EP2105903A1

EP2105903A1 - Method for warning road users and warning system therefor

Info

Publication number: EP2105903A1
Application number: EP09004228A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christer Isacsson; Lars Söderström
Original assignee: Safe Xrossing sweden AB
Current assignee: Safe Xrossing sweden AB
Priority date: 2008-03-28
Filing date: 2009-03-25
Publication date: 2009-09-30
Also published as: SE532169C2; SE0800704L

Abstract

A method for warning road users at a bus stop (4; 5) in connection with passengers exiting and/or boarding a bus (1). According to the invention, a warning system is installed which comprises a first warning device (2), which is arranged at a distance from, and before, the bus stop, and a second warning device (3), which is arranged at a distance from, and after, the bus stop, said warning devices each having a digital two-way radio and an activatable warning equipment (6, 7), and wherein a digital two-way radio is installed in each bus which is to utilize the stop, said radio activating the warning equipment of the first warning device when the bus (1) passes a first position (I), wherein the radio of the first warning device sends a signal to the radio of the bus as a confirmation that the warning equipment of the first warning device has been activated, whereas the warning equipment of the second warning device is activated by the radio of the bus when the bus passes a second position (II), wherein the radio of the second warning device sends a signal to the radio of the bus as a confirmation that the warning equipment of the second warning device has been activated. When the bus is located at the bus stop, both warning equipments are activated, whereafter the radio of the bus deactivates the warning equipment of the first warning device when the bus has left the bus stop and passes a third position (III), wherein the radio of the first warning device sends a signal to the radio of the bus as a confirmation that the warning equipment of the first warning device has been deactivated. The radio of the bus then deactivates the warning equipment of the second warning device when the bus passes a fourth position (IV), wherein the radio of the second warning device sends a signal to the radio of the bus as a confirmation that the warning equipment of the second warning device has been deactivated.

Description

Method for warning road users and warning system therefor

The present invention relates to a method for warning road users of obstacles on a road in the vicinity of a bus stop in connection with passengers exiting and/or boarding a bus which has stopped at said bus stop.
The invention also relates to a warning system for carrying out said method.
It is known to equip buses, especially school buses, with a flashing warning light in order to warn other road users that exiting and boarding is going on in connection with that a bus has stopped at a bus stop. The warning lights are arranged at the front as well as at the rear of the bus in order to warn the road users in both travelling directions that obstacles may occur on the road when they pass the bus stop. The warning lights are usually activated manually by the bus driver. One disadvantage with such a warning system is that it is only in the close vicinity of the bus that the warning lights will be noticed by other road users, who accordingly will not be noticed of the warning lights until they are far too close to the bus. This problem becomes even more serious when the bus stops at a bus stop which is located a small distance away from the road, so that the bus becomes completely or partially hidden by the surrounding vegetation to the road users passing the stop. Another disadvantage with the warning system is that the bus driver might forget to activate the same.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages with the warning system described above and to provide an improved warning system and an improved method for warning road users of obstacles on a road in the vicinity of a bus stop in connection with passengers exiting and/or boarding a bus, so that an increased safety is obtained, for the passengers and other road users, with accompanying reduced risk of accidents.
The method according to the invention is characterized in

that a warning system is installed in a section of a road, said road section comprising said bus stop, said warning system comprising a first warning device, which is arranged on the same side of the road as the bus stop and at a predetermined distance from, and before, the bus stop, and a second warning device, which is arranged on the opposite side of the road with respect to the first warning device and at a predetermined distance from, and after, the bus stop, as seen in the travelling direction of the bus, said warning devices each comprising a digital two-way radio and an activatable warning equipment,
that a digital two-way radio is installed in each bus which is to utilize the stop, said digital two-way radio activating the warning equipment of the first warning device when the bus passes a first position, wherein the digital two-way radio of the first warning device sends a signal to the digital two-radio of the bus as a confirmation that the warning equipment of the first warning device has been activated,
that the warning equipment of the second warning device is activated by the digital two-way radio of the bus when the bus passes a second position, wherein the digital two-way radio of the second warning device sends a signal to the digital two-way radio of the bus as a confirmation that the warning equipment of the second warning device has been activated,
that the warning equipments of both warning devices are activated when the bus is located at the bus stop,
that the digital two-way radio of the bus deactivates the warning equipment of the first warning device when the bus has left the bus stop and passes a third position, wherein the digital two-way radio of the first warning device sends a signal to the digital two-way radio of the bus as a confirmation that the warning equipment of the first warning device has been deactivated, and
that the digital two-way radio of the bus then deactivates the warning equipment of the second warning device when the bus passes a fourth position, wherein the digital two-way radio of the second warning device sends a signal to the digital two-way radio of the bus as a confirmation that the warning equipment of the second warning device has been deactivated.

The warning system has the features specified in claim 6.
The invention will be described further in the following with reference to the drawing.
Figure 1 schematically shows a section of busy road with a bus stop, said road section and the buses arriving to the bus stop comprising or being equipped with parts of a warning system or warning arrangement for carrying out the method. Figure 1 is not to real-life scale.
The warning system according to the invention comprises a first warning device 2 and a second warning device 3, said warning devices 2, 3 being arranged on each side of a section of a road, said road section comprising a bus stop 4 or 5, wherein the first warning device 2 is arranged before, and on the same side as, the bus stop 4; 5 and the second warning device 3 is arranged after the bus stop 4; 5 on the opposite side of the road. The expressions "before" and "after" refer to the travelling direction of the bus 1. Thus, the warning device 2 serves road users driving in the same travelling direction as the bus 1, whereas the warning device 3 serves road users driving in the opposite direction. The reference numeral 4 refers to a bus stop which is located in the direct vicinity of the road, whereas the reference numeral 5 refers to a bus stop which is located within a so-called lay-by having an access to and an exit from, respectively, the road.
The first and second warning devices 2, 3 each comprise an activatable warning equipment 6, 7. In this embodiment of the warning system, each activatable warning equipment 6, 7 comprises four lights in the form of light triangles, and a light-emitting-diode ramp with the text "SCHOOL BUS" or the like (not shown). The warning devices 2, 3 further comprise a radio module (not shown) comprising a processor, a digital two-way radio with a frequency of 2.4 GHz and a software. The power supply of the warning devices 2, 3 takes place via batteries, which are charged by solar cells. When activating the warning equipments 6, 7, the light triangles will flash, at the same time as the light-emitting-diode ramp is illuminated. The two activatable warning equipments 6, 7 are suitably arranged on warning signs 8 and 9, respectively.
The warning system further comprises a radio module (not shown), whereby each bus 1, which is intended to be part of the warning system, is equipped with such a radio module. The radio module comprises a processor, a digital two-way radio with a frequency of 2.4 GHz and a software. The radio module is advantageously portable, making it easy to transfer between different buses. The radio is sending out an activation signal continuously. The strength of the radio signal is adjustable depending on terrain and other external factors. Antennas for said communications are also included in the warning system. According to one embodiment of the invention, the warning system described is used in the following way:

When the bus 1 is located at a first position I, which is located about 60 metres before the first warning device 2, the flashing lights of the warning equipment 6 of the first warning device 2 are activated by the radio signal from the bus 1 reaching the radio module of the first warning device 2, which thereby activates the lights of the warning equipment 6 of the first warning device 2. The radio module of the first warning device 2 then sends an activation signal back to the radio module of the bus 1. A first control lamp is then illuminated in the bus 1 as a confirmation to the bus driver that the lights of the warning equipment 6 of the first warning device 2 have been activated.
When the bus 1 has reached a second position II, which is located about 60 metres before the second warning device 3, the flashing lights of the warning equipment 7 of the second warning device 3 are activated by the radio signal from the bus 1 reaching the radio module of the second warning device 3, which thereby activates the lights of the warning equipment 7 of the second warning device 3. The radio module of the second warning device 3 then sends an activation signal back to the radio module of the bus 1. A second control lamp is now illuminated in the bus 1 as a confirmation to the bus driver that also the lights of the warning equipment 7 of the second warning device 3 have been activated.
When the bus 1 has reached this second position II, the bus has entered a zone X, wherein the lights of the warning equipments 6, 7 of both warning devices 2, 3 are activated. Also the bus stop 4; 5 is located in this zone X, so that when the bus 1 stands still at the bus stop 4; 5, consequently the lights of the warning equipments 6, 7 of both warning devices 2, 3 are activated so that road users in both travelling directions are made aware of the fact that a bus will stop or has stopped at the bus stop 4; 5.
When the passengers have exited and/or boarded the bus 1 at the bus stop 4; 5, the bus 1 drives on and reaches a third position III, which is located about 100 metres after the first warning device 2. When the bus 1 has reached this third position III, the lights of the warning equipment 6 of the first warning device 2 are switched off, since the range of the radio signal of the bus 1 no longer reaches the first warning device 2. The radio module of the first warning device 2 then sends a deactivation signal to the radio module of the bus 1. The first control lamp for the first warning device 2 is then switched off in the bus 1, as a confirmation to the bus driver that the lights of the warning equipment 6 of the first warning device 2 no longer are activated. When the bus 1 has reached this third position III, the bus 1 has left the zone X, which is indicated by the lights of the warning equipments 6, 7 of the two warning devices 2, 3 no longer being activated at the same time. Thus, the zone X extends between the second position II and the third position III.
When the bus 1 subsequently reaches a fourth position IV, which is located about 100 metres after the second warning device 3, the lights of the warning equipment 7 of the second warning device 3 are switched off, since the range of the radio signal of the bus 1 is limited so that the radio signal no longer reaches the second warning device 3. The radio module of the second warning device 3 then sends a deactivation signal to the radio module of the bus 1. The control lamp for the second warning device 3 is then switched off in the bus 1, as a confirmation to the bus driver that the lights of the warning equipment 7 of the second warning device 3 no longer are activated.

The warning devices 2, 3 can suitably be located between 50 and 150 metres before and after, respectively, the bus stop 4; 5.
One of the advantages with the warning system described is that the lights of the warning equipments 6, 7 of the warning devices 2, 3 are activated before and after the stop, so that other road users travelling in both directions are alerted in good time to the fact that obstacles may occur on the road. Furthermore, the bus driver does not have to activate or deactivate the warning system himself/herself, but the bus driver receives a confirmation inside the bus, via control lamps, that the lights have been activated or deactivated.
Another advantage with the invention is that the warning system records bus flows and the time periods each bus 1 is present within the zone X. These recorded data can then be used for planning driving schedules, etc.
In the embodiment described, the activatable warning equipments 6, 7 of the warning devices 2, 3 comprise flashing lights in the form of light triangles. It is appreciated, however, that also other activatable warning equipments can be used which comprise lights, for instance, which are illuminated and shine continuously, or flags or other visible objects which can be activated.
In addition to visualizing warning devices also sound producing activatable warning devices can be used, together with or instead of visualizing warning devices, such as for example activatable signal horns or the like.
The geometrical shape of the warning sign 8, 9 is arbitrary and can, for example, be triangular, circular, rectangular or square.
The distances for activating the warning devices 2, 3 which are specified in the description have only been given as examples and can be varied as required. The distances for achieving activation between bus 1 and warning device 2 and 3, respectively, are determined by the strengths of the radio signals and can be adjusted with respect to terrain and requirements.
Other frequency bands than 2.4 GHz can also be used. The power supply of the warning devices can of course take place in another way than via solar cell and batteries.
The warning system of course detects whether more buses are present within the zone X. For instance, a bus cannot deactivate the warning equipments 6, 7 if another or several other buses still are present within the zone X.

Claims

A method for warning road users of obstacles on a road in the vicinity of a bus stop (4; 5) in connection with passengers exiting and/or boarding a bus (1) which has stopped at said bus stop (4; 5), characterized in
- that a warning system is installed in a section of a road, said road section comprising said bus stop, said warning system comprising a first warning device (2), which is arranged on the same side of the road as the bus stop (4; 5) and at a predetermined distance from, and before, the bus stop (4; 5), and a second warning device (3), which is arranged on the opposite side of the road with respect to the first warning device (2) and at a predetermined distance from, and after, the bus stop (4; 5), as seen in the travelling direction of the bus, said warning devices (2, 3) each comprising a digital two-way radio and an activatable warning equipment (6, 7),

- that a digital two-way radio is installed in each bus which is to utilize the stop (4; 5), said digital two-way radio activating the warning equipment (6) of the first warning device (2) when the bus (1) passes a first position (I), wherein the digital two-way radio of the first warning device (2) sends a signal to the digital two-radio of the bus (1) as a confirmation that the warning equipment (6) of the first warning device (2) has been activated,

- that the warning equipment (7) of the second warning device (3) is activated by the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) when the bus (1) passes a second position (II), wherein the digital two-way radio of the second warning device (3) sends a signal to the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) as a confirmation that the warning equipment (7) of the second warning device (3) has been activated,

- that the warning equipments (6, 7) of both warning devices (2, 3) are activated when the bus (1) is located at the bus stop (4; 5),

- that the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) deactivates the warning equipment (6) of the first warning device (2) when the bus has left the bus stop (4; 5) and passes a third position (III), wherein the digital two-way radio of the first warning device (2) sends a signal to the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) as a confirmation that the warning equipment (6) of the first warning device (2) has been deactivated, and

- that the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) then deactivates the warning equipment (7) of the second warning device (3) when the bus (1) passes a fourth position (IV), wherein the digital two-way radio of the second warning device (3) sends a signal to the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) as a confirmation that the warning equipment (7) of the second warning device (3) has been deactivated.
The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the time period, when the two warning equipments (6, 7) are activated at the same time, is recorded.
The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the warning equipments (6, 7) of the warning devices (2, 3) comprise lights, which are illuminated by said activation.
The method according to claim 3, characterized in that the lights are flashing after activation.
The method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that each of the warning equipments (6, 7) is arranged on a warning sign (8, 9).
A warning system adapted for warning road users of obstacles on a road in the vicinity of a bus stop (4; 5) in connection with passengers exiting and/or boarding a bus (1) which has stopped at said bus stop (4; 5), characterized in that it comprises a first warning device (2), which is arranged on the same side of the road as the bus stop (4; 5) and at a predetermined distance from, and before, the bus stop (4; 5), and a second warning device (3), which is arranged on the opposite side of the road with respect to the first warning device (2) and at a predetermined distance from, and after, the bus stop (4; 5), as seen in the travelling direction of the bus, said warning devices (2, 3) each comprising a digital two-way radio and an activatable warning equipment (6, 7), wherein a digital two-way radio is installed in each bus (1) which is to utilize the stop (4; 5), said digital two-way radio being arranged to activate the warning equipment (6) of the first warning device (2) when the bus (1) passes a first position (I), wherein the digital two-way radio of the first warning device (2) sends a signal to the digital two-radio of the bus (1) as a confirmation that the warning equipment (6) of the first warning device (2) has been activated, and that the warning equipment (7) of the second warning device (3) is arranged to be activated by the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) when the bus (1) passes a second position (II), wherein the digital two-way radio of the second warning device (3) sends a signal to the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) as a confirmation that the warning equipment (7) of the second warning device (3) has been activated, whereafter the warning equipments (6, 7) of both warning devices (2, 3) are activated when the bus (1) is located at the bus stop (4; 5), and that the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) is arranged to deactivate the warning equipment (6) of the first warning device (2) when the bus has left the bus stop (4; 5) and passes a third position (III), wherein the digital two-way radio of the first warning device (2) sends a signal to the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) as a confirmation that the warning equipment (6) of the first warning device (2) has been deactivated, and that the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) is arranged to then deactivate the warning equipment (7) of the second warning device (3) when the bus (1) passes a fourth position (IV), wherein the digital two-way radio of the second warning device (3) sends a signal to the digital two-way radio of the bus (1) as a confirmation that the warning equipment (7) of the second warning device (3) has been deactivated.
The warning system according to claim 6, characterized in that the time period, when the two warning equipments (6, 7) are activated at the same time, is recorded.
The warning system according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the warning equipments (6, 7) of the warning devices (2, 3) comprise lights, which are illuminated by said activation.
The warning system according to claim 8, characterized in that the lights are flashing after activation.
The warning system according to any one of claims 6-9, characterized in that each of the warning equipments (6, 7) is arranged on a warning sign (8, 9).