Method, system and control device for controlling light signal transmitters at intersections

• US 6,850,171 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Mathias, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHMOOD, JENNIFER
• Application Number:
  US10/247,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20030063016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 340/907, 340/909, 340/916, 340/917, 340/920, 701/118, 701/119, 116/63.R
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles

Abstract

A system and method for providing local intersection control includes controlling light signal transmitters at an intersection. A traffic condition at an intersection is cyclically detected, a signal program is selected that is matched to the detected traffic condition, and the selected signal program issues switching commands to the light signal transmitter. Characteristic traffic conditions are derived from the detected traffic conditions for the intersection, each characteristic traffic condition is assigned a signal program matched to this traffic condition, a metric is defined as measure for positions of two traffic conditions relative to each other, the characteristic traffic condition that is closest to the actual traffic condition with respect to the metric is determined, and the signal program assigned to the closest characteristic traffic condition is executed for triggering switching commands for the light-signal transmitters. A control device is also included for realizing the method. This system has a higher flexibility during changes in the traffic conditions than purely fixed-time controls and a higher capacity with minimum planning and supply expenditure and a moderate number of detectors.

Claims

1. A method for controlling light-signal transmitters at an intersection, comprising:

detecting a traffic condition at the intersection cyclically;

deriving characteristic traffic conditions for the intersection from the detected traffic conditions;

for each of the characteristic traffic conditions, selecting a signal program matched to the characteristic traffic condition and assigning the signal program to the characteristic traffic condition;

defining a metric as a measure of the relative positions of two traffic conditions;

determining the characteristic traffic condition that is closest to the actual traffic condition with respect to the defined metric; and

executing the signal program that is assigned to the closest characteristic traffic condition, wherein switching commands for the light-signal transmitters are issued.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

a statistical distribution of all detected traffic conditions is formed after each detection of the actual traffic condition;

the traffic conditions are combined to form classes that correspond to the statistical distribution; and

a characteristic traffic condition is determined as representative for each class of traffic conditions.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein

the distance between a newly determined characteristic traffic condition of one class of traffic conditions and the actually valid characteristic traffic condition of said class is determined;

if a predetermined threshold value is exceeded for the distance, the actually valid characteristic traffic condition is replaced with the newly determined characteristic traffic condition for this class; and

a signal program that is assigned to the newly determined characteristic traffic condition is computed.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein

a switching operation from the presently executed signal program to the current signal program that must be executed is determined during a change in the characteristic traffic condition.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein

traffic data at the intersection are continuously detected in the form of basic measuring values by detectors;

the detected basic measuring values are cyclically polled and are processed either through averaging or smoothing;

replacement values are used in case of missing measuring values;

the actual traffic condition is derived from the processed and, if necessary, replaced measuring values.

10. A method according to claim 2, wherein

the distance between a newly determined characteristic traffic condition of one class of traffic conditions and the actually valid characteristic traffic condition of said class is determined;

if a predetermined threshold value is exceeded for the distance, the actually valid characteristic traffic condition is replaced with the newly determined characteristic traffic condition for this class; and

a signal program that is assigned to the newly determined characteristic traffic condition is computed.

11. A method according to claim 2, wherein

a switching operation from the presently executed signal program to the current signal program that must be executed is determined during a change in the characteristic traffic condition.

12. A method according to claim 2, wherein

traffic data at the intersection are continuously detected in the form of basic measuring values by detectors;

the detected basic measuring values are cyclically polled and are processed either through averaging or smoothing;

replacement values are used in case of missing measuring values;

the actual traffic condition is derived from the processed and, if necessary, replaced measuring values.

13. A method according to claim 3, wherein

a switching operation from the presently executed signal program to the current signal program that must be executed is determined during a change in the characteristic traffic condition.

14. A method according to claim 3, wherein

traffic data at the intersection are continuously detected in the form of basic measuring values by detectors;

the detected basic measuring values are cyclically polled and are processed either through averaging or smoothing;

replacement values are used in case of missing measuring values;

the actual traffic condition is derived from the processed and, if necessary, replaced measuring values.

15. A method according to claim 4, wherein

traffic data at the intersection are continuously detected in the form of basic measuring values by detectors;

the detected basic measuring values are cyclically polled and are processed either through averaging or smoothing;

replacement values are used in case of missing measuring values;

the actual traffic condition is derived from the processed and, if necessary, replaced measuring values.

6. A control device for controlling light-signal transmitters at an intersection comprising:

means for storing traffic conditions detected at an intersection cyclically;

means for deriving characteristic traffic conditions for the intersection from the stored traffic conditions;

means for storing the derived characteristic traffic conditions;

means for computing signal programs which are respectively matched to a stored characteristic traffic condition and are assigned to this traffic condition;

means for storing signal programs that are assigned to the characteristic traffic conditions;

means for defining a metric as a measure of the relative positions of two traffic conditions;

means for determining the characteristic traffic condition that is closest to an actual traffic condition with respect to the defined metric; and

means for executing a signal program that is assigned to the closest characteristic traffic condition, and for issuing switching commands to the light-signal transmitters.

7. A control device according to claim 6, wherein the means for deriving the characteristic traffic conditions for the intersection are designed to select,

means for forming a statistical distribution of the detected traffic conditions,

means for combining the traffic conditions into classes, corresponding to the statistical distribution, and

means for determining a characteristic traffic condition as representative for a class of traffic conditions.

8. A control device according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for monitoring the position of two characteristic traffic conditions relative to each other, wherein the distance between the two characteristic traffic conditions is compared to a predetermined threshold value.

9. A control device according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for processing the basic measuring values actually detected by the detector, wherein the processed measuring values represent the traffic condition detected at the intersection.

16. A control device according to claim 7, further comprising:

means for monitoring the position of two characteristic traffic conditions relative to each other, wherein the distance between the two characteristic traffic conditions is compared to a predetermined threshold value.

17. A control device according to claim 7, further comprising:

means for processing the basic measuring values actually detected by the detector, wherein the processed measuring values represent the traffic condition detected at the intersection.

18. A control device according to claim 8, further comprising:

means for processing the basic measuring values actually detected by the detector, wherein the processed measuring values represent the traffic condition detected at the intersection.

19. A system for controlling light-signal transmitters at an intersection comprising the control device of claim 6.

20. A system for controlling light-signal transmitters at an intersection comprising the control device of claim 7.

21. A system for controlling light-signal transmitters at an intersection comprising the control device of claim 8.

22. A system for controlling light-signal transmitters at an intersection comprising the control device of claim 9.