FR3072642B1 - METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING SIGNALING LIGHTS FOR A VEHICLE ASSEMBLY AND APPARATUS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a garment (10) adapted to be worn by a vehicle driver without a passenger compartment, comprising - means (11) for receiving a control signal transmitted by radio via a master device located on another vehicle; - Means for, upon receipt, determine the control of the traffic lights (21, 22, 31, 32, 41, 42) positioned on said garment.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING SIGNALING LIGHTS FOR A VEHICLE ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATED CLOTHING

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of control of a set of traffic lights for a set of vehicles, including two-wheeled vehicles. It applies in particular to the control of traffic lights carried by removable devices of the vehicles.

It proposes a method and a mechanism for the control of signal lights of a set of vehicles moving in a fleet, as well as an associated clothing intended to be worn by the drivers of these vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Road safety is a crucial area that includes the ignition by a vehicle of traffic lights that are sufficiently clear and visible for other vehicles around.

The vehicles without cockpits pose particular problems in this regard insofar as, on the one hand, they are naturally less visible and the lighting of traffic lights is all the more important, and on the other hand, there is difficult to find locations for these lights that allow good visibility for those around you.

Thus, solutions have been proposed to facilitate the visibility of traffic lights for this type of vehicle, such as, for example, harnesses intended to be worn by the driver of the vehicle. These harnesses may include traffic lights in different places, and especially on the back of the driver, so that they are clearly visible from the vehicles behind: this makes it possible to make visible the stop signals or indicators before a turning.

For example, it is possible to cite the French patent application FR2922185 which describes a backbone comprising LED signaling lights, the US Pat. 0254143.

However, these solutions are insufficient because they do not take into account the fact that vehicles such as bicycles or motorcycles often move in groups. Therefore, there may be problems of visibility since, from the rear of the group, only the vehicles at the end of the convoy will be visible and that they can light their own lights only a delay time compared to to the movement of the group. It may also happen that some drivers do not light their lights (children, for example) and thus create confusion for vehicles following the group.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a solution at least partially overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks. More particularly, the invention aims to provide a method, a system and a garment to take into account the particularities of vehicles moving in fleets. To this end, the present invention provides a signaling light control system for a set of vehicles, comprising - a master pilot device located on a first vehicle, adapted for, in response to the triggering of a command by the driver of said first vehicle, transmit a command signal by radio; a set of slave devices associated with signaling lights and adapted to, receive said control signal and, upon its reception, determine the control of said signaling lights as a function of the content of said control signal.

According to preferred embodiments, the invention comprises one or more of the following features which can be used separately or in partial combination with one another or in total combination with one another: said set of slave devices comprises garments adapted to be worn by a vehicle driver; a pilot device is installed on each vehicle of said assembly, and is designed to receive said control signal from said master pilot device and to retransmit it to the slave devices located on the same vehicle; said pilot device comprises a garment adapted to be worn by a vehicle driver and a remote control; said vehicles are vehicles without a passenger compartment, and at least part of said slave devices are removable relative to said vehicles; said master device and said slave devices have matching means.

Another object of the invention relates to a garment adapted to be worn by a vehicle driver without cockpit, comprising - means for receiving a control signal transmitted by radio by a master device located on another vehicle; means for, at its reception, determining the control of the traffic lights positioned on said garment.

This garment is intended to operate in the context of a system as previously defined.

According to one embodiment, this garment is further adapted, on receipt of a control signal, to transmit said signal to slave equipment located on said vehicle.

Another object of the invention relates to a method of controlling signal lights of a set of vehicles, comprising - triggering a command by the driver of a first vehicle, on a master device located on said vehicle; - the transmission by radio of a control signal corresponding to said command of said master device to a set of slave devices located on said set of vehicles; - On receipt of said control signal, the determination of the control of signal lights associated with said slave devices, depending on the content of said signal.

Another object of the invention is a computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computer system, result in the implementation of the method as previously defined. Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures la, lb and schematically shows three examples of implementations of the invention.

Figures 2a and 2b show schematically an example of clothing according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention aims at controlling signal lights on a set of vehicles. It is particularly applicable to vehicles moving in fleets, that is to say following the same trajectory in a relatively grouped manner.

In such a fleet, a maneuver, or action, performed by a first vehicle is followed, in general, by the same maneuver performed by other vehicles: thus, when a vehicle turns, the others will do the same. When a vehicle brakes, the others will do the same. Depending on the size of the fleet, the maneuvers, or actions, of certain vehicles can be shifted in time by several seconds.

The vehicles concerned by such fleets are typically vehicles without cockpit, but other types of vehicles may also be concerned.

Among the vehicles without cockpits, there may be mentioned bicycles or motorcycles and other vehicles with two wheels, but also tricycles or quadricycle without cockpits.

We can also mention skateboards, roller skates, etc. as well as, more generally, any micro-mobility device, electric or not (gyroroue, electric scooter, hoverboard, Segway ...)

There may also be mentioned horse-drawn vehicles, as well as, by extension, animals that can wear a human being, such as horses.

The vehicles without cockpit involve additional constraints which are the difficulty of having traffic lights in number and power, making them sufficiently visible, and the difficulty of controlling them because of the absence of bodywork on which we can fix wires and other means for conveying a control signal. The invention aims, in a second step, to also solve this additional technical problem by routing the control signal by radio to several devices associated with traffic lights, and by wearing a suit adapted to be worn. by a driver of a vehicle and on which traffic lights are installed.

In the example of Figures 1a, 1b, illustrating three embodiments the vehicle Vf is at the head of the fleet, and it is assumed that its role is to give the signaling instructions to other vehicles V2, V3, V4.

This vehicle Vi comprises a pilot device Mi and also a set of slave devices F11, F12, F13, each associated with one or more traffic lights.

In the same way, each vehicle V2, V3, V4 of the fleet comprises pilot devices, respectively M2, M3, M4 and slave devices, F21, F22, F23 respectively; F31, F32, F33; andF4i, F42, F43.

In practice, a fleet can be made up of any number of vehicles, and the number of slave devices can also be any and different from one vehicle to another. In particular, this number can be much greater than three. Figures la, lb, illustrate a simplified example for the clarity of the presentation.

In this example, it is assumed, for example, that the slave devices F11, F21, F31, F41 are associated with the stop lights, the slave devices F12, F22, F32, F42 are associated with the left flashing lights, and the devices F13, F23, F33. , F43 are associated with the right flashing lights.

Preferably, these traffic lights conform to international standards.

According to embodiments of the invention, these slave devices may comprise equipment such as a garment adapted to be worn by a vehicle driver, and comprising one or, preferably, several traffic lights. This garment can also form part of the pilot devices Μι, M2, M3, M4.

Such a garment will be more particularly described below, in connection with FIG.

These slave devices may also include a helmet, a saddlebag, a gyro wheel, and all kinds of connected objects that can produce light and can functionally attach to the vehicle.

It may be simple electronic equipment comprising a radio interface for receiving control signals, and processing means for processing and interpreting these signals in order to control the traffic lights with which they are associated.

These slave devices and the associated traffic lights can be permanently installed on the vehicle, but also removable. This last case is represented for example by the garment and the helmet. One of the advantages of the invention is to be able to control these equipments without requiring a physical connection with the vehicle for the transmission of the control signals.

The pilot device may be, or include, equipment positioned on the handlebars of the vehicle or in any other location allowing its easy interaction with the driver of the vehicle. It therefore comprises a human-machine interface which, typically, comprises a set of buttons or other means, allowing the driver to trigger a command. The human-machine interface of the pilot device may also be (or include) a voice interface allowing the driver to vocalize his command which is then interpreted by a voice recognition software module.

The pilot device Mi of the first vehicle Vf acts as a "master". Preferably, a single device can be master at any given moment within the fleet.

Only the master pilot device can thus transmit control signals to the slave devices (possibly through the other pilot devices).

Mechanisms can be provided to dynamically change the master pilot device. This situation can be useful in case of relay at the head of the fleet between several vehicles.

The commands initiated by the driver of the first vehicle Vi are converted by electronic means and / or embedded software in the pilot device "Master" Mi into a control signal to be transmitted by radio.

The conversion includes generating a particular code, or signal, associated with a given command. Thus, pressing a first button generates a first signal; pressing a second button generates a second signal, etc. It is possible to define several distinct signals for the same button: for example, for a short press, a long press, a release of the button, etc.

Transmission by radio can use different protocols and telecommunications technologies, existing or future.

Preferably, the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol is used on the 433 MHz or 868 MHz or 2.4 GHz band, but the Bluetooth or WiFi protocols can also be used.

The slave devices are designed to receive this control signal and, when it is received, to control the associated signaling lights. In particular, they therefore have reception means adapted to the telecommunication protocol used, and processing means for decoding the signal and determining whether this signal corresponds to the associated signaling light.

To do this, therefore, a slave device analyzes the contents of a received control signal, and determines according to this content, if the signal on the one hand relates to the traffic lights with which it is associated, and on the other hand , the steering to implement.

Thus, if, for example, the pilot device Mi transmits a control signal requiring the illumination of the right flashing lights, all the slave devices receive this signal, but only the devices F13, F23, F33, F43 determine that this signal concerned. They then trigger the lighting of the associated right flashing lights.

In this way, the driver of the first vehicle Vi can remotely control all the traffic lights of a fleet of vehicles. It turns out that other drivers may no longer be concerned about signaling, and that all traffic lights will be synchronized and thus provide better visibility for other drivers or pedestrians sharing the roadway.

This point is even more important in the context of balanced vehicles such as bicycles. Commonly, the driver wishing to turn stretches his arm in the direction of the intended turn. However, as part of a group, it may be difficult to reach out without disturbing another member of the group. For a less experienced driver, this action can destabilize the vehicle and, in the event of a fall, lead to the fall of other members of the group.

Thus, the invention prevents drivers from having to make such indicator gestures, and thus avoid a significant risk of falling while maximizing the visibility of the maneuvers planned by the group.

The transmission of the control signal between the master pilot device Mi and the various slave devices associated with the traffic lights can be implemented in different ways. Figures la, lb, illustrate three possible implementations, but the skilled person is able to develop variants.

According to a first embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 1a, the transmission of the control signals takes place directly between the master pilot device Mi and the set of slave devices. The other pilot devices (therefore "non-masters") are not involved in the process implemented.

According to another embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 1b, the transmission of the control signals is done in two stages. Initially, the signals are transmitted to the pilot devices of the other vehicles. In a second step, each pilot device retransmits this control signal to the slave devices of its own vehicle.

Thus, the pilot device M2 receives the control signal from the master pilot device Mi by a first radio link, then retransmits it via a second radio link, local, to the slave devices F21, F22, F23 of the same vehicle V2.

As previously mentioned, the slave devices may comprise a garment adapted to be worn by the driver of the vehicle. This device can be active only when effectively carried by the driver, which makes visible one or more traffic lights disposed on its outer surface.

But according to an alternative embodiment, this garment can form part of the pilot devices, as illustrated by FIG.

In this implementation, the pilot device Mi comprises a remote control Ti and a garment, or vest, Gi.

The remote control Ti mainly comprises a human-machine interface as described above, and a telecommunication interface allowing it to interface with the garment Gi. This interface may be a radio link, as also previously described. The remote control Ti is preferably within reach of the driver, for example on the handlebars of the vehicle.

In response to the initiation of a command by the driver on the remote control Ti, the garment Gi transmits a control signal to both slave devices Fn, F12, F13 of the same vehicle Vf, and to the other clothes G2, G3, G4 of the other vehicles, respectively V2, V3, V4.

Figures 2a and 2b illustrate a possible embodiment of such a garment. Figure 2a shows the back of the garment, and Figure 2b shows the front.

In this example, the garment forms a harness, or vest, that is to say equipment intended to be worn over the driver's clothing and having means to be held in place and signal lights arranged in particular on a dorsal part.

The garment 10 includes an electronic block 11 formed of a power supply (battery, super-capacitor ...), processing circuits and the radio interface allowing it to communicate with the remote control and other devices (other clothing , slave devices associated with traffic lights ...).

It may also include a manual interface 12, preferably located on the front of the garment, allowing the driver to make adjustments to the operation of the garment.

It also comprises a series of traffic lights, 21, 22, 31, 32, 41, 42 located at least partly on the dorsal part of the garment. These signaling lights are electrically powered and controlled by the electronic block 11.

When the electronic unit 11 receives a control signal, it analyzes the content to determine the control of traffic lights.

This determination consists of first determining whether the garment is actually affected by the control signal and, if so, determining which signaling light (s) to pilot and how.

For example, if the control signal is an ignition command of the "stop" lights, the electronic unit 11 controls the central traffic lights 31, 32 to make them turn on to indicate a "stop" signal.

If the control signal is a position lamp ignition command, the electronic unit 11 controls the central traffic lights 31, 32 to make them light up with less intensity to indicate a "position" signal.

If the control signal is an ignition command of the right and / or left turn signals, the electronic block 11 controls the lateral signal lights, respectively right 22 and / or left 21, to make them flashing.

The same applies to the stop command signals of the previous commands.

Fires 41, 42 may also be arranged on the front of the garment 10. Others, not shown in the figures, may also be arranged on the side portions. These lights may have functions identical to those previously described for the dorsal part of the garment. For example, the lights 41 may have the same function as the lights 22 and the lights 42 as the lights 21. Thus, for example, if the control signal is an ignition command of the right or left turn signals, the electronic block 11 pilot the lateral signal lights, respectively right 22, 41 or left 21, 42, to make them turn flashing. In a more general way than the example of Figures 2a, 2b, it is interesting to have signal lights on the entire surface of the garment so that they are visible from different angles of view. Thus, all vehicles become visible to 360 ° other road users.

According to one embodiment of the invention, a pairing mechanism can be provided between the master pilot device and the slave devices and, depending on the implementations, the other pilot devices.

This pairing step allows the slave devices to identify a single master pilot device from which they can receive control signals.

It can be provided that if a control signal from another device is received, this control signal will not be taken into account. The pairing can be done in a fairly well-known manner, by triggering on the two devices to match the entry into a pairing mode which consists of transmitting identifiers so that the two devices recognize each other. The identifier of the master device is stored by the slave so that it can distinguish the control signals that it must accept and to which it must react.

In the implementation illustrated in Figure lb, the pairing can be done - on the one hand between the pilot devices. The pilot device Mi is then master pilot device and the pilot devices M2, M3, M4 are slave pilot devices. This pairing can be done dynamically, according to the "life" of the fleet. - And on the other hand between each pilot device (slave) and the slave devices of his vehicle (that is to say, in particular, accessories such as helmets, wheels, etc.). This pairing can be done during the installation of a slave device on the vehicle or during its acquisition by its driver.

It is obvious that various embodiments are possible and accessible to those skilled in the art to allow pairings and interactions between the devices according to the invention.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the examples and to the embodiment described and shown, but it is capable of numerous variants accessible to those skilled in the art.

Claims (10)

A signal control system for a set of vehicles (Vi, V2, V3, V4), comprising - a master pilot device (Mi) located on a first vehicle (Vi), adapted for, in response to the triggering of a control by the driver of said first vehicle, transmitting a control signal by radio; a set of slave devices (F11, F12, F13, F21, F22, F23, F31, F32, F33, F41, F42, F43) associated with signaling lights and adapted to, receive said control signal and for, to its reception, determine the control of said traffic lights according to the content of said control signal. 2. System according to the preceding claim, wherein said set of slave devices comprises clothes adapted to be worn by a vehicle driver. 3. System according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a pilot device is installed on each vehicle of said set, and is provided to receive said control signal from said master pilot device and to retransmit it to the slave devices located on the same vehicle. 4. System according to the preceding claim wherein said pilot device comprises a garment adapted to be worn by a vehicle driver and a remote control. 5. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein said vehicles are vehicles without cockpit, and at least a portion of said slave devices are removable from said vehicles 6. System according to one of the preceding claims wherein said master device and said slave devices have matching means. 7. Apparel (10) adapted to be worn by a driver of a vehicle without a passenger compartment, comprising - means for receiving (11) a control signal transmitted by radio by a master device located on another vehicle; - Means for, upon receipt, determine the control of the traffic lights (21, 22, 31, 32, 41, 42) positioned on said garment. 8. Garment according to the preceding claim, further adapted, on receipt of a control signal, transmit said signal to slave equipment located on said vehicle. 9. A method of controlling signal lights of a set of vehicles, comprising - triggering a command by the driver of a first vehicle, on a master device located on said vehicle; - the transmission by radio of a control signal corresponding to said command of said master device to a set of slave devices located on said set of vehicles; upon receipt of said control signal, determining the control of associated traffic lights by said slave devices, depending on the content of said signal. 10. Computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor of a computer system, result in the implementation of a method according to the preceding claim.