Warning alert system and method for pedestrians

• US 7,486,204 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mel Francis P. Quintos
• Original Assignee: Mel Francis P. Quintos
• Inventors: Quintos, Mel Francis P.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US11/714,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20070152847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 340/936, 340/933, 340/467, 340/479, 340/426.11, 340/917, 340/905, 340/906, 340/944, 340/925, 701/70, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/936
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

A speed control system employing a remote control system in which a vehicle is provided with a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device capable of receiving a signal to immediately stop the vehicle when the remote control system has detected the presence of a pedestrian at a location, like a crosswalk, and the presence of the approaching vehicle. When a detector detects the presence of a pedestrian at a location, like a crosswalk, the remote control system is placed on stand-by status so that when the remote control system further receives a signal of the presence of an approaching vehicle, either due to a vehicle driving over a road safety bar or the vehicle being detected by an infrared detector, the remote control system transmits a signal to a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device to disable the vehicle by either shutting down its vehicle engine and/or activating its brake system. The vehicle is thus stopped prior to reaching the crosswalk; thereby, allowing the pedestrian to safely traverse the crosswalk.

Claims

1. A warning alert system for pedestrians, comprising:

a remote control system capable of receiving and transmitting signals;

a first detector placed across a road for transmitting a signal to the remote control system and for informing the remote control system of the presence of a vehicle;

a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle for receiving command signal from the remote control system for at least one of disabling the engine of the vehicle and activating the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling; and

a second detector for detecting the presence of a pedestrian near or at a crosswalk, wherein the second detector, upon detection of the pedestrian, transmits a signal to the remote control system,

wherein the second detector is a push-button type, which can be operated by a pedestrian, and

wherein the push-button type second detector is physically pressed by the pedestrian and transmits a signal to the remote control system to activate the remote control system.

2. The warning alert system for pedestrians as set forth in claim 1, wherein the remote control system is placed on stand-by mode upon receipt of the signal from the second detector.

3. The warning alert system for pedestrians as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first detector is an infra-red sensor for detecting the presence of the vehicle, and upon a detection of the vehicle, transmits a signal to the remote control system, and the remote control system then detects the presence of the vehicle and sends a signal to the vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.

4. The warning alert system for pedestrians as set forth in claim 1, wherein the second detector is an infrared sensor, which detects the presence of a pedestrian and sends a signal to the remote control system upon the detection thereof of the pedestrian.

8. The warning alert system for pedestrians as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first detector is a safety bar extending along the road, the safety bar being operably coupled to the remote control system, and wherein the safety bar is a 2-piece foldable hinge-like plate, one piece being fastened to the road, while the other piece being moved at an upstanding position when the remote control system receives the signal from the first detector due to the detection of the presence of the pedestrian.

9. The warning alert system for pedestrians as set forth in claim 8, wherein the other piece of the 2-piece foldable hinge-like plate that is at an upstanding position is pushed by the tires of the vehicle resulting in the transmitting of the signal to the remote control system indicating the presence of the vehicle.

5. A warning alert method for pedestrians, comprising the steps of:

detecting the presence of a vehicle by a remote control system; and

thereafter, having the remote control system send a signal to a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling,

wherein the pedestrian physically presses a push-button type detector to signify his presence to the remote control system, and wherein the push-button type detector transmits a signal to the remote control system to activate the remote control system.

6. The warning alert method for pedestrians as set forth in claim 5, further comprising the steps of detecting the presence of a pedestrian by the remote control system and thereafter, transmitting a signal to the remote control system.

7. The warning alert method for pedestrians as set forth in claim 6, wherein upon the receipts by the remote control system of signals signifying the presence of the pedestrian and the vehicle, the remote control system transmits the signal to the vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.