METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT AND WARN PROXIMATE ENTITIES OF INTEREST

• US 20150145700A1
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Published: 05/28/2015
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 9,607,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/944
• 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 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.

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

3. The hazard warning system of claim 2, wherein 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.

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.

6. The hazard warning system of claim 5, further comprising 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 detects 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 the 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.

14. The hazard warning system of claim 1, wherein the light comprises a non-visible light.

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. The hazard warning system of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a third state different than the first and second states when the forktruck is stationary.

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.

18. A visual warning system for a person, the system being responsive to hazard-indicative signals that range from a low level of imminence of a threat to a high level of imminence of a threat, the warning system comprising:

a light source to send an output light signal, the output light signal to be modulated according to at least one or more of characteristics including;

a brightness, a color, a periodicity of repetition, and a rhythm; and

a controller responsive to a level of imminence of the hazard-indicative signals and to modulate the one or more characteristics of the light signal to create a greater conspicuity for the high level of imminence of a threat than for the low level of imminence of a threat.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising a hazard discriminator to detect the level of imminence of a threat and communicating the level of imminence of the threat to the controller.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising increasing at least one of the brightness, the color, the periodicity of repetition, and the rhythm as the level of imminence of a threat increases as the person approaches a detected threat.

21. A system for warning a forktruck operator of a potentially hazardous interaction with a pedestrian, comprising:

a hazard discriminator to detect the potentially hazardous interaction; and

an illumination device on the pedestrian that illuminates in response to detection of the potentially hazardous interaction such that the illumination device is visible to the forktruck operator.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the hazard discriminator includes a time delay below a threshold to be indicative of the time that a pedestrian is in dangerous proximity to the forktruck.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the illumination device comprises at least one of a helmet, a bracelet or glasses, each having a light source.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the illumination device comprises glasses, and wherein the illumination device is provided along upper rims of each eyepiece.

25. The device of claim 21, wherein the illumination device comprises a side-emitting fiber-optic cable.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the illumination device comprises a controllable light source visible to the pedestrian when the illumination device is worn by the pedestrian.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a controller to receive input signals to illuminate the controllable light source to provide a warning to the pedestrian.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of colors.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein different colors of the plurality of colors of the light source convey different levels of hazardous interaction.

30. The device of claim 28, wherein the controller illuminates different colors of the plurality of colors in response to respective input signals.

31. A system to prevent a vehicle from moving and contacting a pedestrian in proximity to the vehicle, the system comprising:

a signal source on the vehicle to generate a signal in a vicinity of the vehicle and indicative of a stationary proximity of the vehicle;

a detector on a pedestrian to detect the signal from the signal source and, responsively, to provide an output indicative of a stationary vehicle in proximity to the pedestrian; and

a warning system associated with the pedestrian to receive the output indicative of a stationary vehicle in proximity to the pedestrian and to generate a warning signal to at least one of the pedestrian, the vehicle, or both the pedestrian and the vehicle.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the vehicle further comprises a detector to detect the warning signal generated by the warning system associated with the pedestrian.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the vehicle is prevented from moving from a stationary position when the detector receives the warning signal and the vehicle is stationary.