Road marker with remotely controllable display

Abstract

A road marker having a remotely controllable display includes a shell, a light panel, a power source, a receiver and a controller. The shell has at least one lens. The light panel emits light through the lens. The power source provides electricity for operation of the light panel. The receiver receives control signals from a remote control system. The controller controls the light emitted by the light panel in accordance with the control signals from the remote control system.

1 . A road marker comprising: 
 a shell having at least one lens;    a light panel for emitting light through the lens;    a power source providing electricity for operation of the light panel;    a receiver that receives control signals from a remote control system; and    a controller that controls the light emitted by the light panel in accordance with the control signals from the remote control system.    
   
   
       2 . A road marker as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the power source includes a battery and a solar panel for recharging the battery.  
   
   
       3 . A road marker as set forth in  claim 1  including a light-emitting diode for emitting light onto an edge of the light panel.  
   
   
       4 . A road marker as set forth in  claim 1  including fill material for filling the shell and supporting components of the road marker within the shell.  
   
   
       5 . A remote controlled road marker system comprising: 
 a road marker having a light panel for emitting light, the road marker having a receiver for receiving control signals, the road marker having a controller for actuating the light panel in response to the control signals transmitted to the receiver; and    a remote control arrangement comprising:    a central controller having a transmitter for transmitting the control signals; and    a master control having both a receiver and a transmitter for relaying the control signals from the central controller to the road marker.    
   
   
       6 . A remote controlled road marker system as set forth in  claim 5  including a repeater for relaying control signals from at least one of the central controller and the master control.  
   
   
       7 . A remote controlled road marker system as set forth in  claim 5  including detectors for detecting road conditions.  
   
   
       8 . A remote controlled road marker system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the master control is operative to relay signals from the detectors indicating the road conditions to the central controller.  
   
   
       9 . A remote controlled road marker system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the controller initiates a control signal to be transmitted to the road markers in response to receiving the signals from the detectors indicating the road conditions.  
   
   
       10 . A remote controlled road marker system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the controller initiates a control signal to be transmitted to the road markers in accordance with a schedule table.  
   
   
       11 . A remote controlled road marker system as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein the controller initiates a control signal to be transmitted to the road markers in response to manual input from a user.