Safety zone detection, enforcement and alarm system and related methods

• US 9,047,781 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Geter, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US13/484,995
• Publication Number:
  US 20120306664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/901, 340/903, 342/70
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A system for alerting a user in a safety zone adjacent a stationary vehicle includes one or more sensors configured to generate a sensor signal in response to a detected location and/or trajectory of a moving vehicle in an encroachment zone and/or the safety zone. The encroachment zone is a region adjacent the safety zone in which vehicles are at risk of entering the safety zone. A control unit is configured to receive the signal from the one or more sensors and to determine, responsive to the sensor signals, a likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone. The control unit is further configured to generate a trigger signal if the likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone is greater than a predetermined threshold. An alarm unit is configured to receive the trigger signal from the control unit and to automatically trigger an alarm protocol when the trigger signal is received to alert the user in the safety zone.

Claims

1. A system for alerting a user in a safety zone adjacent a stationary vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to generate a sensor signal in response to a detected location and/or trajectory of a moving vehicle in an encroachment zone and/or the safety zone, wherein the encroachment zone is a region adjacent the safety zone in which vehicles are at risk of entering the safety zone;

a control unit configured to receive the signal from the one or more sensors and to determine, responsive to the sensor signals, a likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate a trigger signal if the likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

an alarm unit configured to receive the trigger signal from the control unit and to automatically trigger an alarm protocol when the trigger signal is received to alert the user in the safety zone, wherein the sensors comprise at least two spaced-apart optical sensors, and the sensor signals comprise a velocity of the moving vehicle based on a time that the vehicle is detected by each of the two spaced-apart optical sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors are mounted on the stationary vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensors comprise a LIDAR sensor configured to track an object.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the alarm unit comprises an auditory and/or visual alarm.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the trigger signal comprises an alarm trigger and the control unit is further configured to determine, responsive to the sensor signals, whether the moving vehicle has entered the safety zone, and to generate an enforcement trigger signal when the moving vehicle has entered the safety zone.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising an enforcement unit configured to receive the enforcement trigger signal from the control unit and to automatically trigger an enforcement protocol when the enforcement trigger signal is received.

7. A system for alerting a user in a safety zone adjacent a stationary vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to generate a sensor signal in response to a detected location and/or trajectory of a moving vehicle in an encroachment zone and/or the safety zone, wherein the encroachment zone is a region adjacent the safety zone in which vehicles are at risk of entering the safety zone;

a control unit configured to receive the signal from the one or more sensors and to determine, responsive to the sensor signals, a likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate a trigger signal if the likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

an alarm unit configured to receive the trigger signal from the control unit and to automatically trigger an alarm protocol when the trigger signal is received to alert the user in the safety zone,

wherein the trigger signal comprises an alarm trigger and the control unit is further configured to determine, responsive to the sensor signals, whether the moving vehicle has entered the safety zone, and to generate an enforcement trigger signal when the moving vehicle has entered the safety zone,

the device further comprising an enforcement unit configured to receive the enforcement trigger signal from the control unit and to automatically trigger an enforcement protocol when the enforcement trigger signal is received,

wherein the enforcement unit is configured to record an identity of a vehicle when the enforcement protocol is triggered by the control unit.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the enforcement protocol comprises recording a video including a license plate of the moving vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the sensors comprise at least two spaced-apart optical sensors, and the sensor signal further comprises a velocity of the moving vehicle based on a time that the vehicle is detected by each of the two spaced-apart optical sensors.

10. A system for enforcing a safety zone adjacent a stationary vehicle, the system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to generate a sensor signal in response to a detected location and/or trajectory of a moving vehicle in an encroachment zone and/or the safety zone, wherein the encroachment zone is a region adjacent the safety zone in which vehicles are at risk of entering the safety zone;

a control unit configured to receive the signal from the one or more sensors and to determine, responsive to the sensor signals, whether the moving vehicle has entered the safety zone, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate a trigger signal when the moving vehicle has entered the safety zone; and

an enforcement unit configured to receive the trigger signal from the control unit and to automatically trigger an enforcement protocol when the trigger signal is received,

wherein the trigger signal comprises an enforcement trigger and the control unit is further configured to determine a likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone, wherein the control unit is further configured to generate an alarm trigger signal if the likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone is greater than a predetermined threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensors are mounted on the stationary vehicle.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensors comprise at least two spaced-apart optical sensors, and the sensor signal further comprises a velocity of the moving vehicle based on a time that the vehicle is detected by each of the two spaced-apart optical sensors.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising an alarm unit configured to receive the trigger signal from the control unit and to automatically trigger an alarm protocol when the trigger signal is received to alert the user in the safety zone.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the alarm unit is configured to visually and/or audibly alert a user.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensors comprise a LIDAR sensor configured to track an object.

16. A method for alerting a user in a safety zone adjacent a stationary vehicle, the method comprising:

generating a sensor signal from at least two spaced-apart optical sensors in response to a detected location and/or trajectory of a moving vehicle in an encroachment zone and/or the safety zone, wherein the encroachment zone is a region adjacent the safety zone in which vehicles are at risk of entering the safety zone;

receiving the sensor signal from the at least two spaced-apart optical sensors at a control unit;

determining a velocity of the moving vehicle based on a time that the vehicle is detected by each of the two spaced-apart optical sensors;

determining, responsive to the sensor signal, a likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone;

generating a trigger signal if the likelihood of the moving vehicle entering the safety zone is greater than a predetermined threshold; and

automatically triggering at least one of an alarm protocol and/or an enforcement protocol when the trigger signal is received by an alarm unit and/or an enforcement unit to alert the user in the safety zone and/or enforce the safety zone.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the trigger signal comprises an alarm trigger signal, the method further comprising:

determining, responsive to the sensor signals, whether the moving vehicle has entered the safety zone; and

generating an enforcement trigger signal when the moving vehicle has entered the safety zone.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving the enforcement trigger signal at an enforcement unit; and

automatically triggering an enforcement protocol when the enforcement trigger signal is received.