Centralized Traffic Signal Preemption Management System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current traffic control preemption systems lack centralized management capabilities, making it labor-intensive and expensive to configure and update security codes for traffic signal preemption controllers, which affects the efficient prioritization of emergency and transit vehicles at intersections.
Innovation Solution
A centralized management system that allows administrators to define and update security levels for jurisdictions, determining authorized emitter codes and downloading them to preemption controllers, ensuring only authorized vehicles can preempt traffic signals based on their security codes and priority.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traffic control preemption systems are deployed across multiple intersections with individual configuration, then each intersection can independently control preemption, but the system becomes labor-intensive and expensive to configure and update
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple scattered preemption controllers across different intersections into a single centralized management system. The centralized controller consolidates the configuration and management functions that were previously distributed across individual intersection controllers, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining preemption control functionality at each location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a centralized management system as an intermediary between the administrator and multiple preemption controllers. This intermediary handles all configuration, security code management, and updates, eliminating the need for manual configuration at each intersection and reducing labor-intensive tasks.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual configuration of security codes is performed at each intersection, then each controller can be individually customized, but the process becomes labor-intensive and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the preemption controllers to automatically receive security codes and configuration data from the centralized management system without requiring manual intervention at each location. The system self-configures by downloading security codes and parameters remotely, dramatically improving configuration efficiency while maintaining customization capability through programmable security levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent allows administrators to pre-configure security codes and parameters in the centralized management system before deploying them to multiple intersections. This preliminary configuration action eliminates the need for on-site manual setup at each intersection, saving time and labor while maintaining the ability to customize security parameters for different locations.
3Reliability
If security codes are hard-coded in each preemption controller, then each controller is self-sufficient, but updates and modifications require physical access to each device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a centralized management system as an intermediary that maintains an up-to-date database of security codes and systematically distributes them to all preemption controllers. This intermediary layer enables remote updates and modifications without requiring physical access to each device, while the controllers maintain autonomy by storing and using the received security codes locally.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the static, hard-coded security code approach into a dynamic system where security codes can be remotely updated and modified through the centralized management system. The controllers transition from fixed configuration to flexible configuration that can adapt to changing security requirements without physical intervention at each location.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient and centralized management of traffic signal preemption controllers across multiple intersections, reducing manual labor and costs while ensuring priority access for authorized vehicles, thereby improving response times and safety at intersections.
Implementation Method 1
A receiver, which includes a photodetector and associated electronics, is typically mounted on the mast arm located at the intersection and produces a series of voltage pulses, the number of which are proportional to the intensity of light pulse received from the emitter.
Implementation Method 2
The conventional strobe tube emitter generates broad spectrum light. However, an optical filter is used on the detector to restrict its sensitivity to light only in the near infrared (IR) spectrum.
Data Source
AI summary
Managing traffic signal preemption at a plurality of intersections. In one approach a security level code that specifies one of a plurality of security levels for at least one jurisdiction is input. The security level controls which emitter codes are allowed to preempt traffic signals at the intersections in the jurisdiction. A set of emitter codes for the plurality of intersections in the jurisdiction is determined in response to the security level code. The set of emitter codes is downloaded to a plurality of preemption controllers at the plurality of intersections in the jurisdiction. Each preemption controller accepts a preemption request only if the preemption request contains an emitter code indicated by the downloaded set of emitter codes as being allowed to preempt traffic signals at the intersections in the jurisdiction.