Interconnected Intersection Control Using Weighted Vehicle Crossing Times
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traffic control systems at interconnected intersections struggle to efficiently manage vehicular traffic, leading to congestion, increased fuel consumption, and safety risks due to inadequate real-time decision-making and communication limitations, particularly in urban environments.
Innovation Solution
Implementing edge devices, such as roadside units (RSUs), to perform real-time traffic control by partitioning roads into sequencing and control zones, determining optimal intersection crossing times and velocities, and utilizing mixed integer linear programming to minimize travel time while considering vehicle weights and traffic conditions at neighboring intersections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional traffic light timing control is used at interconnected intersections, then traffic flow can be regulated in a simple manner, but traffic congestion increases and travel time is extended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic traffic control by transitioning from fixed timing schedules to real-time adaptive control. The system continuously receives vehicle state data (position, speed, direction) from connected vehicles and dynamically adjusts intersection control decisions based on current traffic conditions, enabling the system to adapt to changing traffic patterns and minimize vehicle travel time while maintaining efficient traffic flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a closed-loop feedback mechanism where traffic state information from interconnected intersections is continuously collected, processed, and used to adjust control decisions. The coordination between neighboring intersections is achieved through feedback loops that share traffic state data and synchronize control actions, allowing the system to respond to traffic congestion and optimize overall network performance in real-time.
2Loss of energy
If real-time optimal control decisions are implemented using edge devices, then traffic congestion is reduced and fuel consumption decreases, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces edge devices as intermediary components deployed at strategic locations near intersections. These edge devices act as local processing nodes that receive vehicle data, perform real-time computations for optimal control decisions, and communicate with both vehicles and central infrastructure. This intermediary architecture distributes computational complexity from centralized systems to localized edge nodes, reducing overall system complexity while enabling real-time energy-efficient traffic control.
Solution Approach 2:
The traffic control system is segmented into multiple independent components: vehicle onboard units, edge devices at intersections, and central management systems. Each segment performs specific functions (data collection, real-time processing, coordination) and can operate semi-independently. This segmentation allows the system to implement complex real-time control without requiring a monolithic complex infrastructure, as each segment can be optimized and deployed separately.
3Productivity
If coordinated traffic control is implemented at interconnected intersections, then overall traffic efficiency improves, but system complexity and difficulty of implementation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges traffic control functions across interconnected intersections into a coordinated system. Neighboring intersections share traffic state information and synchronize their control decisions to optimize traffic flow through the network. By merging control actions across multiple intersections rather than operating independently, the system achieves improved overall efficiency while managing complexity through standardized communication protocols and integrated processing.
Data Source
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AI summary
A traffic control system for controlling traffic at interconnected intersections is provided, where the system comprises a receiver that receives traffic data that indicates states of vehicles approaching an intersection of the interconnected intersections and directions of the vehicles exiting the intersection. Further, the system comprises a processor that determines intersection crossing times and velocities of vehicles approaching the intersection by minimizing at least one of a total travel time or a maximum travel time of the vehicles for crossing the intersection. The contribution of each vehicle of the vehicles approaching the intersection in the at least one of a total travel time or a maximum travel time is weighted based on directions of the vehicles and traffic at next intersection. Further, the system comprises a transmitter that transmits the intersection crossing times and velocities to the vehicles exiting the intersection for controlling the traffic at the interconnected intersections.