Traffic preemption system and related methods

• US 8,339,280 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2011
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tomar Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tomar Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Sikora, Scott T., Worthy, David Gerard, Geiger, Timothy A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl
• Application Number:
  US13/291,892
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 340/902, 340/904, 340/905, 340/906, 340/907, 340/933
• US Class Current: 340/906
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle

Abstract

A traffic preemption system and related methods. Implementations may include a vehicle preemption unit mounted to a vehicle including an optical transmitter adapted to identify to an intersection preemption unit coupled with an intersection system controller the presence of the vehicle. The vehicle preemption unit may include a vehicle radio transceiver and the optical transmitter and the vehicle radio transceiver may be coupled with a vehicle controller. The intersection preemption unit may include an optical receiver and an intersection radio transceiver. The optical receiver and the intersection radio transceiver may each be coupled with an intersection controller. The intersection preemption unit may be adapted to change a traffic light in favor of the vehicle to which the vehicle preemption unit is mounted in response to an optical signal, a radio signal, or a combination of optical and radio signals from the vehicle preemption unit.

Claims

1. A traffic preemption system comprising:

a vehicle preemption unit configured to mount to a vehicle, the vehicle preemption unit comprising an optical transmitter;

an intersection preemption unit coupled to an intersection system controller, the intersection preemption unit configured to receive an identification of a presence of a vehicle from the optical transmitter and a signal indicating a status of the vehicle and change a traffic light in favor of the vehicle to which the vehicle preemption unit is mounted in response to the signal indicating the status of the vehicle received from the vehicle preemption unit;

a vehicle radio transceiver configured to communicate with the intersection preemption unit; and

a vehicle controller coupled to the optical transmitter and the vehicle radio receiver, the vehicle controller configured to generate a vehicle identifying characteristic unique to the vehicle, the vehicle identifying characteristic having a time delay unique to the vehicle, the time delay included in the signal received from the vehicle preemption unit.

2. The traffic preemption system of claim 1, wherein the intersection preemption unit further comprises a head mounted to a traffic light support fixture.

3. The traffic preemption system of claim 2, wherein the head comprises an optical receiver and an intersection radio transceiver.

4. The traffic preemption system of claim 2, wherein the head is coupled to the intersection system controller via a wireless relay.

5. The traffic preemption system of claim 1, wherein the signal received by the intersection preemption unit from the vehicle preemption unit is an optical signal.

6. The traffic preemption system of claim 1, wherein the signal received by the intersection preemption unit from the vehicle preemption unit is a radio signal.

7. The traffic preemption system of claim 1, wherein the signal received by the intersection preemption unit from the vehicle preemption unit is a combination of optical and radio signals.

8. A traffic preemption system comprising:

a vehicle preemption unit configured to mount to a vehicle, the vehicle preemption unit comprising an optical transmitter;

a first intersection preemption unit coupled to a first intersection system controller, the first intersection preemption unit configured to receive an identification of a presence of a vehicle from the optical transmitter and a signal indicating a status of the vehicle and change a first traffic light at a first intersection in favor of a vehicle to which the vehicle preemption unit is mounted;

a second intersection preemption unit coupled to a second intersection system controller, the second intersection preemption unit configured to receive a signal transmitted by the first intersection preemption unit in response to the first intersection preemption unit receiving the signal indicating the status of the vehicle, the second intersection preemption unit configured to change a second traffic light at a second intersection in favor of the vehicle to which the vehicle preemption unit is mounted.

9. The traffic preemption system of claim 8, wherein the signal transmitted by the first intersection preemption unit to the second intersection preemption unit is a radio signal.

10. The traffic preemption system of claim 8, wherein the second intersection preemption unit is located around a corner from the first intersection preemption unit.

11. The traffic preemption system of claim 8, wherein the signal indicating the status of the vehicle is generated in response to engaging a turn signal of the vehicle.

12. The traffic preemption system of claim 8, wherein the signal indicating the status of the vehicle is generated in response to a change in a speed at which the vehicle is traveling.

13. The traffic preemption system of claim 8, wherein the signal indicating the status of the vehicle is generated in response to information received from a wheel rotation sensor.

14. The traffic preemption system of claim 8, wherein the signal indicating the status of the vehicle is generated in response to information received from a brake sensor.

15. A method of assembling a traffic preemption system, the method comprising:

configuring a first intersection preemption unit to receive an identification of a presence of a vehicle from an optical transmitter and a signal indicating a status of a vehicle and change a first traffic light at a first intersection in favor of the vehicle;

configuring a vehicle preemption unit comprising an optical transmitter to mount to a vehicle;

coupling the first intersection preemption unit to a first intersection system controller;

configuring a second intersection preemption unit to receive a signal transmitted by the first intersection preemption unit in response to the first intersection preemption unit receiving the signal indicating the status of the vehicle and to change a second traffic light at a second intersection in favor of the vehicle; and

coupling the second intersection preemption unit to a second system intersection controller.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising configuring the first intersection preemption unit to transmit a radio signal to the second intersection preemption unit.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second intersection preemption unit is configured to be located around a corner from the first intersection preemption unit.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the signal indicating the status of the vehicle is generated in response to engaging a turn signal of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the signal indicating the status of the vehicle is generated in response to a change in a speed at which the vehicle is traveling.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the signal indicating the status of the vehicle is generated in response to information received from a wheel rotation sensor.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the signal indicating the status of the vehicle is generated in response to information received from a brake sensor.