# US 2014/0197969 A1 · Signal Timing Coordination System For Crosswalk Beacons > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0197969 A1 - Document ID: US20140197969A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/788,096 - Filed: 2013-03-07 - Published: 2014-07-17 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-14 - Assignees: Carmanah Technologies Corp. - Applicants: Carmanah Technologies Corp. - Inventors: Bruce Bernard; Darren Beckwith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140197969A1 ## CPC - G08B 5/38: using flashing light - E01F 9/615: illuminated - G08G 1/095: Traffic lights - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - E01F: ADDITIONAL WORK, SUCH AS EQUIPPING ROADS OR THE CONSTRUCTION OF PLATFORMS, HELICOPTER LANDING STAGES, SIGNS, SNOW FENCES, OR THE LIKE - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract A signal or lighting system synchronizes the flashing of multiple signal or lighting assemblies. When one of the assemblies is triggered, it broadcasts a temporally staggered sequence of signals, each signal instructing the receiving assemblies to initiate flashing of their beacons a given countdown time after that particular signal is transmitted. The countdown times of the various signals all count down to the same flashing start time so that the originating and receiving beacons all being flashing at the same time. The temporal diversity of the signals enhances the ability to overcome potential interference as at least one of the signals in the sequence is likely to be received by the destination assemblies. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of synchronizing a plurality of signal or lighting assemblies, the method comprising the steps of: in response to a triggering event at an originating one of said signal or lighting assemblies, said originating assembly broadcasting a temporal succession of radio signals on the same radio channel, each of said signals comprising a unique flashing initiation timing instruction that is a function of how long in advance of a desired flashing initiation time said signal is broadcast; at least one other of said assemblies receiving at least one of said signals and determining said desired flashing initiation time; and said originating assembly and said at least one other assembly causing beacons on their respective assemblies to flash in a synchronized manner in response to receiving said at least one of said signals. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said triggering event is the manual activation of a user interface on said originating assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the step of broadcasting a temporal succession of radio signals comprises: configuring a set of radio signals to be broadcast in timed succession, each of said signals comprising a unique flashing initiation timing instruction that is a function of how long in advance of a desired flashing initiation time said signal is to be broadcast; and, broadcasting each signal in said set of signals in temporal succession. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said instruction comprises the actual time period in advance of said desired flashing initiation time that each of said signals is broadcast. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein said instruction comprises the actual time period in advance of said desired flashing initiation time that each of said signals is broadcast. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein said instruction comprises a token representing the position of said signal in the temporal sequence of signals that are broadcast by said originating assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 wherein each of said assemblies associates said token with a predetermined time period in advance of a flashing initiation time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5, 7) The method of claim 5 or 7 further comprising the step of each of said receiving assemblies monitoring for receipt of another of said signals until said desired flashing initiation time and, where said another of said signals is received, allowing said another of said signals to determine said desired flashing initiation start time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5, 7) The method of claim 5 or 7 further comprising the step of each of said receiving assemblies monitoring for another triggering event at said respective receiving assembly until said desired flashing initiation time and, where said another triggering event is detected, treating said receiving assembly as an originating one of said assemblies and performing said steps of claim 5. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of said originating and receiving assemblies allowing a predetermined time period to elapse after a broadcast of one of said signals that has been received by one of said receiving assemblies, and determining whether another signal has been received or another triggering event has occurred during said predetermined time period, and if not, allowing another predetermined time period to elapse if the desired flashing initiation start time has not yet been reached. ### Claim 11 In a signal or lighting assembly comprising a beacon, radio signal receiving and broadcasting means and a user interface for allowing a user to trigger the flashing of said beacon, said assembly further comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the following steps to be implemented: in response to an activation of said user interface, said assembly broadcasting a temporal succession of radio signals on the same radio channel, each of said signals comprising a unique flashing initiation timing instruction that is a function of how long in advance of a desired flashing initiation time said signal is broadcast, and causing said beacon to begin flashing at said desired flashing initiation time; in response to receipt from another like assembly of a like radio signal, causing said beacon to begin flashing at a flashing initiation time determined by said like radio signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The assembly of claim 11 wherein said step of broadcasting comprises the steps of; configuring a set of radio signals to be broadcast in timed succession, each of said signals comprising a unique flashing initiation timing instruction that is a function of how long in advance of a desired flashing initiation time said signal is to be broadcast; and, broadcasting each signal in said set of signals in temporal succession. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The assembly of claim 12 wherein said instruction comprises the actual time period in advance of said desired flashing initiation time that each of said signals is broadcast. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The assembly of claim 12 wherein said instruction comprises a token representing the position of said signal in the temporal sequence of signals that are broadcast by said assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The assembly of claim 14 wherein said assembly associates said token with a predetermined time period in advance of a flashing initiation time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13, 14) The assembly of claim 13 or 14 wherein said steps further comprise the step of said assembly monitoring for receipt of another of said signals until said desired flashing initiation time and, where said another of said signals is received, allowing said another of said signals to determine said desired flashing initiation start time. ### Claim 17 A signal or lighting system comprising a plurality of signal or lighting assemblies, each of said assemblies comprising a beacon, radio signal receiving and broadcasting means and a user interface for allowing a user to trigger the flashing of said beacon, each of said assemblies further comprising a computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the following steps to be implemented: in response to an activation of said user interface of an originating one of said assemblies, said originating assembly broadcasting a temporal succession of radio signals on the same radio channel, each of said signals comprising a unique flashing initiation timing instruction that is a function of how long in advance of a desired flashing initiation time said signal is broadcast, and causing said beacon to begin flashing at said desired flashing initiation time; at least one other of said assemblies receiving at least one of said signals and determining said desired flashing initiation time; and said originating assembly and said at least one other assembly causing beacons on their respective assemblies to flash in a synchronized manner in response to receiving said at least one of said signals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said signal or lighting assemblies are crosswalk warning assemblies. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The assembly of claim 11 wherein said signal or lighting assembly is a crosswalk warning assembly. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17 wherein said signal or lighting system is a crosswalk warning system and wherein said signal or lighting assemblies are crosswalk warning assemblies.