Patent ID: 6707391
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: G08G

Abstract:
An apparatus for supplementing automotive traffic safety comprising:a transmitter associated with a traffic concern or condition external of the vehicle adapted to transmit a wireless directional signal including a code representative of a particular type or class of traffic concern or condition, the transmitter adapted to produce a non-omnidirectional beam of controlled direction, power, and shape to a generaly confined target area, a pattern generator to produce a pattern correlated to said code; and a modulator to modulate the pattern into the beam; a receiver associated with an automotive vehicle adapted to store a plurality of different codes, including codes relating to different types or classes of traffic concerns or conditions, adapted to receive said signal when in the target area, and including an indicator perceivable by a human, the receiver comprising a collector for collecting energy from the beam when oriented toward the beam, an automatic gain control and amplifier adapted to amplify the collected energy, a pattern decoder including a demodulator for separating the pattern from the beam, a memory to store a plurality of codes correlated to different patterns and a comparator to compare the pattern for any match with a stored code in memory; so that when the signal is received by the receiver, if a code is recognized in the signal, the receiver causes the indicator to provide a human perceivable indication of a type or class of traffic concern or condition.