Automobile Accident Detection and Notification

Abstract

A street light fixture includes an audio sensor configured to detect a sound and to generate an electrical signal from the sound. The street light fixture further includes a controller configured to determine whether the sound is produced by an automobile accident based on the electrical signal. The street light fixture further includes a light source configured to provide a visual notification of the automobile accident in response to the controller determining that the sound is produced by the automobile accident.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A street light fixture, comprising:
 a light source configured to emit a light;   an audio sensor configured to detect a sound and to generate an electrical signal from the sound;   a controller configured to determine whether the sound is produced by an automobile accident based on the electrical signal; and   a transmitter configured to transmit one or more wireless signals, wherein the controller is configured to send a notification message using the one or more wireless signals, wherein the notification message includes information indicating the automobile accident and a location of the street light fixture.   
     
     
         2 . The street light fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the light source to generate a visual notification of the automobile accident in response to the controller determining that the sound is produced by the automobile accident. 
     
     
         3 . The street light fixture of  claim 2 , wherein the visual notification includes a flashing light emitted by the light source. 
     
     
         4 . The street light fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the sound is produced by the automobile accident by comparing the electrical signal received from the audio sensor against one or more stored audio data of sounds known to result from car accidents. 
     
     
         5 . The street light fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more wireless signals are compliant with a wireless wide area network communication standard. 
     
     
         6 . The street light fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the power provided to the light source and the controller includes a first power provided to the light source and a second power provided to a regulator that generates a power signal that is provided to the controller. 
     
     
         7 . The street light fixture of  claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to send a second notification message to a second street light fixture via the transmitter in response to the controller determining that the sound is produced by the automobile accident. 
     
     
         8 . The street light fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more wireless signals are compliant with a vehicle-to-vehicle communication standard. 
     
     
         9 . The street light fixture of  claim 1 , further comprising a receiver configured to receive wireless signals compliant with a vehicle-to-vehicle communication standard, wherein the controller is configured to receive a vehicle-to-vehicle message via the receiver and wherein the controller is configured to determine whether the vehicle-to-vehicle message indicates an occurrence of a second automobile accident. 
     
     
         10 . The street light fixture of  claim 9 , wherein the light source is configured to provide a visual notification of the second automobile accident in response to the controller determining that the vehicle-to-vehicle message indicates the occurrence of the second automobile accident. 
     
     
         11 . A street light fixture, comprising:
 a light source;   a receiver configured to receive one or more incoming wireless signals that are compliant with a vehicle-to-vehicle communication standard, wherein the one or more incoming wireless signals include a vehicle-to-vehicle message;   a controller configured to control the light source and to determine whether the vehicle-to-vehicle message indicates an occurrence of an automobile accident; and   a transmitter configured to transmit a notification message in response to the controller determining that the vehicle-to-vehicle message indicates the occurrence of the automobile accident, wherein the notification message includes information indicating the occurrence of the automobile accident and a location of the street light fixture.   
     
     
         12 . The street light fixture of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to control the light source to generate a visual notification in response to the controller determining the vehicle-to-vehicle message indicates the occurrence of the automobile accident. 
     
     
         13 . The street light fixture of  claim 12 , wherein the visual notification includes a flashing light emitted by the light source. 
     
     
         14 . The street light fixture of  claim 11 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the notification message using one or more outgoing wireless signals compliant with a wireless wide area network communication standard. 
     
     
         15 . The street light fixture of  claim 11 , further comprising a power source device that provides power to the light source and the controller. 
     
     
         16 . A street light fixture, comprising:
 a light source;   an audio sensor configured to detect a sound and to generate an electrical signal from the sound;   a controller configured to control the light source, to receive the electrical signal from the audio sensor, and to determine whether the sound is produced by an automobile accident based on the electrical signal; and   a transceiver configured to transmit one or more wireless signals, wherein the controller is configured to send a notification message via the transceiver in response to the controller determining that the sound is produced by the automobile accident and wherein the notification message includes information indicating a location of the street light fixture.   
     
     
         17 . The street light fixture of  claim 16 , wherein a power provided to the light source and the controller includes a first power provided to the light source and a second power provided to a regulator that generates a power signal that is provided to the controller. 
     
     
         18 . The street light fixture of  claim 16 , wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the notification message using the one or more wireless signals and wherein the one or more wireless signals are compliant with a wireless wide area network communication standard. 
     
     
         19 . The street light fixture of  claim 16 , wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the notification message using the one or more wireless signals and wherein the one or more wireless signals are compliant with a vehicle-to-vehicle communication standard. 
     
     
         20 . The street light fixture of  claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to control the light source to generate a visual notification in response to the controller determining that the sound is produced by the automobile accident.