System and method for providing traffic congestion relief using dynamic lighted road lane markings

• US 10,733,878 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2017
• Issued: 08/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James A. Soltesz
• Original Assignee: James A. Soltesz
• Inventors: Soltesz, James A., Guckert, John Wes
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis R
• Application Number:
  US15/999,807
• Publication Number:
  US 20200175857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/582 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A system and method for providing increased traffic carrying capacity of a road, such as a highway, by modifying an existing roadway from, for example, four lanes to five lanes, to create an additional travel lane. The system and method dynamically changes the width of travel lanes using, for example, embedded pavement lights, or other lighting arrangements, in lieu of traditional painted lane lines. As traffic volumes increase and speeds decrease along the road, an intelligent transport system (ITS) sends a congestion signal to the overhead lane controls and dynamic message signs (DMS) along the entire road segment of interest. The posted speed limits are changed, and the lane markings are controlled to dynamically increase the number of lanes in the road segment to five, for example, of narrower widths until traffic volumes reduce and the number of lanes can be returned to four, for example, with normal speed limits.

Claims

1. A system for dynamically modifying lane configurations on a road segment, comprising:

a plurality of dynamic lane markers disposed along the road segment that includes a beginning transition section, a main section and an ending transition section, arranged in that order along a travel direction of the road segment, the dynamic lane markers being arranged as a plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers and a plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers in the beginning transition section, the main section and the ending transition section, each of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in a widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a first number of first lanes each having a respective lane width, each of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in the widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a second number of second lanes each having a respective lane width that is less than the respective lane width of a narrowest one of the first lanes, the second number of second lanes being greater than the first number of first lanes, and the first and second rows of the dynamic lane markers are alternately positioned in the widthwise direction of the road segment;

a plurality of beginning transitional dynamic lane markers disposed along the beginning transition section and extending in the travel direction of the road segment to form a plurality of beginning transitional rows of the beginning transitional dynamic lane markers that extend transverse with respect to the travel direction of the road segment and transverse to the first and second lanes to represent a plurality of beginning transitional lanes each having a beginning transitional width that decreases along the direction of travel from the beginning transition section to a boundary of the beginning transition section and the main section;

a plurality of ending transitional dynamic lane markers disposed along the ending transition section and extending in the travel direction of the road segment to form a plurality of ending transitional rows of the ending transitional dynamic lane markers that extend transverse with respect to the travel direction of the road segment and transverse to the first and second lanes to represent a plurality of ending transitional lanes each having an ending transitional width that increases along the direction of travel from a boundary of the main section and the ending transitional section into the ending transition section; and

a controller configured to determine whether a condition pertaining to the road segment exists, and in response to existence of the condition, control energization of the beginning transitional dynamic lane markers to define the beginning transitional lanes, control energization of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers to represent the second number of second lanes, and control energization of the ending transitional dynamic lane makers to define the ending transitional lanes.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to, in response to the existence of the condition, control signs disposed along the road segment to provide traffic directing information relating to the beginning transitional lanes, the second number of second lanes and the ending transitional lanes.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller being further configured to, in response to an absence of the condition, de-energize the beginning transitional dynamic lane markers, de-energize the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers and control energization of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers to represent the first number of first lanes.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein

the controller is further configured to, in response to the existence of the condition, control signs disposed along the road segment to provide traffic directing information relating to the beginning transitional lanes, the second number of second lanes and the ending transitional lanes.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of shoulder lane markers disposed along the road segment, the shoulder lane markers being arranged as a first shoulder marker that separates a first shoulder of the road segment and a travel area of the road segment, and a second shoulder marker that separates a second shoulder of the road segment and the travel area of the road segment, with the first and second rows of the dynamic lane markers being between the first shoulder marker and the second shoulder marker, the first shoulder marker and the second shoulder marker are spaced from each other in the widthwise direction of the road segment to define a travel area width in the beginning transition section, the main section and the ending transition section;

the first shoulder marker and one of the first rows of the dynamic lane markers that is adjacent to the first shoulder marker defines an additional one of the first lanes when the one of the first rows of the dynamic lane markers are energized; and

the second shoulder marker and an other of the first rows of the dynamic lane markers that is adjacent to the second shoulder marker defines another additional one of the first lanes when the other one of the first rows of the dynamic lane markers are energized.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein

the first shoulder marker and one of the second rows of the dynamic lane markers that is adjacent to the first shoulder marker defines an additional one of the second lanes when the one of the second rows of the dynamic lane markers are energized;

and

the second shoulder marker and an other of the second rows of the dynamic lane markers that is adjacent to the second shoulder marker defines another additional one of the second lanes when the other one of the second rows of the dynamic lane markers are energized.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the first shoulder marker includes a first shoulder row of shoulder dynamic lane markers, and the second shoulder marker includes a second shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers;

and

the controller is further configured to control energization of the first and second shoulder rows of the shoulder dynamic lane markers to define the first and second travel area widths.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein

the first shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers and one of the first rows of the dynamic lane markers that is adjacent to the first shoulder row of the dynamic lane markers defines an additional one of the first lanes when the first shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers and the one of the first rows of the dynamic lane markers are energized;

and

the second shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers and an other of the first rows of the dynamic lane markers that is adjacent to the second shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers defines another additional one of the first lanes when the second shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers and the other one of the first rows of the dynamic lane markers are energized.

9. The system according to claim 7, wherein

the first shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers and one of the second rows of the dynamic lane markers that is adjacent to the first shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers defines an additional one of the second lanes when the first shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers and the one of the second rows of the dynamic lane markers are energized;

and

the second shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers and an other of the second rows of the dynamic lane markers that is adjacent to the second shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers defines another additional one of the second lanes when the second shoulder row of the shoulder dynamic lane markers and the other one of the second rows of the dynamic lane markers are energized.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein

each of the dynamic lane markers includes an illumination device that emits light upon energization by the controller.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein

each of the dynamic lane markers includes a transmitter which, upon energization by the controller, emits signals for receipt by a vehicle to guide the vehicle along the road segment.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the condition represents a traffic condition relating to vehicle congestion in the road segment.

13. The system according to claim 1, further comprising

a monitoring system configured to determine whether the condition pertaining to the road segment exists.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein

the controller is further configured to determine a period prior to a time at which the condition pertaining to the road segment will occur, and during the period control energization of some of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers to begin to represent the second number of second lanes while controlling deenergization of some of the plurality of first road markers to begin to remove representation of the first number of first lanes.

15. A system for dynamically modifying lane configurations on a road segment, comprising:

a plurality of dynamic lane markers disposed along the road segment that includes a beginning transition section, a main section and an ending transition section, arranged in that order along a travel direction of the road segment, the dynamic lane markers being arranged as a plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers and a plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers in the beginning transition section, the main section and the ending transition section, each of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in a widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a first number of first lanes each having a respective lane width, each of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in the widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a second number of second lanes each having a respective lane width that is less than the respective lane width of a narrowest one of the first lanes, the second number of second lanes being greater than the first number of first lanes, and the first and second rows of the dynamic lane markers are alternately positioned in the widthwise direction of the road segment; and

a controller configured to determine whether a condition pertaining to the road segment exists, and in response to absence of the condition, control energization of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers to represent the first number of first lanes while deenergizing the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers;

the controller being further configured to, in response to existence of the condition, control energization of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers to represent the second number of second lanes, and control deenergization of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers;

and the controller being further configured to perform at least one of the following operations;

determine a first period prior to a starting time at which the condition pertaining to the road segment will occur, and during the first period control energization of some of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers to begin to represent the second number of second lanes while controlling deenergization of some of the plurality of first road markers to begin to remove representation of the first number of first lanes; and

determine a second period prior to an ending time at which the condition pertaining to the road segment will cease to occur, and during the second period control energization of some of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers to begin to represent the first number of first lanes while controlling deenergization of some of the plurality of second road markers to begin to remove representation of the second number of second lanes.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein

the controller is further configured to perform both of the following operations:

determine a first period prior to a starting time at which the condition pertaining to the road segment will occur, and during the first period control energization of some of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers to begin to represent the second number of second lanes while controlling deenergization of some of the plurality of first road markers to begin to remove representation of the first number of first lanes; and

determine a second period prior to an ending time at which the condition pertaining to the road segment will cease to occur, and during the second period control energization of some of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers to begin to represent the first number of first lanes while controlling deenergization of some of the plurality of second road markers to begin to remove representation of the second number of second lanes.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein

the controller is further configured, during the at least one of the first period and the second period, to control signs disposed along the road segment to provide traffic directing information relating to creating and removing the first and second lanes.

18. The system according to claim 15, wherein

each of the dynamic lane markers includes an illumination device that emits light upon energization by the controller.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein

each of the dynamic lane markers includes a transmitter which, upon energization by the controller, emits signals for receipt by a vehicle to guide the vehicle along the road segment.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein

the condition represents a traffic condition relating to vehicle congestion in the road segment.