Vehicle traffic system and method

• US 5,648,904 A
• Filed: 12/06/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc. (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sony Transcom Incorporated (Rockwell International Corporation), Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Scott, Ed
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/567,857
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 364/436, 364/438, 364/424.02, 364/565, 340/917, 340/933, 340/936, 340/910, 340/941, 404/1, 404/9, 404/16, 116/62.3, 116/63 R, 116/74
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/075 Ramp control

Abstract

A method and system for controlling the flow of vehicle traffic. The system of the invention includes a grid of one-way streets, and a one-way ramp near each street intersection. Each ramp allows only a right-turn at an intersection. Preferably, each intersection is an overpass intersection, so that each street directs vehicles not making a right-turn at an intersection over or under the intersecting street. Preferably, the system also includes a traffic monitoring subsystem, including one or more velocity sensor stations positioned along the streets, and a processor for processing the output of each velocity sensor station to determine the average speed of vehicles translating past the velocity sensor station. Preferably, each velocity sensor station includes at least two magnetic sensors embedded in the street surface. Each magnetic sensor outputs a signal in response to proximity of a passing vehicle. An average vehicle velocity is determined from one or more sets of sensor output signals, each set generated in response to a different vehicle. Preferably, a velocity sensor station is provided downstream of each ramp, average velocity signals are generated from several velocity sensor stations positioned at consecutive identically-directed streets and are converted into form for display, and the converted signals are displayed on a display device mounted along a first street intersecting the identically-directed streets, to enable one in a vehicle translating along the first street to make an intelligent decision about which of several consecutive right turns to take.

Claims

1. A vehicle traffic system comprising:

a plurality of intersecting one-way streets which form a grid, each intersection of the one-way streets being in the form of an overpass; and

a plurality of one-way ramps, each ramp providing a path for a vehicle moving along one of the one-way streets to make a single type of turn onto another one of the one-way streets forming an overpass intersection with the one of the one-way streets, each ramp providing a path for the same type of turn as provided by all of the other ramps;

a traffic monitoring subsystem, wherein the traffic monitoring subsystem includes;

a first velocity sensor station mounted along a first one of the one-way streets,

first processing means for processing output signals from the velocity sensor station to generate a first velocity signal indicative of an average speed of at least one vehicle translating past the velocity sensor station;

a second velocity sensor station mounted along a second one of the one-way streets, where the second one of the one-way streets does not intersect the first one of the one-way streets;

second processing means for processing output signals from the second velocity sensor station to generate a second velocity signal indicative of an average speed of at least one vehicle moving past the second velocity sensor station, wherein the first processing means is programmed for generating a first display signal for controlling display of a representation of the first velocity signal, and the second processing means is programmed for generating a second display signal for controlling display of a representation of the second velocity signal; and

a display device for receiving the first display signal and the second display signal, and displaying in response the representation of the first velocity signal and the representation of the second velocity signal.

2. A vehicle traffic system comprising:

a plurality of intersecting one-way streets which form a grid, each intersection of the one-way streets being in the form of an overpass; and

a plurality of one-way ramps, each ramp providing a path for a vehicle moving along one of the one-way streets to make a single type of turn onto another one of the one-way streets forming an overpass intersection with the one of the one-way streets;

a traffic monitoring subsystem, wherein the traffic monitoring subsystem includes;

a velocity sensor station mounted along a first one of the one-way streets,

first processing means for processing output signals from the velocity sensor station to generate a first velocity signal indicative of an average speed of at least one vehicle translating past the velocity sensor station, the first processing means programmed for generating a first display signal for controlling display of a representation of the first velocity signal,

a second velocity sensor station mounted along a second one of the one-way streets, where the second one of the one-way streets does not intersect the first one of the one-way streets, and

a second processing means for processing output signals from the second velocity sensor station to generate a second velocity signal indicative of an average speed of at least one vehicle moving past the second velocity sensor station, the second processing means programmed for generating a second display signal for controlling display of a representation of the second velocity signal,

a display device for receiving the first display signal and the second display signal and displaying in response the representation of the first velocity signal and the representation of the second velocity signal, the display device positioned along a third one of the one-way streets, where the third one of the one-way streets intersects both the first one of the one-way streets and the second one of the one-way streets, and wherein the first one of the one-way streets and the second one of the one-way streets are identically-directed one-way streets.

3. A vehicle traffic system comprising:

a plurality of intersecting one-way streets which form a grid, each intersection of the one-way streets being in the form of an overpass; and

a plurality of one-way ramps, each ramp providing a path for a vehicle moving along one of the one-way streets to make a single type of turn onto another one of the one-way streets forming an overpass intersection with the one of the one-way streets;

a traffic monitoring subsystem, wherein the traffic monitoring subsystem includes;

a first velocity sensor station mounted along a first one of the one-way streets,

first processing means for processing output signals from the velocity sensor station to generate a first velocity signal indicative of an average speed of at least one vehicle translating past the velocity sensor station, the first processing means programmed for generating a first display signal for controlling display of a representation of the first velocity signal,

a second velocity sensor station mounted along a second one of the one-way streets, where the second one of the one-way streets does not intersect the first one of the one-way streets,

second processing means for processing output signals from the second velocity sensor station to generate a second velocity signal indicative of an average speed of at least one vehicle moving past the second velocity sensor station, the second processing means programmed for generating a second display signal for controlling display of a representation of the second velocity signal; and

a display device for receiving the first display signal and the second display signal, and displaying in response the representation of the first velocity signal and the representation of the second velocity signal, the display device positioned along a third one of the one-way streets, where the third one of the one-way streets intersects both the first one of the one-way streets and the second one of the one-way streets, and wherein the first one of the one-way streets and the second one of the one-way streets are identically-directed one-way streets.

4. A vehicle traffic system comprising:

a plurality of intersecting one-way streets which form a grid, each intersection of the one-way streets being in the form of an overpass;

a plurality of one-way ramps, each ramp providing a path for a vehicle moving along one of the one-way streets to make a single type of turn onto another one of the one-way streets forming an overpass intersection with the one of the one-way streets, each ramp providing a path for the same type of turn as provided by all of the other ramps; and

a traffic monitoring subsystem which includes;

a velocity sensor station mounted along a first one of the one-way streets,

first processing means for processing output signals from the velocity sensor station to generate a first velocity signal indicative of an average speed of at least one vehicle translating past the velocity sensor station,

a second velocity sensor station mounted along a second one of the one-way streets, where the second one of the one-way streets does not intersect the first one of the one-way streets,

a second processing means for processing output signals from the second velocity sensor station to generate a second velocity signal indicative of an average speed of at least one vehicle moving past the second velocity sensor station; and

wherein the first processing means is programmed for generating a first display signal for controlling display of a representation of the first velocity signal, and the second processing means is programmed for generating a second display signal for controlling display of a representation of the second velocity signal.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the traffic monitoring subsystem also includes:

a display device for receiving the first display signal and the second display signal and displaying in response the representation of the first velocity signal and the representation of the second velocity signal.

6. A method for directing vehicle traffic, including the steps of:

forming a plurality of intersecting one-way streets into a grid, wherein the intersections of the one-way streets are in the form of overpasses, and further establishing a plurality of one-way ramps positioned so that each one-way ramp provides a path for a vehicle to make a single type of turn from one to another of the intersecting one-way streets forming an overpass intersection, each ramp providing a path for the same type of turn as provided by all of the other ramps a first plurality of one-way streets being identically-directed and forming a set of consecutive overpass intersections with a first one of a second plurality of one-way streets;

monitoring movement of vehicles at a set of locations along at least one of the one-way streets, where each of the locations is downstream from a different one of the set of consecutive overpass intersections, and generating velocity signals indicative of the average speed of the monitored vehicles for at least two of the first plurality of identically-directed one-way streets; and

communicating information to drivers of the vehicles based on the velocity signal.

7. The method of claim 6, also including the steps of:

converting the average velocity signals into display signals which can be displayed; and

displaying the display signals on a display device mounted along the first one of the streets second plurality of one-way.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of generating average velocity signals includes generating average velocity signals for each of the first plurality of one-way streets and further includes generating average velocity signals for each of the second plurality of one-way streets, and wherein the method also including the steps of:

converting the average velocity signals generated for the first and the second plurality of one-way streets to average speed data;

gathering average speed data for the entire grid at at least one central station; and

broadcasting the average speed data from the at least one central station to individual ones of the vehicles to enable an automated route computer within each of the vehicles to determine a best route display and an estimated time of arrival to a previously specified destination.