EMERGENCY SAFETY MARKER SYSTEMS

摘要

An electronic lighted safety marker system used by emergency responders to warn motorists of the presence of an accident scene ahead on or beside the roadway is provided by the invention. Such safety marker can be deployed individually or in groups by the emergency responder along the perimeter of the accident scene and ideally ahead of it along the roadway to provide adequate warning to approaching motorists to avoid the accident scene. The safety marker contains a power source, a light panel, a protective shield for the light panel, and electronic circuitry for controlling the operation of the lights in a predetermined frequency or pattern, and may be automatically actuated and self-righting when it is dropped onto the ground or other hard surface. The safety marker further includes a transmitter for sending a signal to a receiver. Upon impact with the safety marker, the signal ceases and the receiver, equipped with an alarm, triggers either or both of an audible or visual signal. The safety marker can also contain an incursion warning system against incoming vehicles, an early warning radar transponder for sending a warning message to such incoming vehicles, a GPS location detector and transmitter for providing the location of the safety marker and its associated accident scene to a central dispatcher, and a gunshot sensor for detecting the occurrence of gunfire around the accident scene and its location to provide that information to the central dispatcher.

主权项

1. An electronic safety marker deployed by an emergency responder on or along a roadway for providing a warning to oncoming vehicles approaching an accident scene having a boundary defined by the positioned safety marker, the safety marker comprising:
(a) a source of electrical current; (b) electrical circuitry connected to the source of electrical current; (c) a self-righting base comprising a housing defining an interior chamber and attachment means along its top surface; (d) a light wand attached at its bottom end to the attachment means in the base, the light wand comprising a plurality of lights connected to the electrical circuit; (e) impact-actuated deployment means interposed in the electrical circuit, and positioned inside the chamber in the base; (f) a transmitter located inside the light want or base of the safety marker for transmitting a signal to a receiver; (g) a receiver for receiving a signal from the transmitter and including an alarm; (h) wherein when the safety marker is released from above ground level by the emergency responder and hits the ground or other hard surface, the impact-actuated deployment means is actuated upon impact to deliver electrical current to the plurality of lights to turn them on to a lighted state to provide warning of the accident scene to the oncoming vehicles, and the safety marker automatically orient itself to an upright, vertical position; and (i) wherein when the safety marker is struck by an incoming vehicle, the transmitter ceases sending a signal to the receiver and the receiver issues an alarm.