JP2002208090A - Signal switching device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a signal switching device for reducing the cost to install a traffic signal per an intersection, reducing power consumption and preventing idling. SOLUTION: The cost is reduced and the power consumption is lowered by providing a plurality of roads with one signal switching device 10. Also, the power consumption is further reduced by using a solar battery 1 as a power source of a lighting device to light a signal of the signal switching device 10. Switching of the signals is performed by rotating an octahedral signal panel 2 clockwise. Countdown display of signal switching time is performed on a countdown panel 4 of a signal pole 4 to prevent the idling.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a signal switching device, and more particularly to a signal switching device for reducing the cost of installing a traffic signal (per intersection), reducing power consumption, and preventing idling.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, traffic lights have been installed such that the number of roads and the number of traffic lights are one to one. FIG. 7 shows an example of installation of a conventional traffic signal. Referring to the figure, for example,
In the case of a crossroad having four roads, up, down, left, and right around an intersection, traffic lights 21, 22, 23,
Since it was necessary to install 24 traffic lights, at least four traffic lights were required. Similarly, a T-junction required three traffic lights to be installed on each of the three roads, and a six-difference road required six traffic lights to be installed on each of the six roads.

[0003]

However, since one or more traffic lights are installed on each road as described above, the cost is high, and the power consumption for lighting the traffic lights is large. Further, in the conventional traffic light, the time until the signal is changed (signal switching time) is not known, so the driver is idling, which is not suitable for the current situation in which the vehicle is shifting to the direction of preventing idling.

[0004] Therefore, in order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a signal switching device that reduces the cost of installing a traffic signal (per intersection) and reduces power consumption.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a signal switching device for preventing idling.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention reduces the cost of installing a traffic signal by providing one signal switching device at an intersection having a plurality of roads, and reduces the cost of installing the traffic signal. Reduce power. In addition, a solar cell is used as a power source of a lighting device for lighting a signal of the signal switching device, and power consumption is further reduced. At this time, the signal switching is performed by rotating a signal panel having surfaces for several roads by one clockwise direction.

When the signal is red on the pillar of the signal switching device, the signal switching time is displayed by counting down (countdown display) using an electronic bulletin board to prevent idling.

An aspect of the present invention is a signal switching device including a signal panel and a lighting device, wherein the signal panel has a number of surfaces corresponding to the number of roads at an intersection, and has a signal lighting unit. The lighting device has a function of lighting, extinguishing, and blinking the signal lighting unit, and switches signals by rotating the signal panel, and can be installed at the intersection to maintain a plurality of roads. And

Another aspect of the present invention is a signal switching method using a signal switching device including a signal panel having a number of panels corresponding to the number of roads at an intersection and a lighting device, and using the lighting device. Lighting, blinking, and extinguishing a signal lighting section of the signal panel, and switching the signal by rotating the signal panel, wherein one signal switching device is installed at the intersection. It is characterized by the maintenance of multiple roads.

Further, according to an aspect of the present invention, in a signal switching process using a signal switching device including a signal panel having a number of panels corresponding to the number of roads at an intersection and a lighting device, the lighting device is used. Performing a step of turning on, blinking, and extinguishing a signal lighting section of the signal panel; and a step of switching a signal by rotating the signal panel; and installing one signal switching device at the intersection. It is a recording medium storing a signal switching processing program characterized by maintaining a plurality of roads.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, taking a signal switching device in the case of an eight-way road as an example. FIG. 1 shows a signal switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows an example of installation of the signal switching device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a signal switching device 10 of the present invention includes a solar cell device 1, a signal panel 2, a lighting device (not shown),
A post 4, a countdown panel 5, and an electronic bulletin board 6 are provided.

The solar battery device 1 is a power source of the signal switching device. While supplying daytime power, the solar battery device 1 accumulates energy obtained from the sun's rays during the day into an internal rechargeable battery to generate nighttime power. It has a function to supply. FIG.
As shown in (1), the solar cell device is designed in a shape of a cone or the like so that snow that blocks sunlight is not accumulated.

FIG. 3 is a top sectional view of the signal panel. As shown in FIG. 3, signal panel 2 has eight
Since it is a difference road, it is designed to correspond to an octahedron. In addition, the signal panel 2 includes signal lighting units 11 to 18, and includes a lighting device 3 including a light bulb 30 therein. Signal lighting part 1
Nos. 1 to 18 use a conventional round shape and arrange traffic in three colors of red, yellow and blue. FIG. 4 shows an example of the color arrangement of the signal lighting section corresponding to FIG. The signal lighting section has a function of rotating the panel by one plane clockwise with reference to FIG. 3 at the timing of signal switching. The signal lighting units 11 to 18 are arranged as shown in FIG.
The colors are arranged as shown in FIG. For example, when the signal lighting unit 11 in which blue is arranged is rotated clockwise by one plane, the signal lighting unit 11 moves to the position of the signal lighting unit 18 and the color of the signal lighting unit at the current position of the signal lighting unit 18 is changed. Changes from red to blue.

The lighting device 3 includes signal lighting units 11-1.
8 is a light used to turn on, blink, and turn off the light 8. In the case of an eight-way road, a light is provided in the lighting light device 3 in a direction as shown in the figure. In addition, 6 difference road, 5 difference road,
In the case of a crossroad and a T-junction, unnecessary directions can be removed and installed. In addition, at the time of signal switching, in order to add a time difference like a normal signal switching device (traffic light), the lighting light is turned off, and a signal lighting portion and a light are provided in excess of the number of roads for control. Can also. Further, when the traffic volume is low, such as between late night and early morning, it is possible to set so that yellow and red blinking signals are transmitted.

The pole 4 is an electric pole of the signal switching device.
It has the same height as a conventional traffic light. In the present embodiment, 8
It is an octagonal pillar because it is a difference road. The width of the pillar 4 is such that at least characters on the countdown panel 5 and the bulletin board 6 can be read. In the present embodiment, the width is set to about 20 cm, assuming the size of characters that can be read by the driver. T-junctions and crossroads use square poles, and 5 and 6 crossings use hexagonal poles.

The countdown panel 5 is provided for the purpose of promoting "idling stop movement". The countdown panel 5 is a pillar 4 facing the road.
This is an electronic bulletin board provided on all sides, and has a function of counting down the remaining waiting time (signal switching time) until the color changes from red to blue in seconds. For example, when the signal lighting unit turns red for the second time, the signal switching time (seconds) is counted down. This allows the driver to know the timing at which the signal changes to green, so that the engine can be stopped to reduce the emission of carbon dioxide.

The electronic bulletin board 6 has a function of posting road traffic information such as traffic jams and accidents in order to eliminate and prevent traffic jams. The electric bulletin board may be used together with the countdown panel 5 or may be provided separately.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the signal switching device of the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 5, the power of the signal switching device is turned on to start the operation (step A1).

Next, various variables are initialized (step A2). More specifically, the user confirms the date and time or hides the screen of the electronic bulletin board to delete previous traffic information and the like. Also, the remaining time of the rechargeable battery is measured, and the count of the countdown panel is set to “15” (seconds) or the like, and the signal switching time is set. Here, when the count of the countdown panel is set to “15” (seconds), 1
Since the rotation time of the surface is 15 seconds, when rotating at a fixed rate without adding a time difference, 8 (surface) × 15 = 120
(Seconds) makes one revolution. In the present embodiment, one second of the time during the rotation is included in the count number. It should be noted that the rotation time, the rotation ratio, and the time between rotations can be set according to the situation of the intersection.

Next, the solar cell device is started, and power for operating the signal switching device at night is accumulated in the rechargeable battery while supplying power to all of the signal switching devices (step A3).

Next, the lighting device is turned on, turned off, and blinked to send a signal from the signal lighting unit (step A).
4).

Next, each main process (which is a function name that summarizes the main processes described later) is performed (step A).
5), end (step A6).

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the main processing of the signal switching device of the present invention. The main process will be described with reference to FIG. First, the main process is started (step B1).

Next, it is determined whether the current signal lighting section is red for the second time (step B2). If it is not the second red, the process proceeds to the next process without doing anything. If it is the second red color, the countdown panel is updated and displayed (step B3). Specifically, when the count of the countdown panel is “01” (second), the process proceeds to the next processing without doing anything, and the count of the countdown panel is “01” (second).
If not (seconds), a count obtained by subtracting 1 from the count on the countdown panel is displayed on the countdown panel.

Next, it is determined whether to rotate the signal panel (step 4). When the signal panel is rotated (when the count of the countdown panel is "01" (second)), the signal panel is rotated clockwise by one plane. For example, if the signal lighting section is the second red, the display is changed to a blue signal lighting section. Further, the count is set to "15" (seconds) on the countdown panel of the signal lighting section which has become red for the second time (step B5). When not rotating (when the count of the countdown panel is not "01" (second)), the process proceeds to the next processing without rotating.

Next, it is determined whether or not to continue the process (step B6). If not, the main process is terminated (step B7).

Although the present embodiment has been described with reference to the case where signal processing of three colors is performed, the present invention is not limited to this.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be modified as appropriate. For example, the signal lighting section may be removed or made transparent, and the light quantity of the lighting light device may be increased to be used as a lighthouse.
When used as a lighthouse, the countdown panel and the electronic bulletin board are unnecessary and may be removed.

The embodiments of the present invention can be modified as appropriate. For example, although a mode in which the signal panel is rotated has been described, a mode in which the signal is switched by rotating a lighting light (which can emit colored light) or by rotating the signal pole itself may be employed.

[0031]

According to the present invention, the signal switching device comprises:
Only one aircraft was provided at an intersection having a plurality of roads, and signal switching was performed by rotating a signal panel consisting of a plurality of planes clockwise. In addition, a solar cell was used as a power source of the device. Thereby, (per intersection)
There is an effect that the cost for installing the signal switching device can be reduced and the power consumption can be reduced.

Further, in the signal switching apparatus of the present invention, an electric bulletin board is provided on a pillar portion, and a waiting time until a signal is changed is displayed by counting down. Thereby, there is an effect that idling can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a signal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of installation of a signal panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the signal panel and the lighting device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of color arrangement of a signal panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the signal panel according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the main processing of the signal panel of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of installation of a conventional traffic signal.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 solar cell 2 signal panel 3 lighting light device 4 signal pole 5 countdown panel 6 bulletin board 10 signal switching device 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 signal lighting section 21, 22, 23, 24 signal 30 light bulb

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A signal switching device comprising a signal panel and a lighting device, wherein the signal panel is a panel having a number of surfaces corresponding to the number of roads at an intersection, having a signal lighting unit, Illuminate, extinguish,
A signal switching device having a function of blinking, switching a signal by rotating the signal panel, and installing one device at the intersection to maintain a plurality of roads. 2. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic bulletin board for counting down and displaying a signal switching time.
The signal switching device according to any one of the preceding claims. 3. The signal switching device according to claim 1, wherein a solar cell device for supplying and charging electricity of the signal switching device is used as a power source. 4. A signal switching method using a signal switching device provided with a signal panel having a number of panels corresponding to the number of roads at an intersection and a lighting device, wherein the signal panel is provided by using the lighting device. Turning on, blinking, and turning off a signal lighting unit; and switching a signal by rotating the signal panel, and installing one signal switching device at the intersection to maintain a plurality of roads. A signal switching method characterized by the above-mentioned. 5. The signal switching method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of counting down the signal switching time using an electric bulletin board. 6. The signal switching method according to claim 4, further comprising a step of supplying and charging electricity by using a solar cell device as a power source of the signal switching device. 7. In a signal switching process using a signal switching device including a signal panel having a number of panels corresponding to the number of roads at an intersection and a lighting device, the signal panel is provided by using the lighting device. Illuminating, blinking, and extinguishing a signal lighting unit; and performing signal switching by rotating the signal panel, and installing one signal switching device at the intersection to maintain a plurality of roads A recording medium storing a signal switching processing program. 8. The recording medium according to claim 7, further comprising a step of counting down and displaying a signal switching time using an electric bulletin board. 9. The recording medium according to claim 7, further comprising a step of supplying and charging electricity by using a solar cell device as a power source of said signal switching device. Recording medium.