Patents by Inventor Walter Rankin Townsend

Walter Rankin Townsend 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: 10249204
    Abstract: A connected vehicle train-vehicle collision detection system comprises a roadside unit (RSU) located at a railroad grade crossing near a roadway lane for avoiding TRAIN crashes with Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicles by issuing advance warnings for a potential vehicle-train crash. The roadside unit (RSU) is configured to act as a proxy Onboard Unit (OBU) for a non-OBU-equipped TRAIN and transmit a train location to a first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle having an Onboard Unit (OBU). The Onboard Unit (OBU) of the first OBU-equipped vehicle is configured to calculate a train-vehicle crash based on the train location of the TRAIN relative to the railroad grade crossing and a vehicle location of the first OBU-equipped vehicle relative to the railroad grade crossing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC.
    Inventor: Walter Rankin Townsend
  • Patent number: 9911334
    Abstract: A connected vehicle traffic safety system comprises a traffic signal controller and a roadside unit (RSU) located at a one-way traffic lane for avoiding crashes with vehicles of wrong-way drivers by issuing warnings for wrong-way violations. The traffic signal controller is configured to operate a traffic signal. The traffic signal is facing a wrong-way traffic and is set to dwell permanently in a RED signal phase. The one-way traffic lane is configured as a signalized intersection with a wrong-way approach that is programmed as a traffic signal phase dwelling in RED. The roadside unit (RSU) is configured to transmit a Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) indication for the RED signal phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC.
    Inventor: Walter Rankin Townsend
  • Publication number: 20180018877
    Abstract: A connected vehicle traffic safety system comprises a traffic signal controller and a roadside unit (RSU) located at a one-way traffic lane for avoiding crashes with vehicles of wrong-way drivers by issuing warnings for wrong-way violations. The traffic signal controller is configured to operate a traffic signal. The traffic signal is facing a wrong-way traffic and is set to dwell permanently in a RED signal phase. The one-way traffic lane is configured as a signalized intersection with a wrong-way approach that is programmed as a traffic signal phase dwelling in RED. The roadside unit (RSU) is configured to transmit a Signal Phase and Timing (SPaT) indication for the RED signal phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventor: Walter Rankin Townsend
  • Publication number: 20180018888
    Abstract: A connected vehicle train-vehicle collision detection system comprises a roadside unit (RSU) located at a railroad grade crossing near a roadway lane for avoiding TRAIN crashes with Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicles by issuing advance warnings for a potential vehicle-train crash. The roadside unit (RSU) is configured to act as a proxy Onboard Unit (OBU) for a non-OBU-equipped TRAIN and transmit a train location to a first Onboard Unit (OBU)-equipped vehicle having an Onboard Unit (OBU). The Onboard Unit (OBU) of the first OBU-equipped vehicle is configured to calculate a train-vehicle crash based on the train location of the TRAIN relative to the railroad grade crossing and a vehicle location of the first OBU-equipped vehicle relative to the railroad grade crossing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventor: Walter Rankin Townsend