MANAGEMENT OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT ROAD INTERSECTION TO AVOID BLOCKING VEHICLES

• US 20070260392A1
• Filed: 05/03/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael, Ullmann, Cristi, Stoetzel, Yvenne
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals

Abstract

A computer controlled system for managing traffic signals at the intersection of at least two traffic lanes to avoid collisions between motor vehicles in intersecting lanes. An implementation for controlling traffic signals at the intersection to permit vehicles in each of the intersection traffic lanes a time period to pass through the intersection, detecting the presence of a vehicle in the intersection beyond the permitted time period, and responsive to a detection of the presence of the vehicle, controlling the traffic signals to stop other vehicles from passing through the intersection.

Claims

1. In a computer controlled system for managing traffic signals at the intersection of at least two traffic lanes to avoid collisions between motor vehicles in intersecting lanes comprising:

apparatus for controlling traffic signals at said intersection to permit vehicles in each of the intersecting traffic lanes a time period to pass through said intersection;

apparatus for detecting the presence of a vehicle in said intersection beyond said permitted time period; and

apparatus, responsive to a detection of the presence of said vehicle, for controlling said traffic signals to stop other vehicles from passing through said intersection.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said traffic signals are traffic light signals.

3. The system of claim 2 further including:

apparatus for alternating said traffic signals to permit time periods to pass through for vehicles in each of the intersecting traffic lanes; and

wherein said apparatus, responsive to said detection of said vehicle in said intersection extends the alternate time period for pass through of said vehicle until said vehicle is no longer present in said intersection.

4. The system of claim 2:

wherein said apparatus for detecting the presence of a vehicle in said intersection is enabled to detect the presence of said vehicle of such predetermined time beyond said time period to indicate a stalled vehicle; and

further including means responsive to such detection of a stalled vehicle to control the traffic signals in all intersecting lanes so as to prevent collisions with said stalled vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 further including:

apparatus for dynamically predicting the potential presence of an approaching vehicle in said intersection beyond said time period; and

apparatus responsive to said prediction of the presence of said vehicle, for controlling said traffic signals to stop other vehicles from passing through said intersection.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said apparatus for dynamically predicting said presence includes means for determining the speed of the automobile relative to the distance from the intersection.

7. The system of claim 1 further including means for detecting of the subsequent passage through said intersection of the vehicle originally in said intersection.

8. A computer controlled method for managing traffic signals at the intersection of at least two traffic lanes to avoid collisions between motor vehicles in intersecting lanes comprising:

controlling traffic signals at the intersection to permit vehicles in each of the intersecting traffic lanes a predetermined time period to pass through the intersection;

detecting, with sensors external to vehicles, the presence of a vehicle in intersection beyond the predetermined time period;

controlling said traffic signals to indicate stop wherein other vehicles are stopped from passing through said intersection in response to a detection of the presence of said vehicle in said intersection;

dynamically predicting, based upon data sensed by sensors external to the vehicle, the potential presence of an approaching vehicle in said intersection beyond said predetermined time period including the step of determining the speed of the vehicle and correlating the speed with the distance from the intersection; and

responsive to said prediction of the presence of said vehicle, controlling said traffic signals to indicate stop wherein other vehicles are stopped from passing through said intersection.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said traffic signals are traffic light signals.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the steps of:

alternating said traffic signals to permit predetermined time periods to pass through for vehicles in each of the intersecting traffic lanes; and

responsive to the detection of the vehicle in the intersection extending the alternate time period for pass through of said vehicle until the vehicle is no longer present in the intersection.

11. The method of claim 9:

wherein said step of detecting the presence of a vehicle in said intersection is carried out by detecting the presence of said vehicle for such an additional as to indicate a stalled vehicle; and

further including the step of controlling the traffic signals in all intersecting lanes responsive to such detection of a stalled vehicle so as to prevent collisions with said stalled vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8 further including the step of detecting of a subsequent passage through said intersection of the vehicle originally in said intersection.

12-13. -13. (canceled)

15. A computer program having code recorded on a computer readable medium for computer controlled management of traffic signals at the intersection of at least two traffic lanes to avoid collisions between motor vehicles in intersecting lanes comprising:

means for controlling traffic signals at said intersection to permit vehicles in each of the intersecting traffic lanes a time period to pass through said intersection;

means for detecting the presence of a vehicle in said intersection beyond said permitted time period; and

means, responsive to a detection of the presence of said vehicle, for controlling said traffic signals to stop other vehicles from passing through said intersection.

16. The computer program of claim 15 wherein said traffic signals are traffic light signals.

17. The computer program of claim 16 further including:

means for alternating said traffic signals to permit time periods to pass through for vehicles in each of the intersecting traffic lanes; and

wherein said means, responsive to said detection of said vehicle in said intersection extends the alternate time period for pass through of said vehicle until said vehicle is no longer present in said intersection.