Emergency vehicle traffic signal pre-emption and collision avoidance system
OwnerDave Gross, Jon Grossinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a system that allows operators of emergency vehicles to obtain graphic data regarding other emergency vehicles that may pose threats of collision. Automatic signaling takes place between emergency vehicles within range of each other to transmit directional data regarding the direction of travel of each emergency vehicle. This data is correlated to derive directional vectors relative to each other. These vectors are displayed so that the operator can quickly determine the direction of other vehicles with respect to his own. The system includes equipment for preempting traffic signals by selected emergency vehicles, and for informing other emergency vehicles that a traffic signal has been preempted.
Claims20
An emergency vehicle collision avoidance system including a plurality of emergency vehicles, each emergency vehicle comprising:
- (a) means for determining direction of travel of said emergency vehicle;
- (b) an emergency vehicle transceiver arranged to transmit direction signals indicative of said direction of vehicle travel, and receiving direction signals indicative of direction of travel of other emergency vehicles;
- (c) correlating means for calculating relative direction vectors based upon said direction signals indicative of vehicle travel of said other emergency vehicles;
- and,
- (d) a graphical display arranged to depict a relative arrangement of said direction vectors.
The emergency vehicle collision avoidance system of 7, wherein an identity signal indicative of a selected emergency vehicle is broadcast in said second mode of operation by said traffic signal transceiver responsive to said means for selecting.
A method of operating an emergency vehicle collision avoidance system including a plurality of emergency vehicles, each emergency vehicle operating according to said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) obtaining directional data indicative of a direction of travel of said emergency vehicle;
- (b) sending directional signals to other emergency vehicles indicative of said directional data, said directional signals being sent in a first mode of transmission;
- (c) correlating received directional signals to determine directional vectors based upon said directional signals received, and deriving relative relationships between said directional vectors;
- and,
- (d) graphically displaying said directional vectors to depict relative directions of travel of said other emergency vehicles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.