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Claims  |
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We claim:
1. A traffic-monitoring and information-providing system for monitoring and
analyzing vehicular traffic and providing information and warnings to
drivers on traffic disruptions, driver errors, dangerous road conditions,
and severe weather conditions, comprising: sensing means enclosing
detection points with induction loops; drive over scales and dynamic
wheel-load-sensors; a specific number of road-event-processors connected
to said dynamic wheel-load sensors; an intelligent bussystem
interconnected to said road-event processors; a varying processor network
of distributed intelligence interconnected to said road-event processors
through said intelligent bus system; signal processors connected to said
varying processor network; a signal network for generating traffic
signals; a lighting bus for connecting said signal processors to said
signal network; a plurality of interconnected luminescent elements
receiving traffic signals from said signal network; said luminescent
elements having signal lamps as optical signal generators.
2. System as defined in claim 1, wherein the traffic and load sensing
equipment comprises speed sensors, axle detectors, induction loops,
drive-over scales, and wheel-load meters.
3. System as defined in claim 1, including at least two detection points
distributed at prescribed intervals along a road with traffic and load
sensing equipment, interconnected signal lamps, and at least one
processor-and-control set in the form of a road-event processor.
4. System as defined in claim 1, wherein the luminescent elements with
signal lamps are distributed along and on both sides of the road.
5. System as defined in claim 1, wherein the luminescent elements with
signal lamps are combined into chains in form of a bus and can be
activated in groups as well as individually.
6. System as defined in claim 1, wherein the road-event processors in
several detection points communicate through a network.
7. System as defined in claim 1, wherein the luminescent elements can be
programmed and controlled in accordance with traffic situations and road
conditions detected by roadside traffic and load sensing equipment in the
detection points.
8. System as defined in claim 7, wherein the luminescent elements are
modules for installation in existing roadside lamp posts.
9. System as defined in claim 7, wherein the signal lamps are equipped with
monochromatic luminous field elements selectively in various colors and in
form of luminous field elements operable on the basis of blended hues,
said luminous field elements being power-optimal LED arrays.
10. System as defined in claim 8, wherein the luminescent-element signal
lamps in said luminescent elements are activated by intelligent electronic
controls having a computer module with a bus interface and are provided
with an address allowing programmed activation of a luminescent element.
11. System as defined in claim 10, wherein the signal lamps in the
luminescent elements are routed to their respective intelligent electronic
control through plugs.
12. System as defined in claim 8, wherein the luminescent elements are
equipped with sensors communicating with a road-event processor through a
system-inherent computer network and detecting the direction of traffic.
13. System as defined in claim 1, wherein the roadside sensing system of
detection points that detect traffic situations and road conditions
communicates through a network with a road-event processor serving as an
overall processor activating the signal lamps individually, all together,
as well as in a specified sequence and coordinates interface cards for
various sensors as well as signal-processing units.
14. System as defined in claim 13, wherein a series of detection points is
distributed along a road, each with a system of sensors communicating with
a road-event processor through a network to detect traffic situations and
road conditions, the road-event processors associated with each stretch
section communicating through a network.
15. System as defined in claim 13, wherein the road-event processor and the
sensing devices connected thereto are means for remote trouble shooting
and are remotely diagnosable to be watched by a central station.
16. System as defined in claim 15, wherein parameters and thresholds can be
remotely entered and tested electronically from the central station.
17. System as defined in claim 13, wherein the road-event processor
processes detected vehicle data and generates resulting data during data
processing and compares them with variable thresholds, said road-event
processor having a transgression matrix containing configurable thresholds
for comparing single parameters and selecting combinations of parameters.
18. System as defined in claim 13, wherein the road-event processor
classifies traffic disruptions and dangerous traffic situations.
19. System as defined in claim 13, wherein the road-event processor
operates conventional traffic-disruption algorithms.
20. System as defined in claim 13, wherein the road-event processor
processes detected traffic situations and road conditions in neural
architectures, an error-tolerant and wide-ranging associative matrix
allowing real-time processing on site coding threshold transgressions and
classifying traffic situations, a trained hetero-associative network
classifying traffic situations and interruptions in real time, said
network being a neuronal network using images of traffic dimensions and
thresholds summarized in a learning file along with practical empirical
measurements and synthetically generated training patterns and signal
patterns modified with variances for training purposes, classifying
traffic situations and disruptions in real time in an ABLE phase.
21. System as defined in claim 20, wherein the road-event processor
classifies vehicle models in neuronal architectures, classes of vehicles
being represented by signal patterns from individual sensors as
induction-loop dissonances, and by combinations of signal pattern from
several sensors.
22. System as defined in claim 13, wherein every road-event processor has
at least one interface for attaching environmental sensors and for
processing and optionally storing environment data and, in event of
infringement of prescribed thresholds, for releasing alarms and
actual-state displays.
23. System as defined in claim 13, and operating automatically with on-site
violation detection and automatic alarms.
24. System as defined in claim 13, wherein vehicle weight and axle load
selectively detect traffic disruptions along with such other criteria as
number of vehicles, model, and speed for the estimation of
traffic-engineering parameters and disruptions.
25. System as defined in claim 13, wherein the processor-network has a
modular structure and comprises road-event processors signal processors,
and interface inserts along with a master processor coordinating at least
one module of said processor network, said road-event processor having
slots for potential expansion and for interchanging sensors and
sensor-system interfaces, all said processors and slots being replaceable
and communicating through a bus, a sensor coupling being simultaneously
serviceable by modular connector boards, a respective connector board for
each type of sensor and interface being attachable and having integrated
anti-lightning protection.
26. System as defined in claim 13, wherein the road-event processor has an
interface module allowing operation through a real-time computer network
and with synchronization allowing operation with parallel networks and a
combination of sensing devices and actuating mechanisms, which are working
under real time conditions.
27. A method for monitoring vehicular traffic and providing information and
early warnings to drivers on traffic disruptions, driver error, dangerous
road conditions, and severe weather conditions, comprising the steps of:
detecting road and traffic conditions with a net of sensing equipment
enclosing detection points with induction loops, drive over scales and
dynamic wheel load sensors; emitting traffic information signals by a
measurement network to a given number of road event processors
interconnected with an intelligent bussystem to a varying processor
network with distributed intelligence means interconnected with signal
processors combined to a signal network by a lighting bus; and displaying
said traffic conditions over interconnected luminescent elements with
signal lamps distributed at intervals along the road and combined into
chains of lamps illuminated for providing continuously said traffic
information signals emitted from the measurement network at a
communication network to said interconnected luminescent elements.
28. Method as defined in claim 27, wherein said signal lamps in said
luminescent elements are operated at variable pulse lengths, variable
frequencies, and variable pulse-activation ratios.
29. Method as defined in claim 27, wherein said luminescent elements are at
least partly activated and operated against the flow of traffic at one
time by roadside sensors communicating with the processor-network.
30. A method as defined in claim 27, wherein to obtain real-time behavior
and cover continuous sections of road, said luminescent elements are
activated by at least one detection point signal to the processor network
and interpretation of said detection point signal by the processor network
following a given alarm-matrix for having an automatic malfunction
recognition or by manual illumination on interpretation of traffic data
from at least two sensors and processors and comparison thereof, or by
interpretation of the sensor system by procedures carried out in control
centers.
31. Method as defined in claim 27, wherein states of illumination of the
signal lamps in the luminescent elements are monitored and controlled by
central controls.
32. Method as defined in claim 27, wherein violations as excess speed,
truck passing, overload, driving in the wrong direction, etc. are
detected, and the signal lamps blink to inform the driver of what
violations are detected.
33. Method as defined in claim 32, wherein said chains of lamps operate in
real time in conjunction with the sensing equipment, using various
malfunction-detection algorithms. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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The present invention concerns first a method of monitoring vehicular
traffic and of providing information and warnings in due time to drivers
of traffic disruptions, driver error, dangerous road conditions, and
severe weather. The invention also concerns a system for carrying out the
method.
Sampling stretches of road with sensors to statistically determine traffic
situations, and correlating and processing the results at a
traffic-control center is known. The method makes it possible to vary
traffic-control signs on the basis of the processing results and
accordingly help drivers decide what driving tactics to employ, with
respect to speed for instance.
Economics unfortunately dictate that variable-message traffic signs are
found only sporadically at neuralgic ›sic|--translator! traffic nodes. It
is also and particularly unfortunate that the interval between detecting a
particular traffic situation and the associated effect on the traffic is
too long, given how rapidly changes occur, to make it possible to warn
drivers of critical situations and to decrease the risk of further
accidents consequent to an original accident.
Also known is a system of monitoring traffic and providing information that
uses radio beacons with lamps distributed at intervals along a road. The
beacons can be connected to and disconnected from a control center and are
activated by integrated receiving equipment. The signal-lamp receiving
equipment communicates with transmitters in motor vehicles. The
transmitters themselves are controlled by speedometers and crash sensors
in the vehicles and themselves activate the lamps in the beacons.
The theory behind this traffic-monitoring and information-providing system
is that a system of chains of lamps communicates by way of appropriate
receiving and transmitting equipment with sensors installed in vehicles.
The lamps are accordingly enabled to emit warning signals appropriate to
the vehicle's operating state of the vehicle and even when individual
vehicles or groups of vehicles are stopped, when traffic situations so
dictate. The operating state of a vehicle in traffic can of course only be
detected and exploited to activate the beacon system when the vehicle is
equipped with the appropriate sensors and with transmitting equipment
activated by them. The operating states of all the other motor vehicles
participating in the traffic cannot on the other hand be detected and
exploited to provide information and warning signals.
Another traffic-control system, known from an U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,284 uses
signal lights, too. A row of lights of three different colors is
positioned between individual traffic intersections to regulate the speeds
of individual vehicles. The speed of each vehicle is regulated to maintain
each within a wave of green lights from intersection to intersection. The
various colors accordingly have a specific effect on traffic control.
The vehicles are for this purpose detected by a strip of sensors extending
across the road. The results are forwarded to a central processor that
accordingly controls the signal lights along the associated section of
road. The central processor can also be provided with additional
information as to weather, for example, or parking-place availability, and
this information can also be displayed along the road.
The drawback of this system is the exclusively central processing of the
signal lights by way of an expensive and complicated network. Real Online
surveillance subject to real-time conditions is impossible because of the
unavoidably long and varying signal periods. The controls-technology
expenditure is considerable due to the use of three colors for each light.
In addition to expensive cabling, the roads must also be expensively
refitted with an entirely new type of signal technology in this system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention accordingly is an improved method of
the genus and purpose initially described that will allow dynamic
monitoring of the total traffic in a stretch of road equipped with such a
monitoring and information-provision system as well as due information and
warnings to drivers and hence the possibility of regulating the traffic,
but that does not require that the vehicles be equipped with appropriate
sensors and transmitting equipment. Another object is a traffic monitoring
and information-providing system that will carry out such a method.
The combination of measurement network, a processor network, and signal
network constitutes a method, working with a distributed-intelligence
system, whereby traffic control and regulation are completely
decentralized and conducted on site along the road. The luminescent
elements themselves can be manually programmed directly on site by way of
decentralized processors as well as remotely to load flashing programs for
example. The road and traffic conditions, detected by a sensing equipment
or manually entered are displayed over luminiscent elements with signal
lamps distributed at intervals along the road, combined into chains of
lamps, and illuminated simullaneously or in sequence, providing continuous
traffic information and when necessary warning in real time. The system is
especially used for dangerous road sections to improve traffic safely and
to realize a smooth traffic flow.
Specifically, processors are positioned directly along the road within the
processor network, e.g. a road-event-processor directly connected to the
signal lights controls in response to signals obtained from detection
points. The individual road-event processors are, connected together by a
processor network in the form of an intelligent bus system. An
inconvenient and complicated cabling is entirely lacking.
Section by section, one of the processors in each section is a master
processor that packages the data it encounters and organizes the
processors in relation to one another The master processor also
communicates by way of up-to-date means with a central control room. The
network architecture has distributed but still connected function.
Superordinate algorithms such as statistical evaluations or large-area
controls can be executed from the control room. Overall alarm signals or
other types of intervention can in particular also be dealt with by
releasing appropriate commands to the luminescent elements. Such events
would occur in relation to accidents, traffic jams, and bad weather for
example. Such a distribution of traffic-control functions into rationally
centralized and decentralized algorithms enables a new quality of traffic
control.
The invention accordingly concerns providing, in accordance with traffic
situations and/or disruptions detected by the traffic-and-load sensing
equipment or manually entered, drivers with information about such
situations and/or disruptions by means of signal lamps distributed at
intervals along the road, information that will affect the drivers'
behavior. Chains of lamps out of interconnected luminescent elements can
be operated continuously with a prescribed length as road-layout
accessories. This can be done with flashes of light traveling in both
directions, forward and backward, along the particular chain of lamps,
whereby pulse length, frequency, and engagement action can be varied.
Another advantage of the system in accordance with the present invention is
its employment of only one color for the signal lights. Traffic is
controlled only by varying the parameter intensity, frequency, and
direction of the particular signal light. In contrast to the exclusively
command function of said signal lights accordingly to the mentioned U.S.
patent, what occurs here is a generally comprehensible and
attention-atrracting warning function. Lights that flash at an optional
rate, animated signals that travel in an optional direction and at an
optional speed, and waves of flashing lights are in particular possible.
This represents definitely decreased operation expense as compared to the
U.S. patent in that only one color per light needs to be turned on. Wiring
expense is accordingly reduced 2/3 as compared with the known system.
Another decisive advantage is that conventional guideposts can be provided
with the luminescent elements. The cost of carrying out the method in
accordance with the present invention is accordingly even lower compared
to the method of the U.S. patent.
Another basic difference between the invention and the known system is the
that the U.S. patent describes only a strict intersection control whereby
the traffic is subject to surveillance and control only in relation to the
next intersection. Real-time surveillance by forwarding data associated
with a single vehicle from one section to another by way of meshed
networks as in the present invention is impossible in the known system.
This will also be evident in that in the known system, the control section
extends statically from one intersection to the next. Variable
control-section length of the type unavoidable for dynamic traffic control
is possible only with the method in accordance with the present invention.
Surveillance for accidents and dangerous driving are additionally
possibilities of the invention. In the method in accordance with the
present invention this is possible in that the entry of every vehicle as
well as of what within a section road under surveillance, whereby the time
that usually elapses until the next detection point is reached can be
individually evaluated or predicted for each vehicle. If an expected
vehicle is absent throughout a specific interval or if other thresholds
are exceeded, a graduated alarm is triggered and transmitted to the
superordinate surveillance device. Oncoming vehicles, for example, can
then be alerted about a jam as they encounter flashing lights. Analysis of
the reason for the warning will then occur interactively and in accordance
with centralized and decentralized algorithms. The luminescent elements
can then be controlled in accordance with the revealed cause.
It will be evident from the foregoing that, although what the U.S. patent
describes is indeed a traffic-control system with signal lights, but the
present invention concerns a new traffic-control-concept of distributed
intelligence by a special network architecture with data busses.
One embodiment of the invention provides means of dealing with violations
when they are detected. Excess speed, truck passing, overload, driving in
the wrong direction, etc. are examples. In such events the lamp-element
signal lamps will blink and inform the drivers of what violations are
detected. It is practical for the chains of lamps to operate in real time
in conjunction with the traffic-and-load sensing equipment, using various
malfunction-detection algorithms. The blink modes of individual signal
lamps forward of a vehicle can also be visible at the same rate of travel
and the same stretch of road. It will be of advantage for this to continue
until the detected violation ceases. A drive will accordingly not only be
constantly educated as to his misbehavior but will also be forced to
resume driving properly.
Another embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention addresses
warnings displayed for a specific effect and especially important
information. The threshold of visual perceptibility of the signal lamps
and their various levels of brightness above that threshold in comparison
with that of continuous illumination can be increased or optimized by
ergonomically optimizing the pulse frequency. The result is intensified
subjective conspicuousness. The luminescent elements can also be operated
at different intensities in accordance with the time of day (daylight or
darkness) and season (summer or winter).
Another important embodiment of the method effectively regulates traffic.
The signal lamps in the luminescent elements interconnected to create
chains of lamps in this embodiment can be operated with flashes of light
traveling at ideal speed along the chain in the direction of traffic.
Drivers will be intuitively motivated to adapt their driving speeds to the
ideal represented by the flashes of light traveling in the direction of
traffic. The necessary result is uniformization and pacification of the
traffic due to synchronization of the driving speed of all drivers.
Drivers often stop or slow down to rubberneck at accidents in oncoming
traffic or at spectacular non-traffic occurrences at the side of the ride.
Another embodiment of the method prevents this. The signal lamps in the
chains of lamps are operated with flashes of light that travel along with
and help to promote the flow of traffic. It can in this event be practical
for the flashes of light emitted by the signal lamps in the luminescent
elements to differ in hue. The states of illumination of the luminescent
elements or chains of lamps can also be monitored and regulated by a
control center.
Another important variation of the method provides drivers with information
about traffic situations and/or road conditions in the stretch of road
ahead. Road sensors connected to processing-and-control sets illuminate
and activate several lamp-chain elements backward, against the direction
of traffic.
Another embodiment of the invention, finally, ensures real-time behavior
and occupies continuous stretches of road. The chains of lamps are either
activated by a road sensor element with electronic processing and
automatic malfunction recognition or by manual illumination. The result
will be a shorter reaction time. Activation consequent on interpretation
of traffic date from two or more sensors and processors and comparing them
to obtain a mean reaction time will result in a moderate reaction time.
Activation by way interpretation of the sensor system by procedures
carried out in control centers of course will lead to longer reaction
times.
The second object is a system of monitoring traffic and providing
information that can be used to carry out the method. This object is
attained in the system recited in the preamble to claim 16. A detection
point is provided with traffic-and/or-load sensing equipment that operate
essentially across the lane of a road. At least two luminescent elements
are associated with the detection point. The luminescent elements are
distributed at intervals along the road, statically or dynamically
interconnected, and provided with optical signal generators in the form of
signal lamps and with at least one processing-and-control set in the form
of a road-event processor. The processing-and-control sets process
detected traffic situations and/or road conditions and illuminate and
activate the signal lamps.
At least two and preferably more luminescent elements provided with signal
lamps are accordingly associated with each detection point provided with a
road-condition sensor and processing-and-control sets. The length of the
intervals between the luminescent elements depends on the particular
situation.
The system in accordance with the invention differs from that at the state
of the art. The luminescent elements installed in the form of chains of
lamps along at least one side of the road are not controlled in accordance
with the invention by radio from sensors and transmitters inside the
vehicles or by a control center. They are controlled by way of roadside
sensors by a road-event processor that processes the traffic situations
and/or road conditions detected by the sensors. The processor then emits
signals in accordance with the traffic situation detected. The flashes can
be individual flashes or groups of flashes ahead of the traveling
vehicles. They can also be in the form of synchronized waves of light that
travel forward or backward at various frequencies, accelerating and
decelerating the flow of traffic.
There is accordingly no direct communication in accordance with the
invention between the individual vehicles in traffic and the luminescent
elements. The vehicles are monitored by roadside sensors. It is
accordingly not just motor vehicles equipped with special sensors and
transmitters that are monitored, but basically all the vehicles.
The system can, however, also have several detection points distributed at
prescribed intervals along the road with traffic-and/or-load sensing
equipment, interconnected luminescent elements, and at least one
processing-and-control set in the form of a road-event processor,
accordingly comprising a monitoring and information-provision system that
covers at least some sections of each stretch. The luminescent elements
can be distributed along either the right or the left side of the road.
Luminescent elements on both sides of the road, however, turn out to be
particularly practical. Such luminescent elements can be combined into
chains in the form of a bus, can be activated in groups or individually,
and can alternate between two signal hues, yellow and red for example.
At least some of the luminescent elements or signal lamps in another
important advanced version have a manual emergency switch for illuminating
chains of lamps to activate luminescent elements more or less opposite the
flow of traffic along an interval that depends on road layout.
It can also be practical in the system in accordance with the invention for
the road-event processors that act as processor and control units at
several detection points, distributed at intervals of several hundred
meters for example depending on local requirements, to communicate through
a network.
The traffic-and/or-load sensing equipment can in practical terms comprise
speed sensors, axle detectors, induction loops, drive-over scales,
wheel-load meters, and similar equipment.
It is also practical in terms of another advanced version of the invention
for each detection point to have a processing unit in the form of a
road-event processor for detecting and processing specified traffic
situations and/or road conditions and controls in the form of a signal
processor that operates in conjunction with the traffic processor to
activate the lamp modules or luminescent elements.
The roadside sensing system of detection points that detect traffic
situations and/or road conditions in another important embodiment of the
invention communicates through a network with a road-event processor that
in its capacity as overall processor activates the lamp-element signal
lamps individually, all together, or in a specified sequence and
coordinates interface cards for various sensors or signal-processing
units.
The roadside sensing system can consist of induction loops, axle detectors,
or weight sensors embedded in the pavement. The weight sensors can be
drive-over scales in the form of strain gauges, piezoelectrics, or
capacitative strips. Sonar, microwave, and/or infrared sensors not
embedded in the pavement for example can also be employed.
A sequence of detection points along a road can within the scope of the
present invention also be equipped with a system of sensors for detecting
traffic situations and/or road conditions. Each sensor communicates
through a network with a road-event processor. The road-event processors
themselves are interconnected through a network of processors. Each
road-event processor accordingly operates in conjunction with the system
of sensors associated with it, and the road-event processors associated
with various stretch-of-road sections intercommunicate. A system of this
type constitutes a basis for real-time traffic regulation.
The road-event processor in another embodiment of the invention is designed
such that the overall empirical cross-section of the lanes in a road and
the system of sensors defined for each lane can be flexibly configured.
One processor system an accordingly handle several empirical
cross-sections and or luminescent elements.
The architecture of the road-event processor in another embodiment is
modular and comprises various signal processors and interface inserts
along with a master processor that coordinates them. It is practical for
the master processor in such a system to be programmed in a high-level
language. The signal processors for example can in order to accelerate
operations be programmed in assembly language.
The road-event processor in another advanced embodiment has slots for
potential expansion or for interchanging sensors and sensor-system
interfaces. This road-event processor is also structured to afford such
multiple expansion as the further development of traffic
count-and-classification equipment into a dynamic weighing system with an
empirical load-flow cross-section. For this purpose it requires the
insertion of a sensor-interface card and corresponding sensors, drive-over
scales for example. Piezoelectric and capacitative-strip sensors can be
employed for the same purpose.
The aforesaid road-processor design also allows expansion of the activating
system in that the processors can be exploited to activate
variable-message traffic signs, traffic-guidance systems, illuminated
command signs, and illuminated instruction signs. The system can of course
also be designed to exploit signals from traffic-guidance systems
appropriately processed in the road-event processors to activate warning
systems.
It has been demonstrated particularly effective for all the processors and
slots to be replaceable and communicate through a bus in the form of a
mother board. The sensor coupling can simultaneously be served by modular
connector boards, and it should be possible to attach the appropriate
connector board for each type of sensor or interface.
The board should have integrated anti-lightning protection. The standard
sensor-system interfaces should be capable of expansion or replacement as
needed. The signal cables are then connected to the boards by strip
terminals, with each cable strand leading to a sensor board.
The road-event processor in another important embodiment is designed by
means of a special interface module to be network-ready for a real-time
computer network and for the synchronized operation of parallel networks
and hence for the real-time coupling of sensor systems and actuating
systems. This approach allows for reasonable real-time traffic-detection
sensor-system coupling to the luminescent elements distributed at
intervals along at least one side of the road as well as to illuminated
command signs, illuminated instruction signs, and variable-message traffic
signs.
It is practical for the road-event processor in order to monitor its own
function and the sensor system and to diagnose any errors, to have
self-testing equipment. This equipment will be designed for simple
operation even by inexperienced personnel, construction employees for
example, to test how the equipment functions. The self-testing equipment
can accordingly be provided with automatic search or can operate by way of
menus when connected to a portable computer.
The road-event processor in another important embodiment of the invention
has an interface for telecommunications. The telecommunications can be
through a telephone connection and modem or through modem operation by
directional, satellite, or similar radio transmission.
The road-event processor in another important embodiment has remote
diagnostics, and its function can accordingly be remotely monitored. It is
practical in another advanced version for the sensor system connected to
the road-event processor as well to be remotely diagnosed. Such remote
diagnosis can identify malfunctions of the induction loop, as can the
main-processor unit and/or sensor module during self testing. Any
communications or environmental-detection units can also self test for
functional capacity by means of remote diagnosis.
The processors equipped with telecommunications in another advanced version
are designed to allow the input and verification of parameters and
thresholds. Access is simply by code and can be secured with a password.
The road-event processor in another important embodiment is designed with
malfunction-detection algorithms to identify various hierarchies of
traffic malfunction. The hierarchies can be the empirical cross-section
with threshold criteria, speed limits for example or acceleration, as well
as stretch-of-road sections between adjacent empirical cross-sections. It
is, however, also possible to compare the empirical cross-section of a
stretch-of-road with the empirical cross-section of the previous or
subsequent stretch-of-road section. A stretch of road can also be
considered through several empirical cross-sections by different types of
detection and time-constant and practical methods and algorithms.
The road-event processor in another important embodiment is designed for
processing data detected with respect to individual vehicles or groups of
vehicles, emitting specific parameters and comparing them with variable
thresholds. Examples are a speed-limit matrix for individual vehicles and
for a series of n vehicles, an acceleration matrix, a minimal
bumper-to-bumper distance for individual and for n vehicles, changes in
the bumper-to-bumper distance, and axle-load or total-load threshold
matrix, and change in the load matrix.
The road-event processor in the aforesaid embodiment can, however, also be
provided with a violation matrix of configurable thresholds for comparing
individual parameters or combinations of parameters. The particular
parameters can be compared individually or in selected combinations with
the violation matrix, identified as violations or thresholds
infringements, and further processed.
The road-event processor can also be designed within the scope of the
invention to classify various traffic malfunctions in the form of
migrating jams, accidents, migrating interruptions, narrowing lanes,
road-construction bottlenecks, and even driver error. These events can be
classified in accordance with type of traffic situation by means of
empirical parameters and occurring violations. Classifying the traffic
situation assumes sets of rules for simple threshold transgression (single
rules) and/or sets of rules for simultaneous threshold transgression,
whereby the simultaneity can consist for instance of processing speeds in
conjunction with the bumper-to-bumper distance between several vehicles or
more.
The road-event processor can also be designed within the scope of the
invention for operation with conventional traffic-malfunction algorithms
in an individual method or multimodally, with, that is, a combination of
various malfunction-identification procedures or in combined algorithms.
The road-event processor can just as well be designed within the scope of
the present invention for conventional vehicle identification and for
screening signal patterns derived from induction loops and/or axle
detector in accordance with dissonance or inter-axle models and/or by
analysis of weight.
The features of various vehicle models can be defined in terms of
conventional screening in accordance with the particular objective. Up to
50 types can be identified if necessary. It is simultaneously absolutely
possible to directly add new classes to an already existing class at the
factory as they occur. Such requisite thresholds as wheelbase, vehicle
length, and dissonance can be entered into the system directly on site or
by telecommunications.
A system of this type can accommodate, display, and forward results from
individual vehicles or compress them into specially structured files that
can either be stored or further processed. The results obtainable from
individual vehicles include count, documentation, bumper-to-bumper
distance, classification, weight, axle load, speed, and various events and
violations.
The road-condition processor in another important advanced version is
designed in neural architecture for processing the detected traffic
situations and/or road conditions. Specifically, an error-tolerant
associative matrix with a wide range of interception for similar signal
patterns that allows real-time processing on site can be employed to code
threshold transgression and classify traffic situations. Such an
associative matrix accepts as inputs the various traffic parameters and
threshold transgressions and maps them onto outputs in the form of
traffic-situation classes.
A trained hetero-associative network can also be used in a road-event
processor designed in neural architecture for processing detected traffic
situations and/or road conditions to classify traffic situations and
interruptions in real time. Such a network can be neuronal network that
uses images of traffic dimensions and thresholds summarized in a learning
file along with practical empirical measurements and/or synthetically
generated training patterns and/or signal patterns modified with variances
for training purposes. Subsequent to convergence such a network can
classify traffic situations and disruptions in real time in an ABLE phase.
The procedure occurs directly in the road-event processor and can be
embodied as a separate accessory in the form of a plug-in or module.
The road-event processor can also within the scope of the invention be
designed in a neural architecture for classifying types of vehicle. Such
signal patterns from individual sensors as induction-loop dissonance or
even the combined signal patterns from several sensors can be exploited to
identify vehicle classes. The process involves neuronal pattern
recognition, and the results are subjected to further processing in the
scope of disruption identification.
Finally, the traffic-safety system in accordance with the invention can
also be characterized by being designed to operate on either external
power or battery. The ability to buffer power in a backup battery and
preserve stored data and incoming results in the event of an outage has
also been demonstrated practical.
Also of proven practicality is a power-consumption optimizing design.
Practical tests of an actual system have demonstrated that the current
intake for 12-volt direct-current operation is approximately 200 mA. At
such low consumption, both battery and solar power are possible.
Still another important embodiment can also be characterized in that every
road-event processor is equipped with at least one interface for attaching
environmental sensors, for processing and if necessary storing
environmental data, and, in the event that prescribed thresholds are
transgressed, for emitting alarms or actual-state displays.
Such a traffic-safety system can detect and process environmental data. The
road-event processor, again, can provide programmable
environmental | | |
