Traffic control systems for vehicle spacing to dissipate traffic gridlock

• US 20040260455A1
• Filed: 02/23/2004
• Published: 12/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technocracy LLC
• Original Assignee: Technocracy LLC
• Inventors: Dort, David Bogart
• Granted Patent: US 7,092,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

The present invention is designed to complement the existing transportation infrastructure in order to alleviate ever-worsening traffic congestion in problematic areas by minimizing the impact of driver “bunching” habits and/or external events that lead to congestion problems. Events alleviated by the present invention may happen at naturally occurring roadway infrastructures such as merges, lane shifts, and exits, and under conditions like rush hour, accidents, stand-stills, and HOV lane activation times. Further, vehicles allowing their speed and spacing to be controlled should have access to high-flow lanes. This invention will best and most safely be implemented at low speeds when congestion is most problematic and bunching habits prevent the dissipation of gridlock. In particular embodiments, the invention will regulate multiple vehicle accelerations (non-negative acceleration) once a low threshold speed has been reached through the transmission of signals to receivers in properly equipped vehicles. The transmitters are connected to a computational network that allow for increased spacing over a zone or a plurality of zones. In the preferred embodiment, only non-negative acceleration is governed keeping the safety features of the non-negative acceleration governor to a minimum.

Claims

1. A traffic control system for a traffic congestion zone, including:

a traffic event sensing system;

a traffic spacing system activated when said traffic event sensing system detects a first criteria;

said traffic spacing system including a plurality of vehicle speed regulation devices;

wherein at least a first of said plurality of vehicle speed regulating devices has a lower vehicle speed limit than a second of said plurality of vehicle speed regulating devices, said first speed regulating device is behind said second speed regulating device in said traffic congestion zone,

whereby at least two vehicles controlled by said first and second vehicle speed regulating devices in said congestion zone are spaced apart as they move forward in said traffic congestion zone.

2. The traffic control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said first criteria is the speed of a vehicle, wherein said speed of a vehicle is less than 3 m/s.

3. The traffic control system as recited in claim 2, wherein said speed of a vehicle is measured over a period of time.

4. The traffic control system as recited in claim 2, wherein said event detector is located on said roadway.

5. The traffic control system as recited in claim 2 wherein said event detector is located in multiple lanes.

6. The traffic control system as recited in claim 1, wherein said traffic congestion zone is divided into at least 3 speed control regions.

7. The traffic control system as recited in claim 1, wherein each speed control region has an associated one of said plurality of vehicle speed regulation devices.

8. The traffic control system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one speed regulation device includes at least one transponder.

9. The traffic control system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one speed regulation device includes at least one broadcast device located along a roadway.

10. The traffic control system as recited in claim 9, wherein at least one regulation device includes a receiver.

11. The traffic control system as recited in claim 10, further including an transmission and reception device.

12. A traffic control system for use in reducing traffic congestion including:

a plurality of non-negative acceleration control units, each of said plurality of control units including

a reception unit and a transmission unit, wherein a plurality of said reception units may be controlled by one of said transmission units;

each of said plurality of reception units operatively coupled with a vehicle'"'"'s acceleration system;

wherein at least a portion of said non-negative acceleration control units are activated when a speed detection device detects that a vehicle has reached a low threshold speed, wherein said reception units are activated by a transmitter at an entrance to a traffic congestion reduction zone.

13. A device for assisting the control of traffic congestion including:

a non-negative acceleration governor operatively coupled to a vehicle acceleration capability, wherein said non-negative acceleration governor cannot limit the positive acceleration of said vehicle unless the speed of a vehicle reaches a low threshold; and

an activation device coupled to said non-negative acceleration governor, wherein said non-negative acceleration governor.

14. The device as recited in claim 13 further comprising a distance detection device in said activation unit, said distance detection device being for detecting a distance between two vehicles.

15. The device as recited in claim 14, where said activation unit activates said non-negative acceleration unit when a threshold distance is detected.

16. The device as recited in claim 13, wherein said low threshold speed is zero.

17. The device as recited in claim 13, further including a receiver operatively coupled to said activation device.

18. The device as recited in claim 17, wherein said receiver is configured to receive EMF signals corresponding to a non-negative acceleration limit, said activation device translating said EMF signals and providing them to said non-negative acceleration governor.

19. A method for reducing traffic congestion including the acts of:

placing an acceleration limiting reception device in each of a plurality of vehicles;

activating at least one of said plurality acceleration limiting reception devices in a congestion reduction zone; and

transmitting instructions to at least one of said plurality of acceleration limiting reception devices in at least one vehicle located in said congestion reduction zone,

wherein said transmitted instruction cause the non-negative acceleration of a vehicle to be limited.

20. The traffic congestion reduction method as recited in claim 19, wherein said activation takes place when a traffic event is detected.

21. The traffic congestion reduction method as recited in claim 19, further including the step of deactivating said at least one of said plurality of acceleration limiting device.

22. The traffic congestion reduction method as recited in claim 19, wherein said transmitter is located at the base on an on-ramp, such that a vehicle may not enter a highway until instructions are transmitted to said acceleration limited reception device.

23. A method for controlling the flow of traffic in a highway merge area including the acts of:

placing an acceleration limiting reception device in each of a plurality of vehicles;

activating at least one of said plurality acceleration limiting reception devices in a merge congestion zone, wherein said merge congestion zone includes at least a stretch of an on-ramp and a portion of a travel lane prior to its connection to said merge; and

transmitting instructions to at least one of said plurality of acceleration limiting reception devices in at least one vehicle in said travel lane and one merging vehicle located in said stretch of on-ramp, located in said merge congestion zone;

transmitting instructions to at least one of said plurality of acceleration limiting reception devices in at least one vehicle and said one merging vehicle located in said merge congestion zone,

wherein said transmitted instructions cause the non-negative acceleration of vehicle to be limited.