EP4124691A1

EP4124691A1 - Device for road signalling and operation method thereof

Info

Publication number: EP4124691A1
Application number: EP21198961.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Francisco João ANASTÁCIO DUARTE
Original assignee: Pavnext Technological Pavements Ltda
Current assignee: Pavnext Technological Pavements Ltda
Priority date: 2021-07-30
Filing date: 2021-09-24
Publication date: 2023-02-01

Abstract

Device for road signalling at a crosswalk, comprising: a protuberant elongated structure for arranging in a pavement transversally to the road traffic direction comprising a top surface for supporting the weight of a vehicle, said top surface having a plurality of openings arranged along a length of said structure for projecting light onto approaching vehicles; a plurality of light emitters also arranged along said length for emitting light through the plurality of openings; an electronic data processor configured to operate the light emitters by: receiving a signal indicating that a pedestrian is entering the crosswalk and indicating a direction of movement by the pedestrian; activating the plurality of light emitters directionally according to the indicated direction of movement of the pedestrian.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a device for road signalling from the pavement, integrating a controller and electronic equipment to operate a lighting system and to measure the weight and speed of vehicle circulation. The present disclosure is applied in the area of road safety, especially in the protection of vulnerable users of public roads, in the management and control of road traffic, and also in the area of equipment, systems and methods for intelligent road signalling and road signalling control.

BACKGROUND

The introduction of safety measures such as the mandatory use of seat belts in automobiles and of helmets in motorcycles, as well as the implementation of limitations to the speed of circulation on different types of roads and on the level of blood alcohol levels have enabled, in the past, to achieve a significant reduction in the number of road accidents. Improvements in the infrastructures and in the vehicles have followed, which also made it possible to make a positive contribution to reducing the number of these accidents. However, over the past few years, the reduction in the numbers associated to road accidents has stagnated and new solutions are needed in order to be able to significantly reduce these accidents to levels close to zero.
At the urban level, a great part of road accidents directly affect road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, and the vast majority of these accidents occur on crosswalks, the place defined for these users to cross the road safely.
The main measures implemented to protect the vulnerable road users on crosswalks are the implementation of speed bumps before the crosswalks, or even the elevation of the crosswalks, so that drivers reduce their vehicles' speed to avoid suffering a considerable impact when crossing these obstacles. However, these measures do not transmit any information to drivers about the presence of pedestrians on the site, or their intention to cross the road, they are simply implemented on the pavement so that the driver reduces the vehicle' speed. Thus, despite having significant effectiveness in reducing the number of accidents, by reducing the speed of circulation of the place, they do not solve the problem in its entirety, having other associated negative factors, such as the generation of noise pollution, due to the noise generated by the vehicle's interaction with the obstacle, and can also cause injury to the vehicle occupants if they travel at speeds above the permitted, as well as it causes damage to vehicles. Other problems associated with speed bumps are the increased danger of aquaplaning, as they hinder water runoff at the site; the increase in the atmospheric pollution of the place, as they lead to sudden braking and acceleration, which increases vehicle emissions; and also delays and damages to emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and firefighters. For these reasons, these solutions have a low social acceptance and infrastructure managers do not implement them massively.
Another solution implemented globally is traffic light signs, which allows to manage both car and pedestrian traffic in an orderly manner, defining priorities and controlling who should drive and who should wait, through a set of lights with different colours that allow drivers and pedestrians to know what action to take, the colours of the lights being properly regulated by an international road code. This measure is significantly effective, but it does not prevent human error, both from pedestrians or cyclists or from car drivers, and even at road intersections with traffic light signs, road accidents continue to occur, some of them with very negative consequences. The fact that this equipment has high associated costs is also a barrier to its massive application, making it mostly applied in places with a large number of vehicles, and not so much in places of considerable danger for vulnerable users to cross the road.
In recent years, with the aim of signalling places such as crosswalks, the concept of road markers was developed, initially with a backlight system to reflect the light coming from vehicles and thus become visible, especially at night, thus creating a warning for vehicle drivers; and more recently, these road markers have started to incorporate their own lights, mostly using LED technology, allowing them to increase their effectiveness as a measure of horizontal signalling of different locations, including crosswalks. Examples of these types of solutions are presented in documents WO2018184416 , US20080030978 , US7347643 , US6726398 , US6354714 , KR20120059158 , KR101986162 and EP3175043 . However, these solutions are typically passive, lighting up depending on the time of day, the brightness of the outside, or simply being turned on (permanently or intermittently) all day. These solutions typically have a cylindrical geometric shape, to facilitate their installation on the road pavement, but which translates into a very small amount of emitted light, which minimizes the warning effect to drivers.
A mixed concept was recently developed combining the speed-reducing bump and the road markers, with the speed-reducing bumps incorporating backlit elements or even LED lighting systems, as shown in the documents ES1158434U and US.2015/0216021 . With the introduction of lighting systems, speed-reducing bumps have higher levels of visibility, increasing the alertness level for drivers, which can have positive effects on speed reduction. However, these solutions continue to be based on speed-reducing bumps, maintaining all of their negative effects, previously presented.
Recently, some solutions were developed to control the lighting of road markers, based on the detection of pedestrians by cameras, laser sensors, infrared sensors, or sensors for determining distance by sound, or even activation by pressing a manual button, such as disclosed in the documents ES2246745 , ES2310120 ( EP.2141676 ), US6384742 and US2020/0199832 . However, these documents have systems with non-modular road markers, which do not occupy the entire width of the road pavement. These solutions typically lack an individualized control of road markers which could alert the drivers of vehicles about the direction of crossing pedestrians, which would increase the level of alert of drivers and maximize pedestrian safety.
From the analysis of the existing solutions, it appears that the existing road markers consist of individual equipment, typically cylindrical, which cannot be connected to each other in order to fill the entire width of the road strip (or even the entire road), limiting the effect of alert for drivers; that none carries out the monitoring of the weight and speed of circulation of the vehicles; and that none carries out a control of road markers with different effects depending on the crossing direction of the pedestrian.
It is concluded from this analysis that there are gaps in the area of road safety on crosswalks, which allows signalling the presence of pedestrians when they intend (or are) to cross the crosswalk.
These facts are disclosed in order to illustrate the technical problem addressed by the present disclosure.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Road accidents are a major cause of death worldwide and vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, are among the most affected groups. One of the places where there is a large number of accidents involving these road users is pedestrian crossings and one of the main causes of these accidents is the poor visibility of these users or, sometimes, their complete lack of visibility.
The present disclosure stands out from the devices already known by allowing it to occupy the entire width of the road, through the mechanical and electrical coupling of multiple devices along the road; it allows the creation of luminous effects by the individual control of each unit of the set, in terms of colour, intensity and duration of the lighting; it allows the monitoring of road traffic data, such as counting the number of vehicles passing over the system, their weight and speed of movement. With the lighting effects created by the solution, the effect on road safety will be greater compared to traditional road markers, due to greater efficiency in pedestrian signalling and improved interaction with vehicle drivers.
The present disclosure relates to a device to be implemented on the road pavement next to crosswalks, in the transversal direction to the movement of vehicles, with the objective of signalling the presence of pedestrians on the site through luminous effects. It is electronically controlled from a microcontroller embedded in the device and the device has a single or double light output, either in the direction of the vehicles going to the crosswalk and in the direction of the crosswalk itself, to illuminate it. The device is modular so that it can be coupled with other similar devices on its sides until it occupies the entire width of the road lane. The different devices are electrically connected to each other by their own electrical connectors, which allow the transmission of electrical energy and data between each module. The device is controlled by an external control unit, which defines the type of light effect to be performed by each module, depending on the detection of pedestrians or vehicles by sensors and external equipment.
The device also has the additional ability to measure the weight and speed of vehicles passing over its surface, communicating this information to the external control unit, which allows monitoring the traffic data on the place.
The device can also be integrated with other road safety equipment, such as traffic lights, complementing the light information of this equipment from the pavement, increasing road safety in these places.
The present disclosure is useful to promote the safety of pedestrians on crosswalks, as well as of other vulnerable road users such as cyclists, working with equipment integrated into the infrastructure of the place (sidewalks), with the main advantage of reducing the number of pedestrians being run over in these areas, which translates into a reduction in road accident rates, a reduction in the number of deaths and serious injuries and, ultimately, a reduction in the social and economic impact that these accidents have on society.
The main application of this solution is on road pavements, next to crosswalks, in order to signal the presence of pedestrians that are going to enter or are crossing the crosswalk, through previously defined luminous effects that allow identifying from which side the pedestrian is moving, and with a duration equivalent to the estimated time that the pedestrian takes to cross the crosswalk, giving it greater visibility and protection.
A further application consists of monitoring traffic data, namely counting the number of vehicles, measuring their weight and speed, in order to increase the knowledge of the local traffic and allow proactive action in order to improve the security level of the place.
Another application is the integration with other devices on-site, such as traffic lights, which can complement the light information transmitted by traffic lights for both vehicle drivers and pedestrians, with the lighting of the devices with the same colours as the traffic light, and thus increase the security of the place.
The present disclosure relates to a device for road signalling for application on pavements, to be implemented near crosswalks, integrating a controller and electronic equipment to operate a lighting system and to measure the weight and speed of vehicle circulation.
The present invention relates to a device for road signalling from the pavement, integrating a controller and electronic equipment to operate a lighting system and to measure the weight and speed of vehicles. This system comprises a structure that is embedded in the pavement and the surface has a non-flat shape, which has openings to light output, electronically controlled in terms of colour, intensity and duration, which allows the coupling to similar devices on its sides, electrically connected to each other by connectors, in order to occupy the entire road lane, allowing the creation of light effects.
The present invention is useful to promote road safety, namely to signal the presence of pedestrians when they are moving to or crossing a crosswalk, alerting vehicle drivers to the presence and direction of movement of pedestrians.
The device comprises a protuberant elongated structure, preferably a metallic or polymeric structure that is embedded in the pavement. The top surface of the structure has a non-flat shape, which creates a counterforce, by creating a small opposition to the movement of vehicles when passing over it, and it has openings on one or two sides to allow the exit of light from the interior of the device. This light is electronically controlled in terms of colour, intensity and duration. The device can be coupled to similar devices on its sides, being electrically and mechanically connected through specific connectors, in order to occupy the entire road lane, allowing the creation of light effects from an external controller.
The set of devices can be applied directly to the road pavement, or applied to a metallic structure, which is embedded and fixed to the road pavement.
The colour, intensity and duration of the lighting effect emitted by each device are controlled by an external control unit, which communicates with the electronic controller of each device individually and allows to create luminous effects that allow to alert the drivers of vehicles that are approaching the crosswalk about the direction of movement of pedestrians approaching or moving on the crosswalk, maximizing the safety of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, such as cyclists.
This device also has the ability to count the number of vehicles passing over its surface, as well as to measure its weight and speed, from the application of strain gauges into two columns inside the device, which is bendable every time that a vehicle passes over its surface, this deformation being proportional to the vehicle's weight. The strain gauges are electrically connected to the electronic board transmitting the information to the microcontroller, which in turn sends the information to the external control unit.
This device also allows having a system for generating electric energy by means of photovoltaic solar cells embedded in its surface, in order to produce electricity in a sustainable way, which is stored inside the equipment and used to energize both the electronic controller and lighting equipment. The device also allows for the embedded application of flexible material on its surface, in order to increase the coefficient of friction between vehicle tires and the equipment structure, which may be made of rubber or other similar material.
The external control unit consists of an electronic board with a microcontroller, which receives messages from multiple sensors external to the application, such as pedestrian and vehicle sensors, and sends messages to the electronic controllers of each device applied in the road pavement. These messages allow the creation of luminous effects, which in turn transmit visual alert messages to drivers of vehicles approaching the crosswalk, indicating which side of the crossing is entering (or has already entered) a pedestrian (or more) and in which way said pedestrian is moving, these effects having a duration equivalent to the time it takes the pedestrian to cross each lane, being thus variable and programmable depending on the number of lanes. If pedestrians are detected entering both sides of the crosswalk, the control of the luminous effect is adjusted so that the effect transmits this information to the drivers of the vehicles. The central control unit is also connected to a light sensor, in order to adjust the light intensity of the light signals, and is connected to a noise emitter, in order to alert pedestrians. It also has connections to external radio frequency equipment in order to receive information from external sensors and connected to long-range wireless communication protocols, to be able to communicate with other equipment or even to send data to an external database. The control unit can be applied either on the sidewalk, next to the pedestrian sensors, or on a vertical signal near the crosswalk, or in an electrical cabinet near the crosswalk.
The present disclosure relates to a device for road signalling at a crosswalk comprising:

a protuberant elongated structure to be arranged in a pavement transversally to the road traffic direction comprising a top surface for supporting the weight of a vehicle, i.e. the full weight of a vehicle rolling over said structure, said top surface having a plurality of openings arranged along a length of said structure for projecting light onto approaching vehicles;
a plurality of light emitters also arranged along said length for emitting light through the plurality of openings;
an electronic data processor configured to operate the light emitters by:
- receiving a signal indicating that a pedestrian is entering the crosswalk and
- indicating a direction of movement by the pedestrian;
- activating the plurality of light emitters directionally according to the indicated direction of movement of the pedestrian.

The plurality of light emitters is arranged along said length for emitting light to define two directions along said length; a first direction from a first end to a second end of the top surface, and a second direction from the second end to the first end of the top surface.
In an embodiment, the electronic data processor is further configured to operate the light emitters by:

receiving a signal indicating that a pedestrian is entering the crosswalk and indicating a direction of movement by the pedestrian and a walking velocity of the pedestrian;
activating the plurality of light emitters directionally according to the indicated direction of movement and velocity of the pedestrian.

The duration, velocity and intensity of the light emitted by the light-emitters vary accordingly with the velocity of the pedestrian when is entering the crosswalk. The duration and velocity of the light effects is proportional with the velocity of the pedestrian. Particularly, if the velocity of the pedestrian is fast than the velocity of the light effect is also fast and the duration of the light effect is reduced.
In an embodiment, the electronic data processor is configured to operate the light emitters by activating the plurality of light emitters sequentially in the indicated direction of movement.
In an embodiment, the top surface has a protuberant convex shape, a protuberant trapezoidal shape or a protuberant triangular shape.
In an embodiment, the light emitters are light strip.
In an embodiment, the openings are cavities.
In an embodiment, each cavity comprises one, and only one, light emitter of said light emitters.
In an embodiment, the device further comprises at least one strain gauge for detecting a vehicle weight.
In an embodiment, at least two strain gauges and at least two metallic bars arranged under the top surface for receiving a respective strain gauge.
In an embodiment, the electronic data processor is further configured to operate the light emitters by:

receiving signals of the strain gauges indicating a vehicle is bending the protuberant elongated structure and the strain gauges are being activated;
calculating the speed of the vehicle based on elapsed time between activation of the two strain gauges;
send the received signals and the calculated speed to an external control unit.

In an embodiment, the device further comprises at least one transparent element arranged below the top surface and covering the light emitters for protection from water and dust.
In an embodiment, the transparent element is made of acrylic or glass.
In an embodiment, the protuberant structure is made of polymer or metal material.
In an embodiment, the device further comprises photovoltaic solar cells for powering the electronic data processor.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a device for road signalling at a crosswalk, said device comprising:

a protuberant elongated structure for arranging in a pavement transversally to the road traffic direction comprising a top surface for supporting the weight of a vehicle,
said top surface having a plurality of openings arranged along a length of said structure for projecting light onto approaching vehicles;
a plurality of light emitters also arranged along said length for emitting light through the plurality of openings;
an electronic data processor;
said method comprising using said data processor for operating the light emitters by:
- receiving a signal indicating that a pedestrian is entering the crosswalk and the direction of movement of the pedestrian;
- activating the plurality of light emitters directionally according to the indicated direction of movement of the pedestrian.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving signals of a strain gauges indicating a vehicle is bending the protuberant elongated structure and the strain gauges are being activated;
calculating the speed of the vehicle based on elapsed time between the activation of two strain gauges;
send the received signals and the calculated speed to an external control unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures provide preferred embodiments for illustrating the disclosure and should not be seen as limiting the scope of the invention.

Figure 1 : Schematic representation of an embodiment of the device for road signalling in which 1 represents the device for road signalling from the pavement, 2 represents the protuberant elongated structure that composes the body of the device and which is embedded in the road pavement, 3 represents the upper surface of the device, being the surface with which vehicle tires interact and which is in the outer part of the road surface, 4 represents openings in the surface 3 that allow light to exit from the interior of the device, 5 and 6 represent side covers that allow to close and isolate the interior of the protuberant elongated structure 2, and 7 represents an electrical and mechanical connector that allows the device 1 to be electrically and mechanically connected to other similar devices on its sides.
Figure 2 : Schematic representation of the device for road signalling without the side cover in which 10 represents the electronic board that allows performing all the electronic control of the system; 11 represents a stripe with LEDs, which emits light towards the outside of surface 3, through surface openings 4; 12 represents a part made of a transparent element made of glass or acrylic, which protects the interior of the protuberant elongated structure 2 and the surface 3 from the entry of water or dust while allowing light to exist through openings 4; and 13 represents a metallic bar applied between the surface 3 and the protuberant elongated structure 2, which is bendable when a load is applied on surface 3.
Figure 3 : Schematic representation of the metallic bar 13, in which 13 represents a metallic bar applied between the surface 3 and the protuberant elongated structure 2; and 131 represents a set of strain gauges fixed to the bar 13, which are electrically connected to the electronic board 10.
Figure 4 : Schematic representation of the road signalling device, top view in which (1-8) are the same as Figure 1, and 9 represents an electrical and mechanical connector, with a symmetrical configuration to the electrical and mechanical connector 8, in order to allow the mechanical fitting between two devices 1 in a consecutive way.
Figure 5: Schematic representation of the profile of the device for road signalling, with different top surface 3 shapes in which 31 represents a device for road signalling with the top surface 3 having a convex shape; 32 represents a device for road signalling with the top surface 3 in a trapezoidal shape; and 33 represents a device for road signalling with the top surface 3 having a triangular shape.
Figure 6: Schematic representation of an embodiment of the device for road signalling, with an electric energy production system included, in which 3 represents the top surface of the device, the surface with which vehicle tires interact and which is outside the road surface; 40 represents a solar cell; 41 represents a transparent plate made of a solid and non-flexible material, such as glass, embedded in the surface 3; and 42 represents a base piece for the solar cells 40 and the transparent plate 41 to be seated.
Figure 7 : Schematic representation of an embodiment of the device for road signalling comprising a rubber plate embedded in the surface, in which 3 represents the top surface of the device, the surface with which vehicle tires interact and which is outside the road surface; and 45 represents a piece of rubber, or other flexible material with a high friction index, which is applied in the top surface 3, and with which vehicle tires interact when passing over the top surface 3.
Figure 8 : Schematic representation of a side view of an embodiment of the device for road signalling applied to the road pavement, in which 50 represents the road pavement; 51 represents a metallic structure that is applied to the road pavement 50, and which supports the device 1; and 52 represents a connecting piece between the structure 51 and the structure 2 of the device 1.
Figure 9: Schematic representation of a plurality of devices 1 for road signalling applied to a two-way road, next to a crosswalk in which 100 represents a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied consecutively and in order to occupy the width of the road lanes, applied at one end of the crosswalk; 101 represents a set of devices 1 applied consecutively and in order to occupy the width of the road lanes, applied at the end of the crosswalk opposite to the set 100; 102 represents a crosswalk; 103 represents a road, with a direction of circulation; 104 represents a road, with the opposite direction of circulation to 103; 105 represents the pedestrian walkway, on one side of the crosswalk; 106 represents the pedestrian walkway, on the opposite side of the crosswalk in relation to 105.
Figure 10 : Schematic representation of a plurality of devices 1, particularly a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied on a two-way road, next to a crosswalk, integrated with a pedestrian sensor system in which (100-106) represent the same elements as in Figure 9; 107 represents a set of pedestrian sensors, applied to the sidewalk 105 on one side of the crosswalk 102; 108 represents a set of pedestrian sensors, applied to the sidewalk 106, on the opposite side of the crosswalk 102 in relation to 105; and 109 represents the central control unit applied embedded in the sidewalk.
Figure 11 : Schematic representation of a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied on a two-way road, next to a crosswalk, integrated with a vertical signalling system in which (100-106) represent the same elements as in Figure 9; and 200 represents a vertical signal with a built-in lighting system.
Figure 12 : Schematic representation of a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied on a two-way road, next to a crosswalk, integrated with a traffic light system in which (100-106) represent the same elements as in Figure 9; and 201 represents a traffic light.
Figure 13 : Schematic representation of a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied to a road lane and the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk.
Figure 14 : Schematic representation of a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied to a road lane and the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk.
Figure 15: Schematic representation of a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied to a road strip and the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering both sides of the crosswalk.
Figure 16 : Schematic representation of a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied to a road lane and the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a vehicle approaching the location.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One of the main objectives of the present disclosure is to create a light interface between pedestrians and vehicle drivers, signalling the presence of pedestrians or other vulnerable road users on crosswalks, and the secondary objective of measuring road traffic data, such as the weight and speed of vehicles.
The device relates to a structure that is embedded in the road pavement, whose surface has a non-flat shape, which has openings to light output in one or two directions, with the light being electronically controlled in terms of colour, intensity and duration. The device allows it to be connected to similar devices on its sides, electrically connected to each other by connectors, in order to occupy the entire road lane and to create light effects that allow signalling more effectively the direction of movement of pedestrians on crosswalks. It also allows the measurement of the weight and speed of circulation of vehicles passing over the surface of the device, thus allowing the monitoring of road traffic data.
The present disclosure consists of a device 1 for road signalling from the pavement, which has an integrated electronic controller and equipment for operating a light system and for measuring the weight and speed of vehicles. This device 1 consists of a metallic or polymeric protuberance elongated structure 2, which is applied in the pavement, whose top surface 3 has a non-flat shape, which has physical openings 4 to allow the exit of the light from the inside of the device 1. The light is controlled electronically in terms of level of the colour, intensity and duration. The device 1 is a device and can be coupled to similar devices on its sides 5,6, mechanically and electrically connected to each other by connectors 7,8, in order to occupy the entire road lane, allowing the creation of light effects that maximize road safety on the spot, by transmitting visual information to drivers of vehicles approaching the crosswalk about the movement of pedestrians or other vulnerable road users, such as cyclists.
The device 1 for road signalling has an electronic board 10 with an embedded microcontroller, which is connected to the electrical connectors (7,8), the LED strips 11, and the strain gauges 131 applied to the bendable bars 13. Both the electrical energy to feed the entire electronic circuit and the digital communication data sent by the external control unit are sent by cables, connected to a connector 7, which transmits both the energy and the data to the electronic board. In turn, the electronic board uses energy and data and transmits both to the connector 8 on the side opposite to the input connector 7, thus passing these resources on to the next device 1.
The messages sent by the external control unit to the electronic internal control board 10 define whether the device 1 should light one or both of the LED strips 11, the colour and intensity of each strip, and the time duration of the light effect. The same communication line also allows the internal controller 10 to send weight and speed data to the external control unit. When received, the internal controller 10 activates the LED strips individually, which emit light to the outside of the device 1 through the openings 4 on its surface 3, in one or two directions, with these openings 4 on the surface 3 having embedded two parts 12 of a transparent solid material, such as glass or acrylic, which protects the interior of the structure 2 and its surface 3 from the ingress of water or dust, while allowing light to get out of the surface 3.
The microcontroller of each electronic board 10 is assigned with an ID, configured in its programming code, which is defined sequentially, between the device 1 applied on the pavement closest to the external controller and the furthest away. For example, if six devices 1 are applied to a road with a road lane, the closest to the external controller has the ID 301 and the furthest the ID 306; if there are two road lanes, 12 devices 1 are used and the closest has the ID 301 and the furthest has the ID 312, and so on depending on the number of road lanes and the number of devices 1 implemented.
In an embodiment, when a vehicle moves over the device 1, it applies its weight to the top surface 3 of the device 1, which is bendable proportionally to the vehicle's weight. Between the top surface 3 and the protuberant elongated structure 2 of the device 1, two metal bars 13 are applied, properly spaced, to which several strain gauges 131 are applied. These bars are bendable when pressed by the passage of the vehicles, proportional to the weight of each vehicle, and the strain gauges 131 will undergo a variation in their resistance. In turn, the strain gauges 131 are connected to the internal controller 10 of the device 1 which, based on the resistance variation, is able to determine the weight of the vehicle. On the other hand, the microcontroller of the control unit 10 is able to calculate the elapsed time between the activation of the strain gauge of each bar 13, and since the bars 13 are positioned at a known distance, it is able to determine the speed of movement of the vehicle.
The top surface 3 of the device 1 can have different geometric shapes, which are developed in such a way that the tires of the vehicles start and end contact with the top surface 3 at the same elevation, which must be equal to the elevation of the road surface, in order to avoid a stepping effect. Preferably the shape of the top surface 3 is convex 31, but it can have a trapezoidal 32 or triangular 33 shape.
The device 1 can be directly embedded in the road pavement 50, or attached to a metallic structure 51, with its protuberant elongated structure 2 completely embedded in the pavement, and its top surface 3 positioned completely outside the pavement. The metallic structure 51 has connecting pieces 52 on both sides, which allow this structure 51 to be attached to the structure 2 of the device 1.
In an embodiment, on the sides 6 and 7 of the device 1 two connectors are applied, 8 and 9, one on each side, which allow the direct connection between two light signalling devices 1 consecutively, by backing between the pieces, since on the left side 6 a female connector 8 is applied and on the right side a male connector 9 is applied. In this way, several devices 1 can be applied consecutively, until the total width of the road lane is reached, in order to signal the crosswalk 102 in its entirety.
The surface 3 of the device 1 allows the integration of an electric energy generation solution, preferably photovoltaic solar cells 40. For this purpose, the surface 3 has an opening, in which a set is applied, consisting of a support piece 42, on which the solar cells 10 are seated, and a transparent plate 41 of a solid and non-flexible material, like glass, applied over the part 42 and the solar cells 40, protecting them and allowing the transmission of solar radiation. In this way, the device 1 has the ability to generate electrical energy to feed its electronic circuit and also the LED strips, and can use a battery to store the energy generated during the periods of generation, and consume energy throughout all day.
The top surface 3 of the device 1 also allows the integration of a material with greater friction than metal, such as rubber or a similar one. For this purpose, the top surface 3 has an opening, in which a plate 45 is applied with a geometric shape symmetrical to the opening in the top surface 3, but which maintains the overall shape of the top surface 3, thus allowing to confer greater friction and traction to the tires of vehicles that pass over the device 1.
When the external controller receives information from an external sensor that a pedestrian is moving in the direction of entry of the crosswalk 102, for example from one of the pedestrian sensors 107, 108 presented in Figure 10, it starts a digital communication with the set of devices 1 applied to the pavement in parallel with the crosswalk 102, in order to transmit them indications for lighting their LEDs, for the creation of effects that promote road safety.
In an embodiment, Figure 9 explains the light effects created by the device 1. If a pedestrian is detected in one of the sidewalks, 105 or 106, on one side of the crosswalk 102, the control unit will receive that information and it will establish a digital communication with all the devices 1, both in the set 100 and in the set 101, indicating to each device 1 individually the action to be taken.
Figure 13 shows a representation of an embodiment where 301, 302, 303, 304 and 306 represent a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied to a road lane consecutively and interconnected with each other; 111 represents the first stage of the light effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 301 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; 112 represents the second stage of the light effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 302 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; 113 represents the third stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the modular device 303 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; 114 represents the fourth stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 304 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; 115 represents the fifth stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 305 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; and 116 represents the sixth stage of the light effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 306 on and the remaining devices with the lights off. In an embodiment, if a pedestrian is detected on the sidewalk 105 to the left of the crosswalk 102, the luminous effect to be performed by the set 100 of the devices 1 is shown in Figure 13. In this case, the external controller will send a message to the device 1 with the ID 301, with the indication of lighting one or both of the LED strips 11, with one (or more) colour predefined in programming, with an intensity that can be pre-defined or determined according to the luminosity measured by a luminosity sensor coupled to the external controller, and also with the pre-defined duration time; to the remaining devices 1 of the set 100, a message is sent to remain with their lighting turned off. After a predetermined time interval in programming, for example, 0,5 seconds, a new message is sent to all devices 1 of the set 100, giving the indication to the device 1 with the ID 302 to turn on one or both of the LED strips 11, with one (or more) colour pre-defined in programming, with an intensity that can be pre-defined or determined according to the luminosity measured by a luminosity sensor coupled to the external controller, and also with the predefined time duration of the effect; to the remaining devices 1 of the set 100, a message is sent to remain with their lighting turned off. After a new predetermined time interval in programming, for example, 0.5 seconds, a new message is sent to all devices 1 in the set 100, giving the indication to the device 1 with the ID 303 for lighting one or both of the LED strips 11, with one (or more) colour pre-defined in programming, with an intensity that can be pre-defined or determined according to the luminosity measured by a luminosity sensor coupled to the external controller, and also with the predefined time duration of the effect; to the remaining devices 1 of the set 100, a message is sent to remain with their lighting turned off. This sequence is repeated up to the ID 306, as shown in Figure 13, by sequence 116.
The external controller starts counting the time from the beginning of the effect; upon finishing sequence 116, shown in Figure 13, the external controller determines whether the time since the beginning of the sequence is greater than the time of crossing the pedestrian, pre-defined in programming: if the time is equal to or greater, a message is sent to all devices 1 in the set 100, with the indication to turn off all LEDs; if the time is shorter, the control sequence starts again, starting from the effect represented by 111 in Figure 13. Upon reaching sequence 116 again, the controller re-evaluates the continuity of the effect as a function of the elapsed time, repeating the process until the time from the beginning of the effect is equal to or greater than the pre-defined time for the crossing of a pedestrian.
It should be noted that in Figure 13 six devices 1 are directly coupled together, representing the number of devices applied in one road lane. In a two-road lane, as is the case in Figure 9, a set of six devices 1 per lane is applied, directly coupled to each other, with the effect shown in Figure 13 performed by each set of six devices 1 individually, meaning that the set of six devices 1 applied to the road lane 103 performs the effect shown by the sequence of Figure 13, while at the same time the set of six devices 1 applied to the other road lane performs exactly the same effect. Likewise, the devices 1 applied at the opposite end of the crosswalk 102, the set represented by 101, perform the same effect, in order to transmit the same type of information to drivers approaching crosswalk 102.
Figure 14 shows a representation of an embodiment where 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 and 306 represent a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied to a road lane consecutively and interconnected with each other; 111 represents the first stage of the light effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 301 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; 112 represents the second stage of the light effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 302 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; 113 represents the third stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 303 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; 114 represents the fourth stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 304 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; 115 represents the fifth stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 305 on and the remaining devices with the lights off; and 116 represents the sixth stage of the light effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a pedestrian entering the left side of the crosswalk, with the lights of the device 306 on and the remaining devices with the lights off.
In an embodiment, in case the external controller receives the indication that a pedestrian was detected on the sidewalk 106 on the opposite side of the crosswalk 102, the type of control performed is the same as the one shown above, but in this case, according to Figure 14, starting by turning on the LEDs on the device 1 with the ID 106, and following the same control sequence from the device 1 with the ID 106 to the device 1 with the ID 101, until the time elapsed since the beginning of the sequence is equal to or greater than the pre-defined time for the pedestrian to cross the crosswalk 102.
Figure 15 shows a representation of an embodiment where 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 and 306 represent a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied to a road lane consecutively and interconnected with each other; 131 represents the first stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of pedestrians entering in both sides of the crosswalk, with the lights of the devices 301 and 306 switching on simultaneously and the remaining devices with the lights off; 132 represents the second stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of pedestrians entering in both sides of the crosswalk, with the lights of the modular devices 302 and 305 being turned on simultaneously and the remaining devices with the lights off; 133 represents the third stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of pedestrian movement entering in both sides of the crosswalk, with the lights of the devices 303 and 304 being turned on simultaneously and the remaining devices with lights off; 134 represents the fourth stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of pedestrians entering in both sides of the crosswalk, being equal to 131; 135 represents the fifth stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of pedestrians entering in both sides of the crosswalk, being equal to 132; and 136 represents the sixth stage of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of pedestrians entering in both sides of the crosswalk, being equal to 133.
It is possible to detect two or more pedestrians on opposite sides of the crosswalk 102 at the same time or to detect a pedestrian on one side of the crosswalk 102 in the opposite side where a first pedestrian had been detected and which has initiated a control sequence of the devices 1. In these cases, the control effect is according to Figure 15, in which two devices 1 receive the indication from the external controller to turn on simultaneously, creating a combined effect from the devices 1 placed at the ends of the set (ID 301 and ID 306) to the devices 1 applied in the centre of the set (ID 303 and ID 304). The sequence is maintained until it is determined that the time elapsed since the beginning of the sequence is equal to or greater than the predefined time for the last pedestrian to enter the crosswalk 102.
There is also the possibility of the external controller receiving information from an external sensor that a vehicle is approaching the crosswalk 102. In this case, the control to be performed is shown in Figure 16, consisting of turning on multiple devices 1 simultaneously, intermittently, for a pre-defined period of time, in order to transmit a visual message that arouses the attention of the drivers. The control performed is identical to that previously presented, with the external controller sending digital messages to all devices 1, indicating to each ID which action to take at each moment.
Figure 16 shows an embodiment where 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 and 306 represent a set of devices 1 for road signalling applied to a road lane consecutively and interconnected with each other; 141 represents the first phase of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a vehicle approaching the place, with the lights of the devices 301, 303 and 305 being turned on simultaneously and the remaining devices with the lights turned off; 142 represents the second phase of the light effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a vehicle approaching the location, with the lights of all devices 301, 302, 303, 304, 305 and 306 being turned off; 143 represents the third phase of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a vehicle approaching the location, being equal to 141; and 144 represents the fourth phase of the luminous effect corresponding to the detection of the movement of a vehicle approaching the location, being equal to 142.
In an embodiment, the device 1 for road signalling can be applied together with vertical light signalling systems 200, with all the equipment in the set being controlled by the same external control unit, in order to synchronize the lighting of the vertical signalling 200 with the lighting of the devices 1 applied to the pavement and thus maximizing the safety of the place.
Similarly, these devices 1 can be integrated with traffic lights 201, also sharing the same control with each other. In this application, the potential for contributing to road safety is further enhanced, as the devices 1 can complement the light information transmitted to both vehicle drivers and pedestrians, sharing the colour of the lights individually for each user. For example, if the traffic light is green for vehicle drivers and red for pedestrians, the devices 1 may be green in the direction of drivers, through one of the LED strips 11, and have the red colour in the opposite direction, by another LED strip 11, towards the inside of the crosswalk, visible by pedestrians. Likewise, it can have a specific colour for the vehicle drivers' side, and not be light up to the inside side of the crosswalk 102, or vice versa.
The following pertains to examples of application.
In an embodiment, Figure 9, the device 1 for road signalling is presented, which consists of using a set of devices next to a crosswalk 102, in one 100 or both 100 and 101 sides of the crosswalk 102, at the level of the road pavement of one or more road lanes. All elements are controlled by an external electronic controller, which sends digital messages to the multiple devices for road signalling so that they light up a set of LEDs inside, with variable colour and intensity and defined in the control message, these being controlled in order to switch on and off progressively, creating effects that allow drivers of vehicles approaching the crosswalk on which side a pedestrian or cyclist will enter, or from which side a pedestrian or cyclist is crossing the crosswalk, thus maximizing the safety of the pedestrian or cyclist.
Figure 9 shows the application of the set of devices 1 on a road with two lanes with different directions of circulation, but the same set of devices can be applied on roads with different numbers of lanes and with one or two directions of circulation.
In an embodiment, the device 1 can be integrated with other external applications, maximizing its application potential and contribution to road safety. Figure 10 shows a complementary application of the system, in which it is integrated with a solution of pedestrian sensors 107, 108, which detect the presence of pedestrians at the entrance of the crosswalk 102.
In an embodiment, Figure 11 shows another complementary application of the system, in which it is integrated with a vertical light signalling 200 system, and Figure 12 shows another complementary application of the system, in which it is integrated with traffic lights 201.
Additionally to the functionality of light effects to promote road safety, the device 1 also has the ability to count the number of vehicles passing over its surface 3, as well as measuring its weight and speed, which allows applying this device as a traffic data monitoring solution, which can be communicated by the electronic controller to an external unit, which sends them to a remote database, which can be integrated into the city's data platform, in the smart cities concept.
In an embodiment, it is disclosed a modular device 1 for road signalling from the pavement, integrating a controller and electronic equipment to operate a lighting system and to measure the weight and speed of vehicles, comprising a protuberant elongated structure 2 that is embedded in the pavement, whose surface 3 has a non-flat shape, which has openings 4 to light output, electronically controlled in terms of colour, intensity and duration, which allows the coupling to similar devices on its sides 5,6, electrically connected to each other by connectors 7, in order to occupy the entire road lane, allowing the creation of light effects.
In an embodiment, the device 1 comprises:

a protuberant elongated metallic structure 2 that composes the body of the device and that is embedded in the road pavement;
a non-flat surface 3 at the top of structure 2, positioned outside the road surface and which has multiple openings 4, in one or two directions, which allow light to exit from the interior of the device 1;
covers on two sides 5, 6 of the device 1, that allow to close and isolate the interior of the metallic structure 2, which have electrical connectors 7, 8 integrated, one of the male type 7 on one side and one of the female type 8 on the opposite side, to allow electrical and mechanical connection between two consecutive devices 1;
one or two LED strips 11 embedded inside the metal structure 2, which emit light towards the outside of the surface 3, through the openings 4;
one or two parts of a transparent solid material 12, such as glass or acrylic, embedded in the surface 3, which protect the interior of the structure 2 and the surface 3 from the ingress of water or dust, allowing simultaneously the light output through the openings 4 on the surface 3;
two bars 13 applied between the surface 3 and the metallic structure 2, which have a set of strain gauges 131 applied in;
an electronic board 10 with an embedded microcontroller.

In an embodiment, the device comprises a non-flat surface 3 at the top of its protuberant elongated structure 2, which can have different geometric shapes, which have the same height at the beginning and at the end of the geometric profile, which can be convex, triangular or trapezoidal.
In an embodiment, the device comprises a non-flat surface 3 at the top of the structure 2, which has openings 4 in one or both directions of the non-flat surface, and has at least one transparent solid material element 12, such as glass or acrylic, embedded in the area of the openings 4, preventing the entry of water or dust into the interior of the surface 3 and structure 2, allowing the light emitted by the LED strips 11 to exit the device 1.
In an embodiment, the device comprises a non-flat surface 3 in the upper part of the structure 2, comprises an electric energy generation system embedded, composed of photovoltaic solar cells 40, a base piece 42 for application of the solar cells 40 and a transparent plate 41 made of a rigid material, to be applied over the solar cells 40.
In an embodiment, the device comprises a non-flat surface 3 in the upper part of the structure 2, which may have embedded a plate 45 made of a bendable solid material, such as rubber or similar.
In an embodiment, the device comprises an electronic board 10 with an integrated microcontroller, which is connected to the electrical connectors 7 and 8, the LED strips 11 and the strain gauges 131, with the microcontroller having a programmable ID.
In an embodiment, the device comprises an electronic board 10 with an integrated microcontroller, which individually controls the colour, intensity and duration of the lighting of one or two LED strips 11, depending on a digital message received from an external controller, which is communicated from the connection through the electrical connector of the male type 7 and retransmitted to the electrical connector of the female type 8.
In an embodiment, the device comprises an electronic board 10 with an integrated microcontroller, which is connected to a set of strain gauges 131 and receives analogue or digital signals from them whenever a load is applied on the surface 3 of the device 1, and depending on the number of activations it calculates the number of vehicles passing over the device 1.
In an embodiment, the device comprises an electronic board 10 with an integrated microcontroller, which is connected to a set of strain gauges 131 and receives analogue or digital signals from them, and calculates the weight of the vehicle wheel that passed over the surface 3 based on the value measured by the strain gauges 131.
In an embodiment, the device comprises an electronic board 10 with an integrated microcontroller, which is connected to a set of strain gauges 131 and receives analogue or digital values from them, and calculates the speed of the vehicle that passed over the surface 3, based on the time between the activation of the strain gauges 131 of the two bars 13, having the bars a fixed and pre-defined distance between each one of them.
In an embodiment, the device comprises an electronic board 10 with an integrated microcontroller, which communicates with an external control unit in a bidirectional way, receiving digital messages to control the LEDs stripes and sending digital messages to indicate the measurements made from the strain gauges 131.
In an embodiment, the device is implemented on the road pavement integrated with a metallic structure 51 with a geometric shape similar to the protuberance elongated structure 2 of the device 1, which has connecting parts 52 that prevent the movement of the protuberance elongated structure 2 of the device 1 on the vertical axis, fixing it mechanically to the metal structure 51.
In an embodiment, the device may be coupled to other devices 1 by backing the side covers 5, 6 and fitting the electrical connectors 7, 8 in them incorporated, with the male connector 7 incorporated in the side cover 5 of a device 1 to be connected to the female connector 8 incorporated in the side cover 6 of another device 1, connecting both devices mechanically and electrically.
In an embodiment sequence 100 of devices 1 for road signalling from the pavement, may be made up of a set 100 of multiple devices 1 applied on the road pavement, in one 103 or in more 103, 104 road lanes, connected between them by electrical connectors 7, 8 and connected to an external control unit from one end of the sequence of devices 1, applied to one or both ends of a crosswalk 102.
In an embodiment, a set 100 of devices 1 for road signalling from the pavement, produces light effects, from the digital messages sent by the external control unit, namely to signal the entry of a pedestrian on the crosswalk 102 from the left side of the crosswalk 102, to signal the entry of a pedestrian from the right side of the crosswalk 102, to signal the entry of pedestrians from both sides of the crosswalk 102, or to signal the approach of vehicles to the crosswalk 102.
The term "comprising" whenever used in this document is intended to indicate the presence of stated features, integers, steps, components, but not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.
The disclosure should not be seen in any way restricted to the embodiments described and a person with ordinary skill in the art will foresee many possibilities to modifications thereof. The above-described embodiments are combinable.
The following claims further set out particular embodiments of the disclosure.

Claims

Device (1) for road signalling at a crosswalk, comprising:
a protuberant elongated structure (2) to be arranged in a pavement transversally to the road traffic direction comprising a top surface (3) for supporting a weight of a vehicle, said top surface having a plurality of openings (4) arranged along a length of said structure for projecting light onto approaching vehicles;

a plurality of light emitters also arranged along said length for emitting light through the plurality of openings;

an electronic data processor configured to operate the light emitters by:
receiving a signal indicating that a pedestrian is entering the crosswalk and

indicating a direction of movement by the pedestrian;

activating the plurality of light emitters directionally according to the indicated direction of movement of the pedestrian.
Device according to the previous claim wherein the electronic data processor is further configured to operate the light emitters by:
receiving a signal indicating that a pedestrian is entering the crosswalk and

indicating a direction of movement by the pedestrian and a walking velocity of the pedestrian;

activating the plurality of light emitters directionally according to the indicated direction of movement and velocity of the pedestrian.
Device according to any of the previous claims wherein the electronic data processor is configured to operate the light emitters by activating the plurality of light emitters sequentially in the indicated direction of movement.
Device according to any of the previous claims wherein the top surface (3) has a protuberant convex shape, a protuberant trapezoidal shape or a protuberant triangular shape.
Device according to any of the previous claims wherein the light emitters are a light strip (11).
Device according to any of the previous claims wherein the openings are cavities.
Device according to the previous claim wherein each cavity comprises one, and only one, light emitter of said light emitters.
Device according to any of the previous claims comprising at least one strain gauge (131) for detecting a vehicle weight.
Device according to the previous claim comprising at least two strain gauges and at least two metallic bars (13) arranged under the top surface for receiving a respective strain gauge (131).
Device according to the previous claim wherein the electronic data processor is further configured to operate the light emitters by:
receiving signals of the strain gauges indicating a vehicle is bending the protuberant elongated structure and the strain gauges are being activated;

calculating the speed of the vehicle based on elapsed time between activation of the two strain gauges;

send the received signals and the calculated speed to an external control unit (109).
Device according to any of the previous claims further comprising at least one transparent element (12) arranged below the top surface (3) and covering the light emitters for protection from water and dust, in particular the transparent element being made of acrylic or glass.
Device according to claims 1-11 wherein the protuberant elongated structure (2) is made of a polymer or a metal material.
Device according to the any of the previous claims wherein the device further comprises photovoltaic solar cells (40) for powering the electronic data processor.
Method for operating a device (1) for road signalling at a crosswalk, said device comprising:
a protuberant elongated structure (2) for arranging in a pavement transversally to the road traffic direction comprising a top surface (3) for supporting the weight of a vehicle, said top surface having a plurality of openings (4) arranged along a length of said structure (2) for projecting light onto approaching vehicles;

a plurality of light emitters also arranged along said length for emitting light through the plurality of openings;

an electronic data processor;
said method comprising using said data processor for operating the light emitters by:
receiving a signal indicating that a pedestrian is entering the crosswalk and

indicating a direction of movement by the pedestrian;

activating the plurality of light emitters directionally according to the indicated direction of movement of the pedestrian.
Method according to the previous claim wherein the data processor further comprises the steps of:
receiving signals of a strain gauges (131) indicating a vehicle is bending the protuberant elongated structure (2) and the strain gauges (131) are being activated;

calculating the speed of the vehicle based on elapsed time between the activation of two strain gauges;

send the received signals and the calculated speed to an external control unit.