Light emitting traffic sign having vehicle sensing capabilities

• US 7,148,813 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2003
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Bauer, Frederick T.
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/393,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20040183694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,363 Days
• Field of Search: 340/906, 340/907, 340/908, 340/905, 340/933, 340/936, 340/994, 340/908.1, 340/910, 340/917
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

A traffic system for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle to a traffic sign includes a sensor, a light source and a control unit. The sensor provides a motor vehicle detection signal and the control unit illuminates the light source responsive to the motor vehicle detection signal.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle to a traffic sign, comprising the steps of:

detecting a motor vehicle; and

illuminating at least one light source responsive to the detected motor vehicle when the detected motor vehicle is unlikely to act in conformance with said traffic sign, wherein illumination associated with said traffic sign is unaffected by the detected motor vehicle when the detected motor vehicle is likely to act in conformance with said traffic sign.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

determining whether the motor vehicle is approaching the traffic sign; and

illuminating the at least one light source only when the detected motor vehicle is approaching the traffic sign.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the motor vehicle includes the step of detecting light provided by a lighting system of the motor vehicle with a light sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the motor vehicle includes the step of detecting the motor vehicle with a radar sensor.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting the motor vehicle includes the step of detecting the heat emission from the motor vehicle with an infrared sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one light source includes one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs).

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting the motor vehicle includes detecting at least one of a speed and rate of change in speed of an oncoming vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, further including the step of:

providing a power source for powering a sensor, a control unit and the at least one light sources, wherein the power source includes a rechargeable battery couple to a solar panel and the control unit periodically illuminates the at least one light source responsive to a motor vehicle detection signal provided to the control unit from the sensor.

9. A traffic system for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle to a traffic sign, the system comprising:

a sensor for providing a motor vehicle detection signal;

at least one light source attached to the traffic sign; and

a control unit coupled to the sensor and the at least one light source, the control unit illuminating the at least one light source responsive to the motor vehicle detection signal when the detected motor vehicle is unlikely to act in conformance with the traffic sign, wherein illumination associated with said traffic sign is unaffected by the detected motor vehicle when the detected motor vehicle is likely to act in conformance with said traffic sign.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control unit illuminates the at least one light source when the detected motor vehicle is approaching the traffic sign.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor includes a light sensor.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor includes a radar sensor.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one light source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the control unit includes a microcontroller.

15. The system of claim 9, further including:

a power source for providing electrical power to the sensor, the at least one light source and the control unit, wherein the power source includes a rechargeable battery coupled to a solar panel.

16. A traffic control device for motor vehicles, comprising:

a traffic sign;

a sensor for providing a motor vehicle detection signal;

at least one light sources attached to the traffic sign; and

a control unit coupled to the sensor and the at least one light source, the control unit periodically illuminating the at least one light source responsive to the motor vehicle detection signal when the detected motor vehicle is unlikely to act in conformance with the traffic sign, wherein illumination associated with said traffic sign is unaffected by the detected motor vehicle when the detected motor vehicle is likely to act in conformance with said traffic sign.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the control unit illuminates the at least one light source when the detected motor vehicle is approaching the traffic sign.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes a light sensor.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the sensor includes a radar sensor.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the at least one light source includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

21. The device of claim 16, wherein the control unit includes a microcontroller.

22. The device of claim 16, further including:

a power source coupled to the sensor, the at least one light source and the control unit, wherein the power source includes a rechargeable battery coupled to a solar panel.

23. The device of claim 16, wherein the at least one light source is energized by the control unit only when the motor vehicle detection signal indicates an approaching vehicle is operating outside prescribed safety parameters that are programmed into the control unit.

24. A traffic control device for a stop sign, the device comprising:

a sensor for providing a motor vehicle detection signal;

at least one light source;

a control unit coupled to the sensor and the at least one light source, the control unit periodically illuminating the at least one light source responsive to the motor vehicle detection signal when the detected motor vehicle is not acting in conformance with a stop sign, wherein illumination associated with said traffic sign is unaffected by the detected motor vehicle when the detected motor vehicle is likely to act in conformance with said stop sign.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the at least one light source is focused at a driver of an oncoming vehicle.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the control unit causes the at least one light source to periodically flash when the control unit program determines that the oncoming vehicle is operating in a manner that indicates the vehicle is unlikely to stop for the stop sign.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein at least one of a flash rate and light intensity of at least one light source increases with increasing risk that the oncoming vehicle will fail to stop in the appropriate manner.

28. A traffic system for alerting a driver of a motor vehicle to the presents of a traffic sign, the system comprising:

a sensor for providing a motor vehicle detection signal, wherein the sensor is attached to the traffic sign;

at least one light source for emitting a light signal directed to a driver of an oncoming vehicle; and

a control unit coupled to the sensor and to the at least one light source, wherein the control unit activates the at least one light source when the motor vehicle detection signal indicates that operation of the oncoming vehicle is likely to be in conflict with an instruction provided by the traffic sign, wherein illumination associated with said traffic sign is unaffected by the detected motor vehicle when the detected motor vehicle is likely to act in conformance with said traffic sign.

29. The traffic system of claim 28, wherein a power source for electrical powering the system is provided by one of a self-contained solar panel with a rechargeable battery and an electrical distribution system exterior to the sign.

30. The traffic system of claim 28, wherein a light signal is emitted from the at least one light source only in the event that the oncoming vehicle is operating outside desired safety parameters.

31. A self-contained traffic sign for motor vehicles, the sign comprising:

an electronic sensor for sensing of the motion of an oncoming vehicle;

a light for alerting a driver of the oncoming vehicle; and

an electronic control unit for receiving input from the sensor and activating the light when the oncoming vehicle motion indicates that the oncoming vehicle is unlikely to perform in accordance with a purpose of the traffic sign, wherein illumination associated with said traffic sign is unaffected by the detected motor vehicle when the detected motor vehicle is likely to act in conformance with said traffic sign.

32. The sign of claim of 31, further including:

a power source for electrically energizing the sensor, the light and the electronic control unit, wherein the power source is provided by at least one of a self-contained solar panel with an associated rechargeable battery and a conventional AC power distribution system external to the traffic sign.

33. A traffic sign for motor vehicles, the sign comprising:

a detector for monitoring the motion of an approaching vehicle; and

a light source coupled to the detector, wherein the light source provides a light warning signal when an approaching vehicle is unlikely to perform in accordance with a purpose of the traffic sign, and wherein illumination associated with said traffic sign is unaffected by the detected motor vehicle when the detected motor vehicle is likely to act in conformance with said traffic sign.

34. The traffic sign of claim 33, further comprising:

at least one sensor for detecting environmental conditions, wherein the at least one sensor detects at least one of rain, day, night, snow, ice, fog, temperature and traffic density; and

a reconfigurable display visible in day or night wherein the display is configurable to provide a safe driving instruction based on the detected environmental conditions, and wherein the detected environmental conditions are utilized to energized the light source when the motion of an approaching vehicle is not in accordance with the instruction provided on the reconfigurable display.