Traffic management device and system

• US 7,663,505 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark W. Publicover
• Original Assignee: Mark W. Publicover
• Inventors: Publicover, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US11/861,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20080012726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 340/907, 340/909, 340/916, 340/918, 340/933, 340/920, 340/917, 340/936, 340/932, 701/117, 701/119
• US Class Current: 340/932
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

A smart traffic control device transmits information to approaching vehicles regarding its current and future state enabling vehicles to control their speed to avoid arriving at the traffic control device until it permits the passage of traffic, thus avoiding stopping, idling and reaccelerating when reaching the traffic control device. In other embodiments the traffic control device or systems receives information from vehicles, transmitting it to other vehicles.

Claims

1. A method of traffic control for a traffic control system having a device to communicate discrete instructions to each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle of said plurality of vehicles having a device to receive and transmit information about the location and speed of one or more vehicles in the plurality of vehicles, the method comprising:

instructing a first subset of vehicles to increase or decrease speed so as to separate the plurality of vehicles into plural pods including at least first and second pods, each pod comprising a subset of the vehicles, each vehicle in a pod travelling at substantially the same speed as each other vehicle in the same pod and being separated from other vehicles in the same pod by a predetermined distance,

wherein the first pod is separated from the second pod by a distance greater than at least one of the predetermined distance and the length of either the first pod or second pod.

2. A method of traffic control according to claim 1 further comprising:

instructing a second subset of vehicles to increase or decrease speed so as to separate the second subset into the second pod and

wherein the first pod is separated from the second pod by a distance greater than at least one of the predetermined distance and the length of either the first pod or second pod.

3. A method of traffic control according to claim 2 wherein the vehicles in each pod are traveling the same direction on the same road.

4. A method of traffic control according to claim 2 further comprising:

instructing one or more vehicles in another subset intending to travel in the same direction on the same road to wait at the side of the road, and

then instructing the one or more waiting vehicle(s) to accelerate to the speed of one of the pods either before or after entering the pod.

5. A method of traffic control according to claim 4 further comprising instructing the one or more waiting vehicle(s) to enter the pod as the last vehicle(s).

6. A method of traffic control according to claim 3 further comprising instructing one or more vehicles in another subset intending to travel in the same direction on the same road as a pod to wait on at least one of a first side and a second opposing side of the road.

7. A method of traffic control according to claim 2 further comprising:

instructing each of one or more vehicles in the second subset to accelerate to enter the pod in an order dependent on at least one of the driver'"'"'s destination and the driver'"'"'s skill, and

instructing each of one or more vehicles to adjust its relative position while driving within the pod dependent on at least one of the driver'"'"'s destination and the driver'"'"'s skill.

8. A method of traffic control according to claim 4 further comprising instructing the vehicles in the second subset to accelerate and enter the pod in reverse order according to the intended exit location.

9. A method of traffic control according to claim 1 further comprising directing a vehicle in the pod intending to make a left turn by the traffic control system to make a right turn, leaving the pod followed by a U-turn so as to traverse the pod either before or after the pod has passed the intersection where the left turn was intended.

10. A method of traffic control according to claim 9 further comprising instructing the vehicle to hold before making the U-turn.

11. A method of traffic control according to claim 9 further comprising instructing the vehicle to hold after making the U-turn.

12. A method of traffic control for a traffic control system having a device to communicate discrete instructions to each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle in said plurality of vehicles having a device to receive and transmit information about the location and speed of one or more vehicles in the plurality of vehicles, the method comprising:

instructing a first subset of one or more of the vehicles to wait a buffered distance from an intersection,

instructing a second subset of one or more of the other vehicles to travel at a common speed so as to arrive at the intersection when a control signal is still green,

instructing the first subset of vehicles to increase speed so as to travel behind the second subset of vehicles and traverse the intersection together as a pod of vehicles travelling at substantially the same speed, in the same direction, and on the same road, each vehicle being separated from other vehicles in the pod by a least a predetermined minimum distance.

13. A method of traffic control for a traffic control system having a device to communicate discrete instructions to each vehicle in a plurality of vehicles, each vehicle having a device to receive and transmit information about the location and speed of one or more vehicles in the plurality of vehicles, the method comprising:

instructing a first subset of vehicles to increase or decrease speed as to separate the plurality of vehicles into at least a first pod and a second pod, each pod comprising a subset of vehicles travelling at substantially the same speed being separated from each other vehicle in the subset by at least a first distance,

instructing vehicles in the second pod to increase or decrease speed so as to be separated from the vehicles in the first pod by a second distance, wherein the second distance is substantially greater than the first distance, and

prompting one or more vehicles to enter the first pod at a time determined by the speed and location of the first pod.

14. A method of traffic control according to claim 13 wherein said prompting comprises at least one preliminary notification to the driver, a countdown to start of acceleration, and a target speed to reach after acceleration for joining the first pod.

15. The method of traffic control for road vehicles according to claim 14 further comprising transmitting visual communications to vehicles not having a device to exchange traffic control data.

16. A method of traffic control for road vehicles on roadways not having intersections, for a traffic control system having a device to communicate discrete instructions to two or more vehicles, each vehicle having a device to exchange traffic control data with at least one of the traffic control system and other vehicles on the roadway, that traffic control data comprising at least one of current and desired speed and at least one of current and future position, the method comprising instructing vehicles desiring to enter the roadway when to increase or decrease speed so as to form pods each composed of a plurality of vehicles traveling at the same speed and in the same lane.

17. A method of traffic control according to claim 16 wherein the pods are instructed to increase or decrease speed or perform lane changes in order to optimize roadway usage and avoid accidents, obstacles, dangerous conditions, or slowdowns.

18. A method of traffic control according to claim 16 wherein one or more of the vehicles desiring to enter the roadway are instructed to accelerate to enter a pod in an order dependent on at least one of the driver'"'"'s destination and the driver'"'"'s skill.