Emergency vehicle warning system

• US 7,061,402 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2004
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Lawson
• Original Assignee: Robert Lawson
• Inventors: Lawson, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US10/945,187
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 340/988, 340/902, 340/901, 340/903, 340/989, 701/301, 701/302
• US Class Current: 340/988
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle

Abstract

An emergency vehicle warning system comprising a transmitter unit positioned within an emergency vehicle, and a receiver unit positioned within a passenger vehicle, wherein upon receipt of a radio frequency activation signal from the transmitter unit, an electronic chime within the receiver unit emits an audible alert, and thereby warns the driver of the passenger vehicle of the approaching emergency vehicle. The receiver unit additionally displays the relative position of the emergency vehicle upon a display panel. The receiver unit is additionally activated by sound waves associated with the siren of the emergency vehicle. The warning system alerts the driver to the approaching emergency vehicle before hearing the siren of the emergency vehicle, and thereby provides enough time for the driver of the passenger vehicle to safely pull over to the side of the road in order to allow the emergency vehicle to pass.

Claims

1. An emergency vehicle locating system, for alerting a driver of an existing passenger vehicle of the approach and also the direction of approach of an existing emergency vehicle, said emergency vehicle having an ignition system, and having a siren which selectively emits sound waves, comprising:

a transmitter unit selectively mounted within the emergency vehicle, having;

a radio frequency (RF) activation signal generator which produces a radio frequency (RF) activation signal upon selective activation of the siren of the emergency vehicle;

a signal amplifier for increasing the amplitude if the signal produces by the RF activation signal generator prior to emission of the RF activation signal by the transmitter unit;

a receiver unit selectively mounted within the passenger vehicle, having;

an RF activation signal receive for receiving the radio frequency activation signal generated by the transmitter;

an audio activation signal receiver for receiving sound waves of a frequency characteristic of the siren of the emergency vehicle;

a display panel having an orientation display compass having a periphery and plurality of lights positioned at its periphery, said compass for providing a visual indication of the direction of the approach of the emergency vehicle;

an electronic chime which emits an audible alert upon selective receipt of either ran RF activation signal emitted by the transmitted unit or of sound waves emitted by the siren of the emergency vehicle;

a highly directional microphone which receives the sound waves emitted by the siren and by other sources, and directs the signal which arises from the sound waves to the audio activation signal receiver, which tunes and isolates the sound waves produced by the siren from other miscellaneously-derived audible signals;

a highly directional antenna which receives the RF activation signal emitted by the transmitter unit, and directs signal to the RF activation signal receiver, which tunes and isolates the signal from other miscellaneously-derived audible signals;

an activation button for selectively activating the receiver unit; and

wherein upon receipt of an RF activation signal originating from the RF activation signal generator of the transmitter unit, the RF activation signal receiver activates the orientation display compass of the display panel to visually indicate the direction of approach of the emergency vehicle by selectively illuminating only the light whose position upon the periphery corresponds to the position of the emergency vehicle, and wherein upon receipt of sound waves originating from the siren of the emergency vehicle, the audio activation signal receiver also activates the orientation display compass of the display panel to visually indicate the direction of approach of the emergency vehicle.

2. The emergency vehicle locating system as recited in claim 1, wherein the receiver unit has a timer in electrical communication with the electric chime, where in simultaneous with the activation of the orientation display compass of the display panel, the timer is activated, and causes the electronic chime to emit an audible alert at regular intervals, thereby providing an audible warning of the approach of the emergency vehicle, in addition to the visual alert provided by the orientation display compass of the display panel.

3. The emergency vehicle locating system as recited in claim 2, wherein the RF activation signal generator is selectively powered by the ignition system of the emergency vehicle.