Detection area setting method for detecting passing vehicles, and traffic signal control method using same

• US 10,037,693 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2015
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sung Han Jung, Yeong Geun Ryu
• Original Assignee: Yeong Geun Ryu
• Inventors: Ryu, Yeong Geun, Jung, Sung Han
• Primary Examiner(s): GIRMA, FEKADESELASS
• Application Number:
  US15/543,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20180005521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/065 by counting the vehicles in a section of the road or in a parking area, i.e. comparing incoming count with outgoing count
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

The present invention relates to a detection area setting method for detecting passing vehicles, and a traffic signal control method using the same and, more particularly, to a detection area setting method for detecting passing vehicles, and a traffic signal control method using the same, the detection area setting method being capable of enabling smooth traffic operation at a crossroad, for example preventing a spillback phenomenon, minimizing green time (green light display time) during which there are no passing vehicles, and extending the green time, if needed, by setting one or a plurality of detection areas at a crossroad so as to detect the traffic volume in respective moving directions of vehicles at a signalized intersection, determining the traffic state in the moving directions of the vehicles according to vehicle information in respective detection areas, and automatically controlling the crossroad signals accordingly.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a traffic signal, the method comprising:

setting a plurality of detection areas in which vehicle pass information within an intersection is detected using image detection or loop detection or both the image detection and the loop detection, wherein the plurality of detection areas are set within the intersection in a circle, oval or polygon shape, a vehicle entering the intersection in response to a signal phase is detected in a different detection area of the plurality of detection areas for each green time movement including going straight and making a left turn, one detection area is set to detect only one green time movement within one phase, and the plurality of detection areas are respectively configured to detect an occupied time (OT) and a gap time (GT) for each vehicle movement;

classifying traffic states according to green time movements into a normal state, a spillback-possible state and a no-vehicle movement state based on vehicle pass information within the signal intersection detected in the respective set detection area; and

controlling differentially an intersection signal using a controller for each green time movement depending on the respective classified traffic state,

wherein, if a phase is able to be terminated in all of green time movements of the corresponding phase, the corresponding phase is terminated and a next phase is performed,

if the traffic state is the spill-back possible state, the traffic light of a corresponding spill-back possible state green time movement is turned on in a red signal after a yellow signal, and in this state, if the corresponding green time movement is the no-vehicle movement state in which there is no vehicle when a residual green time criteria (RGTC) elapse or do not elapse, a green signal is turned on again.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

if a green signal is turned on again because the corresponding spill-back possible state green time movement is the no-vehicle movement state in which there is no vehicle after a red signal is turned on, when a movement time reaches a phase end near time (PENT), the green signal is repeatedly extended up to extension limit green (ELG) by unit green (UG),

if a movement point of time passes through the residual green time criteria (RGTC) after the red signal is turned on and the spillback-possible state continues in the phase end near time (PENT), the red signal is extended up to extension limit red (ELR) by unit red (UR), and

if the corresponding green time movement is not the no-vehicle movement state in which there is no vehicle or is not the normal state after the phase end near time (PENT) elapses, the corresponding phase is terminated.

3. A method of controlling a traffic signal, comprising:

setting a plurality of detection areas in which vehicle pass information within an intersection is detected using image detection or loop detection or both the image detection and the loop detection, wherein the plurality of the detection areas are within the intersection in a circle, oval or polygon shape, and setting one detection area to detect only one green time movement within one phase so that a vehicle entering the intersection in response to a signal phase is detected in a different detection area for each green time movement including going straight and making a left turn, wherein the respective detection area is configured to detect an occupied time (OT) and a gap time (GT) for each vehicle movement;

classifying traffic states according to green time movements into a normal state, a spillback-possible state and a no-vehicle movement state based on vehicle pass information within the signal intersection detected in the respective set detection area, differentially controlling, by a controller, an intersection signal for each green time movement depending on the classified traffic state, and if a phase is able to be terminated in all of green time movements of the corresponding phase, terminating the corresponding phase and performing a next phase; and

if the traffic state is the no-vehicle movement state, determining, by the controller, a crosswalk traffic light of a corresponding no-vehicle movement state green time movement, changing the traffic light of the corresponding no-vehicle movement state green time movement to a yellow signal if green is not turned on, then turning on the traffic light in a red signal, and turning on an alternative movement of the no-vehicle movement state green time movement in green if the movement time is earlier than residual green time criteria (RGTC).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein after the alternative movement is turned on in green, a pass state of the alternative movement is determined, and if the pass state of the alternative movement is the normal state even after a phase end near time (PENT) elapses, the green signal is extended up to extension limit green (ELG) by unit green (UG).

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a detection area identical with a detection area in a direction in which a movement has been stopped is used as a detection area of the alternative movement.

6. A method of controlling a traffic signal, comprising:

setting a plurality of detection areas in which vehicle pass information within an intersection is detected using image detection or loop detection or both the image detection and the loop detection, wherein the plurality of the detection areas are within the intersection in a circle, oval or polygon shape, and setting one detection area to detect only one green time movement within one phase so that a vehicle entering the intersection in response to a signal phase is detected in a different detection area for each green time movement including going straight and making a left turn, wherein the respective detection area is configured to detect an occupied time (OT) and a gap time (GT) for each vehicle movement;

classifying traffic states according to green time movements into a normal state, a spillback-possible state and a no-vehicle movement state based on vehicle pass information within the signal intersection detected in the set detection area, differentially controlling, by a controller, an intersection signal for each green time movement depending on the classified traffic state, and if a phase is able to be terminated in all of green time movements of the corresponding phase, terminating the corresponding phase and performing a next phase; and

when a green time approaches an end of the phase in the normal state (a state), extending the green time up to extension limit green (ELG) by unit green (UG) in a phase end near time (PENT).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

the extension of the green time is applicable from the phase end near time (PENT) before the end of the phase for each green time movement, and

a green time extension mode is set for each phase in advance.