METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRAFFIC CONTROL
First Claim
1. A method of traffic control at road intersections, the method comprising:
- detecting and identifying vehicles approaching an intersection at a remote boundary and a proximate boundary;
generating a radio-frequency (RF) signal and probing an area near the intersection with detection nodes mounted at the pre-set locations at the remote and proximate boundaries of an approach to the intersection;
receiving response signals from identification tags mounted on the vehicles that have entered the area, wherein each response signal includes a codeword with identification data corresponding to the vehicle;
detecting and decoding the response signals using the detection nodes; and
switching on and maintaining a green traffic light based on a time period that the vehicles, which have crossed the remote boundary in a given direction during the time period, when the traffic light was switched to red, and those vehicles, which have crossed the remote boundary in the same direction, but have not crossed the proximate boundary during the previous time period, when the traffic light was switched to green, cross the proximate boundary. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing in a memory the identification data of the vehicles that have crossed the remote boundary during a previous signal switching sequence, wherein the identification data is then checked by a detection node mounted at the proximate pre-set boundary, andwherein a time when the vehicle'"'"'s identification data matches the stored data is a time when all the vehicles registered at the remote boundary finish crossing the intersection.
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Abstract
A method of traffic control at road intersections includes use of traffic lights, as well as detection and identification of vehicles approaching an intersection. To detect and identify a vehicle crossing the pre-set boundaries, we suggest mounting vehicle detection nodes probing the surrounding area using radio-frequency signals. In their turn, vehicles should be equipped with nodes, or tags, allowing their identification. When a vehicle equipped with an identification tag enters the monitored area, the tag generates a response containing the codeword with identification data of the vehicle, which is received and decoded by detection nodes. The duration of the green light signal is determined according to the time the vehicles, that have crossed the remote boundary during the last signal switching sequence, spent to cross the proximate pre-set boundary, and should not be shorter than that period.
19 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of traffic control at road intersections, the method comprising:
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detecting and identifying vehicles approaching an intersection at a remote boundary and a proximate boundary; generating a radio-frequency (RF) signal and probing an area near the intersection with detection nodes mounted at the pre-set locations at the remote and proximate boundaries of an approach to the intersection; receiving response signals from identification tags mounted on the vehicles that have entered the area, wherein each response signal includes a codeword with identification data corresponding to the vehicle; detecting and decoding the response signals using the detection nodes; and switching on and maintaining a green traffic light based on a time period that the vehicles, which have crossed the remote boundary in a given direction during the time period, when the traffic light was switched to red, and those vehicles, which have crossed the remote boundary in the same direction, but have not crossed the proximate boundary during the previous time period, when the traffic light was switched to green, cross the proximate boundary. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing in a memory the identification data of the vehicles that have crossed the remote boundary during a previous signal switching sequence, wherein the identification data is then checked by a detection node mounted at the proximate pre-set boundary, and wherein a time when the vehicle'"'"'s identification data matches the stored data is a time when all the vehicles registered at the remote boundary finish crossing the intersection. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for traffic control using traffic lights, comprising:
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a plurality of vehicle identification tags; a plurality of detection nodes mounted at the boundaries of an approach to a road intersection, the detection nodes interacting with the vehicle identification tags via a radio-frequency channel; a computing element with a memory unit coupled to the detection nodes and to the traffic lights of the road intersection; each detection node including an antenna, a transmitter and a receiver with a decoding unit configured to decode identification data of a vehicle. each vehicle identification tag including a receiver and a transmitter, which generates a response containing the codeword with identification data of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification