Traffic signal control system and method

• US 8,928,493 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2010
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Road Safety Management Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Road Safety Management Ltd.
• Inventors: Mantalvanos, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US13/496,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20130099942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/906, 340/907, 340/909, 340/910, 340/915, 340/917, 340/919, 340/933, 348/143, 348/149
• US Class Current: 340/910
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/081 Plural intersections under common control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/082 Controlling the time between beginning of the same phase of a cycle at adjacent intersections

Abstract

The invention relates to a traffic signal control system for controlling a plurality of signal junctions comprising a signal group oriented multi-agent control scheme, each agent operates independently and represents one or more traffic signals at a signal junction; means for each agent for determining traffic conditions at its signal junction and traffic conditions at neighboring agents; and means for applying fuzzy logic in signal control operations, wherein signal control operation is based on traffic conditions at each agent and one or more neighboring agents, such that the control operation is distributed to each agent to control each of said plurality of signal junctions. An advantage of the system is that this approach in combining the flexible signal group control with the artificial intelligence of fuzzy logic dynamic control is achieved. The operation of the control system is based on detector data input, that is refined to real time traffic situation model. Through the traffic model, the decision part of the system (fuzzy logic) is observing the traffic situation in the whole intersection. The signal control operation is based on signal group orientation, in which the control operation is distributed to several signal group agents.

Claims

1. A traffic signal control system for controlling a plurality of signal junctions comprising:

a signal group oriented multi-agent control scheme, each agent adapted to operate independently and represents one or more traffic signals at a signal junction;

means for each agent for determining traffic conditions at its signal junction and traffic conditions of neighbouring agents; and

means for applying fuzzy logic in signal control operations, wherein signal control operation is based on traffic conditions at each agent and one or more neighbouring agents, such that the control operation is distributed to each agent to control each of said plurality of signal junctions,

wherein the fuzzy logic is set based on a real-time model of the traffic situation at each of said plurality of signal junctions,

wherein the modelling represents the current traffic state of each junction;

wherein the real-time modelling is performed by visual traffic data and numeric traffic data at each junction being transmitted to a remote server, and

wherein the server further comprises means for translating the visual traffic data and numeric traffic data into a 2-Dimensional (2D) or 3-Dimensional (3D) real time model of the traffic at the junction.

2. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each agent comprises means for calculating relevant queues and approaching vehicles in a particular direction based on timings to downstream agents, wherein the downstream agent sums the upstream vehicles with a given weight, such that when a threshold is reached indicating large volumes of traffic said agent provides priority access for said vehicles.

3. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein signalling information in said system is sent using User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet information.

4. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data is transmitted in raw mode and/or aggregated mode, wherein the aggregated mode collects average numbers for each signal junction for a given time frame and the raw mode sends one message per each vehicle trip.

5. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each agent comprises remote access adapted to allow for maintenance and upgrading of each agent from a remote location.

6. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each signal group agent controls the traffic signals at an individual junction.

7. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein detected data input at each signal junction is inputted into a real-time situation model to provide said control operation.

8. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each agent comprises means for providing junction management to provide an active junction that can have continuously different phases that it can decide on, based on traffic flow and priorities.

9. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 comprising negotiation means such that each signal group is aware of each traffic situation for each approach route controlled by an agent.

10. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 comprising a personal computer PC connected to an existing signal controller, such that the controller comprises means for detecting data at a junction is turned into “

slave”

mode operation.

11. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 comprising means for providing priority to selected public transport vehicles at signalised junctions.

12. The traffic signal control system as claimed in claim 1 wherein in said control signals comprises Extensible Markup Language XML instructions.

13. A method of controlling a traffic signal control system for controlling a plurality of signal junctions comprising:

providing a signal group oriented multi-agent control scheme, each agent operates independently and represents one or more traffic signals at a signal junction;

determining traffic conditions at its signal junction and traffic conditions at neighbouring agents; and

applying fuzzy logic in signal control operations,

wherein signal control operation is based on traffic conditions at each agent and one or more neighbouring agents, such that the control operation is distributed to each agent to control each of said plurality of signal junctions,

wherein that the fuzzy logic is set based on a real-time model of the traffic situation at each of said plurality of signal junctions,

wherein the modelling represents the current traffic state of each junction;

wherein the real-time modelling is performed by visual traffic data and numeric traffic data at each junction being transmitted to a remote server, and

wherein the server translates the visual traffic data and numeric traffic data into a 2-Dimensional (2D) or 3-Dimensional (3D) real time model of the traffic at the junction.

14. A computer program comprising program instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 13.