Method and system for improved traffic signage

• US 9,041,554 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2014
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guesswhat LLC
• Original Assignee: Guesswhat LLC
• Inventors: Serex, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US14/153,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20140309810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/001 Electric control of rotation speed
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

An improved traffic sign is discussed. The traffic sign includes road reflectors, which reflect available light towards a driver indicating road lane divisions. A sensor module coupled with a vehicle can convert the reflected light to a binary word. The sensor module can further convert the binary word into traffic information, wherein a vehicle-mounted display displays information selected from received traffic information based on priority, time of receipt, and relevance. The improved traffic sign can also include an RFID tag configured to transmit traffic information to a vehicle-mounted receiver.

Claims

1. A traffic sign, comprising:

a reflector,

wherein the reflector is configured to reflect non-visible light projected by a vehicle-mounted non-visible light source,

wherein the reflector includes a one or more polarized regions, the one or more polarized regions are polarized in different manners,

wherein the non-visible light reflected by the reflector is detected by a vehicle-mounted sensor.

2. The traffic sign of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-mounted sensor includes a light detector.

3. The traffic sign of claim 1, wherein the traffic sign is coupled to a portable traffic cone.

4. The traffic sign of claim 1, wherein the one or more polarized regions are either active or inactive.

5. The traffic sign of claim 3, wherein the vehicle-mounted sensor converts reflection of the non-visible light to a binary word.

6. The traffic sign of claim 5, wherein the binary word is converted into traffic information.

7. The traffic sign of claim 6, further comprising:

the traffic information is fed to an on-board navigation system in a vehicle.

8. The traffic sign of claim 6, further comprising:

a visible portion conveying the traffic information visible to a driver of the vehicle.

9. A method, comprising:

reflecting, by a reflector coupled to a traffic sign, non-visible light that is projected by a non-visible light source mounted on a vehicle, wherein the reflector includes a one or more polarized regions, the one or more polarized regions are polarized in different manners,

wherein the non-visible light reflected by the reflector is detected by a vehicle-mounted sensor and converted into traffic information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle-mounted sensor includes a light detector.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the non-visible light source locates inside a headlight of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more polarized regions are either active or inactive.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle-mounted sensor converts reflection of the non-visible light to a binary word.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the binary word is converted into traffic information.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a vehicle-mounted display displays the traffic information.

16. A system, comprising:

a non-visible light source coupled to a vehicle, projects non-visible light, wherein the non-visible light is reflected by a reflector;

a sensor module coupled to the vehicle, includes a light detector, logic circuits and a look-up table,

wherein the light detector detects reflection of the non-visible light by the reflector,

wherein the logic circuits convert the reflection of the non-visible light into a binary word,

wherein the sensor module uses the look-up table to convert the binary word into traffic information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the sensor module is coupled to an on-board computer of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the reflector reflects the non-visible light polarized to a specific angle.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the light detector detects the non-visible light of various polarization angles.

20. A method, comprising:

projecting, by a vehicle-mounted non-visible light source, a non-visible light towards a reflector;

detecting, by a non-visible light detector, the non-visible light reflected by the reflector, wherein the non-visible light detector is coupled with a vehicle-mounted sensor;

converting, by the vehicle-mounted sensor, reflection of the non-visible light into a binary word; and

converting, by the vehicle-mounted sensor, the binary word into traffic information.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the vehicle-mounted non-visible light source locates inside a headlight of a vehicle.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein a vehicle-mounted display displays the traffic information.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the vehicle-mounted sensor is coupled to an on-board computer of the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the reflector reflects the non-visible light polarized to a specific angle.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the traffic information comprises a speed limit associated with a portion of road.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the vehicle-mounted non-visible light source locates inside a headlight of a vehicle.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the vehicle-mounted sensor is coupled to an on-board computer of the vehicle.

26. A method, comprising:

projecting, by a vehicle-mounted non-visible light source, a non-visible light;

reflecting, by a reflector coupled to a traffic sign, the non-visible light, wherein the reflector includes one or more polarized regions, the one or more polarized regions are polarized in different manners;

detecting, by a non-visible light detector, the non-visible light reflected by the reflector, wherein the non-visible light detector is coupled with a vehicle-mounted sensor;

converting, by the vehicle-mounted sensor, reflection of the non-visible light into a binary word; and

converting, by the vehicle-mounted sensor, the binary word into traffic information.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein a vehicle-mounted display displays the traffic information.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the reflector reflects the non-visible light polarized to a specific angle.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensor module for detecting non-visible light reflected from a polarized road reflector,

wherein the polarization of the road reflector conveys traffic information,

wherein the sensor module converts reflection of the non-visible light into a binary word,

wherein the binary word is converted to the traffic information by the sensor module via a look-up table,

wherein the traffic information is associated with a priority; and

a display for communicating with the sensor module, wherein the display displays information selected from received traffic information based on the priority.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the traffic information is a speed limit associated with a portion of road.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the traffic information is removed from the display after at least one of:

passage of a specified period of time, passage of a specified distance by the sensor, or receipt of a higher priority traffic information.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the sensor module is mounted to a chassis of a vehicle.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising a non-visible light source for projecting the non-visible light.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the sensor module, the display and the non-visible light source are powered by a battery.

37. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensor module for detecting non-visible light reflected from a polarized road reflector,

wherein the sensor module is coupled to a vehicle,

wherein the polarization of the road reflector conveys traffic information,

wherein the sensor module converts reflection of the non-visible light into a binary word,

wherein the binary word is converted to the traffic information by the sensor module via a look-up table,

wherein the traffic information is associated with a priority;

an RFID transceiver module coupled to the vehicle, configured to;

transmit a request signal to a proximate RFID tag, the request including a vehicle identifier or vehicle class identifier of the vehicle;

receive a data structure including the traffic information, the priority information, and complementary information from the RFID tag; and

a display mounted on the vehicle for communicating with the sensor module and the RFID transceiver module, wherein the display displays information selected from received traffic information based on the priority.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the traffic information is a speed limit associated with a portion of road.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the traffic information is removed from the display after at least one of:

passage of a specified period of time, passage of a specified distance by the sensor, or receipt of a higher priority traffic information.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the sensor module is mounted to a chassis of the vehicle.

41. The apparatus of claim 40, further comprising a non-visible light source for projecting the non-visible light.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the sensor module, the display and the non-visible light source are powered by a battery.

43. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising:

an engine governor that prevents the vehicle from exceeding the speed limit associated with the portion of the road.

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the engine governor is activated by a particular ignition key for the vehicle.