Patents by Inventor Douglas E. Hanthorn

Douglas E. Hanthorn has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8791837
    Abstract: Traffic signal timing may be altered as a function of determining occluded signal viewing. More particularly, processing units may determine that a view of a traffic signal by a person is obstructed by a vehicle located on a first ingress path to a roadway intersection with a second ingress path. The traffic signal controls the right of way of the first ingress path, and the person with the obstructed view is travelling along the first ingress path toward the intersection and is located behind the vehicle relative to a view sightline of the person to the traffic signal. In response to the occluded view determination, a transition of the traffic signal may be delayed from a current visual display of a proceed signal to a subsequent visual display of a stop signal, until an end of a delay period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James D. Allen, Teresa L. Davis, Douglas E. Hanthorn
  • Publication number: 20140055286
    Abstract: Traffic signal timing may be altered as a function of determining occluded signal viewing. More particularly, processing units may determine that a view of a traffic signal by a person is obstructed by a vehicle located on a first ingress path to a roadway intersection with a second ingress path. The traffic signal controls the right of way of the first ingress path, and the person with the obstructed view is travelling along the first ingress path toward the intersection and is located behind the vehicle relative to a view sightline of the person to the traffic signal. In response to the occluded view determination, a transition of the traffic signal may be delayed from a current visual display of a proceed signal to a subsequent visual display of a stop signal, until an end of a delay period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James D. Allen, Teresa L. Davis, Douglas E. Hanthorn
  • Patent number: 8633833
    Abstract: Traffic signal timing may be altered as a function of determining occluded signal viewing. More particularly, processing units may determine that a view of a traffic signal by a person is obstructed by a large vehicle located on a first ingress path to a roadway intersection with a second ingress path. The traffic signal controls the right of way of the first ingress path, and the person with the obstructed view is travelling along the first ingress path toward the intersection and is located behind the large vehicle relative to a view sightline of the person to the traffic signal. In response to the occluded view determination, a transition of the traffic signal may be delayed from a current visual display of a proceed signal to a subsequent visual display of a stop signal, until an end of a delay period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James D. Allen, Teresa L. Davis, Douglas E. Hanthorn
  • Publication number: 20130285840
    Abstract: Traffic signal timing may be altered as a function of determining occluded signal viewing. More particularly, processing units may determine that a view of a traffic signal by a person is obstructed by a large vehicle located on a first ingress path to a roadway intersection with a second ingress path. The traffic signal controls the right of way of the first ingress path, and the person with the obstructed view is travelling along the first ingress path toward the intersection and is located behind the large vehicle relative to a view sightline of the person to the traffic signal. In response to the occluded view determination, a transition of the traffic signal may be delayed from a current visual display of a proceed signal to a subsequent visual display of a stop signal, until an end of a delay period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: James D. Allen, Teresa L. Davis, Douglas E. Hanthorn