Claims
- 1. In a public transportation system of the class wherein a passenger-carrying vehicle has an assigned route which takes it into proximity with the edge of a passenger-boarding platform frequented by blind and/or visually impaired persons in the course of boarding the vehicle without human assistance whereby said persons become endangered if their approach to a boarding area on said platform succeeds in placing them in the path of the vehicle while it approaches the platform for the purpose of taking on passengers once stopped at the boarding area, the combination with said system of a plurality of transmitters each of which emits encoded radiation in the infrared region which when projected onto the surface of said boarding area creates a hazard zone within said boarding area, and a detector mounted on or carried by said persons having a reception spectrum tuned to the signal emitted by said transmitters and activated when said persons enter said hazard zone.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a structural member on a plane above said boarding area, and said transmitters being supported by said member.
- 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said system includes a structural member adjacent to said boarding area, and said transmitters being supported by said member.
- 4. The system of claim 1, wherein said detector gives a warning signal upon being activated by said transmitters thereby warning such persons of entry into said hazard zone.
- 5. The system of claim 4, wherein said warning signal is characterized by vibrotactile stimulation.
- 6. In a public transportation system of the class wherein a passenger-carrying vehicle has an assigned route which takes it into proximity with the edge of a passenger-boarding platform frequented by blind and/or visually impaired persons in the course of boarding the vehicle without human assistance whereby said persons become endangered if their approach to a boarding area on said platform succeeds in placing them in the path of the vehicle while it approaches the platform for the purpose of taking on passengers once stopped at the boarding area, the combination with said system of a plurality of transmitters each of which emits encoded radiation in the infrared region which when directed toward said boarding area creates a hazard zone of predetermined length and depth along the edge of said platform, and a detector mounted on or carried by said persons having a reception spectrum tuned to the signal emitted by said transmitters and activated when said persons enter said hazard zone.
- 7. The system of claim 6, wherein said system includes a structural member on a plane above said boarding area, and said transmitters being supported by said member.
- 8. The system of claim 6, wherein said system includes a structural member adjacent to said boarding area, and said transmitters being supported by said member.
- 9. The system of claim 6, wherein said detector gives a warning signal upon being activated thereby warning such persons of entry into said hazard zone.
- 10. The system of claim 9, wherein said warning signal is characterized by vibrotactile stimulation.
- 11. In a public transportation system of the class wherein a passenger-carrying vehicle has an assigned route which takes it into proximity with the edge of a passenger-boarding platform frequented by blind and/or visually impaired persons in the course of boarding the vehicle without human assistance whereby said persons become endangered if their approach to the edge of the platform succeeds in placing them in the path of the vehicle while it approaches the platform for the purpose of taking on passengers once it has been brought to a stop, apparatus dedicated to the protection of the blind comprising:
- means for emitting an optical signal in the infrared spectrum, said signal being directed toward a boarding area on said platform, said boarding area being configured to demarcate a hazard zone of predetermined length extending parallel to the edge of said platform and predetermined depth perpendicular to and extending in a direction inboard of the edge of said platform, and
- means mounted on or carried by said persons having a reception spectrum tuned to said signal for issuing a warning to said persons when said persons enter said hazard zone.
- 12. The system of claim 11, wherein said system includes a structural member on a plane above said boarding area, and said means for emitting said optical signal being supported by said member.
- 13. The system of claim 11, wherein said detector gives a warning signal upon being activated thereby warning such persons of entry into the said hazard zone.
- 14. The system of claim 13, wherein said warning signal is characterized by vibrotactile stimulation.
- 15. In a public transportation system of the class wherein a passenger-carrying vehicle has an assigned route which takes it into proximity with the edge of a passenger-boarding platform frequented by blind and/or visually impaired persons in the course of boarding the vehicle without human assistance whereby said persons become endangered if their approach to a boarding area on said platform succeeds in placing them in the path of the vehicle while it approaches the platform for the purpose of taking on passengers once stopped at the boarding area, apparatus dedicated to the protection of the blind comprising:
- a plurality of means each for generating an optical signal, said signals being directed toward a boarding area on said platform, said boarding area being configured to demarcate a hazard zone of predetermined length extending parallel to the edge of said platform and predetermined depth perpendicular to and extending in a direction inboard of the edge of said platform, and
- means mounted on or carried by said persons having a reception spectrum tuned to said optical signals for issuing a warning to said persons when said persons enter said hazard zone.
- 16. The system of claim 15, wherein said means for generating an optical signal emits radiation in the infrared spectrum and said detector is sensitive to the infrared radiation incident thereon.
- 17. The system of claim 15, wherein said system includes a structural member on a plane above or adjacent to said boarding area, and said means for generating an optical signal being supported by said member.
- 18. The system of claim 15, wherein said detector gives a warning signal upon being activated thereby warning such persons of entry into said hazard zone.
- 19. The system of claim 18, wherein said warning signal is characterized by vibrotactile stimulation.
- 20. In a public transportation system of the class wherein a passenger-carrying vehicle has an assigned route which takes it into proximity with the edge of a passenger-boarding platform frequented by blind and/or visually impaired persons in the course of boarding the vehicle without human assistance whereby said persons become endangered if their approach to the edge of the platform succeeds in placing them in the path of the vehicle as it approaches the platform for the purpose of taking on passengers once it has been brought to a stop, the combination with said system of a plurality of transmitters each of which emits a detectable optical signal which impinges on a selected portion of said platform large enough to create a hazard zone of predetermined length and depth within the boarding area of said platform, and a detector mounted on or carried by said persons having a reception spectrum tuned to the signals emitted by said transmitters and activated when said persons enter said hazard zone.
- 21. The system of claim 20, wherein said transmitters emit radiation in the infrared spectrum and said detector is sensitive to the infrared radiation incident thereon.
- 22. The system of claim 20, wherein said system includes a structural member on a plane above said boarding area, and said transmitters being supported by said member.
- 23. The system of claim 20, wherein said detector gives a warning signal upon being activated thereby notifying such persons of entry into said hazard zone.
- 24. The system of claim 23, wherein said warning signal is characterized by vibrotactile stimulation.
- 25. The method of improving the safety of blind individuals during their approach to a public rail transportation vehicle with the intention of boarding the vehicle from a stationary boarding platform unassisted by other humans which comprises the steps of:
- identifying a boarding area on said platform,
- establishing within said boarding area a hazard zone which terminates a predetermined distance inwardly from the edge of said platform,
- exposing said hazard zone to a detectable optical signal,
- equipping said blind individuals with a detector, and
- using said signal to activate said detector upon entry of said blind into said hazard zone.
- 26. The method recited in claim 25, wherein said step of exposing is carried out with an infrared signal emitting device.
- 27. The method recited in claim 25, wherein said detector responds to infrared radiation.
- 28. The method as recited in claim 25, which further comprises the step of:
- suspending above said platform the means for exposing said hazard zone to said optical signal.
- 29. The method as recited in claim 25, which further comprises the step of:
- producing from said detector a warning signal once said detector becomes activated.
- 30. The method as recited in claim 29, which further comprises the step of:
- making said warning signal affect said blind individuals through vibrotactile stimulation.
- 31. The method as recited in claim 25, which further comprises the step of:
- suspending adjacent to said platform the means for exposing said hazard zone to said optical signal.
Parent Case Info
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application No. 60/005,180 filed Sep. 26, 1995.
US Referenced Citations (6)