Dynamically configurable traffic controllers and methods of using the same

• US 10,055,986 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rite-Hite Holding Corporation
• Inventors: Paruch, Lucas I., Wiegel, Aaron J., Dondlinger, Jason, Snyder, Ronald P., Korman, Joe, Swift, David, Waugaman, Charles, Oates, James, Nygaard, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US14/931,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20170124867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/005 including pedestrian guidance indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/081 Plural intersections under common control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

Dynamically configurable traffic controllers and methods of using the same are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first display facing a first direction; a second display facing a second direction; a third display facing a third direction; and a processor, in response to a first input being received indicative of traffic approaching the first display and no traffic approaching the second display and the third display, the processor to cause the second display and the third display to display a first signal and for the first display not to display the first signal or a second signal, the first signal providing a first warning level, the second signal providing a second warning level greater than the first warning level, the first signal illuminatable on the second display, the second signal illuminatable on the second display, the first signal, when illuminated, disposed within a perimeter of the second signal, when illuminated.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first sensor to be directed in a first direction to detect oncoming traffic;

a first display to face the first direction;

a second sensor to be directed in a second direction to detect oncoming traffic;

a second display to face the second direction;

a third sensor to be directed in a third direction to detect oncoming traffic;

a third display to face the third direction;

a fourth sensor to be directed in a fourth direction to detect oncoming traffic;

a fourth display to face the fourth direction; and

a processor, the processor to define a first relationship between the first sensor and the second display, the first relationship to cause the second display to display a first signal in response to the first sensor identifying traffic and a second signal in response to the first sensor and the second sensor identifying traffic, the first signal indicative of a first warning level, the second signal indicative of a second warning level greater than the first warning level, the processor to cause the first signal to be displayed by the second display and for no signal to be displayed by the first display in response to traffic being identified by the first sensor and no traffic being identified by the second sensor, the processor to define a second relationship between the first sensor and the third display, the processor to define a third relationship between the first sensor and the fourth display, the second relationship to cause the third display to display the first signal in response to the first sensor identifying traffic and the second signal in response to the first sensor and the third sensor identifying traffic, the third relationship to cause the fourth display to display the first signal in response to the first sensor identifying traffic and the second signal in response to the first sensor and the fourth sensor identifying traffic.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is to define a fourth relationship between the second sensor and the first display, the fourth relationship to cause the first display to display the first signal in response to the second sensor identifying traffic and the second signal in response to the first sensor and the second sensor identifying traffic.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, in response to traffic being identified by the second sensor and no traffic being identified by the first sensor, the processor is to cause the first signal to be displayed by the first display and for no signal to be displayed by the second display.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, in response to traffic being identified by the first sensor and traffic being identified by the second sensor, the processor is to cause the second signal to be displayed by the first display and the second signal to be displayed by the second display.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a housing including the first sensor, the first display, the second sensor, and the second display.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further including:

a fifth sensor to be directed in the first direction to detect oncoming traffic; and

a fifth display to face the first direction, the first sensor to monitor a first zone to identify oncoming traffic, the fifth sensor to monitor a second zone to identify oncoming traffic, the first display to be positioned at a first location and the fifth display to be positioned at a second location.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first sensor, the first display, the second sensor, and the second display are to be disposed at a first intersection,

the third sensor and the third display to be disposed at a second intersection.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including an input to enable the first relationship between the first sensor and the second display to be dynamically defined.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the input is associated with a modular device, a mobile device, or a computer.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first display defines the first signal and the second signal, lights of the second signal surrounding lights of the first signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second signal includes different illuminated signals in different directions.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal and the second signal are illuminatable on the second display, the first signal, when illuminated, being disposed within a perimeter of the second signal, when illuminated.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first signal is a first illuminated shape and the second signal is a second illuminated shape.

14. A method, comprising:

defining a first relationship between a first sensor and a second display, the first sensor and a first display to be directed in a first direction, the second display and a second sensor to be directed in a second direction, the first relationship to cause the second display to;

(1) display a first signal in response to a first input indicative of traffic approaching the first display and traffic not approaching the second display, the first signal indicative of a first warning level, and (2) display a second signal in response to a second input indicative of traffic approaching the first display and traffic approaching the second display, the second signal indicative of a second warning level greater than the first warning level;

defining a second relationship between the first sensor and a third display, the third display and a third sensor to be directed in a third direction, the second relationship to cause the third display to;

(1) display the first signal in response to a third input indicative of traffic approaching the first display and traffic not approaching the third display, and (2) display the second signal in response to a fourth input indicative of traffic approaching the first display and traffic approaching the third display;

defining a third relationship between the first sensor and a fourth display, the fourth display and a fourth sensor to be directed in a fourth direction, the third relationship to cause the fourth display to;

(1) display the first signal in response to a fifth input indicative of traffic approaching the first display and traffic not approaching the fourth display, and (2) display the second signal in response to a sixth input indicative of traffic approaching the first display and traffic approaching the fourth display;

receiving the first input;

displaying the first signal via the second display; and

not displaying the first signal or the second signal via the first display.

15. The method of claim 14, further including receiving the second input and displaying the second signal via the first display and displaying the second signal via the second display.