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Intelligent intersections

  • US 5,917,432 A
  • Filed: 10/01/1997
  • Issued: 06/29/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A traffic control system for an intersection having a number of roadways with each roadway including oncoming and outgoing traffic lanes, said system comprising:

  • a plurality of intelligent pavement markers located between the lanes, each marker of said plurality of markers being structured to display, selectively, one of an intense yellow light and an intense white light, markers displaying an intense yellow light indicating a division between the oncoming and outgoing lanes for each roadway, and markers displaying an intense white light indicating a division between lanes having traffic going in the same direction as each other;

    a plurality of lane usage signs to indicate allowed maneuvers in the intersection for each lane; and

    traffic configuring means for determining an ideal configuration for the traffic lanes, the ideal configuration including a left turn lane with a specific length on one of the number of roadways and including an ideal length for the left turn lane, said traffic configuring means structured to control said plurality of intelligent pavement markers to provide the left turn lane and to change the specific length of the left turn lane to the ideal length;

    whereineach marker of said plurality of intelligent pavement markers is controlled by said traffic configuring means to display one of said white light, said yellow light or no light, to thereby change a configuration of the traffic lanes to the ideal configuration for the traffic lanes.

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