Traffic light prediction system

• US 20060055557A1
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guixian Lu
• Original Assignee: Guixian Lu
• Inventors: Lu, Guixian
• Granted Patent: US 7,187,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals

Abstract

The present invention is a system to predict colors of a traffic light before vehicles reach the traffic light, helping the drivers to avoid stopping at red light. There are three kinds of moving zones: green, yellow, and red defined on the street before a traffic light. The moving zones may be indicated by red, yellow, and green elements (small lights). The moving zones are moving towards the traffic light. Around the time a green zone reaches the traffic light, the traffic light changes from red to green.

Claims

1. A Traffic Light Prediction System consists of at least two kinds of moving zone, indicators, and a control sub-system to help the drivers to avoid stopping at a red light.

2. A Traffic Light Prediction System of claim 1 wherein said each kind of moving zone represents at least one color(s) of the traffic light. The full length of each moving zone of each kind is approximately equal to speed of said zone multiplied by the time length (period) of the color(s) that said kind represents. Said zones are moving towards the traffic light.

3. A Traffic Light Prediction System of claim 1 wherein said indicators indicate the position and color of said moving zones.

4. A Traffic Light Prediction System of claim 1 wherein said control sub-system controls the length and movement of said zones and is synchronized with the traffic light. The color of a closest zone to the traffic light has the same color with the traffic light for most of the time. Around the time that said each zone reaches the traffic light, the traffic light changes to the color of said zone represents.