Portable traffic signaling system

• US 8,587,453 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2011
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey L. Cripps
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey L. Cripps
• Inventors: Cripps, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): DARAMOLA, ISRAEL O
• Application Number:
  US13/085,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 340/908, 340/908.1, 340/910, 701/532
• US Class Current: 340/908
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0955 transportable

Abstract

A portable traffic signaling system includes a plurality of portable traffic signals, each of the portable traffic signals having a plurality of traffic lights and a stand having legs that fold for transport and unfold for deployment. A short range wireless traffic signal transceiver that communicates bidirectionally via a short range wireless communication link. A traffic signal processing module controls the operation of the plurality of traffic lights to at least: a stop condition, and a go condition based on control data, such as control data received from a remote control device via the short range wireless communication link.

Claims

1. A portable traffic signaling system comprising:

a plurality of portable traffic signals, each of the portable traffic signals including;

a plurality of traffic lights;

a stand, coupled to the plurality of traffic lights, the stand having legs that fold for transport and unfold for deployment;

a short range wireless traffic signal transceiver that communicates bidirectionally via a short range wireless communication link;

a traffic signal memory;

a traffic signal processing module, coupled to the plurality of traffic lights, the short range wireless transceiver, and the memory, that controls the operation of the plurality of traffic lights, based on first control data, to at least;

a stop condition, and a go condition; and

at least one traffic sensor that generates passage data that indicates passage of a vehicle past a corresponding one of the plurality of portable traffic signals and wherein the corresponding one of the plurality of traffic signals includes an audible alarm device that is activated via alarm data and wherein the corresponding traffic signal processing module generates the alarm data to activate the audible alarm device when the passage data indicates the passage of the vehicle past the corresponding one of the plurality of portable traffic signals concurrently when the corresponding one of the plurality of portable traffic signals is in the stop condition; and

a remote control device that includes;

a remote control memory;

a remote control processing module, coupled to the memory, that generates second control data; and

a short range wireless remote control transceiver, coupled to the processing module, that transmits the second control data to the plurality of portable traffic signals via the short range wireless communication link;

wherein the first control data is generated by each traffic signal processor, based on the second control data.

2. The portable traffic system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of portable traffic signals includes:

a slave portable traffic signal, wherein the first control data for the slave portable traffic signal is generated based on third control data; and

a master portable traffic signal that generates third control data via its corresponding traffic signal processing module and sends the third control data to the slave portable traffic signal via the short range wireless communication link.

3. The portable traffic system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of portable traffic signals includes:

a side street traffic signal, wherein its corresponding plurality of traffic lights include at least one turn indicator.

4. The portable traffic system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one traffic sensor that generates traffic sensor data;

wherein first control data for one of the plurality of portable traffic signals includes the traffic sensor data generated via its corresponding at least one traffic sensor.

5. The portable traffic system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one traffic sensor that generates traffic sensor data;

wherein first control data for one of the plurality of traffic signals includes the traffic sensor data generated via another one of the plurality of portable traffic signals and received via the short range wireless communication link.

6. A portable traffic signaling system comprising:

a plurality of portable traffic signals, each of the portable traffic signals including;

a plurality of traffic lights;

a stand, coupled to the plurality of traffic lights, the stand having legs that fold for transport and unfold for deployment;

at least one traffic sensor that generates traffic sensor data wherein the at least traffic sensor includes a sensor generates passage data that indicates passage of a vehicle past a corresponding one of the plurality of portable traffic signals;

a short range wireless traffic signal transceiver that communicates bidirectionally via a short range wireless communication link;

a traffic signal memory; and

a traffic signal processing module, coupled to the plurality of traffic lights, the at least one traffic sensor, the short range wireless transceiver, and the memory, that controls the operation of the plurality of traffic lights, based on first control data, to at least;

a stop condition, and a go condition, and wherein the corresponding traffic signal processing module generates alarm data when the passage data indicates the passage of the vehicle past the corresponding one of the plurality of portable traffic signals concurrently when the corresponding one of the plurality of portable traffic signals is in the stop condition;

an audible alarm device that is activated via the alarm data; and

a remote control device that includes;

a remote control memory;

a remote control processing module, coupled to the memory, that generates second control data; and

a short range wireless remote control transceiver, coupled to the processing module, that transmits the second control data to the plurality of portable traffic signals via the short range wireless communication link;

wherein the first control data is generated by each traffic signal processor, based on the second control data.

7. The portable traffic system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of portable traffic signals includes:

a slave portable traffic signal, wherein the first control data for the slave portable traffic signal is generated based on third control data; and

a master portable traffic signal that generates third control data via its corresponding traffic signal processing module and sends the third control data to the slave portable traffic signal via the short range wireless communication link.

8. The portable traffic system of claim 6 wherein the plurality of portable traffic signals includes:

a side street traffic signal, wherein its corresponding plurality of traffic lights include at least one turn indicator.

9. The portable traffic system of claim 6 wherein first control data for one of the plurality of portable traffic signals includes the traffic sensor data generated via its corresponding at least one traffic sensor.

10. The portable traffic system of claim 6 wherein first control data for one of the plurality of traffic signals includes the traffic sensor data generated via another one of the plurality of portable traffic signals and received via the short range wireless communication link.