Fully integrated light bar
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a light bar for mounting to a first responder vehicle, wherein the light bar includes in a single common housing, each of (1) a warning device for broadcasting at least one of visual and audio emergency signals to an area external to the first responder vehicle in response to an emergency condition, (2) at least two transceivers in wireless communication with one or more public safety networks, (3) at least one device connected to one or more of the at least two transceivers for transmitting information over at least one of the one or more public safety networks related to the emergency condition, and (4) a power source integrated into the light bar that comprises one or more of a fuel cell, a solar panel, and a battery, (5) a grounded shielding plane that reduces electromagnetic interference between the at least two transceivers and at least one other device included in the single common housing of the light bar, wherein the information includes information other than voice communications that inform a recipient of real time conditions of the first responder vehicle, its operator of the vehicle, and the ambient environment of the vehicle and the operator of the vehicle; and
a control device mounted in an interior of the first responder vehicle separate from the light bar and in communication with the at least two transceivers, wherein the control device controls operation of the warning device by the vehicle operator such that the warning device toggles between off and on conditions in response to operator input, wherein all of the on conditions of the warning device result in the warning device broadcasting warning or emergency signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An emergency system for a vehicle integrates many disparate equipment into single housing. In one embodiment of the invention, the emergency system is a light bar. The light bar houses various modules for monitoring and responding to events. Example modules include license plate recognition systems and chemical agent detection sensors. The light bar also houses at least one transceiver for wirelessly connecting the light bar to a wide area network, allowing the modules in the light bar to communicate data to and from a remote site. A data terminal in the vehicle is connected to the light bar and receives and displays data to the vehicle operate generated by the modules in the light bar and also from data received over the network.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a light bar for mounting to a first responder vehicle, wherein the light bar includes in a single common housing, each of (1) a warning device for broadcasting at least one of visual and audio emergency signals to an area external to the first responder vehicle in response to an emergency condition, (2) at least two transceivers in wireless communication with one or more public safety networks, (3) at least one device connected to one or more of the at least two transceivers for transmitting information over at least one of the one or more public safety networks related to the emergency condition, and (4) a power source integrated into the light bar that comprises one or more of a fuel cell, a solar panel, and a battery, (5) a grounded shielding plane that reduces electromagnetic interference between the at least two transceivers and at least one other device included in the single common housing of the light bar, wherein the information includes information other than voice communications that inform a recipient of real time conditions of the first responder vehicle, its operator of the vehicle, and the ambient environment of the vehicle and the operator of the vehicle; and a control device mounted in an interior of the first responder vehicle separate from the light bar and in communication with the at least two transceivers, wherein the control device controls operation of the warning device by the vehicle operator such that the warning device toggles between off and on conditions in response to operator input, wherein all of the on conditions of the warning device result in the warning device broadcasting warning or emergency signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A communications system comprising:
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a light bar in a single common housing for mounting to a first responder vehicle, the single common housing including each of;
(1) a warning device for broadcasting at least one of visual and audio emergency signals in response to an emergency condition, (2) at least two transceivers in wireless communication with one or more public safety networks, (3) at least one device connected to one or more of the at least two transceivers for transmitting information related to the emergency condition over at least one of the one or more public safety networks including information other than voice communications informing a recipient of substantially real-time information related to the emergency condition, and (4) a power source integrated into the light bar that comprises one or more of a fuel cell, a solar panel, and a battery, (5) a grounded shielding plane that reduces electromagnetic interference between the at least two transceivers and at least one other device included in the single common housing of the light bar; anda control device mounted in an interior of the first responder vehicle separate from the light bar and in communication with the at least two transceivers, wherein the control device controls operation of the warning device by a operator of the vehicle such that the warning device toggles between off and on conditions in response to vehicle operator input, wherein all of the on conditions of the warning device result in the warning device broadcasting warning or emergency signals; and a centralized management console separate from the light bar and attached to the one or more public safety networks that provides the recipient of the information transmitted from the light bar. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of retrofitting a vehicle with equipment for responding to an emergency in order to convert the vehicle to a first responder vehicle, the method comprising:
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providing a light bar comprising a single common housing containing the equipment that includes (1) a warning device for broadcasting from the vehicle at least one of visual and audio emergency signals in response to a detected emergency condition, (2) at least two transceivers, and (3) a source of power that comprises one or more of a fuel cell, a solar panel, and a battery for powering the warning device and the transceivers, and (4) a grounded shielding plane that reduces electromagnetic interference between the at least two transceivers and at least one other device included in the single common housing of the light bar; mounting the light bar to the vehicle; mounting a control device for the warning device in the first responder vehicle at a location different from a location at which the light bar is mounted; establishing a wireless communication between the control device and the light bar; establishing a connection between one or more of the at least two transceivers in the light bar and one or more community wide public safety networks, thereby enabling a user of the first responder vehicle to communicate to others connected to the one or more community wide public safety networks; and controlling by the control device the broadcasting of the at least one audio and visual emergency signals from the warning device such that the warning device switches between off and on conditions, wherein all of the on conditions of the warning device result in the warning device broadcasting warning or emergency signals. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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Specification