Traffic light prediction system

• US 7,187,301 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guixian Lu
• Original Assignee: Guixian Lu
• Inventors: Lu, Guixian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass; Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAU, HOI CHING
• Application Number:
  US10/894,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20060055557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 340/917, 340920-930, 340/932, 340/916, 340/906, 340/911, 340/915, 340/994, 340/907
• US Class Current: 340/929
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals

Abstract

A traffic system that helps a driver to save gasoline by avoiding red light or by decelerating before a red light. It predicts the colors of a traffic light and informs about the future traffic light colors that will happen to a driver. The system comprising a sub-control system, three kinds of moving sections representing three future colors: green, yellow, and red. The positions of the moving sections are showed by indicators. The indicators are secured along one side of the street.

Claims

1. A Traffic Light Prediction System that helps a driver to save gasoline by avoiding red lights or by decelerating before a red light comprising:

a) at least two kinds of moving sections, said moving sections are positioned at varying distances along the street extending out from the traffic light;

the length of said moving sections is related to future periods of the traffic light colors;

each said moving section represents at least one future color of the traffic light;

said moving sections have green sections, yellow sections, and red sections;

b) at least one control sub-system, said control sub-systems are used to control the positions, length, and movement of said moving sections;

c) at least on indicator, said indicators are used to indicate the positions and colors of said moving sections.

2. The Traffic Light Predication System of claim 1, wherein each kind of moving sections represents at least one color(s) of the traffic light.

3. The Traffic Light Prediction System of claim 1, wherein the full length of a moving section of a kind of said moving sections is approximately equal to the speed of movement of said kind of moving sections multiplied by the cycle period of the respective color from the traffic light that said kind of moving sections represents.

4. The Traffic Light Predication System of claim 1, wherein said moving sections are moving towards the traffic light.

5. The Traffic Light Predication System of claim 1, wherein the movement of said moving sections are synchronized with the traffic light color period so that the time that said each moving section arrives at the traffic light, is approximately the time the traffic light changes to the color that said arriving moving section represents.

6. The Traffic Light Predication System of claim 1, wherein said control sub-systems control the length, positions, and movement of said moving sections.

7. The Traffic Light Predication System of claim 1, wherein said control sub-system synchronizes with the traffic light so that the time that said each moving section arrives at the traffic light, is approximately the time the traffic light changes to a color that the arriving moving section represents.

8. The Traffic Light Predication System of claim 1, wherein said indicators inform drivers about the positions of said moving sections and the future traffic light color that said moving sections represent.

9. The Traffic Light Predication System of claim 1, wherein said indicators are communicating with said control sub-system.

10. The Traffic Light Predication System of claim 1, wherein each of said control sub-system communicates with at least one of said indicators.