including the further step of providing at least one message display panel on said backing panel along one of said edges, and actuating said message display panel through said controller in response to the preemptive emergency signal.

23. The method as defined in claim 22 further including the steps of providing an electro-optically responsive display panel to serve as at least one of said traffic lights, and controlling said display panel through said controller to provide a second preselected graphic directional signal in response to the preemptive emergency symbol.

24. The method as defined in claim 20 including the further step of operating said controller to flash the display units while providing the directional symbols.

25. The method as defined in claim 23 wherein said second preselected graphic directional signal is selected from the group comprising chevrons and arrows.