Multimode traffic priority/preemption vehicle arrangement

• US 7,573,399 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Traffic Technologies LLC (Vontier Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Global Traffic Technologies LLC (Vontier Corp.)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V
• Application Number:
  US11/142,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20060273926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 340/906, 340/907, 340/911, 340/436, 340/908, 340/909, 340/910, 340/924, 340/902, 340/941, 340/992, 340/993, 340/426.2, 340/426.18, 340/426.21, 701/202, 701/208, 701/201, 701/213, 701/217
• US Class Current: 340/906
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle

Abstract

An arrangement for requesting preemption from a vehicle is used in a traffic control system. The arrangement for requesting preemption includes a protocol circuit, a signal control generation circuit, and an optical source. The protocol circuit is adapted to provide a plurality of communication protocols, wherein a plurality of the communication protocols communicate encoded data. The signal control generation circuit is adapted to generate an output signal in accordance with at least one of the plurality of communication protocols. The optical source is adapted to transmit light pulses from the vehicle, wherein the light pulses are generated from the output signal and include the encoded data for said at least one of the plurality of communication protocols.

Claims

1. For use in a traffic light control system, an arrangement for requesting preemption from a vehicle, comprising:

a protocol circuit adapted to provide a plurality of communication protocols, wherein a plurality of the communication protocols communicate encoded data;

a signal control generation circuit adapted to generate an output signal in accordance with at least one of the plurality of communication protocols; and

an optical source adapted to transmit light pulses from the vehicle, wherein the light pulses are generated from the output signal and include the encoded data for said at least one of the plurality of communication protocols.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the protocol circuit is adapted to provide the communication protocols using at least one protocol algorithm.

3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the protocol circuit is adapted to provide the communication protocols using at least one look-up table that includes patterns representative of at least one of the plurality of communication protocols.

4. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the protocol circuit has one of said at least one look-up table for each of the communication protocols.

5. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein said at least one look-up table is a table including protocol information for the plurality of communication protocols.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the protocol circuit is adapted to provide the communication protocols using at least one programmable logic array.

7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the protocol circuit has one of said at least one programmable logic array for each of the communication protocols.

8. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein said at least one programmable logic array is a programmable logic array including protocol information for the communication protocols.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, where the protocol circuit is adapted to provide the communication protocols using a protocol algorithm and at least one look-up table including patterns representative of at least one of the communication protocols.

10. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the signal control generation circuit is adapted to concurrently generate an output signal in accordance with at least two of the plurality of communication protocols.

11. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a user interface adapted to select said at least one of the communication protocols.

12. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a post-manufacture interface adapted to select said at least one of the communication protocols.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, further comprising a user interface adapted to select a vehicle identification code included in the encoded data for said at least one of the plurality of communication protocols.

14. The arrangement of claim 13, wherein said at least one of the communication protocols is set as a function of the vehicle identification code.

15. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein said at least one of the communication protocols is selected as a function of the vehicle identification code being assigned.

16. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the protocol circuit is adapted to store processor-executable code that is executed to create the encoded data according to said at least one of the plurality of communication protocols.

17. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the protocol circuit includes a microprocessor circuit and is adapted to store processor-executable code that is executed to create the encoded data according to said at least one of the plurality of communication protocols.

18. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the encoded data for said at least one of the plurality of communication protocols is encrypted using an encryption key.

19. For use in a traffic light control system, an arrangement for requesting preemption, comprising:

a vehicle mounting arrangement;

means for providing a plurality of communication protocols, wherein a plurality of the communication protocols communicate encoded data;

means, supported by the vehicle mounting arrangement, for generating an output signal in accordance with at least one of the plurality of communication protocols; and

means for transmitting light pulses, wherein the light pulses are generated from the output signal and include the encoded data for said at least one of the plurality of communication protocols.

20. For use in a device adapted to communicate with a traffic light control system, a method for requesting preemption at a traffic light controller, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of communication protocols, wherein a plurality of the communication protocols communicate encoded data;

generating an output signal in accordance with at least one of the plurality of communication protocols; and

transmitting light pulses, wherein the light pulses are generated from the output signal and include the encoded data for said at least one of the plurality of communication protocols.