Street Light Audio Sensor for Accident Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Automobile accidents often go unreported due to injured individuals being unable to call for help, and subsequent accidents occur due to lack of early notification, leading to traffic jams and delayed emergency responses.

Innovation Solution

Integrating audio sensors and controllers into outdoor light fixtures to detect accident sounds and transmit notification messages via wireless signals, including visual alerts and vehicle-to-vehicle communication standards, to alert other drivers and emergency services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual calling for help is required after accidents, then emergency services can be contacted, but injured individuals unable to call and witnesses may fail to contact services timely

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccident notification reliabilityVSAvoidnotification time delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The accident detection system operates autonomously by automatically detecting accidents through audio sensors and transmitting notifications without requiring manual intervention from injured individuals or witnesses, thereby ensuring reliable and timely emergency service activation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual phone calling with an automated electronic detection and notification system that uses audio sensors to detect accident sounds and transmits alerts electronically to emergency services and nearby vehicles

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If accident notification is delayed, then emergency services can be contacted manually, but subsequent accidents occur and traffic jams result

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccident response efficiencyVSAvoidsubsequent accidents and traffic congestion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary notification by automatically detecting accidents and alerting emergency services and nearby vehicles before traffic congestion develops or subsequent accidents occur, enabling preventive action

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides immediate feedback about accident conditions to emergency services and nearby vehicles through automated detection and notification, enabling rapid response and preventing harmful effects from accumulating

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

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

Enables quick notification of accidents to drivers and emergency services, reducing the risk of further accidents and ensuring timely response by providing visual alerts and wireless notifications.

Implementation Method 1

an audio sensor configured to detect a sound and to generate an electrical signal from the sound

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSound detection and transduction: Acoustic Emission

Implementation Method 2

a light source configured to provide a visual notification of the automobile accident

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight emission: Light Emitting Diode

Data Source

PatentUS10546494B2Automobile accident detection and notification

Publication Date: 2020.01.28 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV

AI summary

A street light fixture includes an audio sensor configured to detect a sound and to generate an electrical signal from the sound. The street light fixture further includes a controller configured to determine whether the sound is produced by an automobile accident based on the electrical signal. The street light fixture further includes a light source configured to provide a visual notification of the automobile accident in response to the controller determining that the sound is produced by the automobile accident.