First responders' roadway priority system

• US 9,376,051 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Louis H. Mckenna
• Original Assignee: Louis H. Mckenna
• Inventors: McKenna, Louis H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US14/158,816
• Time in Patent Office: 892 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0955 transportable
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

A method for notifying a first driver of a first vehicle that a first responder is ahead of the first driver on a road and that the first responder is stopped on the road. The method employs an optical emitter and optical detector apparatus. The optical emitter may be in or on a police car and may be turned on when the police car is on the shoulder of a road, such as when an officer has pulled a motorist over. The optical detector apparatus is in or on a vehicle traveling toward the police car that is stopped on the shoulder of the road. The optical detector apparatus communicates with a warning device to sound or display a warning to the driver of the approaching vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for notifying a first driver of a first vehicle that a first responder is ahead of the first driver on a road and that the first responder is stopped on the road, the method comprising the steps of:

a) emitting a first optical signal against a flow of traffic and against a direction in which the first vehicle is traveling, the first optical signal being emitted from a first location on or adjacent to the road such that the first optical signal impinges upon the first vehicle prior to the first vehicle reaching said first location;

b) then detecting the first optical signal with a first optical detector in or on the first vehicle;

c) then determining whether the first optical signal is from a location forwardly of the first vehicle; and

d) then providing a warning in the first vehicle to the first driver of the first vehicle if the first optical signal is from a location forwardly of the first vehicle, the warning being one of an audible warning and visible warning, and the warning informing the first driver of the first vehicle of a situation at said location, wherein the step of providing a warning comprises a request that the first driver move the first vehicle away from a shoulder of the road.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining comprises the step of distinguishing whether said first optical signal has been emitted from a position forwardly of the first vehicle or from a position rearwardly of the first vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of detecting a second optical signal with a second optical detector, the second optical detector being oriented generally opposite of the first optical detector such that the second optical detector is oriented to detect optical signals being emitted from a second location behind said first vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the step of detecting a second optical signal with an optical detector apparatus, the optical detector apparatus being capable of picking up an optical signal originating from generally anywhere in a 360 degree horizontal range about the optical detector apparatus, such that the optical detector apparatus is capable of picking up said second optical signal where said second optical signal originates from one of a forward position of said first vehicle, a rearward position or said first vehicle, or a position disposed between said forward and rearward positions, the optical detector apparatus including the first optical detector.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing a warning comprises information that there is a situation up ahead on or adjacent to the shoulder of the road.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of emitting a first optical signal comprises the step of selecting a set of optical pulses to emit the first optical signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of emitting a first optical signal comprises the step of emitting an infrared light signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of emitting a first optical signal comprises the step of selecting a base for said first optical signal, with the base being selected being a second vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of emitting a first optical signal comprises the step of selecting a base for said first optical signal, with the base being selected being a bank of lights on a second vehicle.

10. An apparatus in or on a first vehicle for detecting a first optical signal being emitted toward the first vehicle from a first location forwardly of the first vehicle and for detecting a second optical signal being emitted toward the first vehicle from a second location generally anywhere in a 360 degree horizontal range about the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a) an optical detector apparatus oriented to pick up;

i) the first optical signal being emitted toward the first vehicle from said first location forwardly of the first vehicle; and

ii) the second optical signal being emitted toward the first vehicle from a second location generally anywhere in a 360 degree horizontal range about the optical detector apparatus;

b) a microcontroller in communication with the optical detector apparatus;

c) a warning device in communication with the microcontroller, the warning device being one of an audio warning device and visual warning device;

d) the warning device capable of issuing a first warning in response to a communication from the microcontroller that is associated with the first optical signal;

e) the warning device capable of issuing a second warning in response to a communication from the microcontroller that is associated with the second optical signal;

f) the first warning comprising a warning associated with a first situation at said first location forwardly of the first vehicle; and

g) the second warning comprising a warning associated with a second situation at said second location relative to the first vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the optical detector apparatus is one of a) housed in and b) engaged to a rearview mirror apparatus.

12. A method for notifying by first and second optical signals, where i) by the first optical signal a first driver driving a first vehicle is notified that a first responder is ahead of the first driver on a road and that the first responder is stopped on the road at a first location, and ii) by the second optical signal the first driver driving the first vehicle is notified that a second vehicle is at a second location generally anywhere in a 360 degree horizontal range about the first vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

a) emitting the first optical signal against a flow of traffic and against a direction in which the first vehicle is traveling, the first optical signal being emitted from the first location on or adjacent to the road such that the first optical signal impinges upon the first vehicle prior to the first vehicle reaching said first location;

b) detecting the first optical signal with an optical detector apparatus in or on the first vehicle;

c) determining whether the first optical signal is from a location forwardly of the first vehicle;

d) providing a warning in the first vehicle to the first driver of the first vehicle if the first optical signal is from the first location forwardly of the first vehicle, the warning being one of an audible warning and visible warning, and the warning informing the first driver of the first vehicle of a situation at the first location;

e) detecting the second optical signal with the optical detector apparatus, the optical detector apparatus being capable of picking up an optical signal originating from generally anywhere in a 360 degree horizontal range about the optical detector apparatus, such that the optical detector apparatus is capable of picking up said second optical signal where said second optical signal originates from one of a forward position of said first vehicle, a rearward position of said first vehicle, or a position disposed between said forward and rearward positions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining comprises the step of distinguishing whether said first optical signal has been emitted from a position forwardly of the first vehicle or from a position rearwardly of the first vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing a warning comprises a request that the first driver move the first vehicle over.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of providing a warning comprises information that there is a situation up ahead on or adjacent to a shoulder of the road.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of emitting a first optical signal comprises the step of selecting a set of optical pulses to emit the first optical signal.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of emitting a first optical signal comprises the step of emitting an infrared light signal.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of emitting a first optical signal comprises the step of selecting a base for said first optical signal, with the base being selected being a second vehicle.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein said step of emitting a first optical signal comprises the step of selecting a base for said first optical signal, with the base being selected being a bank of lights on a second vehicle.