Methods and apparatus to detect and warn proximate entities of interest

• US 9,607,496 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Beggs, Ryan P., Boerger, James C., Hoffmann, David J., Markham, Ken, McNeill, Matthew, Muhl, Timothy, Nelson, Kyle, Oates, James, Senfleben, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/610,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20150145700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/438, 340/539.23, 340/686.6, 340/686.1, 340/691.3, 340/527, 340/691.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/26 the devices being primarily intended to indicate the vehicle, or parts thereof, or to give signals, to other traffic
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2673 on parts worn by the driver, e.g. clothes, gloves or bags, specially adapted to provide auxiliary vehicle signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/50 for indicating other intentions or conditions, e.g. request for waiting or overtaking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2800/20 Utility vehicles, e.g. for agriculture, construction work
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B66F 17/003 for fork-lift trucks
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

Systems and methods to detect and warn proximate entities of interest are described herein. An example hazard warning system for a forktruck includes a controllable light source to project light onto a floor adjacent the forktruck. A hazard discriminator determines when the forktruck poses a hazard to an entity of interest in a vicinity of the forktruck, and responsively generates a hazard output. A controller receives the hazard output and controls the light source such that the light source is in a first state when the hazard output is not received and a second state when the hazard output is received, where the first state is different than the second state.

Claims

1. A hazard warning system for a forktruck, comprising:

a controllable light source to project light onto a floor adjacent the forktruck;

a hazard discriminator to determine when the forktruck poses a hazard to an entity of interest in a vicinity of the forktruck, and responsively generate a hazard output; and

a controller to receive the hazard output, the controller to control the light source such that the light source is in a first state when the hazard output is not received and a second state when the hazard output is received, the first state being different than the second state, the light source is to project light in the first state and the second state.

2. The hazard warning system of claim 1, wherein the controllable light source provides a plurality of different colors.

5. The hazard warning system of claim 1, wherein the light projected on the floor by the light source provides a visual communication and a sensor trigger signal representative of a hazard threat.

3. A hazard warning system for a forktruck, comprising:

a controllable light source to project light onto a floor adjacent the forktruck, the controllable light source to provide a plurality of different colors;

a hazard discriminator to determine when the forktruck poses a hazard to an entity of interest in a vicinity of the forktruck, and responsively generate a hazard output; and

a controller to receive the hazard output and to control the light source such that the light source is in a first state when the hazard output is not received, and a second state when the hazard output is received, the first state being different than the second state, the light source is to project a first color from the plurality of different colors when the light source is in the first state and the light source is to project a second color from the plurality of different colors when the light source is in the second state.

4. The hazard warning system of claim 3, wherein the light projected by the light comprises a green color when the light source is in the first state and the light projected by the light source comprises a red color when the light source is in the second state.

6. A hazard warning system for a forktruck, comprising:

a controllable light source to project light onto a floor adjacent the forktruck;

a hazard discriminator to determine when the forktruck poses a hazard to an entity of interest in a vicinity of the forktruck, and responsively generate a hazard output;

a controller to receive the hazard output and to control the light source such that the light source is in a first state when the hazard output is not received, and a second state when the hazard output is received, the first state being different than the second state, the light projected on the floor by the light source is to provide a visual communication and a sensor trigger signal representative of a hazard threat; and

a wearable device to be worn by a pedestrian, the wearable device comprising a detector to detect the sensor trigger signal provided by the light.

7. The hazard warning system of claim 6, wherein the wearable device comprises at least one of glasses, work boots, a helmet, or a bracelet.

8. The hazard warning system of claim 6, wherein the detector is capable of distinguishing the light source being in at least one of the first state or the second state.

9. The hazard warning system of claim 6, wherein the detector is to detect at least one of a light of a specific wavelength or a light above a designated intensity.

10. The hazard warning system of claim 6, wherein the wearable device further comprises a sensor to be activated by the sensor trigger signal projected by the light source.

11. The hazard warning system of claim 10, wherein activation of the sensor causes an audible warning to be communicated to the pedestrian when the forktruck is in close proximity.

12. The hazard warning system of claim 10, wherein the wearable device comprises a signal generator to emit a pedestrian signal representative of the pedestrian, the hazard discriminator of the forktruck to receive the pedestrian signal and generate a warning to an operator of the forktruck, indicative of a proximity of the pedestrian to the forktruck.

13. The hazard warning system of claim 12, wherein the controller causes the light source to be in the second state when the pedestrian signal is received by the forktruck.

18. The hazardous warning system of claim 6, wherein the wearable device includes an illumination device on the pedestrian that illuminates in response to detection of the sensor trigger signal representative of the hazard threat, the illumination device being visible to an operator of the forktruck.

19. The hazardous warning system of claim 18, wherein the illumination device comprises at least one of a helmet, a bracelet or glasses, each having a light source.

20. The hazardous warning system of claim 18, wherein the illumination device comprises glasses, and wherein the illumination device is provided along upper rims of each eyepiece.

21. The hazardous warning system of claim 18, wherein the illumination device comprises a side-emitting fiber-optic cable.

22. The hazardous warning system of claim 18, wherein the illumination device is visible to the pedestrian when the illumination device is worn by the pedestrian.

14. A hazard warning system for a forktruck, comprising:

a controllable light source to project light onto a floor adjacent the forktruck wherein the light comprises a non-visible light;

a hazard discriminator to determine when the forktruck poses a hazard to an entity of interest in a vicinity of the forktruck, and responsively generate a hazard output; and

a controller to receive the hazard output and to control the light source such that the light source is in a first state when the hazard output is not received, and a second state when the hazard output is received, the first state being different than the second state.

15. The hazard warning system of claim 14, wherein the non-visible light is to be detected by a wearable device to be worn by a pedestrian that is equipped with a light sensor.

16. A hazard warning system for a forktruck, comprising:

a controllable light source to project light onto a floor adjacent the forktruck;

a hazard discriminator to determine when the forktruck poses a hazard to an entity of interest in a vicinity of the forktruck, and responsively generate a hazard output; and

a controller to receive the hazard output and to control the light source such that the light source is in a first state when the hazard output is not received, a second state when the hazard output is received and a third state when the forktruck is stationary, the first state being different than the second state, and the third state being different than the first and second states.

17. The hazard warning system of claim 16, wherein the forktruck is prevented from moving when the hazard discriminator detects the hazard and the forktruck is stationary.