Networked streetlight systems and related methods

• US 8,456,325 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tomar Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tomar Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Sikora, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US12/824,048
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 340/909, 340/917, 340/994
• US Class Current: 340/909
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/2401 by means of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle

Abstract

A networked streetlight system associated with a central control system having control over illumination settings for a plurality of luminaires within the networked system. Particular embodiments may be used specifically with emergency vehicles to guide the vehicles to emergency destinations through the combination of knowing the location of the vehicle and its destination, and having control over the networked luminaires, each having specific illumination settings controls. Examples of illumination settings include strobe, color and intensity.

Claims

1. A networked streetlight system comprising:

a plurality of luminaires each within a separate, remotely positioned streetlight housing;

a plurality of communications modules each positioned near a corresponding one of the plurality of luminaires, wherein each of the plurality of communications modules is configured to communicate with its corresponding one of the plurality of luminaires;

a central control system configured to communicate with each of the plurality of communications modules wherein the control system signals at least one of a plurality of communication modules coupled to a traffic light to effect at least one change in an illumination setting of the traffic light; and

a vehicle recognition system coupled with at least one of the plurality of luminaires, the vehicle recognition system configured to recognize a signal emitted from at least one vehicle proximate to the at least one of the plurality of luminaires and indicate to the communication module corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of luminaires that the at least one vehicle is proximate, the communication module further configured to communicate a presence of the recognized signal to the traffic light to effect the at least one change in the illumination setting of the traffic light.

2. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the change in a light color setting comprises a change to at least one of a plurality of colors.

3. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the communications module is coupled to the corresponding luminaire within the streetlight housing of the corresponding luminaire.

4. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the luminaire comprises at least one LED.

5. The networked street lighting system of claim 1, wherein the luminaire comprises one of an incandescent light, a fluorescent light, a high pressure sodium light, a metal halide light and a light emitting plasma light.

6. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein when the at least one of the plurality of communication modules signals to its corresponding one of the plurality of luminaires, it signals through a power line connection.

7. The networked street lighting system of claim 1, wherein the communication module comprises an antenna and is configured to signal the luminaire through a wireless connection.

8. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of communication modules further comprises a first plurality and a second plurality of communications modules, wherein each of the first plurality of communications modules is configured to relay a central control system signal from the central control system to at least one communication module from the second plurality of communication modules.

9. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the communication module is mounted on a traffic signal support.

10. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to signal a specific number of the plurality of luminaires to strobe along a street in a direction toward a selected location.

11. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of communications modules is further configured to send signals to the central control system.

12. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the central control system is further configured to communicate with a plurality of traffic lights comprising a plurality of traffic light communication modules each configured to send and receive signals to and from the central control system.

13. The networked streetlight system of claim 12, wherein the central control system is configured to receive a communication from the at least one of the plurality of traffic light communication modules and further configured to communicate with at least one of the plurality of communication modules to signal to at least one of the plurality of luminaires to alter at least one of three settings in response to the communication from the at least one of the plurality of traffic light communication modules.

14. The networked streetlight system of claim 12, wherein the central control system is configured to communicate with the plurality of traffic lights by sending a traffic preemption signal through the streetlight communication module to the traffic light communication module.

15. The networked streetlight system of claim 14, wherein the communication from the at least one of the plurality of traffic light communication modules is that the at least one of the plurality of traffic lights is not functioning properly.

16. The networked streetlight system of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the at least three settings on at least a selected quantity of the plurality of luminaires proximate to the at least one non functioning traffic light is changed to at least one of a plurality of colors.

17. The networked streetlight system of claim 15, wherein the change to at least one of a plurality of colors on the selected quantity of the plurality of luminaires is a visible signal that a traffic light is not functioning properly.

18. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of communication modules of the corresponding at least one of the plurality of luminaires is configured to transmit a signal to the central control system in response to the indication from the corresponding at least one of the plurality of luminaires, to indicate to the central control system that the recognized at least one vehicle is proximate to the at least one of the plurality of luminaires.

19. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle is recognized by the central control system from the indication received by the central control system as being different from all other vehicles.

20. The networked streetlight system of claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle is recognized by the central control system from the indication received by the corresponding communication module from the at least one vehicle is recognized by the central control system as a vehicle belonging to a specific class of vehicles.

21. A method of signaling and controlling a network of streetlights in relation to emergency vehicles, the method comprising:

initiating a first control signal from at least one central control system in response to receipt by the at least one central control system of an indication from a vehicle recognition system coupled with at least one luminaire of a plurality of luminaires, of a proximate position of at least one emergency vehicle, the first control signal indicating an illumination setting change for a first traffic light that is in networked communication with the plurality of luminaires;

receiving the signal at at least one of a plurality of communications modules each corresponding to at least one of a plurality of traffic lights, and responsively initiating a second signal from the at least one of the plurality of communications modules to at least a second traffic light of the plurality of traffic lights indicating the illumination setting change for the second traffic light;

receiving the second signal at the second traffic light and changing an illumination setting for the second traffic light in response to receiving the second signal, the illumination setting change comprising at least one of a change in an illumination pulse timing setting, and a change in a light color setting.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising recognizing when the at least one emergency vehicle is in proximity to at least a second luminaire, wherein initiating the first control signal for the at least one luminaire is in response to recognizing the proximity of an emergency vehicle to the at least the second luminaire.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein initiating the first control signal for the at least one luminaire in the plurality of luminaires in the network of streetlights comprises initiating the first control signal configured to sequentially alter the illumination setting change in at least two luminaires of the at least one luminaire to indicate to the emergency vehicle a direction in which to drive by following a visual indication of the illumination setting change through the at least two luminaires.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein initiating the first control signal for the at least one luminaire in the plurality of luminaires in the network of streetlights comprises initiating the first control signal configured to sequentially alter the illumination setting change in at least two luminaires of the at least one luminaire to indicate a direction by the sequence of the illumination setting change.

25. A method of signaling and controlling a network of traffic lights in relation to emergency vehicles, the method comprising:

providing a network of street lights each comprising a communication module in communication with at least one central control system, the central control system configured to transmit;

at least a first control signal to a communication module of the network of streetlights, the at least the first control signal indicating an illumination setting change for at least one luminaire in the network of streetlights; and

at least a second control signal to the communication module of the network of streetlights, the at least the second control signal indicating a traffic preemption sequence for a traffic light near the at least one luminaire in the network of streetlights;

wherein the central control system is further configured to receive an indication from a vehicle recognition system that is coupled to the at least one luminaire that at least one vehicle is proximate to the at least one luminaire in response to a recognition by the vehicle recognition system of a signal emitted by the at least one vehicle;

receiving the indication of the traffic preemption sequence for the traffic light through the street light communication module; and

initiating the preemption sequence in the traffic light in response to receiving the indication of the traffic preemption sequence.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising identifying when at least one emergency vehicle is in proximity to at least a second luminaire in the network of streetlights and initiating the at least the second signal from the central control signal indicating the traffic preemption sequence in response to identifying when the at least one emergency vehicle is in proximity to the at least the second luminaire.