746 results about "Traffic intersection" patented technology

An apparatus of the invention includes a device for triggering a camera to photograph a vehicle within a traffic intersection, where the triggering of the camera is dependent on the speed of the vehicle before entering the intersection and may also be dependent on presence information. The device includes a sensor system (or "sensor array") to transmit signals corresponding to a moving vehicle and a control system for processing the signals and triggering the camera. The signals preferably include "position signals" from which a transit time can be calculated, and "presence signals," from which presence information can be obtained, particularly the location of the rear of the vehicle or the location of the rear wheels of the vehicle. A trigger time for taking a picture of the vehicle may be calculated from the transit time. A method of the invention includes the step of transmitting signals to a control system in response to the vehicle passing over a first traffic sensor and corresponding to the speed of the vehicle. The method may also include the steps of transmitting presence signals to the control system, preferably corresponding to the presence of the vehicle in a known presence zone outside the intersection, and photographing the vehicle in response to those signals. The system preferably uses a first set of signals (reflecting vehicle speed or transit time) and a second set of signals (reflecting the presence of the vehicle) to determine when to trigger the photograph of the vehicle in the intersection zone.

The invention discloses a traffic prediction and control system for vehicle traffic flows at traffic intersections. A method and a traffic prediction and control system (TPCS) for predicting and controlling vehicle traffic flow through a traffic intersection dynamically with proximal traffic intersections are provided. The TPCS dynamically receives sensor data from sensors at a local traffic intersection, determines traffic flow parameters, and determines a traffic flow flux using the traffic flow parameters. The TPCS dynamically receives analytical parameters from sensors at proximal traffic intersections and determines a minimum safe driving distance between leading and trailing vehicles, a traffic free flow density, a synchronized traffic flow density, and a traffic jam density to predict transitions of the vehicle traffic flow across traffic flow phases through the local traffic intersection. The TPCS controls the vehicle traffic flow by dynamically adjusting duration of traffic signals of the local traffic intersection and transmitting traffic signal time adjustment instructions to the proximal traffic intersections to maintain an optimized traffic flow flux.