Programmed traffic signal and method of using

Claim 2

A display device comprising a condensing lens defining a viewing surface and having a focus, aperture-defining means having all aperture-defining edges substantially at said focus, and lighting means, including a diffusion plate substantially at said focus, for providing diffuse illumination to said lens from said focus and from the entire aperture, and said device being further characterized as including a filter plate, and means for mounting said filter plate so as to permit placing any desired portion of its said area adjacent said aperture and substantially at said focus whereby to alter the display at the viewing surface.

Claim 3

Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said filter plate comprises at least two differently colored light-transmitting segments.

Claim 4

Apparatus of claim 2 wherein said filter plate comprises adjacent segments of complementary colors each of an area equal to that of said aperture.

Claim 5

Apparatus of claim 1 including drive means for placing any desired segment of said filter plate adjacent said aperture.

Claim 6

Apparatus of claim 4 wherein said drive means includes programmed control means for establishing a repetitive sequence of placings of said segments.

Claim 7

For use as a traffic control system, a display device according to claim 1 wherein said filter plate has adjacent red and green segments and including means for advancing said plate across said aperture in the direction froM green to red at a slow uniform rate consistent with anticipated rate of traffic advance and for abruptly returning said plate in the reverse direction.

Claim 8

Method of controlling stop-and-go traffic in a control zone from a traffic signal adjacent said zone and having a view lens, comprising displaying at said lens a ''''go'''' indication to traffic at sufficiently short distances from said signal to permit safe transit through said zone at normal zone speed, while simultaneously displaying at said lens a ''''stop'''' indication to traffic at greater distances.

Claim 9

Method of controlling stop-and-go traffic in a control zone from a traffic signal adjacent said zone and having a view lens, comprising displaying at said lens a ''''go'''' indication to traffic at sufficiently short distances from said signal to permit safe transit through said zone at normal zone speed, while simultaneously displaying at said lens a ''''stop'''' indication to traffic at greater distances.

Claim 10

Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lighting means includes a diffusion plate substantially at said focus.

Claim 11

Apparatus of claim 1 wherein said diffusion plate and said filter plate are correspondingly concave.

Claim 12

Apparatus of claim 9 wherein said filter plate consists essentially of adjacent red and green segments each of an area equal to that of said aperture.

Claim 13

A display device comprising a condensing lens defining a viewing surface and having a focus, aperture-defining means having all aperture-defining edges substantially at said focus, and lighting means for providing diffuse illumination to said lens from said focus and from the entire aperture, and said device being further characterized as including a colored filter stencil at said lens, a filter plate comprising at least one colored segment, and means for mounting said filter plate so as to permit placing any desired portion of its said area adjacent said aperture and substantially at said focus whereby to alter the display at the viewing surface.

Claim 14

A display device comprising a condensing lens defining a viewing surface and having a focus, aperture-defining means having all aperture-defining edges substantially at said focus, and lighting means for providing diffuse illumination to said lens from said focus and from the entire aperture, and said device being further characterized as including a colored filter stencil at said lens, a filter plate comprising at least one colored segment, and means for mounting said filter plate so as to permit placing any desired portion of its said area adjacent said aperture and substantially at said focus whereby to alter the display at the viewing surface.

Claim 15

Apparatus of claim 11 wherein said filter plate has one segment of the same color as said colored filter stencil and another segment of a complementary color.