Traffic signal controller maintenance system

Abstract

To provide a traffic signal controller maintenance system for permitting communication only when a password is transmitted from a maintenance device to a traffic signal controller at proper transmission timing.SOLUTION: A traffic signal controller 1a transmits a one-time code OTC to a maintenance device 2a via a communication unit. The one-time code OTC is a numerical value of a plurality of digits, and is generated each time permission is given in second authentication processing. The traffic signal controller 1a performs determination processing to determine whether or not a second password P2 included in the one-time code OTC input and transmitted by an operation unit of a maintenance device 2a is received in a lighting state of a step number of an aspect table T included in the one-time code OTC. When the second password P2 and certification information A coincide with each other, certification processing is completed, and a response to permit various communications is sent to the maintenance device 2a via the communication unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a traffic signal controller maintenance system that performs maintenance inspection on a traffic signal controller installed at an intersection using a maintenance device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a maintenance device that is connected to a traffic signal controller via a wired connection cable. When performing maintenance inspection, this maintenance device unlocks the door of the traffic signal controller, connects the interface part of the maintenance device and the interface part of the traffic signal controller with a connection cable, and then various maintenance inspection operations can be performed by an operator. After the maintenance inspection work is completed, the connection cable is removed and the door of the traffic signal controller is locked.

[0003] Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a one-time password authentication system using a time synchronization method.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In the maintenance device of Patent Document 1, when performing maintenance inspection in a bad weather condition, rain, wind, etc. may blow into the housing of the traffic signal controller, so it may be difficult to unlock the door and connect the connection cable.

[0006] Therefore, it is possible to connect the maintenance device and the traffic signal controller using wireless communication such as WiFi without using a connection cable. However, there is a risk of unauthorized connection from a general-purpose communication terminal, and there is a security problem.

[0007] Therefore, in order to prevent unauthorized wireless connection, for example, by adopting a time synchronization-based one-time password authentication system between the server and the client like the authentication system in Patent Document 2, it is possible to strengthen the security.

[0008] However, even if this one-time password authentication system is used, if the maintenance device itself is stolen or the one-time password is obtained illegally, there is a risk of unauthorized connection to the traffic signal controller. In the traffic signal controller, the order of lighting and blinking of the signal lights is numbered for each so-called step, and the time is set. And if, for example, the setting of the lighting time of the signal lights is deliberately changed, it may lead to traffic accidents and traffic jams.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a traffic signal controller maintenance system in which communication is permitted only when an operator inputs a password at an appropriate transmission timing from the maintenance device to the traffic signal controller.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] The traffic signal controller maintenance system according to the present invention for achieving the above object is connected to a signal lamp device at an intersection and includes a control unit for performing lighting control of the signal lamp device. The control unit repeatedly performs lighting control of the signal lamp device according to a display table composed of a plurality of levels in which the lighting state of the signal lamp device is set. The traffic signal controller maintenance system includes a traffic signal controller and a maintenance device connected to the traffic signal controller via wireless communication. The control unit determines whether the transmitted information transmitted from the maintenance device matches the pre-stored authentication information. If they match, a one-time code composed of a plurality of digits is transmitted to the maintenance device. Only when the lighting state of the signal lamp device corresponding to the level number included in the one-time code is reached, a password is received from the maintenance device, and a determination process is performed to determine whether the password matches the pre-stored authentication information. If they match, connection to the maintenance device is permitted.

Advantages of the Invention

[0011] According to the traffic signal controller maintenance system of the present invention, an operator who is familiar with the operation of the traffic signal controller grasps the lighting state of the signal lamp device corresponding to a specific level number included in the one-time code transmitted from the traffic signal controller, and authentication and connection are permitted only when the password included in the one-time code is transmitted from the maintenance device to the traffic signal controller at the timing of the lighting state, enabling various maintenance inspection operations.

[0012] Therefore, even if a person who cannot grasp the lighting state of the signal lamp device corresponding to the level number illegally obtains the one-time code, it is impossible to connect to the traffic signal controller from the communication terminal in their possession.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] The present invention will be described in detail based on the illustrated embodiments.

Embodiment

[0015] FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram of a traffic signal controller maintenance system according to the first embodiment. The traffic signal controller maintenance system includes a traffic signal controller 1a installed on a column H provided at an intersection C, and a maintenance device 2a connected to the traffic signal controller 1a via wireless communication such as WiFi and Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication.

[0016] The traffic signal controller 1a includes, in a sealed housing, a control unit 1b that controls the lighting of the signal lamp L and stores a display table T described later, and a communication unit 1c connected to the control unit 1b and performing wireless communication with respect to a communication area by an antenna or the like.

[0017] The control unit 1b controls the lighting of a pair of pedestrian signal lamps L10 for the main road S1, which is the road with a large traffic volume and a wide road width among the two roads intersecting at the intersection C, and a pair of pedestrian signal lamps L11 for the secondary road S2 intersecting the main road S1, including red lighting, blue lighting, and blue flashing, and controls the lighting of a pair of vehicle signal lamps L20 for the main road S1 and a pair of vehicle signal lamps L21 for the secondary road S2, including red lighting, yellow lighting, and blue lighting.

[0018] A pair of pedestrian signal lamps L10 and a pair of vehicle signal lamps L20 are installed with the secondary road S2 in between, and a pair of pedestrian signal lamps L11 and a pair of vehicle signal lamps L21 are installed with the main road S1 in between.

[0019] These vehicle signal lights L20 and L21, and the pedestrian signal lights L10 and L11 will alternately turn blue and red. Also, a push-button box (not shown in the figure) can be connected to the signal light L. When a pedestrian presses the push button on the push-button box installed in front of the crosswalk, the control unit 1b performs lighting control to switch the vehicle signal lights L20 and L21, whose lighting state was fixed to blue lighting, to red lighting.

[0020] Note that by operating such a push button, the lighting control for switching the lighting state is performed only at night. Regarding the daytime, it is also possible to perform an operation of alternately repeating blue lighting and red lighting for the vehicle signal lights L20 and L21 and the pedestrian signal lights L10 and L11 at a fixed cycle.

[0021] Figure 2 is an example of the display table T at a general crossroads stored in the control unit 1b. The solid lines shown in the display table T represent the lighting of the green signal, the dotted lines represent the blinking of the green signal, the wavy lines represent the lighting of the yellow signal, and the double lines represent the lighting of the red signal. This display table T is composed of a plurality of steps from 1 to 10. In step number 1, lighting control is set such that all the signal lights L perform red signal lighting. Along with the power-on of the traffic signal controller 1a, lighting control for the signal lights L starts in order from step number 1. Note that when the scale of the intersection becomes larger, a right-turn signal, etc. may be added, and the step number may further increase.

[0022] For example, in step number 2, lighting control is set such that the pedestrian signal light L10 and the vehicle signal light L20 perform green signal lighting, and the pedestrian signal light L11 and the vehicle signal light L21 perform red signal lighting.

[0023] In step number 3, lighting control is set such that the pedestrian signal light L10 blinks green, the vehicle signal light L20 performs green signal lighting, and the pedestrian signal light L11 and the vehicle signal light L21 perform red signal lighting. And similarly in step numbers 4 to 10, lighting control based on the display table T shown in Figure 2 is set.

[0024] For each of the staircase numbers 1 to 10, a normal setting time for holding the lighting state of each signal lamp L operated during normal times is set. The total time obtained by adding up the normal setting times for these staircase numbers 1 to 10, that is, the time for one round of staircase numbers 1 to 10, is defined as one cycle time. After the last staircase number, which is staircase number 10, it returns to the first staircase number, which is staircase number 1, and this cycle is sequentially repeated.

[0025] The maintenance device 2a is, for example, a highly versatile notebook PC, which is brought by the worker M during the maintenance and inspection of the traffic signal controller 1a. The maintenance device 2a includes an operation unit 2b and a screen unit 2c, and it may be composed of only one device such as a notebook PC, or a configuration including a plurality of devices such as a notebook PC and a mobile terminal which is a separate terminal can also be adopted.

[0026] The traffic signal controller 1a and the maintenance device 2a can transmit and receive various data through wireless communication, such as WiFi communication or Bluetooth communication. In the traffic signal controller 1a which is the server machine side, after the maintenance device 2a which is the client machine side is authenticated, the maintenance device 2a can be used to update various constants set in the traffic signal controller 1a and perform maintenance and inspection operations such as monitoring the lighting operation of the signal lamp L.

[0027] In order to enable such maintenance and inspection operations, after multiple authentication processes from the maintenance device 2a, it is finally authenticated by the traffic signal controller 1a, and communication between the traffic signal controller 1a and the maintenance device 2a is permitted.

[0028] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure of the authentication process of the maintenance device 2a and the traffic signal controller 1a in the first embodiment, and the authentication process is composed of the first to third authentication processes.

[0029] First, as the first authentication process, a login process using a wireless medium is performed. When the maintenance device 2a enters the communicable area of the communication unit 1c of the traffic signal controller 1a, for example, if the wireless medium is WiFi, a determination process is performed to check whether the WiFi password information transmitted from the maintenance device 2a matches the login information pre-set by the control unit 1b of the traffic signal controller 1a.

[0030] If the wireless medium is Bluetooth, a determination process is performed to check whether the pairing information transmitted from the maintenance device 2a matches the pairing information which is the login information set in the traffic signal controller 1a.

[0031] When the received login information matches the authentication information stored in the control unit 1b, a permission response is sent to the maintenance device 2a via the communication unit 1c, and then the process proceeds to the second authentication process.

[0032] The control unit 1b performs a determination process to check whether the transmitted information of the ID and the first password P1 input and transmitted by the operation unit 2b of the maintenance device 2a matches the authentication information pre-set by the control unit 1b.

[0033] Note that the transmitted information is composed of packets including headers, IP addresses, etc. in addition to the authentication information. Also, it is preferable to communicate between the traffic signal controller 1a and the maintenance device 2a using an encryption protocol such as SSL / TLS.

[0034] When the transmitted information SI of the ID and the first password P1 matches the authentication information A stored in the control unit 1b, a one-time code OTC is transmitted to the maintenance device 2a via the communication unit 1c.

[0035] This one-time code OTC is a multi-digit numerical value and is generated each time a connection is permitted in the second authentication process. For example, a six-digit numerical value such as "502545" is transmitted from the control unit 1b as the one-time code OTC and is displayed on the screen unit 2c of the maintenance device 2a. The first numerical value of this one-time code OTC indicates one of the multiple staircase numbers in the display table T shown in Figure 2, and the numerical value 5 means staircase number 5.

[0036] Also, the 0 of the second numerical value is a numerical value for separating the staircase number from the second password P2 that is input and transmitted to the maintenance device 2a, and this 0 does not necessarily need to be inserted. That is, the second password P2 becomes "2545", which is the numerical value obtained by removing the staircase number and the separating numerical value from the one-time code OTC.

[0037] The worker M arrives at the intersection C and, by checking the lighting state of the signal lamp device L, can recognize the state of staircase number 1 where all the signal lamp devices L are lit red, and the state of staircase number 2 where the pedestrian signal lamp device L10 and the vehicle signal lamp device L20 on the main road S1 are lit blue. And it becomes possible to grasp the staircase numbers 1 to 10 of the display table T visually.

[0038] Subsequently, moving on to the third authentication process, the control unit 1b performs a determination process on whether it has received the second password P2, which is "2545", input and transmitted by the operation unit 2b of the maintenance device 2a, when the lighting state of staircase number 5 is on.

[0039] If the control unit 1b receives the second password P2 in a lighting state other than staircase number 5, which is the staircase number included in the one-time code OTC, it will not be authenticated, the authentication process will be reset, and the authentication process will be restarted from the first authentication process or the second authentication process. Note that the control unit 1b may be set to reset when the determination process is incorrect continuously multiple times.

[0040] Then, the control unit 1b receives the second password P2 from the maintenance device 2a when the lighting state of the staircase number 5 is on, and when this second password P2 matches the authentication information which is the numerical value obtained by removing the staircase number and the numerical value for delimiter from the transmitted one-time code OTC, the control unit 1b completes the authentication process and performs a response to permit various communications to the maintenance device 2a via the communication unit 1c.

[0041] Thereafter, the worker M can perform various maintenance inspection operations on the traffic signal controller 1a using the maintenance device 2a. Note that the staircase numbers included in the one-time code OTC preferably have a short holding time of about 1 to 2 seconds, such as 3, 4, 5, etc.

[0042] Also, for the third authentication process, after transmitting the one-time code OTC, when the lighting state of the signal lamp L of the staircase number included in the one-time code OTC has elapsed a plurality of times, for example, 2 times, the determination process is not performed and it can also be reset.

[0043] In this way, after a plurality of cycles have elapsed or when the input of the second password P2 is incorrect, the control unit 1b resets the third authentication process and starts over from the first authentication process or the second authentication process.

[0044] Also, the third authentication process may be performed a plurality of times, and the connection may be permitted only when the appropriate transmission timing is continuous and the second passwords continuously match.

[0045] When the first to third authentication processes are not continuously authenticated a plurality of times, the control unit 1b locks the authentication process shown in FIG. 3. To release this locked state, the door part (not shown) of the traffic signal controller 1a is unlocked, and the authentication process shown in FIG. 3 will not resume unless the unlocking operation is performed.

Embodiment

[0046] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the procedure of the authentication process of the maintenance device 2a and the traffic signal controller 1a in the second embodiment. The maintenance device 2a in the second embodiment is composed of a first maintenance device 2d such as a notebook PC which is an operation terminal for maintenance inspection, and a second maintenance device 2e which is a mobile terminal such as a smartphone.

[0047] For example, the first maintenance device 2d performs the connection via WiFi, and the second maintenance device 2e performs the connection by Bluetooth, and the first authentication process which is a login process by a wireless medium is performed respectively. In addition, a plurality of communication units 1c are installed in the traffic signal controller 1a according to these wireless methods.

[0048] Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 1b transmits the one-time code OTC of the second authentication process to the second maintenance device 2e. By performing the authentication process separately for a plurality of operation terminals like this, for example, even if the first maintenance device 2d is stolen, the first maintenance device 2d alone will not be authenticated by the traffic signal controller 1a, and the security is further strengthened.

[0049] In addition, since the worker M can grasp the operation of the display table T shown in FIG. 2, the worker M can easily understand the transmission timing of the lighting state of the staircase numbers included in the one-time code OTC. On the other hand, for those who access illegally, since they cannot grasp the lighting state corresponding to the staircase numbers, it is difficult to transmit the password P at an appropriate transmission timing, for example, about 100 seconds for one cycle and about 2 seconds for the holding time of the staircase numbers.

[0050] Thus, according to the traffic signal controller maintenance system according to the present invention, the worker M who knows well the operation of the traffic signal controller 1a grasps the lighting state of the signal lamp L corresponding to the staircase number included in the one-time code OTC transmitted from the traffic signal controller 1a, and is authenticated only when the second password P2 included in the one-time code OTC is transmitted from the maintenance device 2a to the traffic signal controller 1a at the timing of the lighting state, and various maintenance inspection operations can be performed.

[0051] Therefore, even if a person who cannot grasp the lighting state of the signal lamp device L corresponding to the step number illegally obtains the one-time code OTC, it is impossible to connect to the traffic signal controller 1a from the communication terminal they possess.

Explanation of Signs

[0052] 1a Traffic signal controller 1b Control unit 2a Maintenance device 2d First maintenance device 2e Second maintenance device C Intersection L Signal lamp device OTC One-time code P Password T Display table

Claims

1. A traffic signal control system comprising a control unit connected to a traffic signal device at an intersection and performing lighting control of the traffic signal device, the control unit repeatedly performing lighting control of the traffic signal device according to a display table composed of a plurality of levels in which the lighting state of the traffic signal device is set, and a maintenance device connected to the traffic signal control device via wireless communication, wherein the control unit determines whether the transmitted information transmitted from the maintenance device matches the pre-stored authentication information, and if it matches, transmits a one-time code composed of a plurality of digits to the maintenance device, performs a determination process of determining whether the password received from the maintenance device matches the pre-stored authentication information only when the traffic signal device is in the lighting state corresponding to the level number included in the one-time code, and permits connection to the maintenance device when they match. A traffic signal control system characterized by this.

2. The traffic signal control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the password is included in the numerical value obtained by removing the level number from the one-time code.

3. The traffic signal control system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that after transmitting the one-time code, the control unit does not perform the determination process after the lighting state of the traffic signal device corresponding to the level number has elapsed a plurality of times.

4. The maintenance device is composed of a first maintenance device and a second maintenance device, the control unit determines whether the transmitted information transmitted from the first maintenance device matches the pre-stored authentication information, and if it matches, transmits the one-time code to the second maintenance device, performs the determination process by receiving the password from the first maintenance device only when the traffic signal device is in the lighting state corresponding to the level number, and permits connection to the maintenance device when they match. The traffic signal control system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by this.

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