Mirror alert with projected message

• US 9,384,660 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2014
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David A. Fossier, William Chernick
• Original Assignee: David A. Fossier, William Chernick
• Inventors: Fossier, David A., Chernick, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, William
• Application Number:
  US14/561,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20150154863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 362135-144, 362459-549, 362/802, 362/812
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/12 using a transparent mirror or other light reflecting surface transparent to transmitted light whereby a sign, symbol, picture or other is visible only when illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/802 Position or condition responsive switch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/812 Signs

Abstract

An apparatus includes a mirror dome and a light producing system for producing and transmitting light through the mirror dome to an external surface to produce a message viewable on the external surface. A sensing system identifies traffic and is in communication with the light producing system to cause the light producing system to produce and project a message viewable on the external surface when the sensing system detects approaching objects or traffic.

Claims

1. An apparatus for seeing and for warning traffic crossing at an intersection comprising:

a partially transparent mirror dome having an outside surface for reflecting incident light and an inside surface for receiving light from inside said mirror dome and passing the light through said mirror dome;

a light producing system for producing and transmitting light through said mirror dome wherein the light is projected through said mirror dome to an external surface separated from said mirror dome, said light producing system producing a message with the light projected through said mirror dome that is viewable on the external surface;

a sensing system for identifying traffic crossing at the intersection, said sensing system having a microwave sensor to identify the nature of approaching objects and traffic, said apparatus differentiating between metal and non-metal objects and traffic and further differentiating between approaching and departing objects and traffic; and

said sensing system being in communication with said light producing system to cause said light producing system to produce and project a message viewable on the external surface separated from said mirror dome when said sensing system detects approaching objects or traffic, the message provided and projected by said light producing system indicating the direction of approaching traffic and object travel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the message provided and projected by said light producing system further indicating information regarding approaching traffic and objects.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mirror dome includes a reflective metallization and an area of removed metallization, said light producing system being positioned to project light through said mirror dome through said area of removed metallization.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light producing system projects an alert beam of light on an external surface separated from said mirror dome when said sensing system detects approaching objects or traffic.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said light producing system projects the alert beam of light with an LED light.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said mirror dome includes a reflective metallization and an area of removed metallization, said light producing system being positioned to project the alert beam of light through said mirror dome through said area of removed metallization.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mirror dome is flat.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said light producing system further includes a remotely positioned illuminated warning sign.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing system includes a remotely positioned microwave sensor.

10. An apparatus for seeing and for warning traffic crossing at an intersection comprising:

a partially transparent mirror dome having an outside surface for reflecting incident light and an inside surface for receiving and passing light through said mirror dome;

a light producing system for producing and transmitting light through said mirror dome so that the light is projected through said mirror dome to an external surface separated from said mirror dome, said light producing system producing a message with the light projected through said mirror dome that is viewable on the external surface;

a sensing system for identifying traffic crossing at the intersection, said sensing system having a microwave sensor to identify the nature of approaching objects and traffic, said sensing system able to distinguish at least two of;

substantially metallic traffic;

substantially non-metallic traffic;

size of approaching traffic; and

traffic approaching the mirror from traffic departing the mirror;

in at least one direction for traffic crossing the intersection; and

the sensing system comprising a logic system to determine warning messages and being in communication with the light producing system causing the light producing system to project the warning messages to traffic crossing the intersection in other directions, the warning messages being visible when viewing the external surface separated from said mirror dome, the warning messages indicating the direction of approaching traffic and object travel.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 where said mirror dome allows said light producing system to project warning messages in a plurality of directions.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 where the mirror dome is substantially in the shape of a spherical dome to allow said light producing system to project warning messages in a plurality of directions.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 where said mirror dome comprises a plurality of surfaces having a plurality of curvatures.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 where said sensing system turns off the message when traffic moves away from the mirror dome and no other traffic is approaching the mirror dome from the same direction.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 where said mirror dome is flat.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 where the messages are turned off according to a preset period of time after the traffic is detected by said sensing system.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 further employing a sound alarm for audibly warning traffic in the vicinity of the intersection.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 where said light producing system comprises a laser.

19. The apparatus of claim 10 where said light producing system includes a projector utilizing light emitting diodes.

20. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

said mirror dome includes a reflective metallization and an area of removed metallization; and

said light producing system being positioned to project light through said mirror dome through said area of removed metallization.

21. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising an indicator to indicate the operational status of said apparatus.

22. The apparatus of claim 10 where discriminators are placed on selected traffic to identify the traffic.

23. The apparatus of claim 10 where said light system displays no message if no moving traffic is detected.

24. The apparatus of claim 10 where a pass message is displayed if no traffic is detected approaching the intersection.

25. The apparatus of claim 10 comprising circuitry that receives data from said sensing system and displays at least one of the following:

type;

size;

proximity to the intersection;

speed; and

image of traffic approaching the intersection.

26. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein all components comprising said apparatus are mounted in a single unitary package.

27. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a remote sensor positioned at a location outside said mirror dome, said remote sensor being further positioned to detect and relate the presence of traffic to said sensing system; and

a remote signal positioned at a location outside said mirror dome, said remote signal being further positioned to display a warning message when said remote sensor detects the presence of traffic.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the warning message indicates the direction of approaching traffic and object travel and further indicates information regarding approaching traffic and objects.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said remote signal displays the warning message with an LED display.

30. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said remote signal further comprises a remote projector, said remote projector being positioned to display the warning message on a surface that is separated from said remote signal.

31. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said light producing system also projects an alert beam of light on a surface separated from said mirror dome when said sensing system detects approaching objects or traffic.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said light producing system projects the alert beam of light with an LED light.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said mirror dome includes a reflective metallization and an area of removed metallization, said light producing system being positioned to project the alert beam of light through said mirror dome through said area of removed metallization.

34. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said sensing system includes a remotely positioned microwave sensor.

35. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said light producing system includes a remotely positioned illuminated warning sign.

36. An apparatus for surveillance and advertising in commercial environments comprising:

a partially transparent mirror dome having an outside surface for reflecting incident light from outside said mirror dome and an inside surface for receiving light from inside said mirror dome and passing the light through said mirror dome;

a light producing system for producing and transmitting light through said mirror dome wherein the light is projected through said mirror dome to an external surface separated from said mirror dome, said light producing system producing messages with the light projected through said mirror dome that are viewable on the external surface; and

a sensing system for identifying the approach of a customer toward said mirror dome, said sensing system having a microwave sensor to identify the nature of approaching objects and customer traffic, said apparatus differentiating between metal and non-metal objects and customer traffic and further differentiating between approaching and departing objects and customer traffic, said sensing system being in communication with said light producing system to cause said light producing system to produce and project messages viewable on the external surface separated from said mirror dome when said sensing system detects approaching objects and customer traffic approaching said mirror dome, the messages provided and projected by said light producing system indicating the direction of approaching traffic and object travel.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the message provided and projected by said light producing system further indicates information regarding approaching objects and customer traffic.

38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said mirror dome includes a reflective metallization and an area of removed metallization, said light producing system being positioned to project an alert beam of light through said mirror dome through said area of removed metallization.

39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said light producing system also projects an alert beam of light on an external surface separated from said mirror dome when said sensing system detects approaching objects or customer traffic.

40. The apparatus of claim 39 wherein said light producing system projects the alert beam of light with an LED light.

41. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said mirror dome includes a reflective metallization and an area of removed metallization, said light producing system being positioned to project the alert beam of light through said mirror dome through said area of removed metallization.