GB2567557B

GB2567557B - Belisha beacon

Info

Publication number: GB2567557B
Application number: GB1815628.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stanley Mitchell Philip
Original assignee: Ticknall Solar Ltd
Current assignee: Ticknall Solar Ltd
Priority date: 2018-09-25
Filing date: 2018-09-25
Publication date: 2019-10-09
Anticipated expiration: 2038-09-25
Also published as: GB201815628D0; GB2567557A

Description

TITLE

Belisha Beacon

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to belisha beacons. In particular, they relate to belisha beacons comprising a controller configured to control the sequential illumination of two light sources.

BACKGROUND

Belisha beacons which are provided adjacent to pedestrian crossings are known. It is important to ensure that adequate light levels are provided by the belisha beacons to ensure that they are clearly visible to road users such as drivers and pedestrians. The light levels may be provided according to British safety standards such as BS8442-2015.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to various but not necessarily all examples of the disclosure there is provided a belisha beacon comprising: a globe; a first light source positioned in the globe; a second light source positioned outside of the globe; and a controller configured to control the illumination of the first light source and the second light source, wherein the controller is configured to control a sequential illumination of the first light source and the second light source such that at least at one time during a period of non-illumination of the first light source, the second light source is illuminated.

The controller may be configured to control the duration of each period of illumination of one of the light sources during the sequential illumination to be equal to or greater than the duration of each period of non-illumination of the other light source during the sequential illumination, such that at any one time at least one light source is illuminated.

The controller may be configured to control the sequential illumination ofthe first light source and the sequential illumination of the second light source to provide constant illumination from the combination ofthe first and second light sources.

The controller may be configured to control the sequential illumination of the first light source and the second light source such that the first light source and the second light source are illuminated in antiphase.

The controller may be configured to control the sequential illumination of the first light source and the second light source such that the second light source provides a plurality of pulses of illumination during a single period of non-illumination of the first light source.

The globe may comprise a first hemisphere forming a front face fixed to a second hemisphere forming a rear face. The first light source may be configured so that light from the first light source is emitted through both hemispheres, and the first light source may comprise separate light sources for each of the front and rear faces. The second light source may be configured to emit light in the direction of both the front and rear faces, and the second light source comprises separate light sources for each of the front and rear faces.

The light sources may be powered by a photovoltaic power source. In other embodiments the beacon may include an adapter configured to convert mains electricity to a 12 V DC supply to power the belisha beacon.

The second light source may be a light emitting diode arrangement arranged to be positioned over the region where the first hemisphere is fixed to the second hemisphere. The light emitting diode arrangement may comprise a plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes. The controller may be positioned within the globe and connected to each of the plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes.

The light emitting diode arrangement may be arranged so that each ofthe plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes is positioned within a protrusion which projects from the region where the first hemisphere is fixed to the second hemisphere. The light emitting diode arrangement is arranged so that the protrusions are equally spaced along the region where the first hemisphere is fixed to the second hemisphere.

The controller may be provided on a central printed circuit board and each of the plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes is provided on an auxiliary printed circuit board.

The controller may be configured to control the sequential illumination of the first or second light sources of the belisha beacon to synchronise with the sequential illumination of one or more light sources of one or more other belisha beacons.

The synchronisation of the sequential illumination may be enabled using short range wireless communication between belisha beacons.

The casing may be arranged to cover at least a portion of the light emitting diode arrangement. The casing is at least partially transparent, or the casing may not be transparent.

The first hemisphere ofthe globe may be fixed directly to the second hemisphere of the globe, or the first hemisphere of the globe may be fixed indirectly to the second hemisphere of the globe.

The controller may be configured to enable the sequential illumination of the light sources to be applied continuously over a 24 hour period.

According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there are provided examples as claimed in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

For a better understanding of various examples that are useful for understanding the detailed description, reference will now be made by way of example only to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a belisha beacon;

Figs. 2A to 2C illustrate a belisha beacon;

Fig. 3 illustrates an exploded view of part of a belisha beacon;

Fig. 4 illustrates an example auxiliary circuit board;

Fig. 5 illustrates another belisha beacon;

Fig. 6 illustrates an example arrangement of belisha beacons;

Fig. 7 illustrates a sequential illumination of first and second light sources;

Fig. 8 illustrates another sequential illumination of first and second light sources; and Fig. 9 illustrates a further sequential illumination of first and second light sources.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The Figures illustrate a belisha beacon 1 comprising: a globe 3; a first light source 80 positioned in the globe 3; a second light source 82 positioned outside of the globe; and a controller 2 configured to control the illumination of the first light source 80 and the second light source 82, wherein the controller 2 is configured to control a sequential illumination of the first light source 80 and the second light source 82 such that at least at one time during a period of non-illumination of the first light source, the second light source is illuminated.

The controller controls the illumination using one or more switches, which enables the light sources to be switched on or off. A period of non-illumination is therefore to be understood to be a period of time in which the respective light source receives no or substantially no power. Thus the amount of light emitted by the respective light source is substantially zero continuously throughout the period of non-illumination. A period of non-illumination for the first light source occurs for instance at point A in Fig. 7, between points B and C in Fig.8 and between points D and E in Fig. 9.

Fig. 1 illustrates a front of view belisha beacon 1 according to embodiments of the invention. The belisha beacon 1 comprises a globe 3 and a light emitting diode (LED) arrangement 5. The belisha beacon 1 includes a controller 2 which may be configured to control a sequential illumination of the light sources as shown in Figs. 7 - 9. The controller 2 is shown schematically and could be internal, or could be external and send signals to the beacon 1.

The globe 3 comprises a spherical casing. The spherical casing houses one or more light sources. The light sources may be one or more LEDs or any other suitable type of light source. As the light sources are provided within the globe 3 they are not illustrated in Fig. 1.

In embodiments of the invention the globe 3 is formed from a first hemisphere and a second hemisphere. The first hemisphere may form a front face of the globe 3 and the second hemisphere may form a rear face of the globe 3. The two hemispheres may be identical. As Fig. 1 represents a front view ofthe belisha beacon 1 only one ofthe hemispheres is shown in Fig. 1.

The two hemispheres are fixed together to form the globe 3. The two hemispheres may be fixed together using any suitable means. A join may be provided in the region where the two hemispheres are fixed together. The two hemispheres may be securely fixed together. The two hemispheres may be fixed together by screws or any other suitable means.

In some examples the two hemispheres may be removably fixed together. This may enable the hemispheres to be separated and re-attached to each other. The separation of the hemispheres may enable access to the light sources and other components positioned within the globe 3. This may facilitate the repair and/or replacement of the light sources and any other components within the globe 3.

In some examples the two hemispheres may be directly fixed together so that there are no intervening components between the first hemisphere and the second hemisphere. In other examples the two hemispheres may be indirectly fixed together so that they may be any number of intervening components between the first hemisphere and the second hemisphere.

The LED arrangement 5 positioned outside of the globe 3 comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes. In embodiments ofthe invention the LEDs are arranged in a plurality of clusters 7. In the example of Fig. 1 seven clusters 7 of LEDS are provided. It is to be appreciated that other numbers of clusters 7 could be provided in other embodiments of the invention.

Each of the clusters 7 comprises one or more LEDs. In some embodiments of the invention each ofthe clusters 7 may comprise the same number of LEDs. Examples of the LEDs within a cluster 7 are shown in more detail in Fig. 4.

As Fig. 1 shows the front face of the belisha beacon 1 only the LED clusters 7 on the front face are shown. It is to be appreciated that a corresponding arrangement of LED clusters may also be provided on the rear of the belisha beacon 1. In some examples the LED cluster 7 may be arranged to emit light in both the front direction and the rear direction. This ensures that the LED arrangement 5 is visible from either side of the belisha beacon 1 so it can be seen by motorists approaching from either direction.

Each of the LED clusters 7 is positioned within a protrusion 9. The protrusions 9 may be formed from plastic or any other suitable material. The protrusions 9 project from the region where the first hemisphere of the globe 3 is fixed to the second hemisphere of the globe 3.

In the example belisha beacon 1 of Fig. 1 the LED arrangement 5 is arranged so that the protrusions 9 are equally spaced along the region where the first hemisphere is fixed to the second hemisphere. This region may be the great circle of the hemispheres. This may ensure that the light provided by the LED arrangement 5 is distributed equally around the globe 3. It is to be appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention other arrangements of the protrusions 9 and clusters 7 may be used.

In some examples the LED arrangement 5 may comprise a casing 31. The casing 31 may cover at least part of the LEDs. An example of a casing 31 is illustrated in more detail in Fig. 3.

In embodiments ofthe invention the controller 2 is positioned within the globe 3. The controller 2 may be arranged to control the light provided by the belisha beacon 1. The controller 2 may be arranged to control both the light sources within the globe 3 and also the LEDs within the LED arrangement 5. This may enable the light sources within the globe 3 to be synchronised with the LEDs within the LED arrangement 5. The controller may comprise program instructions for controlling the belisha beacon. The program instructions for the controller may be transmitted to the controller via wired, infrared or Bluetooth (RTM) connections. The information transmitted via the infrared or Bluetooth (RTM) connections may be encrypted.

In some examples the controller 2 is connected to each of the plurality of clusters 7 of LEDs. The controller 2 may be connected to each of the plurality of clusters 7 of LEDs independently of the other clusters 7. This may enable each cluster of LEDs 7 to be controlled independently. This may enable different lighting arrangements and sequences to be provided by the LED arrangement 5.

In some embodiments the controller 2 may be arranged to control the plurality of clusters 7 of LEDs to be flashed on and off. The flashing of the clusters 7 may be synchronised with other belisha beacons 1.

The belisha beacon 1 is arranged to be positioned on top of a pole 11. The belisha beacon 1 may be directly connected to the pole 11 so that there are no intervening components between the belisha beacon 1 and the pole 11. In other examples the belisha beacon 1 may be indirectly connected to the pole 11 so that are one or more intervening components between the belisha beacon and the pole 11. Only the top section of the pole 11 is illustrated in Fig. 1. The pole 11 may be fixed to the ground adjacent to pedestrian crossings so that the belisha beacon 1 can indicate the location of the pedestrian crossings to motorists and other road users.

Figs. 2A to 2C illustrate another example of a belisha beacon 1 which also comprises a globe 3 and an LED arrangement 5 as described above. The belisha beacon 1 includes a controller 2 which may be configured to control a sequential illumination of the light sources as shown in Figs. 7 - 9. The controller 2 is shown schematically and could be inside the beacon 1, or could be external and send signals to the beacon 1.

Fig. 2A illustrates a perspective view of the belisha beacon 1 and shows part of the LED arrangement 5. In the example of Fig. 2A the LED arrangement 5 covers the join between the first hemisphere 21 of the globe 3 and the second hemisphere 23 of the globe 3.

Fig. 2B illustrates a rear view of the belisha beacon of Fig. 2A and Fig. 2C illustrates a side view. Fig. 2C shows the first hemisphere 21 and the second hemisphere 23.

Fig. 3 illustrates an exploded view of part of a belisha beacon 1. The part of the belisha beacon 1 could be the front part or the rear part. The exploded part comprises a hemisphere 21 of the globe, an LED arrangement 5 and a casing 31. The belisha beacon 1 includes a controller 2 which may be configured to control a sequential illumination of the light sources as shown in Figs. 7 - 9. The controller 2 is shown schematically and could be inside the beacon 1, or could be external and send signals to the beacon 1.

The LED arrangement 5 is arranged to fit around the great circle of the hemisphere 21 of the globe 3. A gap 33 is provided in the LED arrangement 5 so that the LED arrangement 5 can be fitted to a pole 11. The gap 33 ensures that the LED arrangement 5 does not extend around the entire great circle of the hemisphere 21 of the globe 3.

In use the LED arrangement 5 may be fixed to the hemisphere 21 of the globe 3. The LED arrangement 5 may be fixed using screws or any other suitable fixing means. The fixing means may enable the LED arrangement 5 to be removed from the hemisphere 21 which may enable replacement and/or maintenance of components of the belisha beacon 1.

The LED arrangement 5 may be arranged to fit into the casing 31. The casing 31 may be arranged to fit both a front facing LED arrangement 5 and a rear facing LED arrangement 5. The casing 31 may be arranged to cover at least part of the LED arrangement 5.

The casing 31 may also ensure that the hemisphere 21 of the globe and the LED arrangement 5 are fixed together. The casing 31 may also ensure that the first hemisphere 21 and the second hemisphere 23 are fixed together.

The casing 31 may be made of any suitable material. In some examples the casing 31 may be made of plastic or any other suitable material.

In some examples the casing 31 may be at least partially transparent. This may enable light emitted by the LEDs to be transmitted through the casing. In some examples the casing 31 may be opaque to block light being emitted in unwanted directions.

In some examples the casing 31 may act as a shroud to reduce light pollution from the belisha beacon 1. In some examples the casing 31 may provide a partial shroud which only covers part of the belisha beacon 1. In other examples the casing 31 may provide a full shroud which may cover the entire side of the belisha beacon 1. The full shroud may block all of the light from the side of the belisha beacon 1 so as to further reduce light pollution from the belisha beacon 1.

The casing 31 is shaped so that the LED arrangement 5 can be fitted into the casing 31. The casing 31 comprises a plurality of protrusions which correspond to the protrusions of the LED arrangement 5.

In the example of Fig. 3 the casing 31 also comprises a core 39. The core 39 may be sized and shaped to fit onto the top of a pole 11. The core 39 may enable the belisha beacon 1 to be mounted on top of the pole 11. In some examples the core 39 may enable the belisha beacon 1 to be mounted to another type of casing. The hemispheres of the globe 3 may be fixed to the core 39 of the casing 31.

The casing 31 may also be arranged to receive a main printed circuit board 35. A controller 2 may be mounted on the main printed circuit board 35. The controller 2 arranged to control the one or more light sources within the globe 1. The controller 2 may also be arranged to control the LEDs in the LED arrangement 5.

In the example of Fig. 3 the main printed circuit board 35 is provided in the centre of the casing 31. This first hemisphere 21 of the globe 3 may be arranged to cover the centre of the casing 31 so that the controller 2 is provided within the globe 3. It is to be appreciated that the controller 2 may be provided in other locations in other examples of the disclosure.

The casing 31 is also arranged to receive a plurality of auxiliary circuit boards 37. The clusters 7 of LEDs may be mounted on the auxiliary circuit boards 37. An example of an auxiliary circuit board 37 is illustrated in Fig. 4.

In the example of Fig. 3 an auxiliary circuit board 37 is provided in each protrusion 9 of the LED arrangement 5. A connection is provided between each of the auxiliary circuit boards 37 and the main printed circuit board 35. This may enable a controller 2 provided on the main circuit board 35 to control each of the clusters 7 of LEDs.

Each connection between an auxiliary circuit board 37 and the main printed circuit board 35 may be independent of the other connections between the circuit boards. This may enable each cluster 7 of LEDs to be controlled independently.

Fig. 4 illustrates an example auxiliary circuit board 37.

An LED cluster 7 is provided on the auxiliary circuit board 37. The cluster 7 may comprise any number of individual LEDs 41. The LEDs 41 may have low power consumption. The size and number of LEDs 41 may be selected to meet the light levels required by the belisha beacon 1. In some examples the LEDs 41 may be arranged to enhance the visibility of the belisha beacon to oncoming motorists and other road users.

In the example of Fig. 4 the cluster 7 comprises five LEDs 41. The five LEDs 41 are arranged with one LED 41 in the centre and four LEDs 41 provided around the central LED 41. It is to be appreciated that other configurations of the LEDs 41 may be used in other examples of the disclosure.

In some examples each of the LEDs 41 within the cluster 7 may be identical. In other examples the LEDs 41 may be different. This may enable the factors such as the brightness of the light emitted and/or the size and shape of the beam of light emitted to be controlled.

The auxiliary circuit board 37 may also comprises an auxiliary connector 43. The auxiliary connector 43 may be arranged to receive control signals and/or power from the main printed circuit board 35.

The auxiliary circuit board 37 also comprises means for enabling the auxiliary circuit board 37 to be fixed to the casing 31. In the example of Fig. 4 the means comprises a plurality of screws 45. The screws 45 may enable the auxiliary circuit board 37 to be removably attached to the casing 31 so that the auxiliary circuit board 37 and the cluster 7 of LEDs 41 can be removed for repair or replacement.

In some examples a clear cover may be provided overlaying the cluster 7 of LEDs 41. The clear cover may be arranged to protect the LEDs 7. The clear cover may have a size and shape which corresponds to the size and shape of the cluster 7 of LEDs 41. The clear casing may comprise Perspex (RTM) or any other suitable material. In some examples the clear cover may comprise part of the casing 31.

In examples of the disclosure a plurality of auxiliary circuit boards 37 are provided within the casing 31. An auxiliary circuit board 37 may be provided in each protrusion 9 of the casing 31.

In this example the disclosure five LEDs 41 are shown. It is to be appreciated that other numbers of LEDs 41 could be provided in other examples. For instance, the cluster 7 may comprise six LEDs 41. The six LEDs 41 may be arranged in two rows, with each row comprising three LEDs 41. Alternatively, the six LEDs 41 may be provided in any other suitable arrangement.

Fig. 5 illustrates another example belisha beacon 1 according to embodiments of the invention. In the example of Fig. 5 the belisha beacon 1 is powered by a photovoltaic power source 51. The belisha beacon 1 comprises a globe 3 and LED arrangement 5 as described above. The belisha beacon 1 includes a controller 2 which may be configured to control a sequential illumination of the light sources as shown in Figs. 7 - 9. The controller 2 is shown schematically and could be inside the beacon 1, or could be external and send signals to the beacon 1.

Fig. 5 only shows the front face of the belisha beacon 1. This may be the view of the belisha beacon 1 for an oncoming motorist. It is to be appreciated that the rear face of the belisha beacon 1 may be a mirror image of the front face.

In some examples the LEDs 41 provided in the rear face of the belisha beacon 1 may be controlled independently of the LEDs 41 provided in the front face. In some examples different controllers may be used to control the LEDs on the different faces.

This may enable the LEDs 41 to be arranged to have different brightness levels or to have different illumination sequences or any other configuration. In some examples the LEDs 41 on the front face may have a different brightness level to LEDs 41 on the rear face as this may be more comfortable for people viewing the belisha beacon 1.

The photovoltaic power source 51 may comprise any means which may be configured to convert solar energy into electrical power. In some examples the photovoltaic power source 51 may comprise one or more panels comprising photovoltaic semiconductors. The photovoltaic semiconductors may be configured to create an electric current from incident solar energy.

The photovoltaic power source 51 may be provided in any suitable position. The photovoltaic power source 51 may be provided in a position which optimises the incident solar energy on the photovoltaic power source 51. In the example of Fig. 5 the photovoltaic power source 51 is mounted on the pole 11.

In some examples the belisha beacon 1 may comprise storage means. The storage means may be configured to store electrical energy. The electrical energy which is stored by the storage means may comprise energy obtained from the photovoltaic power source 51. In some examples the storage means may comprise a battery which may be charged by the photovoltaic power source 51.

The storage means may be connected to the photovoltaic power source 51 so that the electrical energy can be transferred from the photovoltaic power source 51 to the storage means. The storage means and the photovoltaic power source 51 may be controlled by a controller 2 so that the controller 2 can control when power is transferred from the photovoltaic power source 51 to the storage means.

If the photovoltaic power source 51 is generating more power than is required then the excess power may be provided to the storage means. This may be the case if it is day time, or during sunny weather conditions which have high levels of solar power and might not require a very bright light or do not require any additional light at all. The storage means may be used to save the power so that it can be used at a time when the photovoltaic power source 51 is not generating sufficient power for the belisha beacon 1. This efficient use of power may enable the belisha beacon 1 to be illuminated continuously. The belisha beacon 1 may be illuminated all day and all night for every day of the year.

The example belisha beacon 1 of Fig. 5 also comprises at least one ambient light detector 53. The ambient light detector 53 may comprise any means which may be configured to monitor changes in the ambient light over a time interval and enable the controller 2 to control the brightness level of light provided by the belisha beacon 1. The ambient light detector 53 may comprise one or more photosensors or other suitable means which may be configured to convert incident light to an electrical signal.

The ambient light detector 53 may monitor the ambient light for an extended time interval. For example the ambient light detector 53 may monitor the ambient light for a period of ten minutes. This may avoid the belisha beacon 1 responding to a temporary change in the light level such as a passing cloud or other object temporarily obstructing the incident sunlight.

The ambient light detector 53 may be configured to match the detected ambient light level to a light level which would be perceived by a human eye. This ensures that the ambient light detector 53 detects high levels of ambient light under the same conditions that the human eye would. In some examples this may be achieved by using a logarithmic look up table to convert the amount of light detected by the light detector to the amount of visible light which would be perceived by the human eye. This may enable account artificial light such as street light and ambient light from nearby buildings to be taken into account.

The belisha beacon 1 may be arranged so that if the ambient light detector 53 determines that the ambient light level is high then the light sources and LEDs 41 within the belisha beacon 1 are configured in the highest brightness setting. The belisha beacon 1 may be arranged so that if the ambient light detector 53 determines that the ambient light level is low then light sources and LEDs 41 within the belisha beacon 1 are configured in a lower brightness setting.

In some examples the different brightness settings may be achieved by using a light profile table. The light profile table may comprise a plurality of different light levels and a corresponding LED brightness setting for each different light level. In some examples there may be twenty different light levels. It is to be appreciated that other numbers of settings may be used in other embodiments of the invention. When a light level is detected the light profile table is accessed to determine the corresponding brightness setting for the LEDs 41. Some of the brightness settings may have different LEDs 41 illuminated with different levels of brightness.

In some examples, separate ambient light detectors 53 may be provided on each of the front and rear faces of the globe 3. In such cases, the brightness setting of the LEDs 41 on the front face may correspond to the light level on the front face, and the brightness setting of the LEDs 41 on the rear face may correspond to the light level on the rear face. In other instances, the brightness settings of the LEDs 41 on both the front and rear faces may be the same, and may correspond to the average of the light level detected on the front and the rear faces.

This may improve the visibility of the belisha beacon 1 as the brightness of the belisha beacon 1 may be controlled as needed based on the measurements of the ambient light levels and the information in the light profile table.

It is to be appreciated that other means for powering the belisha beacon 1 may be used in other embodiments of the invention. For instance, in some examples the belisha beacon 1 may be powered by a mains electricity supply, which may be converted by an adapter to a 12 V DC supply to power the belisha beacon 1. In such cases the adapter and other control circuitry may be provided within the pole 11. A beacon 1 operating on low voltage 12V DC provides a safer environment for installers and maintenance engineers relative to a beacon 1 that is powered directly by mains electricity. In some examples the belisha beacon 1 may be powered by a battery. In such cases the battery may be provided on the pole 11 or in any other suitable position. The battery may be a chargeable battery which may be used to store power over night when the cost of the power is lower. This may reduce the costs of powering the belisha beacon 1 and may enable the belisha beacon to be illuminated continuously.

Fig. 6 illustrates an example arrangement of a plurality of belisha beacons 1. The belisha beacons 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D each include a controller 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D which may be configured to control a sequential illumination of the light sources in that belisha beacon as shown in Figs. 7 - 9. In this example, a controller is provided in each beacon.

In other examples, only a subset of beacons may include a controller. The controllers 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D are shown schematically and could be inside the beacons 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, or could be external and send signals to the beacons 1 A, 1B, 1C, 1D.

In the example of Fig. 6 the plurality of belisha beacons 1 are arranged around pedestrian crossings 71. In the example of Fig. 6 a first belisha beacon 1A and a second belisha beacon 1B are positioned adjacent to a first pedestrian crossing 71 A. A third belisha beacon 1C and a fourth belisha beacon 1D are positioned adjacent to a second pedestrian crossing 71B. In the example of Fig. 6 four belisha beacons are illustrated. A number of belisha beacons 1 could be provided in a synchronized arrangement in other embodiments of the invention. For instance, in some examples there could be over 100 belisha beacons 1.

The pedestrian crossings 71A, 71B may be located close to each other. In other examples the pedestrian crossings 71 A, 71B may be located faraway from each other.

The plurality of belisha beacons 1 are arranged so that the flashing of a first belisha beacon 1A is synchronised with the flashing ofthe other belisha beacons 1B, 1C, 1D. The flashing may be the flashing of the plurality of clusters 7 of LEDs 41 and/or light sources within the globes 3. This may be beneficial for instance if there are a large number of belisha beacons 1 in a car park flashing independently. This could be distracting to motorists and potentially harmful to people sensitive to flashing lights such as people with epilepsy as non-synchronised flashing lights could be within the epileptic frequency band which may cause seizures.

In some examples the belisha beacons 1 may comprise transceivers to enable control signals to be exchanged between the belisha beacons 1 and ensure that the flashing of the LEDs 41 is synchronised. The transceivers may be configured to enable wireless communication or other type of communication.

In some examples the transceivers may also be configured to enable short range wireless communication. The short range wireless communication could comprise a Bluetooth (RTM) connection, or a wireless local area network (WLAN) or any other suitable type of connection or radio frequency connection. This may enable the belisha beacon 1 to be controlled by a device located close to the belisha beacon 1. The device could be within the belisha beacon 1 or any of the belisha beacons within the system. For example it may enable one belisha beacon 1 to be arranged to control all the other belisha beacons 1 within a local area.

In some examples the belisha beacons 1 may comprise transceivers which may be configured to enable long range wireless communication. The transceivers may enable communication within a radio network cellular communications network or to establish a connection to the internet, to an internet of things (IOT) network or any other suitable connection. This may enable the belisha beacons 1 to be controlled by a remote control system which may be located a long distance away. A first belisha beacon 1 with a transceiver may also be configured to receive and send data via short range wireless communications to one or more other belisha beacons. The one or more other belisha beacons may communicate information from ancillary equipment or environmental sensors such as air quality, noise and temperature to the first belisha beacon 1 via short range wireless communications. This information can then be communicated to a radio network cellular communications network or the internet, to an internet of things (IOT) network or any other suitable connection from the first belisha beacon 1. This enables data to be collected over an internet connection from multiple belisha beacons, where only one or some of the multiple beacons 1 include a transceiver configured to enable long range wireless communication

In some examples the remote device may comprise a time reference source. For instance the transceivers may be configured to receive the time signal from NPL (National Physics Laboratory) signal. This may enable an accurate internal clock to be provided within the belisha beacon 1. The internal clock may enable the belisha beacon 1 to control when the belisha beacon 1 is turned on and off. This may be useful where the belisha beacon 1 is provided in privately owned locations. This may also allow for resetting the system to take into account daylight saving time changes.

Embodiments of the invention provide for an improved belisha beacon 1. The LED arrangement 5 provides an improved light level and visibility which ensures that the belisha beacon 1 is clearly visible to oncoming motorists and other road users whether day or night.

The LED arrangements 5 and sections of the globe 3 are provided as separable components rather than an integrally formed unit. This may make it easier to repair and replace components of the belisha beacon 1.

The LED arrangements 5 comprise a plurality of clusters 7 around the globe 3 on both the front and rear faces. This provides a distinctive lighting arrangement that is clearly visible to road users including traffic both approaching the belisha beacon from either the front side or the rear side. It also enables the clusters 7 of LEDs 41 to be controlled independently. It may also make it easier to repair and replace clusters 7 of LEDs 41 as needed.

The arrangement of the light sources within the globe 3 may be arranged to reduce the amount of light emitted in unwanted directions which reduces light pollution. This light can be further reduced by providing a shroud to cover some or all of the globe 3.

Fig. 7 illustrates an example sequential illumination of first 80 and second 82 light sources of a belisha beacon 1. The example belisha beacon 1 comprises a globe 3 and a controller 2, with a first light source 80 within the globe 3, and a second light source 82 outside of the globe 3, which second light source may be a cluster of LEDs 7. The controller 2 is shown schematically and could be inside the beacon 1, or could be external and send signals to the beacon 1.

In the example of Fig. 7, the controller 2 is configured to control a sequential illumination of the first light source 80 and the second light source 82 during the period of non-illumination of the first light source, the second light source 82 is illuminated. In Fig. 7, a period of non-illumination of the first light source occurs for instance at time A. The controller 2 is also configured to control the sequential illumination of the first light source 80 and the sequential illumination of the second light source 82 such that the first light source 80 and the second light source 82 are illuminated in antiphase. This provides constant illumination from the combination of the first 80 and second 82 light sources.

The illumination level 84 of the first light source 80 follows a sinusoidal profile over time, and the illumination level 86 of the second light source 82 follows a sinusoidal profile overtime in antiphase with the sequential illumination of first light source. The feature that one light source is on whilst the other is off means that illumination is provided over a greater period of time relative to prior arrangements, , therefore improving visibility and also reducing the risk to people sensitive to flashing lights, such as those with epilepsy, whilst still attracting the attention of people in vehicles and pedestrians. The controller may be configured to control the illumination ofthe two light sources over a twenty four hour period.

Whilst the illumination level of one of the light sources is at a minimum of zero, the other light source is at a maximum, such that the beacon 1 provides constant illumination.

Fig. 8 illustrates a further example sequential illumination of the first 80 and second 82 light sources. The example belisha beacon 1 comprises a globe 3 and a controller 2, with a first light source 80 within the globe 3, and a second light source 82 outside of the globe 3. The controller 2 is shown schematically and could be inside the beacon 1, or could be external and send signals to the beacon 1.

In the example of Fig. 8 the controller 2 is configured to control a sequential illumination of the first light source 80 and the second light source 82 such that during the period of non-illumination of the first light source, the second light source 82 is illuminated. In Fig. 8, a period of non-illumination of the first light source occurs for instance between times B and C. The controller 2 is also configured to control the sequential illumination ofthe first light source 80 and the sequential illumination ofthe second light source 82 such that the first light source 80 and the second light source 82 are illuminated in antiphase. This provides constant illumination from the combination of the first 80 and second 82 light sources.

The illumination level 94 of the first light source 80 follows a square wave profile over time, and the illumination level 96 of the second light source 82 follows a square wave profile over time in antiphase with the first light source. Whilst the illumination level of one of the light sources is at a minimum of zero, the other light source is at a maximum, such that the beacon 1 provides constant illumination.

In the example of Fig. 8, the controller 2 is configured to control the duration of each period of illumination of one ofthe light sources during the sequential illumination to be equal to the duration of each period of non-illumination of the other light source during the sequential illumination, such that at any one time at least one light source is illuminated. In other embodiments, the controller 2 may be configured to control the duration of each period of illumination of one of the light sources during the sequential illumination to be greater than the duration of each period of non-illumination of the other light source during the sequential illumination, such that at any one time at least one light source is illuminated.

Fig. 9 illustrates a further example sequential illumination of the first 80 and second 82 light sources. The example belisha beacon 1 comprises a globe 3 and a controller 2, with a first light source 80 within the globe 3, and a second light source 82 outside of the globe 3. The controller 2 is shown schematically and could be inside the beacon 1, or could be external and send signals to the beacon 1.

In the example of Fig. 9 the controller 2 is configured to control a sequential illumination of the first light source 80 and the second light source 82 such that for some of the time during the period of non-illumination of the first light source, the second light source 82 is illuminated. In Fig. 9, a period of non-illumination of the first light source occurs for instance between times D and E.

In this example the controller 2 is configured to control the sequential illumination 104 ofthe first light source 80 to follow a square wave profile, and is configured to control the sequential illumination 106 ofthe second light source 82 to provide three pulses of illumination during a single period of non-illumination of the first light source 80. It is to be appreciated that in other embodiments of the invention, the controller 2 could be configured to control the sequential illumination of the second light source 82 to provide an alternative number of pulses of illumination during the period of non-illumination of the first light source 80, such as a double pulse rather than the triple pulse shown in Fig. 9. In other examples, the pulses of illumination from the second light source 82 during each period of non-illumination of the first light source 80 may be intermittent. The wave profile ofthe pulses of illumination may take other waveforms, for instance a curved profile, a sawtooth profile or a triangular profile.

In the examples where the profiles of the illumination level of the first 80 and second 82 light sources are in antiphase, the profiles may be out of phase by between 135 and 225 degrees, and may be out of phase by 180 degrees.

The profile of the illumination level of the first 80 and second 82 light sources during the sequential illumination may take other types of waveform, for instance the profile could be that of a sine wave, square wave, pulse, triangular wave, sawtooth wave, any combination of these or any other suitable profile. The profile of the illumination level for each of the first 80 and second 82 light sources during the sequential illumination may be different, for instance, the sequential illumination of the first light source 80 may take the profile of a square wave, while simultaneously the sequential illumination of the second light source may take the profile of a sine wave.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that modifications to the examples given can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described. For instance in some examples the invention may be provided in other types of beacons, street lights, street furniture, or any other suitable device..

Although functions have been described with reference to certain features, those functions may be performable by other features whether described or not.

Although features have been described with reference to certain embodiments, those features may also be present in other embodiments whether described or not. l/we claim:

Claims

1. A belisha beacon comprising: a globe; a first light source positioned in the globe; a second light source positioned outside of the globe; and a controller configured to control the illumination of the first light source and the second light source, wherein the controller is configured to control a sequential illumination of the first light source and the second light source such that at least at one time during a period of non-illumination of the first light source, the second light source is illuminated.

2. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the duration of each period of illumination of one of the light sources during the sequential illumination to be equal to or greater than the duration of each period of non-illumination of the other light source during the sequential illumination, such that at any one time at least one light source is illuminated.

3. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control the sequential illumination of the first light source and the sequential illumination of the second light source to provide constant illumination from the combination of the first and second light sources.

4. A belisha beacon as claimed in claims 1 to 3 wherein the controller is configured to control the sequential illumination of the first light source and the second light source such that the first light source and the second light source are illuminated in antiphase.

5. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to control the sequential illumination of the first light source and the second light source such that the second light source provides a plurality of pulses of illumination during a single period of non-illumination of the first light source.

6. A belisha beacon as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the globe comprises a first hemisphere forming a front face fixed to a second hemisphere forming a rear face.

7. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 6 wherein the first light source is configured so that light from the first light source is emitted through both hemispheres.

8. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 7 wherein the first light source comprises separate light sources for each of the front and rear faces.

9. A belisha beacon as claimed in claims 6 or 7 wherein the second light source is configured to emit light in the direction of both the front and rear faces.

10. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 9 wherein the second light source comprises separate light sources for each of the front and rear faces.

11. A belisha beacon as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the light sources are powered by a photovoltaic power source.

12. A belisha beacon as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10 wherein the beacon includes an adapter configured to convert mains electricity to a 12 V DC supply to power the belisha beacon.

13. A belisha beacon as claimed in claims 6 or claims 7 to 12 when dependent on claim 6 wherein the second light source is a light emitting diode arrangement arranged to be positioned over the region where the first hemisphere is fixed to the second hemisphere.

14. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 13 wherein the light emitting diode arrangement comprises a plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes.

15. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 14 wherein the controller is positioned within the globe and connected to each of the plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes.

16. A belisha beacon as claimed in claims 14 or 15 wherein the light emitting diode arrangement is arranged so that each of the plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes is positioned within a protrusion which projects from the region where the first hemisphere is fixed to the second hemisphere.

17. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 16 wherein the light emitting diode arrangement is arranged so that the protrusions are equally spaced along the region where the first hemisphere is fixed to the second hemisphere.

18. A belisha beacon as claimed in any of claims 14 to 17 wherein the controller is provided on a central printed circuit board and each of the plurality of clusters of light emitting diodes is provided on an auxiliary printed circuit board.

19. A belisha beacon as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the controller is configured to control the sequential illumination of the first or second light sources of the belisha beacon to synchronise with the sequential illumination of one or more light sources of one or more other belisha beacons.

20. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 19 wherein the synchronisation of the sequential illumination is enabled using short range wireless communication between belisha beacons.

21. A belisha beacon as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a casing arranged to cover at least a portion of the light emitting diode arrangement.

22. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 21 wherein the casing is at least partially transparent.

23. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 21 wherein the casing is not transparent.

24. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 6 or any of claims 7 to 23 when dependent on claim 6 wherein the first hemisphere of the globe is fixed directly to the second hemisphere of the globe.

25. A belisha beacon as claimed in claim 6 or any of claims 7 to 23 when dependent on claim 6 wherein the first hemisphere of the globe is fixed indirectly to the second hemisphere of the globe.

26. A belisha beacon as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the controller is configured to enable the sequential illumination of the light sources to be applied continuously over a 24 hour period.