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Road traffic control method and traffic facilities

  • US 7,860,639 B2
  • Filed: 02/26/2004
  • Issued: 12/28/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2003
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A traffic control method, comprising the steps of:

  • (a) providing a road or vehicle installed platoon line up release control device, and assisting platoon control related devices which include traffic signs, markings, isolation facilities, and passage device facilities;

    (b) providing guidance instruction to control directions of at least partial vehicle flow of vehicles in one or more intersections and road segments;

    (c) using a control method of simultaneous platoon line up as well as one-at-a-time platoon line up within at least a period of time for vehicle flows including multi-directional multi-lane vehicle flow, multi-segment vehicle flow and multi-point vehicle flow, according to a predetermined or automatic sensing adjustment procedure, wherein said control method is classified as three types, namely a dynamic platoon line up at said road segment, a fixed area platoon line up which provides platoon line up area at said intersection and said road segment, and a combined platoon line up combining said dynamic platoon line up and said fixed area platoon line up, wherein said platoon includes all distribution forms of vehicle line;

    (d) forming a plurality of orderly platoon lines, each of which has a variable platoon shape, platoon order, platoon volume, and platoon speed, so as to achieve a platoon line up passage selected from a group consisting of a vehicle flow non-continuous platoon line up passage and a vehicle flow continuous platoon line up passage with a little or no crossing multi-lane;

    (e) providing a passage at said intersection and said road segment under one of the situations of having no passage instruction guidance signal control and no automatic control, after a formation of control of said vehicle flow continuous platoon line up passage or said vehicle flow non-continuous platoon line up passage, or a control of platoon line up;

    after said formation of said vehicle flow continuous platoon line up passage, providing a plurality of control options, including;

    (i) a same phase passage of two predetermined directions vehicle flow of the same cross-section to form a continuous platoon line up passage;

    (ii) a cycle release using continuous platoon order of left turning, straight going and right turning, or right turning, straight going and left turning;

    (iii) a platoon order in one direction of continuous passage of straight going, left turning/right turning, and right turning/left turning, and another direction of continuous passage of right turning/left turning, left turning/right turning and straight going; and

    (iv) a continuous platoon line up passage control of excessive passage or borrowing phase for passage, under irregular intersection situations including T-shape and multi-crossing, other than said control options (i), (ii) and (iii);

    (f) forming control of said simultaneous platoon line up as well as said one-at-a-time platoon line up within at least a period of time for said multi-directional multi-lane vehicle flow, said multi-segment vehicle flow and said multi-point vehicle flow, wherein options for forming control of said simultaneous platoon line up within at least a period of time for said multi-directional multi-lane vehicle flow, said multi-segment vehicle flow and said multi-point vehicle flow are provided, wherein said options include cross-position/cross-platoon area platoon line up, platoon merging, borrowed lane platoon line up, follow flow platoon line up, and combined/mixed platoon line up, wherein said options are capable of being used in combination;

    wherein said cross-position/cross-platoon area platoon line up is adapted for controlling guiding speed, direction, distance, position, order, and condition of vehicle flow, and controlling distribution of platoon area, platoon passage way, platoon beginning and ending points, and splitting and flow merging control points, so as to divide passage way and space required by said cross-position/cross-platoon area platoon line up to form a control procedure of said simultaneous platoon line up as well as said one-at-a-time platoon line up within at least a period of time for vehicle flows including said multi-directional multi-lane vehicle flow, said multi-segment vehicle flow and said multi-point vehicle flow;

    wherein said merging platoon is adapted to form a control procedure of a certain columns and segments of portion of vehicle flow replacement and merging platoon line in dynamic or static area or in a moving platoon line, wherein said control procedure includes a chain-type shifting control and a one-vehicle-at-a-time passage type control for merge platoon in different segments as well as merge platoon in order;

    wherein said borrowed lane platoon line up is adapted to form a control procedure of partial space platoon line up of vehicle flow borrowing opposite lanes or lanes for other types of vehicles;

    wherein said position replacement and follow flow platoon line up is adapted to form a control procedure of position replacement of following vehicle flow following a platoon order in front, and following traffic platoon;

    wherein said combined/mixing platoon line up is adapted to form a control procedure of platoon line up carried out under conditions of vehicle flow in combined or mixed direction, platoon line and order;

    wherein said one-at-a-time platoon line up is adapted for controlling each vehicle flow of each split direction or each vehicle flow of each lane one-direction-at-a-time or one-vehicle-at-a-time taking turn to carry out platoon line up in platoon line up area or while a vehicle line is moving; and

    (g) providing a platoon line up control for a Vehicle x of a predetermined direction or lane of a predetermined cross section, segment or defined point, comprising the control steps of;

    (y1) carrying out instruction guiding control and assisting/automatic control of a plurality of control options including direction, splitting direction, merging direction, speed, distance, position, order, lane adjustment, condition, and information;

    (y2) carrying out instruction guiding control and assisting/automatic control of a plurality of control options including direction, splitting direction, merging direction, control point of splitting/merging flow, speed, distance, position, order, lane, lane adjustment, condition, and information, for controlling vehicle entering platoon line up area or a position in or out of a moving vehicle line; and

    (y2+n) carrying out instruction guiding control and assisting/automatic control of a plurality of control options including direction, splitting direction, merging direction, control point of splitting/merging flow, speed, distance, position, order, lane adjustment, condition, and information, for controlling vehicle entering platoon line up area or a position in or out of a moving vehicle line, where n is a whole number ≧

    0, the step (y2+n) is after 0 or a predetermined number of steps;

    wherein the steps (y1) and (y2), or the steps (y2) and (y2+n) are capable of repeating once or multiple times, wherein vehicle platoon line up control procedure of other directions, lanes or segments is the same as the above steps (y1), (y2), and (y2+n);

    wherein during said control of said simultaneous platoon line up for said multi-directional multi-lane vehicle flow, multi-segment vehicle flow, or multi-point vehicle flow, the steps of said vehicle platoon line up control cycling in all directions, all lanes, all segments, or all points overlap in at least one time period;

    wherein during said control of said one-at-a-time platoon line up, the steps of said vehicle platoon line up control are repeated in order, wherein platoon line up and merging control has options in order; and

    wherein after said platoon line up control, when there is said instruction guiding control or said assisting/automatic control, increase the control steps accordingly;

    when there is no said instruction guiding control or said assisting/automatic control, there is no control step.

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