Traffic management device and system

• US 9,196,158 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mark W. Publicover
• Original Assignee: Mark W. Publicover
• Inventors: Publicover, Mark W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US13/155,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20120038491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905, 340/907, 340/933, 340/935, 340/936, 701/117, 701/119, 701/200
• 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. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control comprising:

a computational unit;

a display in signal communication with the computational unit; and

at least one detector to acquire information about at least the speed and travel path of a vehicle,

wherein the detected information is used by the computational unit to modulate traffic control information displayed to an approaching vehicle,

wherein the detector is operative to measure the speed of the approaching vehicle and communicate the measured speed to the computational unit, whereby the display is modulated in response to the speeds of the vehicles, and

wherein;

a) if the speed of the approaching vehicle is above a predetermined threshold, the computational unit is operative to modulate the display to signal the approaching vehicle to stop or

b) if the measured speed of the approaching vehicle is below a predetermined threshold the computational unit is operative to modulate the display to signal the approaching vehicle to yield to other vehicles.

2. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control according to claim 1 wherein the detector receives a broadcast from the vehicle on at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s speed, position and travel path.

3. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control according to claim 1 wherein the at least one detector is are operative to acquire information about speeds and travel paths of vehicles approaching from a first direction and a second direction.

4. An agile sign for vehicle traffic control according to claim 1 wherein the detector receives a broadcast from a vehicle on at least one of the vehicle'"'"'s speed, position and travel path.