Patent ID: 8373578

Claim:
A wireless head for a traffic preemption system comprising: one or more optical receivers adapted to identify an optical signal transmitted by an optical transmitter comprised in a vehicle preemption unit mounted to a vehicle; one or more head radio transceivers adapted to identify a radio signal transmitted by a vehicle radio transceiver comprised in the vehicle preemption unit; and a head radio frequency (RF) modem adapted to transmit one or more radio signals corresponding with one of the optical signal, the radio signal, and a combination of the optical signal and the radio signal to an intersection RF modem included in an intersection preemption unit coupled with an intersection system controller; wherein the head is mounted to a traffic support fixture; wherein the one or more optical receivers, one or more head radio transceivers, and the head RF modem are all operably coupled together within the wireless head; and wherein the intersection preemption unit is adapted to change a traffic light in favor of the vehicle to which the vehicle preemption unit is mounted in response to one of the optical signal, the radio signal, and the combination of the optical signal and the radio signal from the vehicle preemption unit.