US3638179A - Emergency vehicle control of traffic signals - Google Patents
Emergency vehicle control of traffic signals Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3638179A US3638179A US721668A US3638179DA US3638179A US 3638179 A US3638179 A US 3638179A US 721668 A US721668 A US 721668A US 3638179D A US3638179D A US 3638179DA US 3638179 A US3638179 A US 3638179A
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- logical circuits
- type logical
- type
- circuit means
- lamp
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G08—SIGNALLING
- G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
- G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
- G08G1/07—Controlling traffic signals
- G08G1/087—Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
Definitions
- ABSTRACT The present system provides a traffic light control system [22] Filed 1968 which enables an emergency vehicle such as a fire engine, am- [21] Appl. No.: 721,668 bulance or the like to control all traffic lights at each intersection through which it will pass in the course of its intended travel.
- the traffic lights can be rendered one green and three [52] US. Cl. ..340/32 red at each said intersection along the route with the green [5 Cl 1/00 light facing the oncoming emergency vehicle.
Abstract
The present system provides a traffic light control system which enables an emergency vehicle such as a fire engine, ambulance or the like to control all traffic lights at each intersection through which it will pass in the course of its intended travel. The traffic lights can be rendered one green and three red at each said intersection along the route with the green light facing the oncoming emergency vehicle. In the alternative the system provides a means for rendering the traffic lights all red at each intersection thereby stopping the traffic in all directions and enabling the emergency vehicle to weave in and out of the stopped traffic.
Description
United States Patent Coll et a1. [451 Jan.- 25, 1972 [54] EMERGENCY VEHICLE CONTROL ()F 3,1 14,13; 15/1923 Ramsey ..340/33 TRAFFI SIGNALS 3,2093 19 5 Mentzer et a ..340/33 C 3,247,482 4/1966 Lesher ..340/32 X [72] Inventors: Edward T. Coll, Philadelphia, Pa.; Hamid 3,257,641 6/1966 Campana et a1 ..340/33 J. Braschwitz, North Royalton; Charles Grace, Bracksville, both of Ohio; Michael Primary ExaminerWilliam C. Cooper J. Manchester, Philadelphia, Pa.; Stephen Anomey-Zachary T. Wobensmith," A. Hunter, Ill, Charlotte, NC. [73] Assignee: Martha H. Egly, Philadelphia,- Pa. [57] ABSTRACT The present system provides a traffic light control system [22] Filed 1968 which enables an emergency vehicle such as a fire engine, am- [21] Appl. No.: 721,668 bulance or the like to control all traffic lights at each intersection through which it will pass in the course of its intended travel. The traffic lights can be rendered one green and three [52] US. Cl. ..340/32 red at each said intersection along the route with the green [5 Cl 1/00 light facing the oncoming emergency vehicle. In the altema- [58] Field ofSearch ..340/3l-33 five the system provides a means for rendering the "at-fie lights all red at each intersection thereby stopping the traffic [56] Rderences Cned in all directions and enabling the emergency vehicle to weave UNITED STATES PATENTS in and out of the stopped traffic.
2,203,871 6/1940 Koch ..340 33 8 claims, 17 Drawing Figures 2,355,607 8/1944 Shepherd... ....340/33 2,903,674 9/1959 Schwab ..340/33 ALARM INPUTS FROM eusmselvzv RECEIVER EMERGENC Y og NORMAL AMBER LAMP i F i I CONTROLLER CONTROL MON/T02 EMERGENCY "A omr V o/vs (IECUIT W RED LAMP 1 0 ,uomrozs /021. 7 SECOND GREEN DELAY ACTUlT/ON 9' RESET S/03 TIME: E 0NTEOL J I EMERGENCY I08 )407 AMbEZ TIMER M09 ALARM MEMORY 4' 5/04, L kEsET ACTUA 7'02 ;I/I BEACON I I l i555 LAMP FLASI-IEE EMERGENCY MP 5/20 [MN/T025 CONDITION H5 ONTZUL zsu Y5 1 msrsz ,1/3 EMERGENCY EMERGENCY TRANSFER msrez 62EEN LAMP 422 SAFETY CIRCUIT TRANSFER CONTROL EME Y r/I8 (mussel/E2 EELAYs PATENTEU JAMES I972 SHEET 03 [1F 21 PATENTED m2 5:912
SHEET 13 0F 21 mu wu v3 mos H T E O N m E an M A SOUTH BEE AHBEQ.
AMBER INVENTOZS EDWAIZDZ'oLL HAROLD J. BBASCHW/TZ (HA/ZLES 62965 .STEPHEN A. HUNTER, ZZI M/Cl/AEL. J. MANCHEJTEE A Tram/E) PATENTEDJAN25 m2 3,638, 1 79 SHEET 1 5 OF 21 IN VEN T025 EDWARD r.co/..L HAROLD BEASCHWITZ alums: 624a;
A TTOENE y PATENTED JAN 2 5 I972 SHEET 180F21 I A TTJEA/Ey
Claims (8)
1. In an arrangement of traffic lights having go, caution and stop lamps for directing the flow of vehicle traffic on streets and highways, an emergency regulating system for enabling an emergency vehicle to control said traffic lights comprising in combination: first circuit means to receive a plurality of different direction-indicating direct-current signals, each of which is generated in response to direction-indicating signals transmitted from an emergency vehicle; second circuit means connected to said first circuit means to receive said plurality of different direction-indicating direct-current signals, said second circuit means including a plurality of first type logical circuits each of which has a plurality of input channels and an output means and each of said first type logical circuits connected to receive a different one of said direction-indicating direct-current signals; third circuit means interconnecting said plurality of first type logical circuits such that when any one of said first type logical circuits receives its associated direction-indicating direct-current signal said last-mentioned first type logical circuit will generate signals which will inhibit the remainder of said first type logical circuits from being response to their respective associated direction-indicating direct-current signals; a plurality of second type logical circuits, each of said second type logical circuits having a plurality of input channels and an output means, each of said second type logical circuits connected to a different assigned one of said first type logical circuits to receive output signals therefrom and to generate first type control signals in response thereto; go light timing circuit means for generating a second type control signal to inhibit said second type logical circuits from generating said first type control signals for a first predetermined time; caution light timing circuit means for generating third type control signals for a second predetermined time, said caution light timing circuit means connected to said second type logical circuits to receive some of said first type control signals therefrom and to transmit at least one third type control signal to turn on at least some of said caution lamps for said second predetermined time; fourth circuit means connected to said second type logical circuits and to said caution light timing circuit means to illuminate said go lamps and said stop lamps in a predetermined pattern, after said second predetermined time has elapsed, to accommodate an emergency vehicle whose related directionindicating signal is being processed by said first and second type logical circuits.
2. An emergency regulating system according to claim 1 wherein each of said second type logical circuits includes a memory circuit, each memory circuit being assigned to a different one of said direction-indicating signals to store an indication of the direction of the particular direction-indicating signal being processed.
3. An emergency regulating system according to claim 2 Wherein said caution light timing circuit means is connected to said second type logical circuits to erase from each of said memory circuits an indication of a previously received direction-indicating signal after said second predetermined time if such memory circuits were storing the same.
4. An emergency regulating system according to claim 1 wherein there are further included go lamp monitors connected to said go light timing circuit means to cause said go light timing circuit means to commence clocking said first predetermine time on each occasion that a go lamp is newly illuminated.
5. An emergency regulating system according to claim 1 wherein there is further included, at each traffic light location, a flasher lamp and wherein there is circuitry means connected from said second type logical circuits to said flasher lamp to cause said flasher lamp to flash in response to some of said first type control signals from said second type logical circuits.
6. An emergency regulating system according to claim 1 wherein there is further included a normal controller monitor circuit connected to said first type logical circuits which transmits a signal thereto to continually test whether or not said first type logical circuits are processing a direction-indicating signal and which acts to return said arrangement of traffic lights to a nonemergency mode of operation when said first type logical circuits are no longer processing a direction-indicating signal.
7. An emergency regulating system according to claim 1 wherein there is further included stop light monitoring circuit means connected to said second type logical circuits and to said caution light timing circuit to condition said second type logic circuits so that if a go lamp facing the emergency vehicle''s approach were illuminated it would remain illuminated and all other directions would have stop lamps illuminated and alternatively if a stop lamp facing the emergency vehicle''s approach were illuminated all directions would first be illuminated with a stop lamp and then said go lamp facing the said emergency vehicle''s approach would be illuminated.
8. An emergency regulating system according to claim 1 wherein there is further included a caution lamp control unit connected to said caution light timing circuit and wherein there is further included a stop lamp monitoring circuit means connected to said caution lamp control unit to condition said caution lamp control unit so that any caution lamps facing the direction where go lamps are illuminated at the time of an emergency are conditioned to be illuminated prior to their associated stop lamps becoming illuminated excepting if the illuminated go lamp is facing the emergency vehicle''s approach.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US72166868A | 1968-04-16 | 1968-04-16 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
US3638179A true US3638179A (en) | 1972-01-25 |
Family
ID=24898823
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US721668A Expired - Lifetime US3638179A (en) | 1968-04-16 | 1968-04-16 | Emergency vehicle control of traffic signals |
Country Status (1)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US3638179A (en) |
Cited By (16)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3824469A (en) * | 1972-06-16 | 1974-07-16 | M Ristenbatt | Comprehensive automatic vehicle communication, paging, and position location system |
US3881169A (en) * | 1973-06-01 | 1975-04-29 | Traffic Control Products Inc | Emergency vehicle traffic controller |
US4223295A (en) * | 1978-10-18 | 1980-09-16 | Nelson A. Faerber | Emergency control system for traffic signals |
US4352086A (en) * | 1979-06-06 | 1982-09-28 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Method and a circuit arrangement for modifying control information in a traffic signal system, particularly a street traffic signal system |
US4463339A (en) * | 1979-01-02 | 1984-07-31 | Ralph E. Frick | State/interval redundant controller system for traffic signals |
US4704610A (en) * | 1985-12-16 | 1987-11-03 | Smith Michel R | Emergency vehicle warning and traffic control system |
US4864297A (en) * | 1987-10-14 | 1989-09-05 | Tekedge Development Corp. | Siren detector |
US4914434A (en) * | 1988-06-13 | 1990-04-03 | Morgan Rodney K | Traffic signal preemption system |
EP0461960A1 (en) * | 1990-06-15 | 1991-12-18 | Automobiles Peugeot | Motor vehicle traffic management system at crossroads |
NL9401014A (en) * | 1994-06-21 | 1996-02-01 | Henri Gertruda Appelmans | Traffic-light installation |
EP0797179A1 (en) * | 1996-03-22 | 1997-09-24 | Eric Cadenhead | Improvements in or relating to traffic control |
US20100153002A1 (en) * | 2008-12-16 | 2010-06-17 | Electronics And Telecommunications Research Institute | Route guidance system and method for emergency vehicle using telematics |
TWI613625B (en) * | 2016-10-26 | 2018-02-01 | 技嘉科技股份有限公司 | Traffic management system and management method thereof |
US10286906B2 (en) | 2017-01-24 | 2019-05-14 | Denso International America, Inc. | Vehicle safety system |
US10832579B2 (en) * | 2016-05-31 | 2020-11-10 | Accenture Global Solutions Limited | Integrated ambulance tracking system |
US11270582B1 (en) | 2021-03-09 | 2022-03-08 | Jayson Jenkins | Traffic light control system |
Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2203871A (en) * | 1936-10-13 | 1940-06-11 | Rca Corp | Radio traffic control |
US2355607A (en) * | 1940-03-25 | 1944-08-15 | Shepherd Judson O'd | Control system |
US2903674A (en) * | 1954-08-30 | 1959-09-08 | North American Aviation Inc | Remote emergency traffic control system |
US3114127A (en) * | 1962-03-05 | 1963-12-10 | Electronic Traffic Control Inc | Traffic light controller |
US3209325A (en) * | 1961-04-03 | 1965-09-28 | Electro Controls Inc | System for emergency remote control of traffic signals |
US3247482A (en) * | 1961-05-26 | 1966-04-19 | Rad O Lite Inc | Traffic control systems |
US3257641A (en) * | 1963-05-31 | 1966-06-21 | Chrys Camp Controller Inc | Emergency traffic control system |
-
1968
- 1968-04-16 US US721668A patent/US3638179A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2203871A (en) * | 1936-10-13 | 1940-06-11 | Rca Corp | Radio traffic control |
US2355607A (en) * | 1940-03-25 | 1944-08-15 | Shepherd Judson O'd | Control system |
US2903674A (en) * | 1954-08-30 | 1959-09-08 | North American Aviation Inc | Remote emergency traffic control system |
US3209325A (en) * | 1961-04-03 | 1965-09-28 | Electro Controls Inc | System for emergency remote control of traffic signals |
US3247482A (en) * | 1961-05-26 | 1966-04-19 | Rad O Lite Inc | Traffic control systems |
US3114127A (en) * | 1962-03-05 | 1963-12-10 | Electronic Traffic Control Inc | Traffic light controller |
US3257641A (en) * | 1963-05-31 | 1966-06-21 | Chrys Camp Controller Inc | Emergency traffic control system |
Cited By (18)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3824469A (en) * | 1972-06-16 | 1974-07-16 | M Ristenbatt | Comprehensive automatic vehicle communication, paging, and position location system |
US3881169A (en) * | 1973-06-01 | 1975-04-29 | Traffic Control Products Inc | Emergency vehicle traffic controller |
US4223295A (en) * | 1978-10-18 | 1980-09-16 | Nelson A. Faerber | Emergency control system for traffic signals |
US4463339A (en) * | 1979-01-02 | 1984-07-31 | Ralph E. Frick | State/interval redundant controller system for traffic signals |
US4352086A (en) * | 1979-06-06 | 1982-09-28 | Siemens Aktiengesellschaft | Method and a circuit arrangement for modifying control information in a traffic signal system, particularly a street traffic signal system |
AU597287B2 (en) * | 1985-12-16 | 1990-05-31 | Davidson, Paul J | Emergency vehicle warning and traffic control system |
US4704610A (en) * | 1985-12-16 | 1987-11-03 | Smith Michel R | Emergency vehicle warning and traffic control system |
US4864297A (en) * | 1987-10-14 | 1989-09-05 | Tekedge Development Corp. | Siren detector |
US4914434A (en) * | 1988-06-13 | 1990-04-03 | Morgan Rodney K | Traffic signal preemption system |
EP0461960A1 (en) * | 1990-06-15 | 1991-12-18 | Automobiles Peugeot | Motor vehicle traffic management system at crossroads |
FR2663447A1 (en) * | 1990-06-15 | 1991-12-20 | Peugeot | SYSTEM FOR MANAGING THE TRAFFIC OF MOTOR VEHICLES AT A CROSSROAD. |
NL9401014A (en) * | 1994-06-21 | 1996-02-01 | Henri Gertruda Appelmans | Traffic-light installation |
EP0797179A1 (en) * | 1996-03-22 | 1997-09-24 | Eric Cadenhead | Improvements in or relating to traffic control |
US20100153002A1 (en) * | 2008-12-16 | 2010-06-17 | Electronics And Telecommunications Research Institute | Route guidance system and method for emergency vehicle using telematics |
US10832579B2 (en) * | 2016-05-31 | 2020-11-10 | Accenture Global Solutions Limited | Integrated ambulance tracking system |
TWI613625B (en) * | 2016-10-26 | 2018-02-01 | 技嘉科技股份有限公司 | Traffic management system and management method thereof |
US10286906B2 (en) | 2017-01-24 | 2019-05-14 | Denso International America, Inc. | Vehicle safety system |
US11270582B1 (en) | 2021-03-09 | 2022-03-08 | Jayson Jenkins | Traffic light control system |
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