Traffic light control apparatus for emergency vehicles

• US 5,977,883 A
• Filed: 07/30/1997
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roger D. Leonard, William H. Leonard
• Original Assignee: Roger D. Leonard, William H. Leonard
• Inventors: Leonard, William H., Leonard, Roger D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US08/903,464
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 340/906, 340/902, 340/904, 340/907, 340/916, 340/917, 340/924
• US Class Current: 340/906
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle

Abstract

A new Traffic Light Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles for enabling control of a plurality of traffic signal lights disposed at a controlled intersection by an operator of an emergency vehicle and for disabling a conventional traffic signal light controller used for controlling the operation of the traffic signal lights. The inventive device includes a relay for disconnecting the conventional traffic signal light controller in response to a disconnect signal, a signal encoder disposed in the emergency vehicle for generating a plurality of signals, a transmitter for transmitting the signals, a data receiver disposed at the controlled intersection for receiving and decoding the signals and generating a plurality of input signals and for generating the disconnect signal, a state machine for accepting the input signals, for generating a plurality of state signals and for generating a plurality of output signals dependent upon the input signals and state signals, and a plurality of relays for energizing the traffic lights responsive to the output signals. An audible alarm located at the controlled intersection is activatable by the operator of the emergency vehicle.

Claims

1. A Traffic Light Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles for enabling control of a plurality of traffic signal lights disposed at a controlled intersection by an operator of an emergency vehicle and for disabling a conventional traffic signal light controller used for controlling the operation of the traffic signal lights comprising:

a relay means for disconnecting the conventional traffic signal light controller, the relay means being responsive to a disconnect signal;

a signal encoding means for generating a first signal representative of a first direction of travel of the emergency vehicle, a second signal representative of a second direction of travel of the emergency vehicle, a third signal representative of a third direction of travel of the emergency vehicle, and a fourth signal representative of a fourth direction of travel of the emergency vehicle, the signal encoding means being disposed in the emergency vehicle;

a transmitter means for transmitting the first, second, third, and fourth signals, and for transmitting a sixth signal operable to activate an audible alarm disposed at the intersection, the transmitter means being operatively connected to the signal encoding means and disposed in the emergency vehicle;

a data receiver means for receiving and decoding the first, second, third, fourth and sixth signals and for generating the disconnect signal, the data receiver means being disposed at the controlled intersection;

a state machine means for accepting the decoded first, second, third, and fourth signals, for generating a plurality of state signals, and for generating a plurality of output signals dependent upon the decoded first, second, third, and fourth signals and the state signals; and

a plurality of relay means for energizing the traffic lights responsive to the output signals.

2. The Traffic Light Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles of claim 1, wherein the signal encoding means for generating the first signal representative of the first direction of travel of the emergency vehicle, the second signal representative of the second direction of travel of the emergency vehicle, the third signal representative of the third direction of travel of the emergency vehicle, and the fourth signal representative of the fourth direction of travel of the emergency vehicle further comprise an 8:

3 encoder.

3. The Traffic Light Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles of claim 1, wherein the data receiver means for receiving and decoding the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth signals and for generating the disconnect signal further comprise a data receiver.

4. The Traffic Light Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles of claim 3 further comprising an audible alarm operatively connected to the data receiver.

5. The Traffic Light Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles of claim 1 further comprising a flashing light source operably connected to the state machine means.

6. A Traffic Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles for enabling control of a plurality of traffic signal lights disposed at a controlled intersection by an operator of an emergency vehicle and for disabling a conventional traffic signal light controller used for controlling the operation of the traffic signal lights comprising:

a relay means for disconnecting the conventional traffic signal light controller, the relay means being responsive to a disconnect signal;

a signal encoding means for generating a plurality of signals, the signal encoding means being disposed in the emergency vehicle;

a transmitter means for transmitting the signals, the transmitter means being operatively connected to the signal encoding means and disposed in the emergency vehicle;

a data receiver means for receiving and decoding the signals and generating a plurality of input signals and for generating the disconnect signal, the data receiver means being disposed at the controlled intersection;

a state machine means for accepting the input signals, for generating a plurality of state signals, and for generating a plurality of output signals dependent upon the input signals and the state signals;

a plurality of relay means for energizing the traffic lights responsive to the output signals; and

a flashing light source operably connected to the state machine means.

7. The Traffic Light Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles of claim 6, wherein the signal encoding means for generating the signals further comprise an 8:

3 encoder.

8. The Traffic Light Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles of claim 6, wherein the data receiver means for receiving and decoding the signals and generating a plurality of input signals and for generating the disconnect signal further comprise a data receiver.

9. The Traffic Light Control Apparatus for Emergency Vehicles of claim 6 further comprising an audible alarm operatively connected to the data receiver means.