Remote activation of a vehicle priority system

• US 7,515,064 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2005
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Traffic Technologies LLC (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Global Traffic Technologies LLC (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US11/154,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20070008174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,391 Days
• Field of Search: 340/902, 340/904, 340/905, 340/916, 340/924, 340/994, 340/995.17
• US Class Current: 340/902
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle

Abstract

A remotely-activated vehicle priority system includes a control center, a vehicle-priority communication device, at least one receiver, and a phase selector. The control center transmits an activation message. The vehicle-priority communication device is mounted to a vehicle and is communicatively coupled to the control center. In response to the activation message, the vehicle-priority communication device transmits a priority preemption request. Transmission of the priority preemption request in response to the activation message prevents improper activation, either intentional or unintentional, of the vehicle priority system by an operator of the vehicle. The receiver is situated at a traffic signal and receives the priority preemption request. The phase selector issues, responsive to the priority preemption request, a command to a controller of the traffic signal. The command selects a phase for the traffic signal.

Claims

1. A remotely-activated vehicle priority system, comprising:

a control center comprising a dispatch center adapted to transmit an activation message;

a vehicle-priority communication device mounted to a vehicle and communicatively coupled to the control center, the vehicle-priority communication device adapted to transmit a priority preemption request in response to the activation message;

a mobile data terminal associated with the vehicle, wherein the activation message is a portion of data transmitted from the control center to the mobile data terminal;

at least one receiver situated at a traffic signal and adapted to receive the priority preemption request; and

a phase selector coupled to the at least one receiver and adapted to issue, responsive to the priority preemption request, a command to a controller of the traffic signal, wherein the command selects a phase for the traffic signal.

2. The remotely-activated vehicle priority system of claim 1, wherein the priority preemption request includes an identifier of the vehicle.

3. The remotely-activated vehicle priority system of claim 2, wherein the control center is further adapted to transmit an identifier update message and the vehicle-priority communication device is further adapted to update the identifier of the vehicle in response to the identifier update message.

4. A remotely-activated vehicle priority system, comprising:

a control center comprising a dispatch center adapted to transmit an activation and deactivation message;

a vehicle-priority communication device mounted to a vehicle and communicatively coupled to the control center, the vehicle-priority communication device adapted to transmit a priority preemption request in response to the activation message and terminate the transmission of the priority preemption request in response to the deactivation message;

at least one receiver situated at a traffic signal and adapted to receive the priority preemption request; and

a phase selector coupled to the at least one receiver and adapted to issue, responsive to the priority preemption request, a command to a controller of the traffic signal, wherein the command selects a phase for the traffic signal.

5. The remotely-activated vehicle priority system of claim 4, wherein the deactivation message includes coordinates of a destination for the vehicle and the vehicle-priority communication device is further adapted to terminate the transmission of the priority preemption request in response to the vehicle approaching the destination.

6. The remotely-activated vehicle priority system of claim 5, further comprising a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver associated with the vehicle, wherein the vehicle-priority communication device is further adapted to determine that the vehicle is approaching the destination from the coordinates of the destination and coordinates from the GPS receiver.

7. A remotely-activated vehicle priority system, comprising:

a control center comprising a dispatch center adapted to transmit an activation message;

a vehicle-priority communication device mounted to a vehicle and communicatively coupled to the control center, the vehicle-priority communication device adapted to transmit a priority preemption request in response to the activation message;

a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver associated with the vehicle, wherein the vehicle-priority communication device is further adapted to transmit coordinates of the vehicle from the GPS receiver to the control center;

at least one receiver situated at a traffic signal and adapted to receive the priority preemption request; and

a phase selector coupled to the at least one receiver and adapted to issue, responsive to the priority preemption request, a command to a controller of the traffic signal, wherein the command selects a phase for the traffic signal.

8. The remotely-activated vehicle priority system of claim 7, wherein the control center is further adapted to transmit the activation message in response to the coordinates of the vehicle.

9. The remotely-activated vehicle priority system of claim 8, wherein the vehicle is a mass transit vehicle having an operating schedule and the control center is further adapted to transmit the activation message in response to the mass transit vehicle lagging behind the operating schedule.

10. The remotely-activated vehicle priority system of claim 7, wherein the control center is further adapted to transmit a deactivation message in response to the coordinates of the vehicle and the vehicle-priority communication device is further adapted to terminate the transmission of the priority preemption request in response to the deactivation message.

11. The remotely-activated vehicle priority system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle is a mass transit vehicle having an operating schedule and the control center is further adapted to transmit the deactivation message in response to the mass transit vehicle not lagging behind the operating schedule.

12. A remotely-activated vehicle priority system, comprising:

a control center comprising a dispatch center adapted to transmit an activation message and a firmware update message;

a vehicle-priority communication device mounted to a vehicle and communicatively coupled to the control center, the vehicle-priority communication device adapted to transmit a priority preemption request in response to the activation message and to update firmware controlling the operation of the vehicle-priority communication device in response to the firmware update message;

at least one receiver situated at a traffic signal and adapted to receive the priority preemption request; and

a phase selector coupled to the at least one receiver and adapted to issue, responsive to the priority preemption request, a command to a controller of the traffic signal, wherein the command selects a phase for the traffic signal.

13. A remotely-activated vehicle priority system, comprising:

a control center comprising a dispatch center adapted to transmit an activation message and a diagnostic retrieval message;

a vehicle-priority communication device mounted to a vehicle and communicatively coupled to the control center, the vehicle-priority communication device adapted to transmit a priority preemption request in response to the activation message and diagnostic data to the control center in response to the diagnostic retrieval message;

at least one receiver situated at a traffic signal and adapted to receive the priority preemption request; and

a phase selector coupled to the at least one receiver and adapted to issue, responsive to the priority preemption request, a command to a controller of the traffic signal, wherein the command selects a phase for the traffic signal.

14. A method for remotely activating a vehicle priority system, comprising:

transmitting an activation message from a remote dispatch control center;

receiving the activation message at a vehicle-priority communication device mounted to a vehicle;

transmitting a priority preemption request from the vehicle-priority communication device in response to the activation message;

receiving the priority preemption request at a receiver situated proximate to a traffic signal;

requesting a phase for the traffic signal in response to the priority preemption request;

transmitting a deactivation message from the remote dispatch control center;

receiving the deactivation message at the vehicle-priority communication device; and

terminating the transmission of the priority preemption request from the vehicle-priority communication device in response to the deactivation message.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a position of the vehicle using a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver, wherein the deactivation message is transmitted in response to the position of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a position of the vehicle using a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver, wherein the activation message is transmitted in response to the position of the vehicle.