Apparatus for controlling traffic lights

• US 5,132,682 A
• Filed: 09/12/1990
• Issued: 07/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lectro Products, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Lectro Products, Inc. (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Beaty, Henry L., Higgins, Alton N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Application Number:
  US07/581,272
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 340/907, 340/909, 340/931, 364/436
• US Class Current: 340/931
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/097 Supervising of traffic control systems, e.g. by giving an alarm if two crossing streets have green light simultaneously

Abstract

A device for providing an orderly shut-down of a system of interconnected traffic lights upon loss of its primary electrical power is disclosed. A device for permitting consistent reapplication of power to a line conditioner having a ferroresonant transformer is also disclosed. Further, a battery charger for charging a battery system including a plurality of battery cells coupled in series is disclosed. Additionally, a device for determining proper operation of a power transistor by monitoring its saturation voltage and emitter current is also disclosed. Finally, a device for generating a first alternating signal in-phase with a separately generated second alternating signal is disclosed.

Claims

1. A device for providing an orderly shutdown of a system of interconnected traffic lights upon loss of its primary electrical power, the system including a reserve source of electrical power and a traffic controller, the traffic controller for providing traffic control signals to selectively illuminate the traffic lights in either of a normal operating mode or a flashing mode, the device comprising:

means for detecting loss of the primary electrical power;

means responsive to said primary power loss detecting means for switching said device from said primary source of electrical power to said reserve source of electrical power;

means for determining when said traffic controller has placed said traffic lights in a safe condition; and

means responsive to said primary power loss detecting means and said safe condition determining means for commanding said traffic controller to transfer said traffic lights from the safe condition of said normal operating mode to said flashing mode.

2. The device of claim 1 including:

means for determining when said reserve source of power has diminished to a selected voltage level; and

means responsive to said voltage level determining means for commanding said traffic controller to turn off said traffic lights.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said voltage level is predetermined.

4. The device of claim 1 including:

means for determining that said traffic lights have operated in said flashing mode for a selected time interval; and

means responsive to said time interval determining means for commanding said traffic controller to turn off said traffic lights.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said time interval is selectable.

6. The device of claim 1 including:

means for detecting return of said primary electrical power; and

means responsive to said primary power return detecting means for switching said device from said reserve source of electrical power to said primary source of electrical power.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said reserve power switching means includes means for bringing said reserve power into phase with said primary power prior to switching said device from said reserve source of electrical power to said primary source of electrical power.

8. A traffic control system for providing an orderly shut-down of a system of interconnected traffic lights upon loss of its primary electrical power, the system comprising:

a traffic controller for providing traffic control signals to selectively illuminate said traffic lights in either of a normal operating mode or a flashing mode;

a switch;

a reserve source of electrical power;

means for detecting the status of said primary source of power;

means responsive to said detecting means for alternately switching said device from said primary source of electrical power to said reserve source of electrical power;

means for determining when said traffic controller has placed said traffic lights in a safe condition; and

means responsive to said safe condition determining means and loss of said primary electrical power for commanding said traffic controller to transfer said traffic lights from the safe condition of said normal operating mode to said flashing mode.

9. The traffic control system of claim 8 including shut-down means for commanding said traffic controller to transfer said traffic lights from said flashing mode to off.

10. The traffic control system of claim 9, wherein said shut-down means comprises means for determining when said reserve source of power has diminished to a predetermined level.

11. The traffic control system of claim 9, wherein said shut-down means comprises means for determining that said traffic lights have operated in said flashing mode for a selected time interval.