Abstract:
A system and method for warning a first vehicle of an approaching second vehicle. The novel system ( 100 ) comprises a transmitter system ( 13 ) located in the second vehicle ( 10 ) for transmitting an electromagnetic signal, and a receiver system ( 33 ) located in the first vehicle ( 20 ), the receiver system ( 33 ) including an antenna ( 31, 32, 62 ) for receiving the signal, and a receiver microchip ( 33 ) comprising a first circuit ( 330, 331, 332, 333 ) for processing the signal and outputting an electronic signal, and a second circuit ( 334, 339 ) for generating an audio and/or visual warning signal in response to the electronic signal. In the preferred embodiment, the receiver microchip ( 33 ) further includes a third circuit ( 336, 337, 338 ) for disabling one or more sound producing sources ( 44, 54, 35   a,    35   b ) within the first vehicle in response to the electronic signal. In a first illustrative embodiment, the receiver system ( 33 ) is implemented as part of a telematics suite or car radio ( 30 ). In an alternate embodiment, the receiver ( 33 ) system is implemented as an independent wireless receiver module ( 61 ).

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application, Serial No. 60/382,440, filed May 21, 2002, entitled “EMERGENCY VEHICLE WARNING SYSTEM”. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to vehicle warning systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems for warning vehicles of the approach of an emergency vehicle.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Today&#39;s roadway vehicles are typically “sound-proof” and when operated with the air conditioning on, windows closed, and entertainment systems on, it is difficult for the driver to hear emergency vehicle sirens. The problem is compounded with the installation of automotive telematics (the wireless delivery of communication, information &amp; other content, e.g., voice messages, e-mail) between the vehicle, the occupants and external sources. Telematics will distract drivers further. Failure to hear an emergency vehicle until it is very close causes a delayed reaction which requires the emergency vehicle to travel slower (delaying the emergency response), and the closeness when it is detected causes some drivers to overreact and change lanes into other traffic or to stop short. Failure to hear trains approaching roadway crossings is a frequent cause of train and roadway vehicle accidents. Each year in the United States there are thousands of intersection accidents involving emergency vehicles such as fire trucks, ambulances and law enforcement vehicles. These accidents kill and injure thousands of people. Forty percent of the firefighters that are killed on duty are killed in accidents while going to the scene of a fire or emergency. Roadway vehicle and train collisions in the U.S. cause over 400 deaths per year and thousands of injuries. In the U.S., boat collisions with other boats kill 75 persons annually and thousands of injuries.  
           [0006]    The existing approaches to solve this problem are very expensive to implement and expensive for the ultimate user and therefore have not been accepted by the automotive industry. One system called Safety Warning System operates in the gigahertz range and can only be received by vehicles that have radar detectors installed. Radar detector prices range from $50 to $350 and in some states radar the detectors are outlawed. Other attempts use audible techniques to detect a siren and they can be ineffective in certain weather conditions. In most cases the only economic way to implement the existing concepts is via installation as original equipment. The automotive industry has not implemented the existing concepts because of the size, weight, complexity and cost of the components. Additionally, the installation of the existing concepts in a motor vehicle as an aftermarket unit would be very expensive because of the rewiring and component modifications required.  
           [0007]    Hence, a need exists in the art for an improved system or method for warning vehicles of the approach of an emergency vehicle which offers smaller size, weight, and cost than prior art systems.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The need in the art is addressed by the system and method for warning a first vehicle of an approaching second vehicle of the present invention. In the illustrative embodiment, the second vehicle is an emergency vehicle. In the most basic and generic structural form, the inventive emergency vehicle warning system comprises a transmitter system located in the second vehicle for transmitting an electromagnetic signal, and a receiver system located in the first vehicle, the receiver system including an antenna for receiving the signal, and a receiver microchip comprising a first circuit for processing the signal and outputting an electronic signal, and a second circuit for generating an audio and/or visual warning signal in response to the electronic signal. In the illustrative embodiment, the second circuit includes a voice synthesizer, and a flasher coupled to a visual display. In the preferred embodiment, the receiver microchip further includes a third circuit for disabling one or more sound producing sources within the first vehicle in response to the electronic signal. In a first illustrative embodiment, the receiver system is implemented as part of a telematics suite or car radio. In an alternate embodiment, the receiver system is implemented as an independent wireless receiver module. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a basic logic diagram showing an illustrative embodiment of the present invention wherein the receiver is designed for installation as original equipment.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a basic logic diagram showing an alternate embodiment of the present invention wherein the receiver is designed to be installed as an aftermarket unit. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]    Illustrative embodiments and exemplary applications will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings to disclose the advantageous teachings of the present invention.  
         [0012]    While the present invention is described herein with reference to illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the present invention would be of significant utility.  
         [0013]    One purpose of this invention is to improve traffic safety by ensuring all vehicle drivers receive sufficient advanced warning of approaching emergency vehicles and trains. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, this can be accomplished by bringing the warning signals “into” the vehicle using one of two unique low cost RF (radio frequency) receiver devices and one low cost transmitter device. (One of the receiver devices is for installation as original equipment and the second is designed to be installed as an aftermarket unit.) The devices are microchip designs and can be mass produced at very little cost. A very low frequency is used to minimize component cost. Existing components in most roadway vehicles are used to further minimize cost. A wireless, almost credit card size receiver, can be produced at very low cost and can be installed in any aftermarket vehicle with virtually no installation cost. Because the invention lowers the unit size, weight and cost so significantly, there is a good likelihood there will be automotive industry and customer acceptance. Acceptance and implementation will save lives and reduce injuries.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIGS. 1 and 2 are basic logic diagrams showing the overall function of the emergency vehicle warning system. FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of the invention wherein the receiver is designed for installation as original equipment. FIG. 2 shows an alternate embodiment wherein the receiver is designed to be installed as an aftermarket unit.  
         [0015]    In the most basic and generic structural form, the inventive emergency vehicle warning system  100  comprises a vehicle  10  which is designated to respond to exigency conditions including vehicles such as fire, law enforcement, ambulance and military alert vehicles, herein referred to as emergency vehicles. The emergency vehicle  10  is equipped with a traffic alerting device such as a radio frequency (RF) transmitter  13  with a transmitting antenna  15 . In the preferred embodiment, the antenna  15  is directional, in a hemisphere pointing to the front of the emergency vehicle. This system is based on a microchip referred to as a RF transmitter chip  13 , comprised of an encoder  131 , a transmitter module  132 , and an amplifier  133 . In the illustrative embodiment, they are operated in conjunction with a user interface switch  11  and two light indicators  12  and  14  located before and after the transmitter chip  13 , respectively. In the preferred embodiment, the user interface switch  11  allows the operator to adjust the range of the signal by adjusting the output power (through the amplifier  133 ) of the transmitter  13 . The user interface switch  11  may be the same switch which operates an emergency vehicle siren.  
         [0016]    The invention is adapted for use with a second vehicle  20 , one of a plurality, containing vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks and busses; herein referred to as roadway vehicles. As shown in FIG. 1, this vehicle would be equipped with an emergency vehicle alert receiving system  33  based on a microchip and referred to as a RF receiver chip  33 . This unit is designed to be installed as a part of a telematics suite or automobile car radio  30 , during their manufacture. The vehicle alert receiving system  33  is to be coupled with and respond to a radio frequency (RF) signal received via its omni-directional radio antenna  31 , or a telematics RF antenna  32 , or both. Upon receiving a RF signal, the alert receiving system  33  has the capability of sending electrical output signals, in the appropriate form, to other systems or units within the vehicle. The chip  33  contains RF receiver components such as a RF comparator  330 , a RF receiver module  331 , a decoder  332 , and a trigger  333  for processing the RF signal. The processed signal is used to support other functions within the telematics suite, namely to initiate a voice synthesizer  334 , initiate a flasher  339 , and serve a signal to three AND gates  336 ,  337  and  338 . The chip also contains an amplifier  335  to amplify the synthesized voice signal from the voice synthesizer  334  to the entertainment system radio  40 .  
         [0017]    In an alternate embodiment, the receiver chip  33  can be designed as a transceiver chip capable of handling both receive and transmit functions. This transceiver chip can then also be used as the transmitter chip  13  in the emergency vehicle  10 .  
         [0018]    In the illustrative embodiment, the second vehicle  20  further includes an interior compartment warning indicator system  30  based on the telematics/radio, comprised of an electrical flasher  339 , within the RF receiver chip  33 , (as used in a vehicle turn signal or hazard warning light systems), and a lamp  36 , which illuminates a dashboard “Emergency Vehicle” indicator  37 , or a separate lighting system such as an LED array  38 .  
         [0019]    If the vehicle  20  is equipped with a radio, tape, or disc player, the vehicle warning system  100  would also include an emergency entertainment control unit  40 , which upon receiving a signal from the RF receiver chip  33  will disengage the signals of certain radio or tape/disc player components to the speaker or speakers  44 , provided the radio or tape/disc player components are operating, an audio signal  41  is being produced, and an operating signal  42  is sent to the RF receiver chip  33 . The unit  40  also includes a normally closed switch  43 , which allows the audio signal  41  to reach the speakers  44 .  
         [0020]    In the illustrative embodiment, the second vehicle  20  further includes an emergency ventilation control unit  50 , which upon receiving a signal from the RF receiver chip  33 , will disengage the power to the fan motor  54 , provided the fan motor  54  is operating, a power signal  51  is being produced, and an operating signal  52  is sent to the RF receiver chip  33 . The unit  50  also includes a normally closed switch  53  which allows the power  51  to reach the fan motor  54 .  
         [0021]    In the preferred embodiment, the second vehicle  20  includes an emergency telematics suite control unit  34 , which upon receiving a signal from the RF receiver chip  33  will disengage the power to the telematics speaker  35   a  and printer  35   b,  provided the telematics units are operating, a power signal  341  is being produced, and an operating signal  342  is sent to the RF receiver chip  33 . The unit  34  also includes a normally closed switch  343  which allows the power  341  to reach the speaker  35   a  and printer  35   b.    
         [0022]    In an alternative embodiment, a roadway vehicle  60  is equipped with an independent RF receiver module  61  that is completely self-contained, as shown in FIG.  2 . Within its configuration is an antenna  62 , a solar cell  63  for charging a battery  64 , which provides power to the RF receiver chip  33 , which is the same chip as the RF receiver chip  33  in the first embodiment of FIG. 1. The module  61  also contains it&#39;s own speaker  66  and a LED array  67  to provide audible and visual alarms to the vehicle operator. These units also receive power from the battery  64 .  
         [0023]    In operation the invention provides warning to roadway vehicle drivers in the following manner. In an emergency response, the emergency vehicle turns on the RF transmitter  13  along with or independent of the siren using a push/pull function of the operator interface switch  11 . The RF transmitter  13  operates on a reserved frequency and the transmission distance is limited by the output power of the transmitter and controlled by the rotation function of the operator interface switch  11  and the amplifier  133 . In the preferred embodiment, the transmitter  13  operates at a low RF frequency such as the AM band to reduce cost and chip size.  
         [0024]    Roadway vehicles  20  possessing the invention&#39;s systems/components would have an operating receiver  33 , designed to receive the same frequency as that transmitted by the emergency vehicle  10 , when the roadway vehicle ignition key is turned on or in the case of an independent RF receiver module  61  it would be on at all times. With the roadway vehicle in receiving range of the emergency vehicle transmission, the receiver  33  via the omni-directional antenna ( 31  and/or  32 ) would detect the signal. The RF receiver chip  33  will process this signal, and in an appropriate electrical form send it to the flasher  339  which produces a flashing (off and on) illumination of the “Emergency Vehicle” indicator  37  and/or the LED array  38 .  
         [0025]    Simultaneously, the signal from within the RF receiver chip  33  goes to the voice synthesizer  334  and therein to the resident AND gates  336 ,  337  and  338 . Provided the roadway vehicle has an entertainment system such as a radio or tape/disc player operating, an “on” or “operating” signal  42  from the unit is sent to the first AND gate  336 . Upon receipt of both signals, the AND gate sends a signal to open the normally closed switch  43 , which interrupts the audio signal  41  from the operating unit to the speaker  44 , silencing the entertainment system.  
         [0026]    The voice synthesizer  334  consists of a programmable read only memory (PROM) that is programmed to digitally replicate a voice stating “Emergency Vehicle Approaching”, or other suitable message. This signal is amplified within the RF receiver chip by the amplifier  335  and is sent to the speaker  44 . The “Emergency Vehicle Approaching” statement is repeated over and over until the RF transmission from the emergency vehicle is out of range.  
         [0027]    If the vehicle ventilation system fan motor  54  is operating, or if telematics units such as printers  35 b or speakers  35 a are operating, they are also disabled/interrupted by the receipt of operating signals to their respective AND gates ( 337  and  338 ) within the RF receiver chip and their normally closed switches,  53  and  343  respectively. They are automatically reactivated when RF transmission from the emergency vehicle is out of range.  
         [0028]    A roadway vehicle that has the independent RF receiver module  61  receives the transmitted signal via its internal antenna  62 , and this signal is processed by the RF receiver chip  33  in the same manner as described above. The output signals from the chip  33  is a synthesized voice stating “Emergency Vehicle Approaching” which goes to the speaker  66 , and a flashing signal to the LED array  67 . These signals terminate when the RF signal to the antenna dissipates. Power is provided to the RF receiver chip  33 , the speaker  66 , and the LED array  67  by the internal battery  64 , and the battery  64  is kept charged by the solar cell  63 . The independent RF receiver module  61  may be attached to the roadway vehicle by many different methods, e.g., with adhesive or tape, or using a clip to attach it to the windshield, rearview mirror, sun visor or any place conspicuous to the driver.  
         [0029]    The description of the preferred embodiment primarily refers to emergency vehicles but the transmitter could be used on trains to provide advance warning when approaching a roadway intersection. In this application the transmitter antenna should be directional. Transmitters should be located on the locomotive unit to provide forward warning and on the last car of the train to warn motorists when the train is backing across a roadway. The train transmitter would transmit a special code to indicate it was a train instead of an emergency vehicle. The roadway vehicle RF receiver chip could decode this message and send a unique message to the voice synthesizer to warn of a train approach.  
         [0030]    Similar transmitter and receiver units could be developed and used by commercial and recreational boats, aircraft and other vehicles.  
         [0031]    The invention as described assumes the vehicles are manufactured with the inventive systems/components installed and over time all vehicles would have a complete system. Emergency vehicle warning could also be provided by installing and using individual units, such as the RF system by itself, or other portions of the described system. Likewise equivalent or substitute units or subsystems could be manufactured and installed as aftermarket units to provide warning of emergency vehicles to automobiles that were not originally equipped with a warning system. For example, the vehicle alert receiving could be used with any combination to the dashboard warning system, the AND gate and switch and the voice warning unit, or the voice warning unit could be replaced with a buzzer or other audible device and it could be used in conjunction with the other inventive system as described.  
         [0032]    Thus, the present invention has been described herein with reference to a particular embodiment for a particular application. Those having ordinary skill in the art and access to the present teachings will recognize additional modifications, applications and embodiments within the scope thereof.  
         [0033]    It is therefore intended by the appended claims to cover any and all such applications, modifications and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.  
         [0034]    Accordingly,