System for detecting and alerting to wildlife intrusion on roads

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for detecting and alerting to wildlife intrusion on roads, characterised in that it mainly comprises the following elements: a buried single-mode fibre optic line (3), with a laser light projector (4) that emits light beams (5) as pulses through the fibre optic line (3), which are received by a laser light signal receiver (6); a signal analyser (7) that analyses the speed of the light beams (5) by means of an algorithm (A), capable of discriminating any type of possible intrusion; an alert module (8) with a transmission device (17), for sending an instruction to acoustic / luminous signs (9) and informing a general remote receiver (10) provided with a user interface (14), in order to send the information to other connectors (18) of other users.

Description

[0001] SYSTEM FOR DETECTING AND WARNING WILDLIFE INTRUSIONS ON TRAFFIC ROADS

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention referred to in this document, as its title indicates, relates to a system for detecting and warning of wildlife intrusions on roads that has the novelty of incorporating several elements properly configured in its structure and operation so that said detection and warning are carried out in a more efficient, safe and effective manner than the systems known until now.

[0005] In particular, we have already noted that this is a system designed primarily for long stretches of track, which can reach more than 80 kilometers in length, and which not only allows the exact location of the detected intrusion to be identified, but also perfectly distinguishes the type of intrusion to properly notify the parties involved.

[0006] INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION

[0007] The industrial application of the invention involves manufacturers of optical fiber, electronic control and communications devices, optical warning systems, and road safety companies, and is applicable in the road safety and natural resource control industries.

[0008] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0009] There are some precedents regarding the control, protection and monitoring of wildlife.

[0010] Among the antecedents closest to the present invention we can refer to the following:

[0011] Spanish patent P200400895 entitled “Passive road safety and wildlife protection post”.

[0012] After studying the patent, the substance of the invention consists of a fairly simple electronic system that uses ultrasound to repel wildlife. Therefore, it is a system that in no way can be compared to a notable precedent that diminishes the novelty or inventiveness of the proposed invention.

[0013] Spanish patent P201001472 called “Smart station for monitoring wildlife”.

[0014] This patent protects presence sensors and RFI D transmission of information. This system may have some similarities in functionality to the aforementioned patent, but it presents important differences, as it uses presence cameras, with the problems of use in poor visibility and power supply, which means they are being discarded in most systems.

[0015] Spanish patent P201600176 entitled “Device for interrupting the transit of wild animals on a road intended for vehicle traffic.”

[0016] After studying the invention, it was found that the device is dual and uses low-intensity light signals along with ultrasound emission as its basic element. This device is different in its conception and development from the system of the proposed patent.

[0017] The inventor is not aware of any prior invention that incorporates the provisions presented in the present invention or the advantages that such a provision entails.

[0018] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The invention referred to in this document, as its title indicates, relates to a system for detecting and warning of wildlife intrusions on roads that has the novelty of incorporating several elements properly configured in its structure and operation so that said detection and warning are carried out in a more efficient, safe and effective manner than the systems known until now.

[0020] Specifically, we already noted that this system is primarily designed for long stretches of track, which can reach more than 80 kilometers in length, and which not only allows for the exact location of the detected intrusion but also for the precise identification of the type of intrusion, enabling the parties involved to be properly notified. The most important elements of the system are:

[0021] - a single-mode fiber optic line buried and extended along the work section, parallel to the road to be protected,

[0022] - optical / acoustic signal of the start of entry to the section supplied by a main power supply unit that provides energy to the entire assembly,

[0023] - laser light projector that emits light beams as pulses through the fiber optic line,

[0024] - receiver of laser light signal sent by the laser light projector which has a built-in auxiliary power supply unit,

[0025] - signal analyzer that analyses the speed of light beams by means of an algorithm (A) capable of discriminating any type of possible intrusion,

[0026] - Warning module with transmission device, to send the order to the acoustic / light signals and inform the general remote receiver provided with a user interface to send the information to other users.

[0027] This system has undoubted advantages over known techniques and, in general terms, they can be summarized as:

[0028] - It enables highly reliable monitoring of long road distances, compared to the drawbacks of monitoring using machine vision systems or thermal cameras, which only cover short distances, have limited fields of view, and are subject to obstructions and occlusions.

[0029] - This is a significantly more economical solution than systems supported by vision systems.

[0030] - It is easy to install, requiring virtually no additional infrastructure, just one electrical outlet (fixed or solar) every 40-80 kilometers, as opposed to the need to lay foundations, install poles, electrical outlets for each camera, and install wiring, etc.

[0031] - Avoid installing containment elements such as barriers, fences, etc.

[0032] - Avoid the creation of large-scale transit infrastructures.

[0033] - Independent of the weather.

[0034] - Enables the exchange of information with interested third parties.

[0035] - It has the ability to selectively target warnings to users of connected vehicles traveling in the area where the animal's presence is detected. This is, therefore, a new and more advanced technology that solves problems that have not been definitively resolved until now in a new, effective, and economical way.

[0036] DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] For a better understanding of the invention, a sheet of drawings is attached in which the following figure can be seen:

[0038] FIGURE 1.- Diagrammatic view of the system with all its main elements

[0039] And in this figure, identical elements are named with the same reference, among which we distinguish:

[0040] (A).- algorithm

[0041] (1).- section of work track,

[0042] (2).- section sections,

[0043] (3).- fiber optic line,

[0044] (4).- laser light projector,

[0045] (5).- injected laser light beam,

[0046] (6).- laser light signal receiver

[0047] (7).- signal analyzer,

[0048] (8).- warning module,

[0049] (9).- acoustic / light signals,

[0050] (10).- remote general receiver,

[0051] (11).- main power supply unit,

[0052] (12).- secondary power supply unit,

[0053] (13).- optical / acoustic signal of the beginning of a monitored section,

[0054] (14).- user interface,

[0055] (15).- end of monitored section light signal,

[0056] (16).- traffic lane to be protected,

[0057] (17).- transmission device,

[0058] (18).- connector to other users

[0059] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION.

[0060] The invention relates to a system for detecting and warning of wildlife intrusions on roads, which has the novelty of incorporating several properly configured elements into its structure and operation so that said detection and warning are carried out in a more efficient, safe and effective manner than the systems known until now.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system is designed to work on a work section (1) that can reach 80km in length in a single section or 40km in a double section of a round trip route open to traffic (16).

[0062] This work section (1) is divided into up to 1,440 section sections (2) in order to perfectly identify the location where an intrusion or incident has occurred.

[0063] The differentiation into sections allows for the delimitation of various elements inherent to the terrain's morphology, such as exit paths to the road, crossroads, vehicle entry and exit to other areas, and other features inherent to the section's topography, in order to avoid creating false alarms.

[0064] The basis of the system is a single-mode optical fiber line (3) buried at a depth of 30 / 40 cm and at a distance of 6 / 16 m from the edge of the track and extended along the work section (1), parallel to the track (16) to be protected. It can be placed on one of the edges of the track (16) or on both edges.

[0065] At the beginning of the optical fiber (3), the optical / acoustic signal of the start of entry to the section (13) is placed, fed by a main power supply unit (11) that provides energy to the whole assembly and a laser light projector (4) that emits light beams (5) as pulses and that, transmitted through the optical fiber line (3), will be collected by the laser light signal receiver (6).

[0066] Said laser light signal receiver (6) has an auxiliary power supply unit (12) incorporated, so that in case the main power supply unit (11) suffers any failure, the system continues to function.

[0067] The laser light beam (5) emitted as pulses is reflected at the points of the optical fiber line (3), which have suffered a mechanical alteration due to a possible intrusion.

[0068] The intensity of the disturbance creates an alteration in the transmission speed of the laser light beam (5), which is collected by the laser light signal receiver (6) and analyzed by the signal analyzer (7).

[0069] In the case of no intrusion, reception is uniform without any modification in speed.

[0070] In the event that the optical fiber line (3) is deformed due to an intrusion, the deformation will be detected by the speed of the laser light beam (5) and, when it reaches the laser light signal receiver (6), this signal will be passed to the signal analyzer (7) which will analyze it according to an algorithm (A) specially developed to fully discriminate the type of intrusion carried out.

[0071] This algorithm (A) is capable of discriminating between types of fauna, people, vehicles, landslides, water accumulations or other types of possible intrusion.

[0072] The signal analyzer (7) sends the information calibrated by the algorithm (A) to the warning module (8) that has a transmission device (17) that will send the corresponding warning to the acoustic / luminous signals (9), that exist in each section and, to the general remote receiver (10) that, by means of a user interface (14) sends the information to the connectors of other users (18) such as other Agencies, municipal bodies or Administrations. Once the section is finished, the user will receive the end-of-section luminous signal while monitoring (15).

[0073] Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention, as well as the manner of putting it into practice, it should be noted that the provisions indicated above and represented in the attached drawings are susceptible to modifications in detail as long as they do not alter their fundamental principles, established in the preceding paragraphs and summarized in the following claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 a .- System for detecting and warning of wildlife intrusions on roads, characterized in that the road to be protected (16) is enclosed by a section of work road (1) divided into up to 1,440 sections of section (2) and where the following elements are located: - a single-mode optical fiber line (3) buried and extended along the work section (1), parallel to the track (16) to be protected, - optical / acoustic signal of the start of entry to the section (13) powered by a main power supply unit (11), which provides energy to the entire assembly - laser light projector (4) emitting light beams (5) as pulses through the optical fiber line (3), - laser light signal receiver (6) sent by the laser light projector (4) incorporating a secondary power supply unit (12), - signal analyzer (7), which analyzes the speed of the light beams (5) by means of an algorithm (A) capable of discriminating any type of possible intrusion. - Warning module (8) with transmission device (17), to send the order to the acoustic / light signals (9) and inform the general remote receiver (10), provided with a user interface (14) to send the information to the connectors of other users (18). 2 a.- System for detecting and warning of wildlife intrusions on roads, whose working procedure is characterized by the fact that it is designed to work in a work section (1) that can reach 80 km in length in a single section, divided into up to 1.440 section of section (2), in order to perfectly identify the place where an intrusion or incident has occurred, the basis of the system being a single-mode optical fiber line (3) buried and extended along the work section (1), parallel to the track (16) to be protected and, where at the beginning of the optical fiber (3) is located the optical / acoustic signal of the beginning of entry to the section (13) fed by a main power supply unit (11) that provides power to the entire assembly and a laser light projector (4) that emits light beams (5) as pulses and that are transmitted through the fiber (3) and will be collected by the laser light signal receiver (6) that will pass the information to the signal analyzer (7) that has a secondary power supply unit (12) incorporated, so that in case the main power supply unit (11) fails, it continues to operate, and where the laser light beam (5). emitted as pulses are reflected at the points of the optical fiber line (3), which have suffered a mechanical alteration due to a possible intrusion because the intensity of the disturbance creates an alteration in the transmission speed of the laser light beam (5) that is collected by the laser light signal receiver (6) and analyzed by the signal analyzer (7) that analyzes it according to an algorithm (A), specially developed to fully discriminate the type of intrusion carried out since it is capable of discriminating between types of fauna, people, vehicles, landslides, accumulations of water or other possible type of intrusion, sending the information calibrated by the algorithm (A) to the warning module (8) that has a transmission device (17), which will send the corresponding warning to the acoustic / light signals (9) that exist in each section and to the general remote receiver (10),which through a user interface (14) sends the information to other connectors of other users (18)., 3 a .- System for detecting and warning of wildlife intrusions on roads in accordance with 1 a claim and characterized in that the length of the work section (1) reaches 80km in length in a single section or 40km in a double section of a round trip of a road open to traffic (16). 4 a .- System for detecting and warning of wildlife intrusions on roads in accordance with 1 a claim and characterized in that the single-mode fiber optic line (3) is buried at a depth of 30 / 40 cm and at a distance of 6 / 16 m, from the edge of the road and extended along the work section (1), parallel to the traffic lane to be protected (16).

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