TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT DEVICE AND SYSTEM

• US 20080012726A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark Publicover
• Original Assignee: Mark Publicover
• Inventors: Publicover, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,663,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/932
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 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 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

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.

Claims

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.

2. A method of traffic control according to claim 1 further comprising:

a) the steps of instructing a second subset of vehicles to increase or decreases speed so as to separate the second subset into a second pod and

b) wherein the first pod is separated from the second pod by a distance at least greater than at least one predetermined distance and the length of either the first or second pod.

3. A method of traffic control according to claim 2 wherein the vehicles in each pod are traveling the same direction on the same road.

4. A method of traffic control according to claim 2 wherein one or more vehicles in another subset intending to travel in the same direction on the same road are

a) first instructed to wait at the side of the road, and then

b) instructed to accelerate to the speed of the pod either before or after entering the pod.

5. A method of traffic control according to claim 4 wherein the waiting vehicle is instructed to enter the pod as the last vehicle.

6. A method of traffic control according to claim 3 wherein one or more vehicles in another subset intending to travel in the same direction on the same road as the pod are instructed to wait on at least one of a first side or a second opposing side of the road.

7. A method of traffic control according to claim 2 comprising:

a) each of one or more vehicles in the other subset which are instructed to accelerate to enter the pod in an order dependent on at least one of the driver'"'"'s destination and the driver'"'"'s skill,

b) each of one or more vehicles which are instructed to adjust their relative position while driving within the pod dependent on at least one of the driver'"'"'s destination and the driver'"'"'s skill.

8. A method of traffic control according to claim 4 wherein the vehicles in the other subset are instructed to accelerate and enter the pod in reverse order according to the intended exit location.

9. A method of traffic control according to claim 1 wherein a vehicle in the pod intending to make a left turn is directed by the traffic control system to make a right turn, leaving the pod followed by a U-turn so as to traverse the pod either before or after the pod has passed the intersection where the left turn was intended.

10. A method of traffic control according to claim 10 wherein the vehicle is instructed to hold before making the U-turn.

11. A method of traffic control according to claim 10 wherein the vehicle is instructed to hold after making the U-turn.

12. 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 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.

13. 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) 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.

14. A method of traffic control according to claim 13 wherein said step of prompting comprises at least one preliminary notification to the driver;

a countdown to start of acceleration, and a target speed to reach after acceleration for joining the first pod.

15. The method of traffic control for road vehicles according to claim 14 wherein the step of communication is by visual means so as to be received by vehicles not having means to exchange traffic control data.

16. A method of traffic control for road vehicles on roadways not having intersections, the method comprising:

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.

17. A method of traffic control according to claim 16 wherein the pods are instructed to increase or decrease speed or perform lane changes in order to optimize roadway usage and avoid accidents, obstacles, dangerous conditions, or slowdowns.

18. A method of traffic control according to claim 16 wherein one or more vehicles in the other subset are instructed to accelerate to enter the pod in an order dependent on at least one of the driver'"'"'s destination and the driver'"'"'s skill.

19. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control, the sign comprising:

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.

20. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control according to claim 19 wherein the detector is operative to measure the speed of approaching vehicles and communicate the measured speed to the computational unit, whereby display is modulated in response to the speed of the oncoming vehicle.

21. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control according to claim 19 wherein the detector receives a broadcast from the vehicle on at least one of the vehicles speed, position and intended destination.

22. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control according to claim 20 wherein:

a) if the speed is above a predetermined threshold, said computational unit is operative to modulate said display to signal the approaching vehicle to stop and

b) if the measured speed is below a predetermined threshold the computational unit is operative to modulate the display unit to signal the approaching vehicle to yield to other vehicles.

23. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control according to claim 19 wherein one or more detectors are operative to acquire information about one or more of the vehicles speed and intended destination approaching from a first direction and a second direction.

24. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control according to claim 23 wherein the information about the vehicles approaching from a first and second direction is used to modulate the display so that the vehicles pass safely by the same location at different times, wherein at least one or more of the vehicles has received an instruction from the agile sign to modulate speed.

25. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control according to claim 23 wherein the detector receives a broadcast from a vehicle on at least one of the vehicles speed, position and intended destination.