JP2014174795A - Traffic signal controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a mental burden required for safety confirmation of a driver when a vehicle turns right or turns left in an intersection having a crosswalk.SOLUTION: In a cross intersection having a crosswalk, a signal is controlled so that an access right is alternately provided to the traffics (vehicle or pedestrian) of a major road and minor road. When there is no crossing request of a pedestrian from a push button box, pedestrian blue in the direction is not displayed. When there is a crossing request, pedestrian blue is displayed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a traffic signal control apparatus for controlling a signal lamp at an intersection.

  At the intersection where a pedestrian crossing is installed, signal control is performed to alternately give the right of traffic to traffic on one road (vehicles and pedestrians) and traffic on the other road (vehicles and pedestrians). It is general (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this case, the vehicle signal lamp and the pedestrian signal lamp are signal-controlled so as to give the right to pass simultaneously to the traffic in the same direction of the vehicle and the pedestrian at the intersection.

JP 2012-234380 A

  When the vehicle turns left / right at the above-mentioned intersection where the pedestrian crossing is installed, the driver needs to pay particular attention to the pedestrian crossing the pedestrian crossing. Specifically, the driver needs to confirm the safety of the pedestrian even if the pedestrian signal lamp is displayed in red. You can turn left / right with some peace of mind compared to the display. For this reason, in view of the relationship between the driver's feelings of the vehicle to turn left / right and the pedestrian signal lamp, when the pedestrian signal lamp turns blue in a certain cycle, it tries to cross the pedestrian crossing. A driver of a vehicle turning left / right needs to be excessively careful because it is always displayed in blue although there is no pedestrian. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances.

The first invention for solving the above-described problems is
A traffic signal control device that performs signal control of a vehicular signal lamp and a pedestrian signal lamp so as to give a right of passage to a vehicle and a pedestrian in the same direction at the intersection at the same time,
Accepting means for accepting a pedestrian traffic request by a push button or a pedestrian sensor;
Pedestrian signal control means for controlling whether or not to perform signal control of a pedestrian signal lamp for giving a right of passage to the pedestrian based on the presence or absence of reception by the reception means;
Is a traffic signal control device.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the signal control that gives the right of traffic to the traffic in the same direction of the vehicle and the pedestrian at the intersection at the same time, depending on whether or not the pedestrian's traffic request is accepted, Whether or not to perform signal control of the pedestrian signal lamp for giving the right to pass is controlled. For example, when there is no pedestrian traffic request, the pedestrian signal lamp is displayed in red, thereby reducing the mental burden on the safety confirmation of the driver of the vehicle turning right or left at the intersection.

As a second invention, the traffic signal control device of the first invention,
The pedestrian signal control means controls the start of the blue display period of the pedestrian signal lamp based on the reception timing of the reception means.
A traffic signal control device may be configured.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, the start of the blue display period of the pedestrian signal lamp is controlled based on the reception timing of the pedestrian traffic request.

Further, as a third invention, the traffic signal control device of the second invention,
The pedestrian signal control means is configured such that the reception timing is a reception period in which simultaneous blue display is possible among the blue display periods of the vehicle signal lamp related to vehicle traffic in the same direction as the pedestrian signal lamp. In the case where it is within a predetermined period, a control to immediately start blue display of the pedestrian signal lamp is performed.
A traffic signal control device may be configured.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the reception timing of the pedestrian's passage request is within a predetermined period defined as a reception period in which the blue display period of the vehicle signal lamp can be displayed, immediately The blue display of the pedestrian signal lamp is started.

Further, as a fourth invention, any one of the first to third traffic signal control devices,
The pedestrian signal control means displays the blue display period of the pedestrian signal lamp on the basis of the reception timing of the reception means, and displays the blue display period of the vehicle signal lamp related to vehicle traffic in the same direction as the pedestrian signal lamp. Set and control variably within the period,
A traffic signal control device may be configured.

  According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the blue display period of the pedestrian signal lamp is variable within the blue display period of the vehicle signal lamp related to vehicle traffic in the same direction based on the reception timing of the pedestrian traffic request. Set to

Further, as a fifth invention, the traffic signal control device of the fourth invention,
The pedestrian signal control means is configured such that the blue display seconds of the pedestrian signal lamp is less than the blue display seconds of the vehicle signal lamp related to the vehicle traffic in the same direction as the pedestrian signal lamp, More than the minimum guaranteed seconds,
A traffic signal control device may be configured.

  According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the blue display seconds of the pedestrian signal lamp is less than the blue display seconds of the vehicle signal lamp related to vehicle traffic in the same direction, and is equal to or more than the predetermined minimum guaranteed seconds. Is done.

Further, as a sixth invention, the traffic signal control device according to any one of the first to fifth inventions,
The accepting means separately accepts pedestrian traffic requests for the main road and the secondary road of the intersection,
The pedestrian signal control means separately controls the signal control of the pedestrian signal lamp for each of the main road and the secondary road depending on whether the corresponding passage request is accepted,
A traffic signal control device may be configured.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the pedestrian traffic requests for the main road and the secondary road at the intersection are received separately, and the corresponding pedestrian signal lamps are controlled.

Installation example of traffic signal control system. The present floor ladder in 1st Example. An example of signal control according to the presence or absence of a crossing request. An example of signal control according to the presence or absence of a crossing request. Functional block diagram of a traffic signal controller. The flowchart of the signal control process in 1st Example. An example of signal control according to the presence or absence of a crossing request. Explanatory drawing of a halfway reception period. An example of the pedestrian blue display according to the reception timing of a crossing request. The flowchart of the signal control process in 2nd Example.

[overall structure]
FIG. 1 is an installation example of the traffic signal control system 1 of the present embodiment. The traffic signal control system 1 includes a vehicle signal lamp 10, a pedestrian signal lamp 20, a push button box 30, and a traffic signal controller 40. Each of the vehicle signal lamp 10, the pedestrian signal lamp 20, and the push button box 30 is connected to the traffic signal controller 40 so that data communication is possible by wired communication or wireless communication.

  The intersection where the traffic signal control system 1 of the present embodiment is installed is a cross intersection where the main road and the secondary road intersect, and the pedestrian crossing 3 is installed so as to cross the main road and the secondary road. Then, the vehicle signal lamp 10 and the pedestrian signal lamp 20 are signal-controlled so as to give the right of passage to the traffic in the same direction of the vehicle and the pedestrian at the intersection.

  The vehicular signal lamp 10 is installed on an upper part of a pillar or the like installed on the road side so as to face the vehicle traffic traveling on the road. Further, the vehicular signal lamp 10 includes a main road vehicular signal lamp 10A for vehicle traffic on the main road and a follower vehicular signal lamp 10B for vehicle traffic on the subway.

  The pedestrian signal lamp 20 is installed on the upper part of pillars and the like installed on both sides of the pedestrian crossing 3 so as to face a pedestrian passing through the pedestrian crossing 3.

  The push button box 30 is installed in a lower part of a pillar or the like installed on the roadside in the vicinity of the pedestrian crossing 3, and a crossing request is input when the push button is pressed by a pedestrian who is going to cross the pedestrian crossing 3. . A crossing request signal from the push button box 30 is output to the traffic signal controller 40. The push button box 30 includes a main road push button box 30A for a main road pedestrian and a sub road push button box 30B for a sub road pedestrian.

  The traffic signal controller 40 is installed, for example, below or in the vicinity of a pillar to which any of the vehicle signal lamps 10 is attached, and controls the entire traffic signal at its own intersection. In this embodiment, the signal control of the two indication system which gives the right to pass alternately to the main road traffic and the secondary road traffic is performed. Two embodiments will be described as specific signal control in the traffic signal control system 1.

[First embodiment]
<Signal control>
FIG. 2 is a current floor plan in the first embodiment. According to the present floor plan, as traffic signal control at the intersection, the main road display 1φ which gives the right of traffic to the main road traffic (vehicles and pedestrians) and the secondary road traffic (vehicles and pedestrians) It is determined to alternately display the secondary road indication 2φ that gives the right. Each of the present indications 1φ and 2φ is composed of 5 steps, and the number of display seconds is determined for each step.

  In addition, a reception period for displaying pedestrian blue is defined. That is, the main road pedestrian acceptance period for displaying the main road pedestrian blue (step 1) in a certain cycle is defined as the period from step 2 to step 10 of the immediately preceding cycle. If there is a crossing request from the pushbutton box 30A for main roads during this main road pedestrian reception period, the pedestrians on the main road will blink blue and blue according to the current floor for the corresponding cycle (steps 1 to 2) is displayed. On the other hand, when there is no crossing request, as shown in FIG. 3, the pedestrian blue on the main road is not displayed in the corresponding cycle.

  The secondary road pedestrian reception period for displaying the secondary road pedestrian blue (step 6) is defined as the period from step 7 of the immediately preceding cycle to step 5 of the cycle. If there is a crossing request from the follower pushbutton box 30B during the follower pedestrian reception period, the corresponding cycle is indicated by the blue and blue blinking of the follower pedestrians according to the current floor table (steps 6 to 6). 7) is displayed. On the other hand, when there is no crossing request, as shown in FIG. 4, the pedestrian blue on the secondary road is not displayed in the corresponding cycle.

<Functional configuration>
FIG. 5 is a functional configuration diagram of the traffic signal controller 40. According to FIG. 5, the traffic signal controller 40 functionally includes an operation unit 110, a display unit 120, a communication unit 130, a timing unit 140, a processing unit 200, and a storage unit 300. Composed.

  The operation unit 110 is realized by an input device such as a button switch or a touch panel, for example, and outputs an operation signal according to the operation of the administrator of the traffic signal control system 1 to the processing unit 200. The display unit 120 is realized by a display device such as an LCD, and performs various displays according to display signals from the processing unit 200. In addition, the operation part 110 and the display part 120 are accommodated in the housing | casing of the traffic signal controller 40, and general persons, such as a pedestrian, cannot operate and visually recognize.

  The communication unit 130 is realized by a wireless communication device, for example, and performs wired communication or wireless communication with an external device (mainly, another traffic signal controller 40). The timer 140 measures the current time and the elapsed time from the specified timing, and outputs the measured current time and elapsed time to the processing unit 200.

  The processing unit 200 is realized by an arithmetic device such as a CPU, for example, and each unit constituting the traffic signal controller 40 based on a program and data stored in the storage unit 300, a crossing request signal from the push button box 30, and the like. Instructions and data transfer are performed to control the traffic signal controller 40 as a whole.

  Specifically, the processing unit 200 performs a traffic signal control process (see FIG. 6) according to the traffic signal control program 310. In the traffic signal control process, display / display control is performed by controlling lighting / extinction of each signal lamp according to the display level table 320. At this time, the display of the corresponding pedestrian blue is controlled according to the presence or absence of a crossing request from the push button box 30 during a predetermined reception period. That is, when there is a crossing request within the reception period, pedestrian blue is displayed in the corresponding cycle, and when there is no crossing request, pedestrian blue is not displayed in the corresponding cycle.

  The storage unit 300 is realized by a storage device such as a ROM, a RAM, or a hard disk, and a system program for the processing unit 200 to control the traffic signal controller 40 in an integrated manner, a program and data for realizing various functions, and the like. And is used as a work area of the processing unit 200, and temporarily stores calculation results executed by the processing unit 200 according to various programs. In the first embodiment, the storage unit 300 stores the signal control program 310 and the current floor table 320 described with reference to FIGS.

<Process flow>
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of signal control processing. This process is a process for displaying one cycle determined by the current floor 320.

  First, if there is a main road pedestrian crossing request within the main road pedestrian reception period (step A1: YES), the main road indication 1φ is displayed according to the indication ladder 320 (step A3). That is, the vehicle blue, yellow, and red on the main road are displayed for a predetermined number of display seconds, and the pedestrian blue, blue blinking, and red are displayed for a predetermined display time. On the other hand, if there is no crossing request from the main road pedestrian (step A1: NO), the main road display 1φ is displayed with the pedestrian on the main road displayed in red (step A5). That is, the blue, yellow and red vehicles on the main road are displayed for a predetermined number of display seconds in order, and the pedestrian remains red.

  Subsequently, if there is a crossing request from the follower pedestrian within the follower pedestrian reception period (step A7: YES), the follower road indication 2φ is displayed according to the show floor 320 (step A9). That is, the blue, yellow, and red vehicles on the secondary road are displayed for a predetermined number of display seconds, and pedestrian blue, blue blinking, and red are displayed for a predetermined display number of seconds. On the other hand, if there is no crossing request from the secondary road pedestrian (step A7: NO), the secondary road display 2φ is displayed with the secondary road pedestrian displayed in red (step A11). In other words, the blue, yellow, and red vehicles on the secondary road are displayed in order for a predetermined number of display seconds, and the pedestrian remains red. If the above process is performed, it will return to step A1 and will perform the same process about the next cycle.

[Second Embodiment]
Subsequently, a second embodiment will be described. In the second example, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted or simplified.

<Signal control>
The current floor in the second embodiment is substantially the same as the current floor (FIG. 2) in the first embodiment. As in the first embodiment, when there is a crossing request within the reception period, pedestrian blue is displayed in the corresponding cycle, and when there is no crossing request, pedestrian blue is not displayed.

  However, as a feature of the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, when a pedestrian crossing request is made when the pedestrian blue is not displayed and only the vehicle blue is displayed, the pedestrian from that time is made. Blue is displayed. That is, the start time of pedestrian blue is displayed with a deviation from the step (stage) defined in the current floor table. In the example shown in FIG. 7, pedestrians on the main road are displayed in red at the start start point of step 1, but a crossing request for a pedestrian on the main road is made in the middle of step 1. Person blue display has started.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, an intermediate reception period for receiving a pedestrian crossing request is determined within the vehicle blue display period. The midway reception period is determined as a period in which the start time of the vehicle blue starts and the display of pedestrian blue and blue flashing is completed within the vehicle blue display period. Specifically, the length of the reception period (seconds) is calculated by subtracting the pedestrian's blue blinking period (seconds) and the minimum guaranteed number of seconds from the vehicle blue display time (seconds). Time (seconds). The minimum guaranteed number of seconds is the time (seconds) that a pedestrian considers to be able to finish crossing the pedestrian crossing. The walking speed of the pedestrian is assumed to be 1 [m / s] and depends on the length of the pedestrian crossing. Determined.

  When a pedestrian crossing request is made during this halfway reception period, blue display of the pedestrian starts immediately from that point. The display period of the pedestrian blue at this time is variable according to the acceptance timing of the crossing request. In other words, the sum of the pedestrian blue display seconds and the blue blinking display seconds is less than or equal to the remaining display time of the vehicle blue from when the crossing request was received. Or less than the minimum number of seconds (10 seconds in this embodiment) ”.

  FIG. 9 is an example of signal control when there is a crossing request in the midway acceptance period. In (1) of the figure, a crossing request is made at the time “2 seconds” from the start of the midway acceptance period. The remaining display time of the vehicle blue at the time of acceptance of this crossing request is “24 seconds”, which is “23 seconds”, which is the total display time of pedestrian blue and blue blinking determined in the current ladder. long. For this reason, the display time of pedestrian blue is “18 seconds”, which is the number of display seconds defined in the current ladder. The blue blinking is the display number of seconds “5 seconds” determined in the current floor table.

  Further, in (2) of the figure, a crossing request is made at the time “9 seconds” from the start of the midway acceptance period. The remaining time of the vehicle blue at the time of acceptance of this crossing request is “17 seconds”, which is shorter than “23 seconds”, which is the total display time of the pedestrian blue and blue blinking determined in the current floor. For this reason, the display time of the pedestrian blue is “12 seconds” obtained by subtracting the display time “5 seconds” of blue flashing from the remaining display time “17 seconds” of the vehicle blue. The “12” seconds is equal to or greater than the minimum guaranteed number of seconds “10 seconds”. Therefore, the display control as shown in (2) of FIG.

  In order to arrange the reception period on the way, in this embodiment, the display time of the vehicle blue is “26 seconds”, the display time of blue blinking is “5 seconds”, and the minimum guaranteed number of seconds is “10 seconds”. The period from the start of the midway reception period to “11 seconds” is the midway reception period. If a crossing request is accepted within this period, pedestrian blue is displayed. This is only an example, and the length of the midway reception period is appropriately changed according to the display time of the vehicle blue, the length of the pedestrian crossing, and the like. Also, when the display time of blue flashing may be incorporated into the minimum guaranteed number of seconds (that is, blue flashing may be regarded as blue display), the length of the midway reception period is changed as appropriate. The concept of the midway reception period is the same on the main road side and the secondary road side.

<Process flow>
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of signal control processing. This process is a process for displaying one cycle determined by the current floor table.

First, if there is a crossing request for a pedestrian on the main road within the main road pedestrian reception period (step B1: YES), the main road display 1φ is displayed according to the display level table 320 (step B3).
That is, the main road vehicles blue, yellow, and red are displayed for a predetermined number of seconds, and the main road pedestrians blue, blue flashing, and red are displayed for a predetermined number of seconds. indicate.

  On the other hand, if there is no crossing request from the pedestrian on the main road (step B1: NO), display of the main road display 1φ with the pedestrian on the main road displayed in red is started (step B3). In other words, the display of the vehicles on the main road in blue, yellow, and red is started in the predetermined display seconds.

  Thereafter, if a crossing request for a pedestrian on the main road is made within a predetermined main road pedestrian reception period (step B7: NO to B9: YES), the remaining display time of the vehicle blue at the time when the crossing request is received Accordingly, the display seconds of the pedestrian blue on the main road are determined (step B11). Then, the pedestrian blue on the main road is displayed for the determined number of display seconds (step B13), and then the blue blinking and red of the pedestrian on the main road are displayed for the number of display seconds determined in the current display table 320. (Step B15).

  Subsequently, if there is a crossing request from a follower pedestrian within the follower pedestrian reception period (step B17: YES), the follower road indication 2φ is displayed according to the present floor 320 (step B19). That is, the blue, yellow, and red vehicles on the secondary road are displayed for a predetermined number of seconds, and the pedestrian blue, blue flashing, and red on the secondary road are displayed for a predetermined number of seconds. indicate.

  On the other hand, if there is no crossing request from the pedestrian on the secondary road (step B17: NO), display of the secondary road display 2φ with the secondary road pedestrian displayed in red is started (step B21). That is, the display of the vehicles on the secondary road in blue, yellow, and blue is started in the predetermined display seconds.

  After that, if a crossing request is made for a follower pedestrian during a predetermined follower pedestrian halfway reception period (step B23: NO to B25: YES), the remaining display time of the vehicle blue at the time of acceptance of the crossing request Accordingly, the display seconds of the pedestrian blue on the secondary road are determined (step B27). Then, the pedestrian blue on the secondary road is displayed for the determined display number of seconds (step B29), and then the blue blinking and red of the pedestrian on the secondary road are displayed for the number of display seconds determined in the current floor 320. (Step B31). If the above process is performed, it will return to step B1 and will perform the same process about the next cycle.

[Function and effect]
As described above, according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment described above, the right of traffic is alternately given to the traffic (vehicles and pedestrians) on the main road and the secondary road at the intersection where the pedestrian crossing is installed. However, when there is no pedestrian crossing request from the push button box 30, the pedestrian blue in the corresponding direction is not displayed, and when there is a crossing request, the pedestrian blue is displayed. As a result, when there is no pedestrian crossing, the corresponding pedestrian signal lamp is displayed in red, thus reducing the mental burden of confirming the safety of the driver of the vehicle turning right or left at the intersection can do.

  Further, according to the second embodiment, when the vehicle blue is displayed but the pedestrian red is displayed because there is no pedestrian crossing request, the pedestrian blue and blue blink within the vehicle blue display period. When a pedestrian crossing request is made during the midway reception period determined as a period in which pedestrian can be displayed, pedestrian blue is displayed immediately from that point. At this time, according to the timing when the crossing request is made, the pedestrian blue display period is equal to or less than the number of display seconds determined by the current ladder so that the pedestrian blue and blue flashing end within the vehicle blue display period. In addition, it is variable within a minimum guaranteed number of seconds defined as the time that a pedestrian can cross. Thereby, when the vehicle in the same direction is displayed in blue but the pedestrian is displayed in red, the pedestrian can be displayed in blue and the right to pass can be given to the pedestrian.

[Modification]
It should be noted that embodiments to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

(A) Pedestrian crossing request For example, a pedestrian detector is installed instead of the push button box 30, and it is determined whether or not to display pedestrian blue according to the presence or absence of a detection signal of the pedestrian detector. Anyway. As the pedestrian sensor, a known sensor such as an image type or an ultrasonic type can be used.

(B) Intersection In the above-described embodiment, the cross road has been described as an example. However, the present invention can also be applied to other intersections such as a character path.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Traffic signal control system 10 Vehicle signal light device, 10A Main road signal light device, 10B Follower vehicle signal light device 20 Pedestrian signal light device 30 Push button box, 30A Main road push button box, 30B Follow road push button box 40 Traffic Signal Control Controller 110 Operation Unit, 120 Display Unit, 130 Communication Unit, 140 Timekeeping Unit 200 Processing Unit 300 Storage Unit 310 Signal Control Program, 320 Current Level

Claims (6)

A traffic signal control device that performs signal control of a vehicular signal lamp and a pedestrian signal lamp so as to give a right of passage to a vehicle and a pedestrian in the same direction at the intersection at the same time,
Accepting means for accepting a pedestrian traffic request by a push button or a pedestrian sensor;
Pedestrian signal control means for controlling whether or not to perform signal control of a pedestrian signal lamp for giving a right of passage to the pedestrian based on the presence or absence of reception by the reception means;
A traffic signal control device. The pedestrian signal control means controls the start of the blue display period of the pedestrian signal lamp based on the reception timing of the reception means.
The traffic signal control device according to claim 1. The pedestrian signal control means is configured such that the reception timing is a reception period in which simultaneous blue display is possible among the blue display periods of the vehicle signal lamp related to vehicle traffic in the same direction as the pedestrian signal lamp. In the case where it is within a predetermined period, a control to immediately start blue display of the pedestrian signal lamp is performed.
The traffic signal control device according to claim 2. The pedestrian signal control means displays the blue display period of the pedestrian signal lamp on the basis of the reception timing of the reception means, and displays the blue display period of the vehicle signal lamp related to vehicle traffic in the same direction as the pedestrian signal lamp. Set and control variably within the period,
The traffic signal control apparatus as described in any one of Claims 1-3. The pedestrian signal control means is configured such that the blue display seconds of the pedestrian signal lamp is less than the blue display seconds of the vehicle signal lamp related to the vehicle traffic in the same direction as the pedestrian signal lamp, More than the minimum guaranteed seconds,
The traffic signal control device according to claim 4. The accepting means separately accepts pedestrian traffic requests for the main road and the secondary road of the intersection,
The pedestrian signal control means separately controls the signal control of the pedestrian signal lamp for each of the main road and the secondary road depending on whether the corresponding passage request is accepted,
The traffic signal control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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