Vehicle proximity alarm system and method

• US 7,265,665 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2004
• Issued: 09/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RFAD Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RFAD Incorporated
• Inventors: Bergeron, Alain, Audet, Jacques, Bouchard, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US10/792,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20040217869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/990, 340/539.11, 340/991, 340/539.13, 340/988, 340/989
• US Class Current: 340/539.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/406 Power supply in the remote key
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of proximity detection based on transmitting at random intervals burst of a RF signal at a power level, and receiving, while not transmitting, a received RF signal. When detecting said received RF signal emitted by a target in range; an alarm signal is provided to warn of the proximity of the target. Another broad aspect of the invention is to deploy the above method among members of a territory and provide a monitoring patrol to verify if the proximity of those members can be detected from their RF signal. Another broad aspect of the invention is to provide to those members a plurality of status from which each member selects one corresponding to its current status and to transmit that status in the RF signal he is transmitting, thereby informing other members in range of his current status and enabling them to evaluate the potential danger associated with him.

Claims

1. A method of improving the safety of a group of members in a territory, the method comprising:

providing to each member a transmitter and a receiver to transmit and receive an RF signal such that each member can inform other members of its presence in a pre-determined range, and can be informed of the presence of other members by detecting the RF signal emitted by other members located in the range, the receiver further providing an alarm signal to warn of said presence;

observing the members in the territory and determining if the alarm signal has been provided for the observed members; and

when the alarm has not been provided, notifying the observed members of failure to receive the RF signal, therefore increasing the safety level of the group of members within the territory.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said increasing the safety level of the territory comprises reducing the risks of collisions between members in the territory by providing the alarm when members are in a range typically greater than twice the stopping distance of a member urged to stop.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said members comprise mobile vehicles.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said members comprise pedestrians.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said RF signal comprises an omni-directional RF signal.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said RF signal comprises an essentially continuous signal.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein transmit and receive a RF signal comprises transmitting at random intervals bursts of the RF signal and receiving while not transmitting, therefore transmit and receive alternately said RF signal in a pseudo-random pattern.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alarm signal comprises an audio signal.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said alarm signal comprises a visual signal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said observing and determining comprises having a member of said group patrolling the territory.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said member of said group patrolling said territory is only receiving said RF signal.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said observing and determining comprises detecting the movement of the members with a device, located on said territory, wherein said devices comprises a movement detector and the receiver to receive the RF signal.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said observing and determining comprises detecting the members with a device, located on said territory, wherein said device comprises a camera and the receiver to receive the RF signal.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said observing and determining further comprises determining if said observed members are moving with a speed within admissible limits.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said notifying comprises sending a RF alert signal that can be detected with said means to receive.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 further informing a member of the range of another member, by:

establishing the range by evaluating, after detecting, the RF signal emitted by said another member,

displaying the range value to said member.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said establishing the range by evaluating, after detecting, the RF signal emitted by said another member comprises:

detecting the power level of the RF signal emitted by said another member;

comparing said power level to a known value corresponding to the power level of said signal at the transmitter,

and establishing from said comparison the range separating members.

18. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said RF signal comprises a power identifying code that specifies at which power range the RF signal is transmitted.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further informing a member of the range of another member, by:

establishing the range by evaluating, after detecting, the power identifying code in the RF signal emitted by said another member,

displaying the range value to said member.

20. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said RF signal comprises an identifying code which identifies said members.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, further comprising identifying said members when in said range while receiving said RF signal emitted by said members.

22. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising traveling in said territory at a speed and attention level corresponding to being without concerns of having a collision with another member of said group and then, once informed of said presence of other member in said range by said alarm, reducing speed and increasing attention level.

23. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising imposing fines and enforcement rules to said member of failure to transmit.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein comprising expelling from said territory said member for failure to transmit.

25. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transmitting in said RF signal an information on the status of the member which is transmitting.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein transmitting said information on the status comprises choosing among a plurality of statuses having been predetermined.

27. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said information on the status comprises an alert signal indicating a danger status.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein said observing and determining further comprises localizing a member in danger with the help of receiving said alert signal.

29. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

observing the territory for detecting a presence of a target and monitoring a RF target signal transmitted by said target; and

determining if the alarm signal has been provided for the observed target.

30. The method as claimed in claim 29, further comprising notifying said target, in the case where it cannot be detected by another member in said range, of failure to transmit.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30, further comprising expelling said target from said territory for failure to transmit.

32. The method as claimed in claim 30, further comprising notifying members of the group of the presence of said target.

33. The method as claimed In claim 1 further comprising:

providing to at least one object located on said territory said means to transmit a RF signal such that said object is transmitting an object RF signal and said members can be informed of the presence of said at least one object in a pro-determined range while detecting said RF signal emitted by said at least one object.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein said object comprises a road signal indication.

35. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein said object RF signal emitted by said at least one object comprises an identification code which identifies said at least one object.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35 further comprising identifying said at least one object when in said range while receiving said RF signal emitted by said at least one object.

37. The method as claimed in claim 33 further comprising transmitting in said RF signal emitted by said at least one object an information status.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37, wherein said information status comprises an alert signal indicating a danger status.

39. The method as claimed in claim 33 further comprising:

verifying that said at least one object located on said territory is transmitting said object RF signal by monitoring said object RF signal, therefore assuring that said group of members can be informed of the presence of said object.