In-Vehicle Virtual Traffic Light for Emergency Route Preemption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional traffic signal preemption systems for emergency vehicles are costly and inefficient, relying on expensive infrastructure, wireless communication, and can be affected by obstructions, weather, and GPS signal loss, leading to potential safety issues and increased response times.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system that uses a database of position coordinates and predefined traffic cases to autonomously control traffic signals and provide priority routes for emergency vehicles, independent of external communication networks, relying on GPS and a long-range transceiver for direct vehicle communication, and displaying traffic signals and road signs on a vehicle-mounted display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional traffic signal preemption systems are used, then emergency vehicles can receive priority access through intersections, but the system cost and infrastructure complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of traffic signal control functionality within the emergency vehicle itself. Instead of requiring physical traffic signals to be modified or controlled by external systems, the emergency vehicle contains a complete virtual traffic signal controller that generates and processes traffic signal phases locally, effectively copying the intersection control function into the moving vehicle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the traffic signal control logic from the fixed infrastructure and places it entirely within the emergency vehicle. The vehicle's onboard system independently determines traffic signal phases, eliminates dependence on external wireless communication infrastructure, and manages all traffic control functions self-containedly.
2Ease of operation
If conventional preemption systems with wireless communication are used, then traffic signals can be controlled remotely, but the system becomes vulnerable to obstructions, weather, and GPS signal loss
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency vehicle's onboard system performs all traffic signal control functions independently without requiring external wireless communication or GPS services. The vehicle calculates its own position, determines appropriate traffic signal phases, and controls intersections using only its onboard database of intersection coordinates and traffic signal timing parameters, making the system self-sufficient and immune to external environmental disruptions.
3Speed
If conventional preemption systems are deployed, then emergency vehicles can navigate through intersections, but response times may be increased due to system activation delays
Solution Approach 1:
The emergency vehicle continuously monitors its position using GPS and proactively activates the virtual traffic signal control system before reaching the first upcoming intersection. The system pre-calculates the sequence of intersections to be controlled and begins signal phase transitions in advance, ensuring that traffic signals are already optimized for emergency vehicle passage by the time the vehicle arrives, thereby eliminating activation delays.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual preemption system for emergency and non-emergency vehicles to provide a priority safe route for an emergency vehicle, wherein the in-vehicle software can predict the predefined upcoming intersections on the priority route based on the heading of the emergency vehicle and the segment orientation. Therefore, the emergency vehicle knows the latitude/longitude of the upcoming intersections ahead of time to calculate a threshold start time associated with each one of the predefined upcoming intersections and transmit them to all vehicles approaching any of the predefined intersections on the priority route to start a safe transition of traffic signal phases associated with each one of these intersections just before the arrival of the emergency vehicle. Also to allow all vehicles on the priority route to slow down and pull over to the side of the road just before meeting the emergency vehicle.