Mobile Traffic Control Vehicle for Dynamic Incident Response
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional traffic control devices are often stationary and insufficient in dynamically adjusting to changing traffic situations, particularly in areas lacking sufficient infrastructure or resources, leading to delays and inefficiencies in traffic management.
Innovation Solution
Equipping vehicles with integrated traffic control systems, including interactive displays and communication capabilities, to navigate to and mitigate traffic incidents, providing real-time notifications and adjustments to traffic flow, and autonomously or manually relocating after a designated period.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional stationary traffic control devices are used, then infrastructure coverage is established, but dynamic adaptability to changing traffic situations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms stationary traffic control devices into mobile vehicles equipped with traffic control capabilities. These vehicles can dynamically navigate to incident locations, adjust their positioning in real-time, and relocate as traffic conditions change, providing adaptability without permanent infrastructure installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The traffic control vehicles serve multiple functions: they act as both transportation vehicles and mobile traffic control devices. They can perform routine traffic control, respond to incidents, provide emergency response support, and adapt to various traffic scenarios, reducing the need for specialized infrastructure for each function.
2Reliability
If more conventional traffic control devices are deployed, then traffic control coverage is improved, but cost and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The traffic control vehicles are equipped with autonomous navigation and decision-making capabilities, allowing them to independently respond to traffic incidents without requiring constant human intervention or additional support infrastructure. They can autonomously navigate to incidents, deploy traffic control functions, and return to base.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of deploying multiple permanent traffic control devices throughout an area, the system uses a fleet of mobile vehicles that can be strategically positioned as needed. These vehicles replicate traffic control functions at different locations temporarily, providing coverage without permanent installation at each site.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traffic control devices are permanently installed, then consistent traffic control is provided, but flexibility to relocate for changing conditions is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The traffic control vehicles are pre-positioned at strategic locations or held in ready状态, allowing them to rapidly respond to incidents as they occur. Their autonomous navigation systems are pre-configured with incident response protocols, enabling immediate deployment without requiring setup or installation time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical infrastructure of permanently installed traffic control devices with autonomous vehicles equipped with electronic navigation and communication systems. This substitution enables rapid relocation and adaptive positioning without the constraints of fixed infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling traffic by a traffic control system includes transmitting, to a first traffic control vehicle, a first message requesting the first traffic control vehicle to autonomously navigate to a location corresponding to a traffic incident. The method also includes monitoring a location of the first traffic control vehicle based on receiving location information from the first traffic control vehicle. The method also includes transmitting, to the first traffic control vehicle, first information to be displayed via a first notification device integrated with the first traffic control vehicle based on the location information corresponding to the location of the traffic incident. The method still further includes transmitting, to the first traffic control vehicle after a period of time, a request to navigate away from the location of the traffic incident.