Alternating time band sequence “ATBS-2W”

• US 6,774,816 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Subhash Raswant
• Original Assignee: Subhash Raswant
• Inventors: Raswant, Subhash
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US10/184,740
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 340/907, 340/909, 340/910, 340/911, 340/917, 340/918, 340/919, 340/924, 340/932, 340/934, 340/931, 404/1, 404/20
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a vehicular and pedestrian traffic, which combines a variety of concepts into an integrated operating system for traffic management in cities. The design elements of this system include a combination of the dynamic checkerboard arrangements of alternating bands in paired sets of two or three bands for one-way and two-way streets respectively, the recessed crosswalks, the configuration of the flow pattern for bikeways on one-way grid, the opening of crosswalks on the left side of moving green bands at two-way grid intersections, the placement of bikeways between the sidewalk and the parking lane, and the creation of a separate phase for the movement of bicycle traffic on one-way streets.

Claims

1. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network, said road traffic network comprised of a first and second set of roadways having intersecting road portions for advancing vehicular traffic flow, said first set of roadways being substantially parallel to one another and having relative wide road portions (avenues) and enabling vehicular traffic flow, at least some of said first set of roadways providing for vehicular traffic flow in opposite directions thereon, said second set of roadways providing for vehicular traffic flow on relative narrow roadway portions (streets) in one direction or two opposite directions thereon and the crossing of said first and second sets of roadways defining a plurality of grid-like intersections;

a traffic control signal located at each of said intersections for directing traffic flow on said first and second sets of roadways, each of said traffic control signals providing a “

green”

phase, indicating the acceptable flow of vehicular traffic in the direction facing said phase and a “

red”

phase indicating the prohibition of vehicular traffic in the direction facing said phase, wherein said traffic control signals are controlled on said avenues in both directions to allow said vehicular traffic flow to advance independently in each opposite direction of those of said first set of roadways which provide for vehicular traffic flow in opposite directions, wherein said traffic control signals are coordinated to segment said vehicular traffic flow into two or more bands of vehicular traffic flow on said first set of roadways, said bands comprising a discrete number of adjacent intersections equal to or greater than two, each of said bands being a “

green”

band when said traffic control signals along said band is in said “

green”

phase or a “

red”

band when said traffic control signals along said band is in said “

red”

phase, wherein adjacent bands along a first roadway of said first set of roadways alternate as “

green” and

“

red”

bands and said bands on adjacent and parallel roadways of cohort intersections of said first set of roadways likewise alternate in a checkerboard-like pattern.

2. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 wherein said traffic control signals are programmed to provide green phases according to a multiple of the formula P=t_b+t_a+2f, wherein P is the time duration for a green phase, t_b is the desired travel time between a first intersection of said first set of roadways to a second adjacent intersection of said first set of roadways, t_a is the desired travel time between a first intersection of said second set of roadways to a second adjacent intersection of said second set of roadways, and f_t is the desired time required to make a turn from a road portion of said first set of roadways onto a said second set of roadways.

3. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 wherein said red and green phases are equal.

4. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 wherein said red and green phases together equal 3×

P for those road traffic networks wherein said second set of roadways provide for traffic flow in opposite directions.

5. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 4 wherein said red and green phases are of about equal time duration.

6. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 wherein said traffic control signals provide red and green phase signals based on actual vehicular traffic counts of said first set of roadways.

7. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 comprising software for implementing and modeling the same.

8. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 wherein said red and green phases are based on field notes of actual traffic conditions for different times of the day or week.

9. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 wherein a complete cycle of said traffic control signal comprises a red phase, a green phase, and a relative short yellow interval, such that the yellow interval and said green phase are about equal to said red phase.

10. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 further comprising pedestrian crosswalks recessed from said intersections to minimize intermodal friction.

11. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 further comprising bicycle pathways located between parking lanes for vehicles on said first and said second set of roadways and sidewalks for the same.

12. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 wherein said red phase and green phase are based on the travel time for an around the block vehicular maneuver.

13. A system for controlling traffic on a road traffic network as claimed in claim 1 wherein a distinct phase of said traffic controlling signals is provided for prohibiting vehicle traffic except for the flow of bicycle traffic.

14. A system as claimed in claim 13 wherein said bicycle traffic is separated from said vehicular traffic by physical barriers extending between sidewalks and the parking lane of said roadway portions of said first and second sets of roadways.

15. A system for controlling vehicular traffic flow on intersecting avenues and streets wherein at least one of said avenues carries traffic flow in two opposite directions and the majority of said streets provide traffic flow in only one direction, the vehicular traffic along said avenue and street intersections being controlled by traffic control signals, wherein the traffic control signal in a first direction on said avenues carrying traffic flow in both directions is independent of the control signal in the opposite direction to said first direction, and where adjacent (on the same avenue) and parallel (on adjacent avenues) bands of traffic flow on said avenues are in opposite signal phases to one another in a checkboard-like pattern of bands of traffic flow and non-moving traffic flow.

16. A system for controlling vehicular traffic flow as claimed in claim 15 wherein said traffic control signals are based on field studies for different times of the day or week.

17. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein at least one pedestrian crosswalk is provided and recessed from at least one of said avenue and street intersections.

18. A system as claimed in claim 15 further comprising software for implementing and modeling the same.

19. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein the duration of phase of the traffic control signal indicative of vehicle stopping on said avenues is about the same duration as the phase of the control signal indicative of vehicle movement on said avenues.

20. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein each “

go” and

“

stop”

phases of the traffic control signal is about equal to one another and based on the time for an around the block vehicle maneuver.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said phases of the traffic control signal are based on 3 times the time for said around the block vehicle maneuver.