Transit Signal Priority Control via Actual Arrival Time Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current traffic signal priority systems for transit vehicles rely on continuous location and speed monitoring, which can lead to unnecessary disruptions in traffic and schedule adherence issues, as they do not effectively utilize actual arrival/departure times to manage priority requests.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that detect the actual arrival/departure times of transit vehicles at stops and compare them to scheduled parameters to enable or disable traffic signal priority requests, preventing disruptions and ensuring adherence to schedules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous location and speed monitoring is used to manage traffic signal priority requests, then the response time of transit vehicles is improved, but unnecessary disruptions in traffic occur and schedule adherence deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the priority request generation based on the actual arrival time compared to the scheduled arrival time. When the transit vehicle is behind schedule, priority requests are enabled; when on time or early, they are disabled. This dynamic control allows the system to adapt to real-time conditions and avoid unnecessary traffic disruptions while ensuring reliable transit service.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from actual arrival time data to control priority request generation. By continuously monitoring actual arrival times and comparing them with scheduled times, the system receives feedback that triggers or stops priority requests accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that priority requests are only generated when necessary, improving both response time and traffic flow efficiency.
2Reliability
If traffic signal priority requests are continuously enabled for transit vehicles, then schedule adherence is improved, but unnecessary traffic disruptions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically enables or disables priority requests based on whether the transit vehicle is behind schedule. This dynamic adjustment ensures that priority requests are only generated when necessary to maintain schedule adherence, thereby avoiding unnecessary traffic disruptions while still ensuring reliable transit service.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards (disables) priority requests when the transit vehicle is on time or early, avoiding unnecessary traffic disruptions. When the vehicle becomes behind schedule, the system recovers (re-enables) priority requests to maintain schedule adherence. This selective activation minimizes harmful traffic disruptions while ensuring schedule reliability.
3Reliability
If priority requests are enabled based on estimated time of arrival, then response time is improved, but bunching at stops increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from actual arrival time data to control priority requests. By comparing actual arrival times with scheduled times, the system receives real-time feedback that triggers or stops priority requests. This feedback mechanism prevents bunching by ensuring priority requests are only generated when vehicles are actually behind schedule, rather than based on estimates that could cause multiple vehicles to arrive simultaneously.
Data Source
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AI summary
Approaches for managing transit signal priority (TSP) requests are disclosed. The arrival of a first transit vehicle at a transit stop is detected, and a first value indicative of an actual arrival time is stored in a memory in response to the arrival of the first transit vehicle at the transit stop. A processor determines from the first value whether or not the actual arrival time of the first transit vehicle satisfies a scheduling parameter. In response to the actual arrival time of the first transit vehicle not satisfying the scheduling parameter, a priority request device is enabled to make TSP requests. In response to the actual arrival time of the first transit vehicle satisfying the scheduling parameter, the priority request device is disabled from making TSP requests.