Emergency vehicle alert system and method

• US 9,053,637 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2013
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William E. Boyles
• Original Assignee: William E. Boyles
• Inventors: Boyles, William E., Mawbey, William T
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US14/063,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20150116133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 340/901, 340/902, 340/903, 340/905, 340/906, 340/988, 340/991, 340/436, 340/471, 340/473, 701/117, 701/301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/092 Coding or decoding of the information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered

Abstract

A broadcast notification system for providing alert notifications to vehicle drivers. The system recognizes the vehicle type that it has been installed. The system receives vehicle inputs and selects from memory an alert notification associated with a predetermined set of vehicle inputs. Alert messages correspond to vehicle collisions, roadside conditions, dispatch of emergency vehicles and the presence of other stopped roadside vehicles, such as tow trucks, maintenance and repair work vehicles and buses.

Claims

1. A broadcast notification system for providing alert messages to a plurality of vehicle drivers within an alert zone comprising:

a base transmitter unit, said base transmitter unit installed in a first vehicle and comprising;

a data input means for receiving data from a first vehicle having a plurality of installed devices, said data corresponding to the status of each installed device,

a non-volatile memory for storing a plurality of coded signals, each coded signal corresponding to an alert message and associated with a predetermined set of device status inputs profiles,

a data processor, for receiving status input data originating from the plurality of vehicle devices and for retrieving from memory a coded signal correspond to one of said predetermined set of status input profiles when the received inputs from devices match a profile,

a radio frequency transmitter associated with an antenna, for generating and transmitting the retrieved coded signal;

a plurality of transceiver units, each transceiver unit mounted in at least one second vehicle, and comprising;

a radio frequency receiver associated with an antenna for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the base transmitter unit

a non-volatile memory for storing a plurality of coded signals, each coded signal corresponding to an alert message,

a data processor for comparing the received coded signal and the stored coded signals and selecting from memory the corresponding alert message and audibly or visually reproducing the alert message within each second vehicle,

a radio frequency transmitter associated with an antenna for generating and retransmitting the received coded signal to other transceiver units within the transmission vicinity.

2. The broadcast notification system of claim 1 wherein the alert message is audible and reproduced with a transducer.

3. The broadcast notification system of claim 2 wherein the system is in communication with the vehicle'"'"'s data bus system to provide an audible message through the vehicle data bus to the vehicle entertainment system.

4. The broadcast notification system of claim 1 further comprising an audio mute circuit, wherein at least one vehicle device is an audio system and the data processor is in communication with the audio system, whereby the vehicle audio system is muted upon receipt of the coded signal for a time duration sufficient to play a voice simulation of the alert message and is un-muted upon completion of the alert message transmission.

5. The broadcast notification system of claim 1 wherein the alert message is visually reproduced with a plurality of LED indicators or an LED display.

6. The broadcast notification system of claim 1 further comprised of a global positioning satellite receiver, wherein location coordinates of the first vehicle are transmitted with the coded signal and presented to the at least one second vehicle.

7. The broadcast notification system of claim 6 wherein the alert message alerts motorist to the presence and directional location of a dispatched emergency response vehicles.

8. The broadcast notification system of claim 1 wherein the alert message relates to vehicle collisions, roadside conditions, dispatch of emergency vehicles or the presence of stopped roadside vehicles.

9. The broadcast notification system of claim 1 further comprising an accelerometer, wherein the base transmitter unit provides a coded signal corresponding to a crashed vehicles or roadside hazard when there is a sudden deceleration.

10. The broadcast notification system of claim 1 wherein the user can select at the time of system installation in the vehicle an input corresponding to the type of vehicle the system is installed, the system then provides alert messages based on the selected input.

11. The broadcast notification system of claim 1 wherein an alert message is automatically generated.

12. The broadcast notification system of claim 6 wherein the system provides for emergency vehicle location and direction data to motorists.

13. The broadcast notification system of claim 1 wherein an alert message recorded into memory upon entering a record mode.

15. The broadcast notification system of claim 5 wherein the LED illuminate indicator arrows to indicate the direction the transmission is received.

19. The broadcast notification system of claim 1, 16 or 18 wherein the alert message provide motorist approaching highway work zones an alert message to changes in the road and traffic conditions.

14. The broadcast notification system of 1 wherein the base unit further comprising an LED that is illuminated when the base unit is transmitting an encoded signal.

16. A broadcast notification system for providing alert messages to a plurality of vehicle drivers within an alert zone comprising:

a base transmitter unit, said base transmitter unit installed in a first vehicle and comprising;

a user input means,

a non-volatile memory for storing a plurality of coded signals, each coded signal corresponding to an alert message and associated with a predetermined user input,

a data processor, for receiving user inputs and for retrieving from memory a coded signal corresponding to one of said predetermined user input,

a radio frequency transmitter associated with an antenna, for generating and transmitting the coded signal retrieved from memory;

a plurality of transceiver units, each transceiver unit mounted in at least one second vehicle and comprising;

a radio frequency receiver associated with an antenna for receiving the coded signal transmitted from the base transmitter unit

a non-volatile memory for storing a plurality of coded signals, each coded signal corresponding to an alert message,

a data processor for comparing the received coded signal with signal stored in memory and selecting the corresponding alert message and audibly or visually reproducing the selected alert message within each second vehicle,

a radio frequency transmitter associated with an antenna for generating for retransmitting the received coded signal to other transceiver units within the transmission vicinity.

17. The broadcast notification system of claim 16 wherein each of said plurality of user selectable inputs corresponds with a on a unique radio frequency.

18. A broadcast notification system for providing alert messages to a plurality of vehicle drivers within an alert zone comprising:

a base transceiver unit associated with an antenna, said base transceiver unit installed in a first vehicle and comprising;

a data input means for receiving data from a first vehicle having a plurality of installed devices, said data corresponding to the status of each installed device,

a non-volatile memory for storing a plurality of coded signals, each coded signal corresponding to an alert message and associated with a predetermined set of status input profiles,

a data processor, for receiving status input data originating from the plurality of vehicle devices and for retrieving from memory a coded signal correspond to one of said predetermined set of status input profiles when the received inputs from devices match a profile, wherein the base transmitter receives the coded signal transmitted by adjacent vehicles and retransmitting said signal;

a plurality of remote transceiver units, each remote transceiver unit associated with an antenna and mounted in at least one second vehicle and comprising;

a data input means for receiving data transmitted from said first vehicle, a non-volatile memory for storing a plurality of coded signals, each coded signal corresponding to an alert message,

a data processor for comparing the received coded signal and selecting from memory the corresponding alert message and audibly or visually reproducing the alert message within each second vehicle,

receiving the coded signal transmitted from the base transceiver unit and generating and retransmitting the received coded signal to other transceiver units within the transmission vicinity.