Controller interface device

• US 6,172,617 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University Agricultural & Mechanical College (Louisiana State University System)
• Original Assignee: Louisiana State University (Louisiana State University System)
• Inventors: Bullock, Darcy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US09/108,833
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 340/909, 340/910, 340/916, 340/917, 701/117, 701/118, 701/120
• US Class Current: 340/909
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals

Abstract

An interface device between a computer running a traffic simulation program and any number of traffic signal controllers. The traffic simulation program simulates traffic in a road network including signal-controlled intersections. There are many signal manufacturers and they do not release the details of the control algorithms used in their controllers, hence it is impractical if not impossible to merely insert the control algorithm for a given controller into the program. The interface of the present invention allows any controller from any manufacturer to be used with the simulation program so that traffic flow in any network including signal-controlled intersections can be simulated. An assumed traffic network and demand traffic is input into the program; the program sends detector actuations to the signal controllers via the interface device and the controllers'"'"'s phase indication states are sent back into the program also via the controller. The program then integrates this feedback into its operation and simulates the way traffic will flow through the road network having intersections with these particular signal controllers.

Claims

1. In a laboratory simulation of traffic including an actual traffic signal controller and a computer for simulating traffic flow at an intersection, a controller interface device for adapting traffic signal controller input signals generated by said computer for use by said traffic signal controller comprising means for receiving computer-generated signals representative of desired traffic signal controller input signals, means for converting said computer-generated signals into electrical signals, means for directing said electrical signals into said traffic signal controller, means for receiving the response of said traffic signal controller to said electrical signals, and means for sending said response of said traffic signal controller back into said computer.

2. A controller interface device as in claim 1 wherein said response of said traffic signal controller is converted to computer readable format.

3. In the method of simulating traffic flow at an intersection having a traffic signal control device by running a traffic simulation program in a computer, the improvement which comprises providing such a traffic signal control device, providing means for sending computer-generated control signals to said traffic signal control device, providing means for sending the response of said traffic signal control device to said computer-generated signals back to said computer, and integrating said response of said traffic signal control device into said traffic simulation program.

4. The method of claim 3 further including converting said computer-generated signals into electrical signals before sending them back into said traffic signal control device.

5. The method of claim 4 further including converting said response of said traffic signal control device to said computer-generated signals into computer readable format.