School bus sensing traffic light changer
View Patent ↗A school bus sensing traffic light changer designed to ensure the safety of students entering or exiting a school bus at an intersection. When a school bus stops at a traffic light, the driver can activate a control panel on the dashboard to send a wireless signal from a signaling device mounted on the bus roof. This signal is received by a sensor on the traffic light, which then interfaces with the traffic signal control panel to change all traffic lights at the intersection to red and crosswalk signals to walk. The control panels are connected through communication wires to facilitate this process. A visual indicator on the sensor confirms the signal reception, ensuring that the lights change accordingly. Once the students have safely crossed, the driver can deactivate the signal, allowing the traffic lights to return to their normal operation.
1 . A school bus sensing traffic light changing system which is comprised of:
a signaling device/transmitter located on the school bus that transmits a wireless signal including infrared, radio, cellular, GPS, and other wireless signaling methods, wherein said signaling device/transmitter is configured to be activated manually by a bus driver via a dedicated control switch when the school bus approaches an intersection; wherein when the signaling device/transmitter is activated, the signaling device/transmitter transmits a wireless traffic light changing signal;
one or more receiving sensors;
one or more traffic lights at the intersection approached by the school bus, wherein each such traffic light is mounted on a traffic light pole, wherein each such traffic light has one of the one or more receiving sensors mounted on it or on the traffic light pole, and wherein each of the receiving sensors receives the wireless traffic light changing signal;
one or more traffic signal control panels, wherein each of the one or more traffic lights is electrically connected to one of the one or more traffic control panels;
one or more traffic signal changer control panels, each being separate from the one or more traffic signal control panels, wherein each of the one or more traffic signal changer control panels comprises a signal reception and processing device, wherein each of the receiving sensors is electrically coupled to one of the one or more traffic signal changer control panels, and wherein each traffic control panel is electrically connected to one of the one or more traffic signal changer control panels;
wherein each of the one or more traffic signal changer control panels comprises bidirectional electrical signal interface and each of the one or more traffic signal control panels comprises a bidirectional electrical signal interface;
wherein after each of the one or more receiving sensors receives the wireless traffic light changing signal, each of the one or more traffic signal changer control panels communicates signal information via its bidirectional electrical signal interface to the bidirectional electrical signal interface of one of the one or more traffic signal control panels;
wherein in response to receiving the signal information, each of the one or more traffic signal control panels overrides pre-existing traffic light patterns such that all traffic lights at the intersection simultaneously turn yellow and then red, and all pedestrian crosswalk signals at the intersection simultaneously display ‘walk’.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each receiving sensor comprises a visual indicator that provides a visual indication of the receipt of the wireless traffic light changing signal and the overriding of the pre-existing traffic light patterns, thereby establishing a safety feedback loop that provides confirmation of the receipt of the wireless traffic light changing signal and the overriding of the pre-existing traffic light patterns prior to an opening a bus door.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the system automatically restores the intersection's pre-existing traffic light patterns when the bus driver deactivates the signaling device/transmitter via the dedicated control switch.