System and method for providing traffic congestion relief using dynamic lighted road lane markings
First Claim
1. A system for dynamically modifying lane configurations on a road segment, comprising:
- a plurality of dynamic lane markers disposed along the road segment that includes a beginning transition section, a main section and an ending transition section, arranged in that order along a travel direction of the road segment, the dynamic lane markers being arranged as a plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers and a plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers in the beginning transition section, the main section and the ending transition section, each of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in a widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a first number of first lanes each having a respective lane width, each of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in the widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a second number of second lanes each having a respective lane width that is less than the respective lane width of a narrowest one of the first lanes, the second number of second lanes being greater than the first number of first lanes, and the first and second rows of the dynamic lane markers are alternately positioned in the widthwise direction of the road segment;
a plurality of beginning transitional dynamic lane markers disposed along the beginning transition section and extending in the travel direction of the road segment to form a plurality of beginning transitional rows of the beginning transitional dynamic lane markers that extend transverse with respect to the travel direction of the road segment and transverse to the first and second lanes to represent a plurality of beginning transitional lanes each having a beginning transitional width that decreases along the direction of travel from the beginning transition section to a boundary of the beginning transition section and the main section;
a plurality of ending transitional dynamic lane markers disposed along the ending transition section and extending in the travel direction of the road segment to form a plurality of ending transitional rows of the ending transitional dynamic lane markers that extend transverse with respect to the travel direction of the road segment and transverse to the first and second lanes to represent a plurality of ending transitional lanes each having an ending transitional width that increases along the direction of travel from a boundary of the main section and the ending transitional section into the ending transition section; and
a controller configured to determine whether a condition pertaining to the road segment exists, and in response to existence of the condition, control energization of the beginning transitional dynamic lane markers to define the beginning transitional lanes, control energization of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers to represent the second number of second lanes, and control energization of the ending transitional dynamic lane makers to define the ending transitional lanes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing increased traffic carrying capacity of a road, such as a highway, by modifying an existing roadway from, for example, four lanes to five lanes, to create an additional travel lane. The system and method dynamically changes the width of travel lanes using, for example, embedded pavement lights, or other lighting arrangements, in lieu of traditional painted lane lines. As traffic volumes increase and speeds decrease along the road, an intelligent transport system (ITS) sends a congestion signal to the overhead lane controls and dynamic message signs (DMS) along the entire road segment of interest. The posted speed limits are changed, and the lane markings are controlled to dynamically increase the number of lanes in the road segment to five, for example, of narrower widths until traffic volumes reduce and the number of lanes can be returned to four, for example, with normal speed limits.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for dynamically modifying lane configurations on a road segment, comprising:
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a plurality of dynamic lane markers disposed along the road segment that includes a beginning transition section, a main section and an ending transition section, arranged in that order along a travel direction of the road segment, the dynamic lane markers being arranged as a plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers and a plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers in the beginning transition section, the main section and the ending transition section, each of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in a widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a first number of first lanes each having a respective lane width, each of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in the widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a second number of second lanes each having a respective lane width that is less than the respective lane width of a narrowest one of the first lanes, the second number of second lanes being greater than the first number of first lanes, and the first and second rows of the dynamic lane markers are alternately positioned in the widthwise direction of the road segment; a plurality of beginning transitional dynamic lane markers disposed along the beginning transition section and extending in the travel direction of the road segment to form a plurality of beginning transitional rows of the beginning transitional dynamic lane markers that extend transverse with respect to the travel direction of the road segment and transverse to the first and second lanes to represent a plurality of beginning transitional lanes each having a beginning transitional width that decreases along the direction of travel from the beginning transition section to a boundary of the beginning transition section and the main section; a plurality of ending transitional dynamic lane markers disposed along the ending transition section and extending in the travel direction of the road segment to form a plurality of ending transitional rows of the ending transitional dynamic lane markers that extend transverse with respect to the travel direction of the road segment and transverse to the first and second lanes to represent a plurality of ending transitional lanes each having an ending transitional width that increases along the direction of travel from a boundary of the main section and the ending transitional section into the ending transition section; and a controller configured to determine whether a condition pertaining to the road segment exists, and in response to existence of the condition, control energization of the beginning transitional dynamic lane markers to define the beginning transitional lanes, control energization of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers to represent the second number of second lanes, and control energization of the ending transitional dynamic lane makers to define the ending transitional lanes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for dynamically modifying lane configurations on a road segment, comprising:
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a plurality of dynamic lane markers disposed along the road segment that includes a beginning transition section, a main section and an ending transition section, arranged in that order along a travel direction of the road segment, the dynamic lane markers being arranged as a plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers and a plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers in the beginning transition section, the main section and the ending transition section, each of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in a widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a first number of first lanes each having a respective lane width, each of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers extending in the travel direction of the road segment and being spaced sequentially apart from each other in the widthwise direction of the road segment to represent a second number of second lanes each having a respective lane width that is less than the respective lane width of a narrowest one of the first lanes, the second number of second lanes being greater than the first number of first lanes, and the first and second rows of the dynamic lane markers are alternately positioned in the widthwise direction of the road segment; and a controller configured to determine whether a condition pertaining to the road segment exists, and in response to absence of the condition, control energization of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers to represent the first number of first lanes while deenergizing the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers; the controller being further configured to, in response to existence of the condition, control energization of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers to represent the second number of second lanes, and control deenergization of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers; and the controller being further configured to perform at least one of the following operations; determine a first period prior to a starting time at which the condition pertaining to the road segment will occur, and during the first period control energization of some of the plurality of second rows of the dynamic lane markers to begin to represent the second number of second lanes while controlling deenergization of some of the plurality of first road markers to begin to remove representation of the first number of first lanes; and determine a second period prior to an ending time at which the condition pertaining to the road segment will cease to occur, and during the second period control energization of some of the plurality of first rows of the dynamic lane markers to begin to represent the first number of first lanes while controlling deenergization of some of the plurality of second road markers to begin to remove representation of the second number of second lanes. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification