Roadside Alert Beacon Using LiDAR for Vehicle Hazard Warning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional roadside cones or barrels fail to effectively provide advance warnings to approaching vehicles and do not alert service technicians or emergency responders about potentially hazardous conditions when assisting or approaching distressed vehicles.
Innovation Solution
An alert system comprising alert beacons with sensors, processors, and communication interfaces that detect vehicles within a predefined distance and velocity, activating audible and visual alerts, and integrating with remote servers and mobile devices for enhanced warning and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional roadside cones or barrels are used to alert approaching vehicles, then the warning function is provided, but the warning effectiveness is insufficient and no feedback to service personnel is provided
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by detecting approaching vehicles and providing real-time information to service personnel through the mobile application. The processor analyzes LiDAR data to determine vehicle parameters and communicates this information back to the service technician, enabling them to make informed safety decisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional passive mechanical warning devices (cones and barrels) with an active electronic system using LiDAR sensors, processors, and wireless communication. This substitution enables automated detection, analysis, and feedback capabilities that mechanical systems cannot provide.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If advance warning to approaching vehicles is provided, then accident prevention is improved, but the complexity of the system increases beyond simple cones or barrels
Solution Approach 1:
The alert beacon is designed as a multi-functional device that combines LiDAR sensing, vehicle parameter analysis, wireless communication, and alert generation in a single unit. This universal design provides multiple functions (detection, analysis, communication, warning) without requiring separate complex systems for each function.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If service personnel are protected from approaching vehicles, then safety is improved, but the system requires continuous monitoring and alert mechanisms that increase operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-monitoring by continuously detecting approaching vehicles and automatically generating alerts without requiring manual intervention. The processor autonomously analyzes LiDAR data and triggers warnings based on predefined safety parameters, enabling the system to protect service personnel through self-service operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides timely warnings to approaching vehicles and service personnel, reducing the risk of accidents by detecting vehicles at unsafe speeds or distances, and enabling remote monitoring and control for enhanced safety protocols.
Implementation Method 1
at least one alert beacon having one or more sensors (e.g., LiDAR sensor)
Data Source
AI summary
An alert system and method comprising at least one alert beacon having one or more sensors (e.g., LiDAR sensor). The alert beacon further including a processor operable to poll the LiDAR sensor for a predefined number of beta readings in response to receiving an initial reading from the LiDAR sensor indicating a vehicle is within a predefined distance away from the alert beacon. The processor further being operable to calculate an average distance and an average velocity for the vehicle in response to receiving the predefined number of beta readings when the vehicle is within the predefined distance from the alert beacon. The processor also being operable to activate an audible alert and a visual alert when the average distance is below a distance threshold and the average velocity exceeds a velocity threshold in response to calculating the average distance and the average velocity.