TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT DEVICE AND SYSTEM

• US 20160027301A1
• Filed: 10/08/2015
• Published: 01/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark W. Publicover
• Original Assignee: Mark W. Publicover
• Inventors: Publicover, Mark W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,812,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

A smart traffic control device transmits information to approaching vehicles regarding its current and future state enabling vehicles to control their speed to avoid arriving at the traffic control device until it permits the passage of traffic, thus avoiding stopping, idling and reaccelerating when reaching the traffic control device. In other embodiments the traffic control device or systems receives information from vehicles, transmitting it to other vehicles.

Claims

1. A traffic management method that employs a traffic control device, the method comprising:

determining the locations and speeds of a plurality of vehicles;

transmitting recommended speeds to at least some of the vehicles, the recommended speeds including

a. a first speed for a first subset of the vehicles that causes at least a first vehicle in the first subset to change speed and

b. a second speed for a second subset of the vehicles that causes at least a first vehicle in the second subset to change speed;

the transmitted recommended speeds being such that vehicles are instructed to accelerate or decelerate so that the first and second subsets of vehicles are separated and spaced apart in first and second pods of vehicles and such that the vehicles in each pod travel at a common speed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitted recommended speeds are such that the first and second pods are instructed to pass through an intersection at their respective speeds without a change in the speeds of the pods.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the vehicles in the first and second subsets are on the same road.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a first signal to a vehicle entering the road, which first signal instructs the vehicle to stop and wait for a pod to approach; and

transmitting a second signal to the vehicle, which second signal instructs the vehicle to accelerate and take a specified position in the pod.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising transmitting a signal to instruct vehicles to give priority to an emergency vehicle approaching an intersection controlled by the traffic control device.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first speed is such that at least a first vehicle in the first subset is instructed to increase speed.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second speed is such that at least a first vehicle in the second subset is instructed to decrease speed.

8. The method according to claim 2 wherein the transmitting recommended speeds comprises instructing at least one of the first subset and the second subset to stop.

9. The method according to claim 2 wherein the transmitting recommended speeds comprises instructing traffic between the first subset and the second subset to stop.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the transmitting recommended speeds comprises instructing traffic traveling in the same direction as the stopped subset to also stop.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the transmitting recommended speeds comprises instructing at least one of the first subset and the second subset to stop at a specified distance from an intersection, and further comprises providing to the subset that is stopped a recommended intersection approach speed and instructing vehicles in the stopped subset to accelerate prior to a traffic signal device changing from a stop signal to a go signal.

12. A method executed by a device in a vehicle for generating a target speed for the vehicle, comprising:

receiving by a device in a vehicle a signal including information that identifies a traffic control device, information that indicates a state of the traffic control device and an amount of time remaining for the current state of the traffic control device;

determining current location of the vehicle; and

determining a recommended speed for the vehicle, which speed permits the vehicle to safely reach and traverse an intersection controlled by the traffic control device without stopping at the intersection and while being within a set of vehicles that are each in communication with the traffic control device at a time when the traffic control device permits traffic to pass through the intersection.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the vehicle has a vehicle control system; and

the method further comprises providing the recommended speed to the vehicle control system.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising communicating the recommended speed to a driver of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining if the vehicle will be able to traverse the intersection without a change in speed, and if not, then determining a recommended speed to avoid waiting at the intersection for the traffic control device to change state.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the vehicle has a vehicle control system; and

the method further comprises providing the recommended speed to the vehicle control system.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising communicating the recommended speed to a driver of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining if the vehicle will be able to traverse the intersection without a change in speed, and if not, then determining a recommended speed to avoid waiting at the intersection for the traffic control device to change state, and if so, then determining the recommended speed to be substantially the same as current speed of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein:

the vehicle has a vehicle control system; and

the method further comprises providing the recommended speed to the vehicle control system.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising communicating the recommended speed to a driver of the vehicle.