Vehicle Geo-Window Traffic Signal Preemption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing traffic control preemption systems face challenges such as the need for line-of-sight between vehicles and intersection controllers, and the requirement for extensive approach map creation at each intersection, which can impact performance and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An on-vehicle system that determines its location and heading to generate a geo-window, allowing it to transmit preemption requests to nearby traffic signals without the need for line-of-sight and extensive map creation, using GPS or terrestrial systems to define the geo-window boundaries and trigger preemption requests based on proximity to intersections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical preemption systems use line-of-sight detection between vehicle emitters and intersection receivers, then preemption requests can be detected from distant locations, but the system requires unobstructed visual paths which may not be available in all environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical detection system (emitters and photodetectors requiring line-of-sight) with a GPS-based location system. The vehicle's GPS coordinates are compared against pre-stored approach maps containing intersection coordinates, eliminating the need for physical line-of-sight between vehicle and intersection while maintaining detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces approach maps as an intermediary data structure that contains pre-stored GPS coordinates of intersections and their approach paths. This intermediary allows the system to determine vehicle proximity to intersections through coordinate comparison rather than direct optical detection, bridging the gap between vehicle location and intersection identification.
2Reliability
If traffic control systems create extensive approach maps at each intersection to track vehicle proximity, then preemption requests can be accurately triggered, but the complexity and resource requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the approach maps universal by storing them in a centralized database accessible to multiple intersection controllers. Instead of creating and maintaining separate map data at each individual intersection, the system uses a shared repository that reduces redundancy and simplifies updates while maintaining accurate proximity detection across all intersections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing approach map data in advance in a centralized database. The maps are created beforehand with all necessary intersection coordinates and approach path information, eliminating the need for real-time map generation at each intersection and reducing operational complexity.
3Speed
If preemption systems process vehicle information at each intersection independently, then local response time is minimized, but redundant processing and communication overhead increase across the network
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functionality of multiple independent intersection processing systems into a coordinated networked system. Intersection controllers communicate vehicle preemption requests and status information across the network, allowing shared processing of approach map data and vehicle location information, which reduces redundant calculations and communication overhead while maintaining fast local response times.
Data Source
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AI summary
Approaches for issuing preemption requests. The boundaries of a geo- window are repeatedly determined based on locations and headings of a vehicle as the vehicle is traveling along a roadway. The methods and systems determine whether or not any one of a plurality of intersections is located within the boundaries of the geo-window in response to changed boundaries of the geo- window. In response to determining that one of the plurality of intersections is located within the boundaries of the geo-window, a preemption request is transmitted from the vehicle to an intersection controller at the one of the plurality of intersections.