Adjustment of a traffic signal control plan based on local environmental conditions

• US 9,235,989 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Mobility, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Collar, Benjamin, Collum, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Obiniyi, Paul
• Application Number:
  US14/192,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20150243164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/911, 340/907, 340/914, 340/916, 340/923, 340/936, 340/929, 340/944, 340/990, 701/1, 701/23, 701/117, 701/400, 701/538
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/093 Data selection, e.g. prioritizing information, managing message queues, selecting the information to be output
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

Embodiments include a method for adjusting a signal control plan for a traffic signal at an intersection based on local environmental conditions is provided. The method includes operating the traffic signal based on a standard signal control plan, receiving an indication of an adverse environmental condition, and determining if the standard signal control plan should be adjusted based on the indication of the adverse environmental condition. Based on determining that the standard signal control plan should be adjusted based on the indication of the adverse environmental condition, the method includes creating a modified signal control plan based on the adverse environmental condition and the standard signal control plan and operating the traffic signal based on the modified signal control plan.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a signal control plan for a traffic signal at an intersection based on local environmental conditions, the method comprising:

operating the traffic signal based on a standard signal control plan;

receiving an indication of an adverse environmental condition;

determining if the standard signal control plan should be adjusted based on the indication of the adverse environmental condition;

based on determining that the standard signal control plan should be adjusted based on the indication of the adverse environmental condition, creating a modified signal control plan based on the adverse environmental condition and the standard signal control plan;

operating the traffic signal based on the modified signal control plan by changing a length of at least one of a yellow light time and a green light time within a length of a phase that includes at least three sub-phases that correspond to a red light time and the yellow light time and the green light time;

determining whether the adverse environmental condition concluded;

based on determining that the adverse environmental condition concluded, operating the traffic signal based on the standard signal control plan; and

based on determining that the adverse environmental condition has not concluded, operating the traffic signal based on the modified signal control plan,

wherein the indication of the adverse environmental condition is received from a sensor connected to roadside equipment disposed at the intersection, and

wherein the determination of whether the signal control plan should be adjusted based on the adverse environmental condition is based on one or more of;

a severity of the adverse environmental condition;

a location of the adverse environmental condition;

a number of indications received of for the adverse environmental condition; and

a source of the indication of an adverse environmental condition.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

based on determining that the standard signal control plan should not be adjusted based on the indication of the adverse environmental condition operates the traffic signal based on the standard signal control plan.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the adverse environmental condition is received from a vehicle in range of roadside equipment disposed at the intersection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the adverse environmental condition is received from a traffic management system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the adverse environmental condition comprises at least one of rain, fog, snow or ice in a vicinity of the traffic signal.

6. A traffic signal controller comprising:

a processor configured to operate a traffic signal, the processor configured to perform a method comprising;

receiving a standard signal control plan;

operating the traffic signal based on the standard signal control plan;

receiving an indication of an adverse environmental condition;

determining if the standard signal control plan should be adjusted based on the indication of the adverse environmental condition;

based on determining that the standard signal control plan should be adjusted based on the indication of the adverse environmental condition, creating a modified signal control plan based on the adverse environmental condition and the standard signal control plan;

operating the traffic signal based on the modified signal control plan by changing a length of at least one of a yellow light time and a green light time within a length of a phase that includes at least three sub-phases that correspond to a red light time and the yellow light time and the green light time;

determining whether the adverse environmental condition concluded;

based on determining that the adverse environmental condition concluded, operating the traffic signal based on the standard signal control plan; and

based on determining that the adverse environmental condition has not concluded, operating the traffic signal based on the modified signal control plan,

wherein the indication of the adverse environmental condition is received from a sensor connected to roadside equipment disposed at the intersection, and

wherein the determination of whether the signal control plan should be adjusted based on the adverse environmental condition is based on one or more of;

a severity of the adverse environmental condition;

a location of the adverse environmental condition;

a number of indications received of for the adverse environmental condition; and

a source of the indication of an adverse environmental condition.

7. The traffic signal controller of claim 6, wherein the method further comprises:

based on determining that the standard signal control plan should not be adjusted based on the indication of the adverse environmental condition operates the traffic signal based on the standard signal control plan.

8. The traffic signal controller of claim 6, wherein the indication of the adverse environmental condition is received from a vehicle in range of roadside equipment disposed at the intersection.

9. The traffic signal controller of claim 6, wherein the indication of the adverse environmental condition is received from a traffic management system.

10. The traffic signal controller of claim 6, wherein the adverse environmental condition comprises at least one of rain, fog, snow or ice in a vicinity of the traffic signal.

11. A roadside equipment for operating a traffic signal at an intersection, the roadside equipment comprising:

a traffic signal controller that operates a traffic signal for the intersection, the traffic signal controller performs a method comprising;

receiving an indication of an abnormal condition of a road in a vicinity of the intersection;

storing the abnormal condition in a memory of the roadside equipment;

broadcasting a warning message notifying connected devices in the vicinity of the intersection of the abnormal condition based on a type of the abnormal condition;

using a duplicate flag to store a flag that indicates if a condition type has been reported more than once;

using a counter field to store a number of times a condition has been reported if the duplicate flag indicates that the condition type has been reported more than once

determining whether the abnormal condition concluded;

based on determining that the abnormal condition concluded, operating the traffic signal based on a standard signal control plan; and

based on determining that the abnormal condition has not concluded, operating the traffic signal based on a modified signal control plan,

wherein the indication of the abnormal condition is received from a sensor connected to the roadside equipment disposed at an intersection, and

wherein the determination of whether a signal control plan should be adjusted based on the abnormal condition is based on one or more of;

a severity of the abnormal condition;

a location of the abnormal condition;

a number of indications received of for the abnormal condition; and

a source of the indication of an abnormal condition.

12. The roadside equipment of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises transmitting a notification of the abnormal condition to a traffic management system based on the type of the abnormal condition.

13. The roadside equipment of claim 11, wherein broadcasting the warning message notifying connected devices in the vicinity of the intersection of the abnormal condition is further based on a source of the indication of the abnormal condition.