A video system for assisting automobile traffic is provided. Radio frequency signals concerning traffic flow and build-up are transmitted to a receiver unit contained within a motor vehicle. The receiver unit contains road map information stored in a memory and only information relating to traffic flow is transmitted. The receiver superimposes the traffic flow information with the map information to produce a composite image of traffic conditions. The traffic flow informationis updated and stored in a memory while obsolete information is blanked out so that current traffic information may be presented to the viewed.
The present invention overcomes the inadequacies of prior traffic controls by providing a system for a traffic junction between vehicle paths which includes a first detector for detecting the position of a first vehicle along a first vehicle path. The system includes a dynamic roadway sign for displaying the junction, the vehicle paths and the relative position of the first vehicle to the junction. The dynamic roadway sign is positioned along a second vehicle path, to be visible to any vehicles on the second vehicle path approaching the junction. The dynamic roadway sign is positioned sufficiently prior to the junction to allow sufficient time for vehicles travelling on the second vehicle path to react without abrupt manuevers to avoid collision with the first vehicle at the junction. The dynamic roadway sign would include a graphic display of the junction for the vehicle paths, and icons positioned in sequence in one of the vehicle paths. Each of the icons is illuminated to indicate the presence of a vehicle at a pre-determined position on the vehicle path and its relative position to the junction.
A print control system for a word processing apparatus includes a character pattern data generation circuit and a background pattern data generation circuit. The character pattern data developed from the character pattern data generation circuit and the background pattern data developed from the background pattern data generation circuit are combined at an OR gate. A composite data signal developed from the OR gate is applied to a dot matrix printer, whereby the character pattern is superimposed on the background pattern in order to ornamentally emphasize the character pattern.
In-flight entertainment systems provide entertainment for passengers on commercial airline flights. Presently, usually on longer flights, video entertainment is commonly available on in-flight passenger entertainment systems. In-flight entertainment systems can display video on a variety of display monitors ranging from a conventional CRT display to a more modern Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). Generally most displays are connected to the aircraft electronic system via a ARINC 722 connector. The ARINC 722 connector commonly provides an electrical interface between the aircraft and the video system, whether the video system is a CRT or LCD type monitor. With the increasing use of LCD monitors there is a greater need for the ability of the display monitor to be able to report its status. The need for status reporting is increased because the LCD monitors are often greater in number than the prior art CRT monitors and because malfunctions are less obvious. Several methods for providing status information from video displays have been proposed. Embodiments of the present invention comprise a system wherein the display status information is superimposed upon a 28-volt monitor on-indicator signal, which currently is contained within the ARINC 722 connector which couples the display to the aircraft wiring. Because embodiments of the invention use an existing signal and superimpose further data upon it, the need for modification of the airline and monitor systems is greatly reduced.
Map frames are stored on a video storage medium such as video disc, and a graphics generator stores overlay information such as the location of telephone lines plant. To accommodate maps of different scales covering the same area, the graphics generator applies a corresponding scaling factor to generation of the overlay image, for accurate superimposition of the map. Provision may also be made for correcting inaccuracies in the original process of recording the map frames.
A traffic accident recording system, wherein a recording unit is provided along a road, comprising a TV camera for continously obtaining visual images of a certain section of the road and a storage unit for continuously storing the visual images from the TV camera, and an accident recognition unit provided in a vehicle which upon occurrence of an accident transmits a trigger signal to the recording unit so that the storage unit retains visual images of the section of the road whereat the accident occurred at specified time durations before, during and after the occurrence of the accident. Thereafter, the stored visual images can be accessed and stored for later use. Also devices are provided for periodically discarding visual images not used.
