Abstract:
The present invention provides an apparatus which provides a system for alerting drivers of oncoming emergency vehicles. The system is comprised of a transmitter and receiver, both including a microcontroller and non-volatile memory component, connected to a logic interface used to facilitate connections between the microcontroller and external signals. The transmitter and receiver are both powered by power regulation and filtering means connected to the respective device. The transmitter further includes radio frequency (RF) generating means and an antenna system. An external trigger mechanism is also connected to the transmitter to activate the system. The receiver simply has a network of RF receiving means, which acts as a trigger to the system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a device for notifying vehicles of the presence of an approaching emergency vehicle (i.e. police, fire or ambulance). This could prove to be quite beneficial in both clearing traffic for emergency vehicles to respond to true emergencies more quickly, while simultaneously reducing the number of accidents caused by emergency vehicles. 
   As the trend towards increasingly developed urban areas grows exponentially, the streets become more and more congested and crowded, with an ever increasing number of vehicles. Additionally, buildings increasing in size, height and proximity to the street make for an increasingly hazardous situation on the roads due to diminishing visibility. This leaves motorists with short notice on potential hazards, and fewer options regarding where to maneuver their vehicle to avoid such obstacles. For non-emergency vehicles this poses little more than an inconvenience, easily remedied by lowering their rate of speed, increasing travel time and keeping in tight control of their vehicle. 
   Emergency vehicles, however, are subject to a drastically different operating procedure. The impending urgency present in their travels creates a slight difficulty in ensuring both a safe and efficient response. It has become increasingly difficult to safely and quickly navigate through the increasingly full traffic patterns throughout the congested urban and suburban areas. The higher rate of speed at which these vehicles commonly travel normally arises from the need for immediate care or assistance, which poses an additional risk to themselves and those they are assisting. 
   Common methods of warning motorists of an approaching emergency vehicle are visual and audible warning devices. These include sirens, flashing lights in a variety of bright patterns. Naturally, most states have laws requiring motorists to pull over, allowing emergency vehicles t he right of way, while reducing the chance of a collision. These lights and siren warning systems have served somewhat sufficient limitations imposed by increasingly crowded streets and crowded building structures have diminished the effect of these systems. Often by the time that a driver realizes that an emergency vehicle is nearing there is neither time nor space for the driver to maneuver out of the way of the approaching emergency vehicle. 
   This forces drivers of these vehicles to slow down, thus increasing their response time, which at times may be a matter of life or death for an accident or emergency victim, desperately in need of professional assistance. Additionally the risk of a high speed collision is imminent in many cases, where high speed collisions should be something emergency vehicles are responding to rather than being involved it. Known within the art are systems which provide alerts to oncoming emergency vehicles, however none provide the ability to change the radio energy pattern of the transmitted signal relative to the speed of the emergency vehicle. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,060, issued to Prevulsky, a device which uses a similar system using both a transmitter and receiver system, allowing all vehicles to be given sufficient warning of the approaching vehicle and its type. This is generally another useful piece of information as drivers would need to ensure pulling entirely off the road in clearing a path for a fire department vehicle or large ambulance, however the path for a police vehicle would not necessarily need to be so large. 
   Alternate disclosures include U.S. Pat. No. 6,529,831, issued to Smith, which teaches the use of a system including a navigation system placed within each vehicle interfaced with a transceiver-receiver system. This system, while useful in a multitude of purposes beyond the intent of warning drivers of imminent emergency vehicles, may prove to be too expensive and bulky to integrate into all vehicles. Thus working against the purpose of such a system, the effectiveness of such a system would hinge on the ability to inexpensively and sleekly incorporate a transmitter into all vehicles on the road. Additionally navigational systems are often susceptible to other problems such as decreased reception in metropolitan areas where tall buildings and other man-made obstacles can shadow reception. 
   Beinke, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,404,351, teaches a system which not only notifies vehicles of impending emergency vehicles, but also has the ability to change traffic lights in a further effort to clear the roadways for emergency traffic. This may prove to be dangerous, as the connection to the traffic light may open a backdoor for hackers to gain access to such a system, which could cause accidents. Again this may prove to add an additional cost in producing the system, which will hinder the quick implementation into all vehicles. An alternate device, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,889,475, issued to Klosinski, transmits across a broadband of AM and FM frequencies to warn vehicles through existing radio devices. While this is advantageous due to the lack of necessity to add additional parts to vehicles it is impossible to assume the AM or FM transmission will reach all vehicles, for example those who do not listen to the radio, and prefer a compact disc player or no background noise in their automobile. 
   The current subject of invention uses a microcontroller paired with a non-volatile memory which makes the design compact and lightweight, thus making it easy to implement such a system into many vehicles quite quickly. Additionally the ability to change the radio energy pattern of the transmitted signal relative to the speed of the emergency vehicle minimizes the unnecessary notification of vehicles who are not within the path of the oncoming emergency vehicle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides systems and methods for notifying drivers of emergency vehicles. Such apparatus are useful for notifying drivers of oncoming emergency vehicles, as well as providing a clear path for emergency vehicles. 
   The present invention, in a preferred embodiment, provides a system for notifying drivers of emergency vehicles. The system comprises a transmitter having a microcontroller, a non-volatile memory, and a logic interface for sending and receiving external signals. Additionally it includes a RF generating means, a radio antenna system and switching means, a power regulation and filtering means and an external trigger, all in electrical communication with the transceiver. The system also includes a receiver having a microcontroller, a non-volatile memory and a logic interface for sending and receiving external signals. Additionally including a RF receiving means and a power regulation and filtering means in electrical communication with the receiver. 
   According to an alternate embodiment of the present invention, a system for notifying drivers of emergency vehicles, the system comprises a transmitter having a microcontroller which dictates a change in the radio energy pattern of transmitted data from omni-directional at speeds under thirty MPH to unidirectional at speeds above thirty MPH, a non-volatile memory storing a unique serial number and vehicle type code, and a logic interface for sending and receiving external signals which determines the speed of the vehicle. Additionally including an RF generating means, a radio antenna system and switching means, a power regulation and filtering means which supplies between three and seven volts to said logic system and between negative fifteen and fifteen volts to said RF generating means and an external trigger which causes the microcontroller to activate the RF generating means and send data for modulation and transmission, all in electrical communication with the transmitter. The system also comprises a receiver having a microcontroller, a non-volatile memory storing a unique serial number and vehicle type code and a logic interface for sending and receiving external signals connected to a warning device wherein the device varies relative to the speed of the approaching emergency vehicle. Additionally including an RF receiving means and a power regulation and filtering means in electrical communication with said receiver which supplies between three and seven volts to the logic system and between negative fifteen and fifteen volts to the RF generating means. 
   Yet another preferred embodiment pertains to a method of manufacturing a system for notifying drivers of emergency vehicles comprising the steps of providing a transmitter having a microcontroller, a non-volatile memory and a logic interface, attaching a RF generating means to the transceiver, attaching a radio antenna system and switching means to the transceiver. Further steps include attaching power regulation and filtering means to the transceiver, attaching an external trigger to the transceiver, providing a receiver having a microcontroller, a non-volatile memory and a logic interface, attaching a RF receiving means to the receiver and attaching a power regulation and filtering means to the receiver. 
   This summary is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C and  1 D depict a system for notifying drivers of oncoming emergency vehicles according to the present invention; and 
       FIGS. 2A ,  2 B depicts a method of manufacturing a system for notifying drivers of oncoming emergency vehicles according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     FIGS. 1A and 1B  depict a system for notifying drivers of emergency vehicles, where the term driver refers to the operator of a vehicle or any other means of transportation. The system intended to be onboard an emergency vehicle, such as an ambulance or a police or fire vehicle, comprises a transmitter  10 , as shown in  FIG. 1A , having a microcontroller  12 , a non-volatile memory  14  and a logic interface  16  for sending and receiving external signals. The system also includes a radio frequency (RF) generating means, as depicted by the RF amplifier/generator  18 , a radio antenna system and switching means as depicted by the antenna  20  and element switching means  26  and a power regulation and filtering means  22  are also in electrical communication with the transmitter  10 . The power regulation and filtering means  22  is connected to a power supply  28  which in a preferred embodiment may be an internal or external power supply or battery. An external trigger  24  is connected to the transmitter  10  and triggering this device will cause microcontroller  12  to activate RF generating means, as depicted by the RF amplifier/generator  18 , and send data for modulation and transmission. The second major part of the system, as shown in  FIG. 1B , is the receiver  30 , having a microcontroller  32 , a non-volatile memory  34 , and a logic interface  36  for sending and receiving external signals. This device is not limited to solely civilian vehicles as an emergency vehicle would also be interested in the presence of another oncoming emergency vehicle. This receiver also includes a RF receiving means  38 , and a power regulation and filtering means  40  also in electrical communication with the receiver  30 . The power regulation and filtering means  40  is connected to an internal or external power supply  42 . In an alternate embodiment this receiver may be connected to an on-board computer system. 
   A preferred embodiment may store a vehicle type code and unique serial number in the non-volatile memory  14  of the transmitter  10  and non-volatile memory  34  of the receiver  30 . This vehicle type code is selected from the following group consisting of police vehicles, fire department vehicles, emergency medical units, passenger vehicles, motorcycles, sport utility vehicles, trucks, mopeds or commercial vehicles. Alternatively as depicted in  FIG. 1C  the transmitter  50  logic interface  56  determines the speed of the emergency vehicle using a speed monitor  58 . In response to input from the speed monitor  58 , the microcontroller  52  provides a command to the RF generating means, as depicted by the RF amplifier/generator  60 , to output the transmitted data in an omni-directional pattern at speeds under thirty miles per hour from the antenna  62 . When the speed is determined to be greater than thirty miles per hour (MPH), another command is provided to the RF generating means, as depicted by the RF amplifier/generator  60 , to output the transmitted data in a unidirectional pattern from the antenna  62 . Yet another embodiment may provide between three and seven volts, ideally approximately five volts to the logic interface  56  of the transmitter  50  as shown by connection  68  to the power regulation and filtering means  64 . The power and filtering means  64  also supplies between negative fifteen and fifteen volts, ideally approximately twelve volts to the RF generating means, as depicted by the RF amplifier/generator  60 , by means of connection  70 . As shown in  FIG. 1D , the power and filtering means  102  within the receiver  90  provides between negative fifteen and fifteen volts, ideally approximately twelve volts to the RF receiving means  100  through a connection such as a wire  108 , and between three and seven volts, ideally five volts to the logic interface  96 . Additionally the non-volatile memory  94  on the receiver  90  may store crash data which can be retrieved for use in accident analysis at a later date. It should be understood that the system may be in communication with any onboard computer or navigation system. An alternate embodiment includes a warning device  98  as depicted in  FIG. 1D , connected to the receiver&#39;s  90  logic interface  96 . This warning device  98  can be an internal or external device selected from the group consisting of audio warning device, visual warning device, vibratory warning device, LED(s), buzzers, or lights with varying tone or flash pattern. This embodiment may vary the speed, brightness, vibratory notification speed or pattern of the warning device  98 . 
     FIG. 2  is a diagram disclosing a method of manufacturing a system for notifying drivers of emergency vehicles, comprising the steps of  300  providing a transmitter  50  having a microcontroller  52 , a non-volatile memory  54  and a logic interface  56 . The next step  3   02  may be one of storing a unique serial number in the non-volatile memory  54 , by way of example, this may be accomplished by assigning the license plate or vehicle identification number so transmitters within different vehicles can be distinguished. This may be followed by  304  storing a vehicle type code in the non-volatile memory  54 , by way of example, all ambulances may be assigned a prefix or postfix of ‘A’ or ‘2’ on the unique serial number, thus designating the vehicle an ambulance. Alternatively a second type code could be assigned designating the vehicle a police vehicle, or ambulance. This may be followed by step  306 , storing crash data in the non-volatile memory. This is followed by step  308  attaching a RF generating means to the transmitter  50 ; this may be accomplished by attaching a wire between the microcontroller  52  and the RF amplifier/generator  60 . This is followed by step  310 , attaching a radio antenna  62  and element switching means  74  to the transmitter  50 . These are connected to the RF amplifier/generator  60 . Followed by step  312  attaching power regulation and filtering means  64  to the transmitter  50 , this may be accomplished by attaching a power supply  76  to the power regulation and filtering means  64  and through the power regulation and filtering means  64 , power is supplied to the various internal elements. This may be followed by step  314  supplying between three and seven volts, ideally approximately five volts to the logic system  56  and between negative fifteen and fifteen volts, ideally approximately twelve volts to the RF amplifier/generator  60 , from the power regulation and filtering means  64 , which may be accomplished by connecting wires between the power regulation and filtering means and other components. Following this is step  316 , attaching an external trigger  72  to the transmitter  50 , which may include a connection to an existing light and siren warning system, or the implementation of an external switch to activate the system. Followed by step  318 , providing a receiver  90  having a microcontroller  92 , a non-volatile memory  94  and a logic interface  96 . This may be followed by step  320  storing a unique serial number in the non-volatile memory  54 , which may include storing the vehicle&#39;s license plate or vehicle identification number so receivers in different vehicles can be distinguished. It should also be understood that the system as in the present invention may be in communication with any on-board computer systems or navigation systems. This may be followed by step  322 , storing a vehicle identification code in the non-volatile memory  54 , which may be embodied by appending a prefix or postfix to the unique serial number to make a ‘S’ a sport utility vehicle or ‘7’ as a sport utility vehicle. This may be followed by step  324 , storing crash data in the non-volatile memory  54 . The next step  326  may be that of connecting a warning device to the logic interface  98 . This device may be either an internal or external warning device embodied by a visual, audio or vibratory warning device which changes its type or rate of alert depending on the received signal. This is followed by step  328 , attaching a RF receiving means  100  to the receiver  90 , this may be accomplished by means of a wire connected to the microcontroller  92 . This is followed by step  330 , attaching a power regulation and filtering means  102  to the receiver  90 , which may include attaching power regulation and filtering means  102  to a power source  112  and connecting using wires or a similar known method within the art to microcontroller  92 , logic interface  96 , non-volatile memory  94  and RF receiving means  100 . This may be followed by step  332  supplying between three and seven volts, ideally approximately five volts to the logic system  96  and between negative fifteen and fifteen volts, ideally approximately twelve volts to the RF generating means  100  from the power regulation and filtering means  102 . The following step  334  of the transmitter&#39;s external trigger  72  may cause the microcontroller  52  to activate the RF generating means  60  and send data for modulation and transmission; this may be done across wires or a similar means known within the art. Additionally  336  the logic interface  56  may determine the speed of the vehicle using a speed monitor  58  and change the radio energy pattern of transmitted data from omni-directional at speeds less than thirty MPH to unidirectional at speeds greater than thirty MPH. 
   This detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.