Apparatus for prompting pedestrians

• US RE36,930 E
• Filed: 09/23/1998
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Houten, Ronald Van, Malenfant J E Louis
• Original Assignee: Houten, Ronald Van, Malenfant J E Louis
• Inventors: Houten, Ronald Van, Malenfant, J. E. Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US09/159,350
• Time in Patent Office: 769 Days
• Field of Search: 340/691, 340/917, 340/925, 340/944 OR, 40/541, 40/553, 40/557, 116/63 R
• US Class Current: 340/944
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for prompting pedestrians to look and listen for turning vehicles includes an animated pictorial message formed in the image of a pair of scanning eyes (46,48) and generated by a pedestrian signal control (54) connected to a pedestrian signal display (32). The image (46,48) can be activated by a traffic control (52) or a motion detector (64) connected to the pedestrian signal control (54). A voice circuit (56) and speakers (58) connected to the pedestrian signal control (54) generate an audible message at the same time the image (46,48) is being displayed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for prompting pedestrians comprising:

a first visual indicator means (46) responsive to a first control signal for displaying a first image of a pair of left looking eyes;

a second visual indicator means (48) responsive to a second control signal for displaying a second image of a pair of right looking eyes; and

a control means (54) connected to said first and second visual indicator means (46,48) for alternately generating said first and second control signals whereby said first and second visual indicator means alternately display said first and second images to prompt a pedestrian to look for turning vehicles.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control means (54) generates said first and second control signals to cause said first and second images to be alternately displayed at a rate of approximately two cycles per second.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first and second visual indicators (46,48) are illuminated by blue (460 nm) LEDs.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a don'"'"'t walk visual indicator means (42,44,60) responsive to a third control signal for displaying a don'"'"'t walk message to the pedestrian, said control means (54) being connected to said don'"'"'t walk visual indicator means for generating said third control signal.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said don'"'"'t walk visual indicator means (42,44,60) is illuminated by orange (605 nm) LEDs on a black background.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said don'"'"'t walk visual indicator means (42,44) is formed as a pair of words "DON'"'"'T WALK".

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said don'"'"'t walk visual indicator means (60) is formed as an upraised hand.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a walk visual indicator means (50,62) responsive to fourth control signal for displaying a walk message to the pedestrian, said control means (54) being connected to said walk visual indicator means for generating said fourth control signal.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said walk visual indicator means (50,62) is illuminated by blue (460 nm) LEDs on a black background.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said walk visual indicator means (50) is formed as a word "WALK".

11. the apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said walk visual indicator means (62) is formed as a walking person.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherin said control means generates an audio signal and including audio means (56,58) connected to said control means (54) and being responsive to said audio signal for delivering an audible warning message to prompt a pedestrian to look for turning vehicles.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a traffic signal control (52) having an output connected to an input of said control means (54) for generating traffic signal status signals whereby said control means responds to said traffic signal status signals to generate said first and second control signals in coordination with a traffic signal (16) connected to said traffic signal control.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 including a motion detector (64) having an output connected to an input of said control means (54) for generating a pedestrian detection signal upon sensing an adjacent pedestrian whereby said control means responds to said pedestrian detection signal to generate said first and second control signals.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said control means generates an audio signal and including audio means (56,58) connected to said control means (54) and being responsive to said audio signal for delivering an audible warning message to prompt a pedestrian to look for turning vehicles during generation of said first and second control signals.

15. An apparatus for prompting pedestrians at a crosswalk comprising:

a first look visual indicator means (46) responsive to a first control signal for displaying a first image of a pair of left looking eyes;

a second look visual indicator means (48) responsive to a second control signal for displaying a second image of a pair of right looking eyes;

a don'"'"'t walk visual indicator means (42,44,60) responsive to a third control signal for displaying a third image representing a don'"'"'t walk message;

a walk visual indicator means (50,62) responsive to a fourth control signal for displaying a fourth image representing a walk message; and

a control means (54) connected to said visual indicator means (42,44,46,48,50,60,62) for generating said third control signal whereby said don'"'"'t walk visual indicator means (42,44,60) flashes said third image to prompt a pedestrian that said don'"'"'t walk message is about to be displayed and steadily displays said third image to prompt the pedestrian not to enter a crosswalk (22), for generating said fourth control signal whereby said walk visual indicator means (50,62) displays said fourth image to prompt a pedestrian to enter the crosswalk, and for alternately generating said first and second control signals whereby said first and second look visual indicator means alternately display said first and second images to prompt the pedestrian to look for turning vehicles.

17. A method of prompting pedestrians at a crosswalk comprising the steps of:

a. generating a first image (46) of a pair of left looking eyes;

b. generating a second image (48) of a pair of right looking eyes; and

c. cyclically performing said steps a. and b. alternately during a predetermined time period to prompt a pedestrian at a crosswalk (22) to look for vehicles.

18. The method according to claim 17 including a step of generating a walk image (50,62) to prompt a pedestrian to enter the crosswalk (22) after performing said step c.

19. The method according to claim 17 including a step of generating a don'"'"'t walk image (42,44,60) to prompt a pedestrian not to enter the crosswalk (22) before performing said step c.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein said step c. includes generating an audible message to prompt a pedestrian at a crosswalk (22) to look for vehicles.

21. The method according to claim 17 including performing said step c. in response to a pedestrian detection signal generated by a motion detector (64).

22. The method according to claim 17 including peforming said step c. in response to a pedestrian detection signal generated by a motion detector (64). .Iadd.

23. An apparatus for prompting comprising:

a first visual indicator means (46) responsive to a first control signal for displaying a first image of a pair of eyes looking in a first direction;

a second visual indicator means (48) responsive to a second control signal for displaying a second image of a pair of eyes looking in a second direction; and

a control means (54) connected to said first and second visual indicator means (46,

     48) for generating said first and second control signals whereby said first and second visual indicator means display one of said first and second images at a time to prompt a person to look in one of said first and second directions..Iaddend..Iadd.24. The apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said control means generates an audio signal and including audio means (56,58) connected to said control means (54) and being responsive to said audio signal for delivering an audible warning message to prompt a person to look in one of said first and second directions..Iaddend..Iadd.25. The apparatus according to claim 23 including a traffic signal control (54) having an output connected to an input of said control means (54) for generating traffic signal status signals whereby said control means responds to said traffic signal status signals to generate said first and second control signals in coordination with a traffic signal (16) connected to said traffic signal control..Iaddend..Iadd.26. The apparatus according to claim 23 including a motion detector (64) having an output connected to an input of said control means (54) for generating a detection signal upon sensing an adjacent object whereby said control means responds to said detection signal to generate said first and second control signals..Iaddend..Iadd.27. The apparatus according to claim 23 including a visual image for conveying an additional message..Iaddend..Iadd.28. A method of prompting a person to look in one of first and second directions comprising the steps of;

generating a first image (46) of a pair of eyes looking in the first direction;

generating a second image (48) of a pair of eyes looking in the second direction; and

successively performing above steps to prompt a person to look in the first

24. and second directions respectively..Iaddend..Iadd.29. The method according to claim 28 including generating a traffic status signal from traffic, generating the images in response to the traffic status signal..Iaddend..Iadd.30. The method according to claim 28 including detecting motion and generating said images in response to the motion..Iaddend..Iadd.31. The method according to claim 28 including generating a secondary visual image for conveying an additional message..Iaddend.