Methods and systems for alerting persons of obstacles or approaching hazards

• US 8,633,814 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Smith, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US13/725,160
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106593A1
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.21, 340/539.23, 340/384.4, 340/7.57, 340/7.58, 340/7.6, 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.49, 704/270, 704/271, 704/274, 704/275
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/30 Network data restoration; Network data reliability; Network data fault tolerance

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for alerting persons of obstacles and/or approaching hazards are provided. Embodiments may include a warning system that includes a radio source configured to transmit a radio signal and a warning device. The warning device may include at least one vibration device, at least two receiver devices configured to receive the radio signal, and a processing device operably coupled to at least two receiver devices and at least one vibration device, wherein the processing device is configured to determine at least a direction and a distance to the radio source from the warning device and configured to transmit a vibration signal to at least one vibration device based upon the determined direction and distance to the radio source from the warning device.

Claims

1. A method of warning, comprising:

transmitting at least one radio signal from at least one radio source;

receiving at least one radio signal by at least one warning device having at least one vibration device, at least two receiver devices, and a processing device;

determining at least a direction and a distance to at least one radio source from at least one warning device, wherein the direction is based at least in part on the relative signal strength of the radio signal detected by the two receiver devices;

producing at least one vibration signal based upon the determined direction and distance to at least one radio source from at least one warning device;

sending at least one vibration signal to at least one vibration device; and

vibrating at least one vibration device based upon at least one vibration signal.

2. The method of warning of claim 1, wherein determining at least a distance comprises determining the amplitude of signals received by receiver devices.

3. The method of warning of claim 1, wherein determining a direction comprises determining the strength of signals received by receiver devices.

4. The method of warning of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one radio signal comprises receiving at least one radio signal by a first receiver device having a corresponding first vibration device and a second receiver device having a corresponding second vibration device.

5. The method of warning of claim 4, wherein vibrating at least one vibration device comprises vibrating the first vibration device at a first intensity based upon a first vibration signal from the processing device and vibrating the second vibration device at a second intensity based upon a second vibration signal from the processing device.

6. The method of warning of claim 5, wherein the first intensity is configured to be greater than the second intensity when the first receiver device is a shorter distance away from the radio source than the second receiver device.

7. The method of warning of claim 1, further comprising selecting at least one vibration device to receive a vibration signal based at least partially upon the determined direction to at least one radio source from the warning device.

8. A method of warning, comprising:

transmitting at least one radio signal from at least one radio source;

receiving at least one radio signal by at least one warning device having a processing device, a first receiver device having a corresponding first vibration device and a second receiver device having a corresponding second vibration device;

determining at least a direction and a distance to at least one radio source from at least one warning device;

producing at least one vibration signal based upon the determined direction and distance to at least one radio source from at least one warning device;

sending at least one vibration signal to at least one vibration device;

vibrating the first vibration device at a first intensity based upon a first vibration signal from the processing device; and

vibrating the second vibration device at a second intensity based upon a second vibration signal from the processing device.

9. The method of warning of claim 8, wherein the first intensity is configured to be greater than the second intensity when the first receiver device is a shorter distance away from the radio source than the second receiver device.