TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT DEVICE AND SYSTEM
First Claim
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1. A method of traffic control comprising:
- a) a traffic control system having means to communicate discrete instructions to each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles, b) at least one traffic control system and each vehicle in said plurality having a means to receive and transmit information about the location and speed of each vehicle in the plurality, c) instructing a first subset of vehicles to increase or decreases speed so as to separate the first subset of vehicles into at least one pod, each pod comprising a subset of vehicle travelling at substantially the same speed being separated from each other vehicle in the subset by a predetermined distance, d) Wherein the first pod is separated from the other vehicles in the plurality by a distance at least greater than at least one of the predetermined distances and the length of either the first or second pod.
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Abstract
A smart traffic control device transmits information to approaching vehicles regarding its current and future state enabling vehicles to control their speed to avoid arriving at the traffic control device until it permits the passage of traffic, thus avoiding stopping, idling and reaccelerating when reaching the traffic control device. In other embodiments the traffic control device or systems receives information from vehicles, transmitting it to other vehicles.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of traffic control comprising:
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a) a traffic control system having means to communicate discrete instructions to each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles, b) at least one traffic control system and each vehicle in said plurality having a means to receive and transmit information about the location and speed of each vehicle in the plurality, c) instructing a first subset of vehicles to increase or decreases speed so as to separate the first subset of vehicles into at least one pod, each pod comprising a subset of vehicle travelling at substantially the same speed being separated from each other vehicle in the subset by a predetermined distance, d) Wherein the first pod is separated from the other vehicles in the plurality by a distance at least greater than at least one of the predetermined distances and the length of either the first or second pod. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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- 10. A method of traffic control according to claim 10 wherein the vehicle is instructed to hold before making the U-turn.
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12. A method of traffic control comprising:
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a) a traffic control system having means to communicate discrete instructions to each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles, b) at least one of the traffic control systems and each vehicle in said plurality a means to receive and transmit information about the location and speed of each vehicle in the plurality, c) instructing a first subset of one or more of the vehicles to wait a buffered distance from an intersection, d) instructing a second subset of one or more of the other vehicles to travel at a common speed so as to arrive at the intersection when the control signal is still green, e) instructing the first subset of vehicles to increase speed so as to travel behind the second subset of vehicles and traverse the intersection together as a pod of vehicles travelling at substantially the same speed, in the same direction, and on the same road, being separated from other vehicles in the pod by a least a predetermined minimum distance.
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13. A method of traffic control comprising:
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a) a traffic control system having means to communicate discrete instructions to each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles, b) a traffic control system and in each of the vehicles in said plurality a means to receive and transmit information about the location and speed of each vehicle in the plurality, c) instructions to a first subset of vehicles to increase or decreases speed as to separate the plurality of vehicles into at least one pod, each pod comprising a subset of vehicles travelling at substantially the same speed being separated from each other vehicle in the subset by at least a first distance, d) instructions to other vehicles in order to increase or decrease speed so as to be separated from the vehicles in the first pod by a second distance, wherein the second distance is substantially greater than the first distance, e) prompting of one or more vehicles to enter the first pod. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method of traffic control for road vehicles on roadways not having intersections, the method comprising:
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a) a traffic control system having means to communicate discrete instructions to each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles b) two or more vehicles, each vehicle having means to exchange traffic control data with at least one of the traffic control system or other vehicles on the roadway, that traffic control data comprising at least one of current and desired speed and at least one of current and future position c) Instructions to vehicles desiring to enter the roadway when to increase or decrease speed so as to form pods each composed of a plurality of vehicles traveling at the same speed and in the same lane. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control, the sign comprising:
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a) a computational unit, b) a display in signal communication with said computational unit, c) at least one detector to acquire information about at least the speed and intended destination of vehicles approaching from a first direction, d) wherein the detected information is used by the computational unit to modulate traffic control information displayed to the approaching vehicles. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification