Traffic Signal Connected Digital Electronic Display and Method of Controlling the Same

• US 20130022245A1
• Filed: 07/22/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AmZetta Technologies, LLC (American Megatrends International, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Sivertsen, Clas
• Granted Patent: US 8,675,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/104
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/07 Controlling traffic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096 provided with indicators in which a mark progresses showing the time elapsed, e.g. of green phase

Abstract

A digital electronic display connected to a traffic signal and a method of controlling the digital electronic display are provided. The digital electronic display includes a communication unit configured to receive content including content segments and metadata, a display screen, and a processor. The processor is configured to monitor the traffic signal to determine when, and the duration during which, a red light and a green light of the traffic signal is illuminated, present a content segment on the display screen corresponding to the red light based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the red light is illuminated, and control the display screen to operate in a low-power state substantially for the entire duration when the green light is illuminated.

Claims

1. A digital electronic display operating in conjunction with a traffic signal, comprising:

a communication unit configured to receive content including content segments and metadata;

a display screen; and

a processor configured to

monitor the traffic signal to determine when and the duration during which each of at least a red light and a green light of the traffic signal is illuminated,

present a content segment on the display screen corresponding to illumination of the red light based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the red light is illuminated, and

control the display screen to operate in a low-power state substantially for the entire duration when the green light is illuminated.

2. The digital electronic display of claim 1, wherein monitoring the traffic signal by the processor comprises determining when and the duration during which a left arrow is illuminated, and the processor is further configured to:

present a content segment on the display screen corresponding to the left arrow based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the left arrow is illuminated.

3. The digital electronic display of claim 1, wherein the processor is electrically connected to a traffic signal controller of the traffic signal and monitoring the traffic signal by the processor comprises learning when and the duration during which each of the red light and the green light of the traffic signal is illuminated through the connection to the traffic signal controller.

4. The digital electronic display of claim 1, further comprising a camera configured to capture images of vehicles in front of the traffic signal and to output a corresponding image signal, wherein monitoring the traffic signal by the processor comprises:

determining the states of the vehicles in front of the traffic signal from the image signal output by the camera; and

inferring from the determined states of the vehicles when and the duration during which each of the red light and the green light of the traffic signal is illuminated.

5. The digital electronic display of claim 1, further comprising a sensor unit configured to detect illumination states of the traffic signal and output a corresponding detection output, and wherein monitoring the traffic signal by the processor comprises determining when and the duration during which each of the red light and the green light of the traffic signal is illuminated from the detection output of the sensor unit.

6. The digital electronic display of claim 1, wherein the communication unit comprises a wireless transceiver and a port unit, and the content is received from one of a web portal through connection of the wireless transceiver to the Internet or connection of the port unit to the Internet, or from another device through the wireless transceiver or the port unit.

7. The digital electronic display of claim 6, further comprising a camera configured to capture images of vehicles in front of the traffic signal and output a corresponding image signal, wherein the processor is further configured to analyze the image signal output by the camera using image-processing techniques to obtain demographic information related to the vehicles in front of the traffic signal, and to output the demographic information to another device through one of the wireless transceiver or through the port unit.

8. The digital electronic display of claim 1, further comprising a camera configured to capture images, wherein:

the traffic signal is used at a pedestrian crossing;

the camera is configured to capture images of pedestrians waiting at the red light of the traffic signal and to output a corresponding image signal;

the processor is further configured to determine demographics of the pedestrians waiting at the red light of the traffic signal from the image signal output by the camera; and

the processor presents the content segment on the display screen based on the demographics of the pedestrians waiting at the red light.

9. A method of controlling a digital electronic display connected to a traffic signal, the method comprising:

receiving content including a plurality of content segments and metadata;

monitoring the traffic signal to determine when and the duration during which each of at least a red light and a green light of the traffic signal is illuminated;

presenting a first content segment on a display screen corresponding to the red light based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the red light is illuminated; and

controlling the display screen to operate in a low-power state substantially for the entire duration when the green light is illuminated.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein monitoring the traffic signal comprises determining when and the duration during which a left arrow of the traffic signal is illuminated, the method further comprising:

presenting a second content segment on the display screen corresponding to the left arrow based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the left arrow is illuminated.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein monitoring the traffic signal comprises learning, through connection to a traffic signal controller of the traffic signal, when and the duration during which each of the red light and the green light of the traffic signal is illuminated.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein monitoring the traffic signal comprises:

determining the states of vehicles in front of the traffic signal from an image signal output by a camera configured to capture images of the vehicles in front of the traffic signal and to output the image signal corresponding thereto; and

wherein monitoring the traffic signal comprises inferring from the determined states of the vehicles when and the duration during which each of the red light and the green light of the traffic signal is illuminated.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein monitoring the traffic signal comprises determining when and the duration during which each of the red light and the green light of the traffic signal is illuminated from a detection output of a sensor unit configured to detect illumination states of the traffic signal and to output the detection output corresponding thereto.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the content is received from another device through the wireless transceiver or the port unit.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

analyzing an image signal output by a camera configured to capture images of vehicles in front of the traffic signal and output the image signal corresponding thereto,

obtaining demographic information related to the vehicles in front of the traffic signal using image-processing techniques; and

outputting the demographic information to another device through a wireless transceiver or through a port unit.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining demographics of pedestrians waiting at the red light of the traffic signal used at a pedestrian crossing from an image signal output by a camera configured to capture images of the pedestrians waiting at the red light, wherein the content segment is presented on the display screen with further reference to the demographics of the pedestrians waiting at the red light.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive content including content segments and metadata;

monitor a traffic signal to determine when and the duration during which each of at least a red light and a green light of the traffic signal is illuminated;

present a content segment on a display screen corresponding to the red light based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the red light is illuminated; and

control the display screen to operate in a low-power state substantially for the entire duration when the green light is illuminated.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein monitoring the traffic signal comprises learning, through connection to a traffic signal controller of the traffic signal, when and the duration during which each of the red light and the green light of the traffic signal is illuminated.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein monitoring the traffic signal comprises:

determining the states of vehicles in front of the traffic signal from an image signal output by a camera configured to capture images of the vehicles in front of the traffic signal and to output the image signal corresponding thereto; and

inferring in real time and from the determined states of the vehicles when and the duration during which each of the red light and the green light of the traffic signal is illuminated.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein monitoring the traffic signal comprises determining when and the duration during which each of the red light and the green light of the traffic signal is illuminated from a detection output of a sensor unit configured to detect illumination states of the traffic signal and to output the detection output corresponding thereto.

21. A traffic signal comprising:

a supporting structure;

a traffic signal controller mounted on the supporting structure and configured to output control signals; and

a digital electronic display mounted on the supporting structure, connected to the traffic signal controller wherein the digital electronic display comprises

a communication unit configured to receive content including content segments and metadata,

a display screen, and

a processor configured to

control the display of at least a red light and a green light on the display screen through illumination of one or more portions of the display screen with reference to the control signals received from the traffic signal controller, and

present a content segment on the display screen corresponding to the red light based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the red light is illuminated.

22. The traffic signal of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to:

control the display of a left arrow on the display screen through illumination of the one or more portions of the display screen based on the control signals received from the traffic signal controller;

present a content segment on the display screen corresponding to the left arrow based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the left arrow is illuminated.

23. The traffic signal of claim 21, wherein the communication unit comprises a wireless transceiver and a port unit, wherein the content is received from another device through the wireless transceiver or the port unit.

24. The traffic signal of claim 21, wherein:

the digital electronic display further comprises a camera configured to capture images of vehicles in front of the traffic signal and output a corresponding image signal;

the processor is further configured to analyze the image signal output by the camera using image-processing techniques to obtain demographic information related to the vehicles in front of the traffic signal; and

wherein the content segment is presented on the display screen with further reference to the demographics of the pedestrians waiting at the red light.