Red light violator warning

• US 9,135,824 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yunex LLC (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Collar, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/192,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20150243170A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 340/933, 340/930, 340/937, 340/902, 340/905, 701/117, 701/118
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Embodiments include a method for providing a red light violator warning. The method includes detecting that a first vehicle is about to violate a red light at an intersection. Based on detecting that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection, the method includes broadcasting a warning message to all connected vehicles in proximity of the intersection of a pending red light violation and determining if the first vehicle is a connected vehicle. Based on determining that the first vehicle is a connected vehicle, the method further includes transmitting a notification message to the first vehicle warning of a pending red light violation.

Claims

1. A method for providing a red light violator warning, the method comprising:

detecting that a first vehicle is about to violate a red light at an intersection;

based on detecting that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection;

broadcasting a warning message to all connected vehicles in proximity of the intersection of a pending red light violation; and

determining if the first vehicle is a connected vehicle;

based on determining that the first vehicle is a connected vehicle, transmitting a notification message to the first vehicle warning of a pending red light violation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a connected vehicle is a vehicle that comprises wireless communications equipment capable of receiving messages from a roadside equipment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on determining that the first vehicle is not a connected vehicle and that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection, activating a warning indicator at the intersection.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the warning indicator a horn, a strobe light, or any other suitable device which is capable of alerting vehicles in proximity of the intersection of the pending red light violation.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on detecting that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection, activating a warning indicator at the intersection.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the warning indicator a horn, a strobe light, or any other suitable device which is capable of alerting vehicles in proximity of the intersection of the pending red light violation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification message instructs the first vehicle to take a warning action to warn vehicles in proximity of the intersection of the pending red light violation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the warning action includes at least one of the following:

flashing of the headlights of the first vehicle;

flashing of the turn lights of the first vehicle;

flashing of the brake lights of the first vehicle;

honking a horn of the first vehicle; and

activating the windshield wipers of the first vehicle.

9. A roadside equipment comprising:

a processor configured to operate a traffic signal for an intersection, the processor configured to perform a method comprising;

detecting that a first vehicle is about to violate a red light at the intersection;

based on detecting that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection;

broadcasting a warning message to all connected vehicles in proximity of the intersection of a pending red light violation; and

determining if the first vehicle is a connected vehicle;

based on determining that the first vehicle is a connected vehicle, transmitting a notification message to the first vehicle warning of a pending red light violation.

10. The roadside equipment of claim 9, wherein a connected vehicle is a vehicle that comprises wireless communications equipment capable of receiving messages from the roadside equipment.

11. The roadside equipment of claim 9, where the method performed by the processor further comprises:

based on determining that the first vehicle is not a connected vehicle and that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection, activating a warning indicator at the intersection.

12. The roadside equipment of claim 11, wherein the warning indicator a horn, a strobe light, or any other suitable device which is capable of alerting vehicles in proximity of the intersection of the pending red light violation.

13. The roadside equipment of claim 9, where the method performed by the processor further comprises:

based on detecting that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection, activating a warning indicator at the intersection.

14. The roadside equipment of claim 13, wherein the warning indicator a horn, a strobe light, or any other suitable device which is capable of alerting vehicles in proximity of the intersection of the pending red light violation.

15. The roadside equipment of claim 9, wherein the notification message instructs the first vehicle to take a warning action to warn vehicles in proximity of the intersection of the pending red light violation.

16. The roadside equipment of claim 15, wherein the warning action includes at least one of the following:

flashing of the headlights of the first vehicle;

flashing of the turn lights of the first vehicle;

flashing of the brake lights of the first vehicle;

honking a horn of the first vehicle; and

activating the windshield wipers of the first vehicle.

17. A computer program product for providing a red light violator warning, the computer program product comprising:

a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

detecting that a first vehicle is about to violate a red light at an intersection;

based on detecting that the first vehicle is about to violate the red light at the intersection;

broadcasting a warning message to all connected vehicles in proximity of the intersection of a pending red light violation; and

determining if the first vehicle is a connected vehicle;

based on determining that the first vehicle is a connected vehicle, transmitting a notification message to the first vehicle warning of a pending red light violation.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein a connected vehicle is a vehicle that comprises wireless communications equipment capable of receiving messages from a roadside equipment.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the notification message instructs the first vehicle to take a warning action to warn vehicles in proximity of the intersection of the pending red light violation.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the warning action includes at least one of the following:

flashing of the headlights of the first vehicle;

flashing of the turn lights of the first vehicle;

flashing of the brake lights of the first vehicle;

honking a horn of the first vehicle; and

activating the windshield wipers of the first vehicle.