Remote controlled portable traffic signals

• US 5,900,826 A
• Filed: 11/27/1996
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary J. Farber
• Original Assignee: Gary J. Farber
• Inventors: Farber, Gary J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffrey A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIEU, JULIE BICHNGOC
• Application Number:
  US08/757,343
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 340/908, 340/908.1, 340/539, 340/917, 340/928, 116/63 P, 40/606, 40/607, 40/612, 40/544
• US Class Current: 340/908
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0955 transportable

Abstract

A portable traffic control comprising two display units, each responsive to a transmitter'"'"'s radio signals, each display unit comprising a "stop" and a "go" lamp, the light from all lamps viewable by a person positioned between the display units. The system is optionally equipped with an audio warning means for detecting vehicles that ignore a display unit stop light, the display units each preferably employing a simplified circuit with a servo motor mechanism.

Claims

1. A portable traffic control system comprising

an automatic transmitting means that independently transmits a first signal at a first radio frequency and a second signal at a second radio frequency;

a first display unit and a second display unit, each for positioning at one of the two ends of a traffic lane, the first display unit being responsive to the first signal, the second display unit being responsive to the second signal,

wherein each display unit comprises a traffic side with a go-traffic lens and a stop-traffic lens, a monitor side with a go-monitor lens and a stop-monitor lens,

wherein the go-monitor lens and the stop-monitor lens of each display unit transmit light of a color not transmitted by either a go-traffic lens or a stop-traffic lens, a go lamp positioned to radiate light through the go-traffic lens and go-monitor lens, a stop lamp positioned to radiate light through the stop-traffic lens and the stop-monitor lens, an antenna for receiving a radio signal from the transmitting means, and a switching means connected to said antenna such that said switching means turns the go lamp on and the stop lamp off when the antenna receives a radio signal

wherein each display unit further comprises a photoelectric cell capable of emitting and receiving a beam of light, a warning means that emits a sound or light if the beam of light is emitted but not received by the photoelectric cell, said traffic control system further comprising a first reflector unit and a second reflector unit, each of said reflector units comprising a reflecting means for reflecting a beam of light from the emitter to the receiver.

2. A traffic control system of claim 1 wherein the warning means emits a sound.

3. A traffic control system of claim 1 wherein the warning means emits a light.

4. A traffic control system of claim 1 wherein the switching means in each display unit comprises a servo motor that in response to an electrical signal from the antenna moves a lever from a first position to a second position, the position of said lever controlling whether the electric current flows to the go-traffic lamp or to the stop-traffic lamp, said switching means electrically connected to said antenna.

5. A tandem portable control system comprising a first portable traffic system of claim 1 in combination with a second portable traffic system of claim 1 at the intersection of two traffic lanes.

6. A tandem portable control system of claim 5 wherein the same transmitting means is used for the first portable traffic system and the second portable traffic system.

7. A traffic control system of claim 1 wherein the automatic transmitting means is configured to have an alternating transmitting pattern of:

transmitting the first signal, transmitting no signal, transmitting the second signal, transmitting no signal, transmitting the first signal, and so on.

8. A traffic control system of claim 7 wherein the automatic transmitting means transmits each signal for a similar duration.