Road safety communication system for increasing the road safety of pedestrians

• US 8,928,496 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2011
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Sthlin, Ulrich, Schrbler, Sighard, Eckert, Alfred, Rieth, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US13/809,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20130201036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 340/944, 340/10.1, 340/10.5, 340/3.2, 3405721-5729, 340/990, 340/995.1, 340/426.1, 340/426.26, 340446-447
• US Class Current: 340/944
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/00 Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/034 Portable transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A road safety communication device for protecting pedestrians in road traffic, which includes a transponder which is integrated into a shoe, wherein the supply of electrical power to the device is activated only in selected situations.

Claims

1. A road safety communication device for protecting pedestrians in road traffic, comprising:

a transponder integrated into a shoe, and

a sensor integrated into the shoe,

wherein;

a supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device is activated and the transponder transmits a signal in response to the transponder receiving an external trigger signal, and

the supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device is de-activated in response to the transponder not receiving the external trigger signal.

2. The road safety communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device is activated by a radio signal or an acceleration switch.

3. The road safety communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the road safety communication device comprises a microcontroller for processing data and an electronic memory for storing data.

4. The road safety communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the road safety communication device comprises a sensor for detecting dynamic shoe deformations.

5. The road safety communication device as claimed in claim 4, wherein when a dynamic deformation of the shoe is detected the road safety communication device is activated and transmits a signal.

6. The road safety communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein when activation occurs the road safety communication device transmits a random identification number for the purpose of differentiation from other road safety communication devices.

7. The road safety communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the road safety communication device transmits data only when the road safety communication device previously receives an external trigger signal.

8. The road safety communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the road safety communication device additionally transmits at least one of optical and acoustic signals, and the road safety communication device additionally comprises an avalanche beacon.

9. A safety risk analysis device for use in a motor vehicle for protecting pedestrians in road traffic, which communicates with a transponder,

wherein the safety risk analysis device transmits a signal for activating a supply of electrical power to a road safety communication device that includes a transponder and a sensor integrated into a shoe, and

wherein the transponder transmits a signal in response to the transponder receiving the activation signal, and the supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device is de-activated in response to the transponder not receiving the activation signal.

10. The safety risk analysis device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the safety risk analysis device transmits to the transponder of the road safety communication device a signal for requesting the transmission of data.

11. The safety risk analysis device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the safety risk analysis device evaluates the data transmitted by the road safety communication device and calculates a hazard scenario on the basis of the evaluation of the transmitted data.

12. The safety risk analysis device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the safety risk analysis device comprises a direction finding antenna for determining a position of the road safety communication device.

13. A method which is carried out in a road safety communication device for protecting pedestrians in road traffic, comprising a sensor and a transponder integrated into a shoe, the method including:

activating a supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device and transmitting a signal by the transponder in response to the transponder receiving an external trigger signal, and

de-activating the supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device in response to the transponder not receiving the external trigger signal,

wherein a walking pace of the pedestrian is determined on the basis of a frequency of periodically occurring shoe deformations.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the pedestrian'"'"'s mass is determined on the basis of an amplitude of the periodically occurring shoe deformations.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein a safety risk analysis device for use in a motor vehicle for protecting pedestrians in road traffic transmits the external trigger signal for activating the supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device,

wherein safety-relevant behavior of the pedestrian is estimated by the safety risk analysis device on the basis of at least one of a determined walking pace of the pedestrian, a mass of the pedestrian, a position of the pedestrian, a type show worn by the pedestrian, a size of the shoe worn by the pedestrian.

16. A road safety communication system comprising:

a road safety communication device for protecting pedestrians in road traffic, comprising a sensor and a transponder which is integrated into a shoe, wherein a supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device is activated and the transponder transmits a signal in response to the transponder receiving an external trigger signal, and the supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device is de-activated in response to the transponder not receiving the external trigger signal; and

a safety risk analysis device for use in a motor vehicle for protecting pedestrians in road traffic, which communicates with the transponder,

wherein the safety risk analysis device transmits the external signal for activating the supply of electrical power to the road safety communication device, and

wherein the road safety communication system determines a walking pace of the pedestrian on the basis of a frequency of periodically occurring shoe deformations.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein an ISM band at 868 MHz is used as a transmission frequency.