Coordinated traffic signal system for roads
First Claim
1. A method of controlling traffic signals, on a road traffic network of a type having a plurality of grid-like intersections between a first set of road portions running substantially parallel to one another and a second set of road portions also running substantially parallel to one another, yet at about right angles to said first set of road portions, comprising the steps of:
- (1) providing at each of said intersections, a vehicle traffic signal having two major phases, "go" and "stop" of substantially equal time duration; and
(2) determining said time duration, designated P, according to the equation P=2Ta+tb of each major phase of said vehicle traffic signal by calculating the expected time, ta, for a vehicle to travel a distance designated "a", starting, on a first road of said first set of road portion, from a first intersection with a first road portion of said second set of road portions to an adjacent intersection with a second road portion of said second set of road portions, and wherein the time, designated tb is the expected time of travel a distance designated "b", the distance between a road portion of said second set of road portions, from a first intersections with a road portion of a first set of road portions to an adjacent intersection.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for coordinating traffic signals on a roadway network, preferably of the Multiple Loop System type. The method is also suitable for superimposing on existing grid-like systems of avenues and crossing streets. Two phase traffic-signals, red and green, of equal duration are employed at the roadway intersections. The duration of each phase of the signal cycle is determined as the estimated time for a vehicle to travel from one crossing avenue to the next adjacent crossing avenue. Where the method of signalization is employed on an MLS system, the phase duration is the "estimated time" of a vehicle to travel, first along an endless loop segment, starting at a first intersecting roadway so as to cross the next interconnecting roadways, (ta) times two, and, then, along an interconnecting roadway, from a first endless loop segment to the adjacent endless loop segment (tb). A band width is determinable from the calculation of the duration of the phases and corresponds to the integral number of roadway intersections crossed by a vehicle, travelling only on an endless loop segment, for the duration of a single phase of the two phase signal cycle. Adjacent band widths of a single endless loop segment are in the reciprocal phase from one another. Parallel band widths, on adjacent endless loop segments, are also in the reciprocal phases from one another and, interfacing band ends are also in a reciprocal phasing sequence relation to one another, so as to produce a checkerboard pattern of alternating red and green phases of the traffic signals.
21 Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method of controlling traffic signals, on a road traffic network of a type having a plurality of grid-like intersections between a first set of road portions running substantially parallel to one another and a second set of road portions also running substantially parallel to one another, yet at about right angles to said first set of road portions, comprising the steps of:
-
(1) providing at each of said intersections, a vehicle traffic signal having two major phases, "go" and "stop" of substantially equal time duration; and (2) determining said time duration, designated P, according to the equation P=2Ta+tb of each major phase of said vehicle traffic signal by calculating the expected time, ta, for a vehicle to travel a distance designated "a", starting, on a first road of said first set of road portion, from a first intersection with a first road portion of said second set of road portions to an adjacent intersection with a second road portion of said second set of road portions, and wherein the time, designated tb is the expected time of travel a distance designated "b", the distance between a road portion of said second set of road portions, from a first intersections with a road portion of a first set of road portions to an adjacent intersection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23)
-
-
18. A method of controlling vehicle traffic on a grid like system of avenues and crossing streets comprising the steps of:
-
(1) providing a two-phase traffic signal at each intersection for directing oncoming vehicle traffic to "go" or "stop"; (2) fixing a time for the duration of the phases of said traffic signal so that the "go" signal on an avenue is about equal to the "go" signal on the crossing streets and the phase displayed to oncoming traffic on the avenue at an intersection is opposite in phase to that displayed to oncoming traffic on the crossing street, at the same intersection; (3) defining "a" as the center-line distance between adjacent crossing streets, along an avenue; (4) defining "b" as the center-line distance between adjacent avenues, along a crossing street; (5) defining an average vehicle traffic speed along the avenues and crossing streets as Va and Vb, respectively; and (6) setting the time duration, P, of each phase of said traffic signal by calculating the time that a vehicle, travelling at speeds Va and Vb, will take to travel a distance 2a +b. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27)
-
Specification