MXPA06003871A - Traffic preemption system - Google Patents

Abstract

A traffic preemption system is described that includes onboard equipment located on a vehicle and a fleet management center in communication with the onboard equipment. The fleet management center is also in communication with a traffic management center that is in communication with at least one intersection controller, which controls the signals displayed at a traffic intersection. In one embodiment, the invention includes a vehicle equipped with an onboard computer system capable of capturing diagnostic information, estimating the location of the emergency vehicle using information provided by a GPS receiver connected to the onboard computer system and transmitting the captured diagnostic information and estimated location using a wireless transmitter connected to the onboard computer system via a first wireless network. Also included is a fleet management computer system connected to a wireless receiver, where the fleet management computer system and wireless receiver are capable of receiving information transmitted by the on-board equipment, determining whether the received information is from a vehicle requiring intersection preemption and providing the estimated location of vehicles requiring intersection preemption to a traffic management computer system. The traffic management computer system is capable of receiving estimated locations of vehicles requiring intersection preemption from the fleet management computer system and forwarding preemption requests to intersection controllers via a second network.

Description

TRAPICO PREFERENCE DEPECHO SYSTEM FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to traffic preference right systems and more specifically to a right of preference system in which the right of preference at an intersection is controlled by a centralized control facility. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Traffic signals are typically determined by a controller of an intersection. Frequently, information is communicated between the intersection controllers and a centralized traffic management center through a fixed or wireless network. The network can be used to coordinate the synchronization of the signals generated by several intersection controllers and to receive diagnostic information from the intersection controllers. Right-of-way systems are widely used to enable traffic and emergency vehicles, with the ability to interrupt a regular sequence of traffic signals in order to provide them with the right of way when crossing an intersection. Right-of-way systems can decrease the time it takes for emergency vehicles to reach the scene of an accident / incident and / or ensure a greater degree of likelihood that a vehicle in transit will maintain its scheduled plan. Right-of-way systems can employ a variety of techniques to inform intersections that a right-of-way vehicle is approaching an intersection. Some systems use direct communication techniques such as optical or audio signals. Other systems locate the position of the vehicle with the right of preference and communicate this information to the intersection controllers through a wireless network. The controller can then determine whether to grant the right of preference to the traffic signals of the intersection and the synchronization of the right of preference. In a positioning system such as the global positioning system (GPS, for its acronym in English) can be used to estimate the position of a vehicle with a right of preference. The accuracy with which the position of a vehicle is estimated can also be improved using map matching techniques. Fleet management systems are commonly used to track the location of vehicles and provide diagnostic information to a centralized fleet management center. Fleet management systems can be useful for determining the location of resources and identifying vehicles that require maintenance before problems arise in the vehicles. Ref. Systems: fleet management can also use GPS receivers to estimate the location of the vehicle. This information, in addition to the diagnostic information of the integrated equipment can then be transmitted to a control center through a wireless network. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The embodiments of the present invention combine integrated vehicle-mounted equipment with fleet management centers, traffic management centers and intersection controllers to allow vehicles the right of preference for traffic at intersections indirectly when sending communications through a fleet management center and a traffic management center to an intersection controller. In one embodiment, the invention includes a vehicle equipped with an integrated computer system with the ability to capture diagnostic information, estimating the location of the emergency vehicle that uses information provided by a GPS receiver connected to an integrated computer system and transmitting the information of the vehicle. captured diagnosis and the estimated location using a wireless transmitter connected to a computer system integrated through a first wireless network. The modality also includes a computer system for managing fleets connected to a wireless receiver, where the computer fleet management system and the wireless receiver have the ability to receive information transmitted by the integrated team, determining whether the information received comes from a vehicle that requires a right of preference at an intersection and provide the estimated location of the vehicle. the vehicles that require the right of preference, with a computer system for traffic management. The computerized traffic management system is capable of receiving from the computational fleet management system the estimated locations of the vehicles that require preemption rights at intersections and transmitting preemption requests to the intersection controllers through a second net. In an additional modality, the computational system of fleet management and the computer system of traffic management are executed on a single computer system. Alternatively, the computational fleet management system and the computerized traffic management system are executed using separate computer systems that are connected through a third network and the second and third networks are executed using the same network. In another modality, the computer system for managing fleets is connected to the wireless receiver by means of a fourth network and the second and fourth networks are executed using the same network. In a still further modality, the diagnostic information includes information concerning whether the vehicle is in the "mode" where it requires the right of preference at intersection. Additionally, the diagnostic information may include information concerning the priority of the vehicle. In yet another mode, the computer traffic management system is also configured to resolve conflicts between the right of preference requests of the vehicles that require preemption rights at an intersection. In yet another additional mode, the fleet management computer system includes a vehicle register and an assigned priority associated with each vehicle, the computer fleet management system is configured to determine the priority of a vehicle that requires the right of preference in an intersection and the fleet management computer system is configured to provide the priority of the vehicle that requires the right of preference at an intersection, in addition to the estimated location of the vehicle that requires the right of preference at an intersection, to the computerized traffic management system . In yet another modality, the computerized traffic management system is configured to identify conflicts between the right-of-preference requests of the vehicles that require right of preference at an intersection and the computerized traffic management system is configured to resolve the conflict. when sending the request for the right of preference required for the vehicle with the highest priority. In yet another mode, the computer traffic management system sends the estimated location of the vehicle that requires the right of preference at an intersection and the priority of the vehicle to the intersection driver as part of the right-of-way request and the intersection driver. includes a module as an additional component with the ability to receive the estimated position and priority information of the vehicle that requires preemption right at an intersection and resolve conflicts with other preemption requests recognizing the value of the right of preference request of the vehicle with the highest priority. In still yet another additional mode, the integrated computer system uses a map matching system to estimate the location of the vehicle. Alternatively, the computerized fleet management system uses a mapping map to improve the estimation of the vehicle's location or the computerized traffic management system uses a mapping map to improve the estimation of the vehicle's location. Still in another additional modality, the intersection controller includes an additional module configured to receive an estimated location of a vehicle position as part of a preemption request and to perform an improvement in the estimate by executing a map matching technique. One embodiment of the method of the invention includes estimating the location of at least one vehicle, providing the estimated location to a fleet management system, determining whether any of the vehicles requires the right of preference of an intersection, transmitting the estimated location of vehicles that require preemption right to a traffic management system and send a preemption request to an intersection driver to satisfy the preemption requests of at least one of the vehicles. Another embodiment of the method of the invention includes resolving conflicts between multiple vehicle right preference requests. A still further embodiment of the method of the invention includes assigning priorities to the vehicles and resolving conflicts between the multiple vehicle right preference requests by recognizing the value of the right of preference requests of the vehicles with the highest priority. Still another embodiment of the method of the invention includes estimating the location of a vehicle using the information obtained using a GPS receiver. A still further additional embodiment of the method of the invention includes estimating the location of the vehicle using map mapping. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a centralized right of preference system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a team integrated in communication with a fleet management center in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a fleet management center communicating with a traffic management center in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a traffic management center in communication with an intersection controller in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an intersection controller connected to a right of preference module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method used by an integrated team to acquire information and transmit it to a fleet management center in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method used by a fleet management center to process and transmit information from an integrated emergency vehicle equipment to a traffic management center in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.; Figure 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a method used by a traffic management center to evaluate the information received from a fleet management center and determine whether the preemption requests should be sent to the intersection controllers in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a method used by an intersection controller to respond to a preemption request received from a traffic management center in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method used by an intersection controller to respond to a preemption request received from a traffic management center in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention that includes information concerning the location and priority of the vehicle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The embodiments of the present invention include integrated equipment, fleet management centers, traffic management centers and intersection controllers. The integrated equipment information is communicated to the fleet management centers through a wireless network. The fleet management centers use the information of the integrated team to execute the functions of fleet management. The fleet management centers also determine if the right of preference for intersections is requested. If the right of preference is requested, then the fleet management center transmits information concerning the vehicles that require a right of preference to the traffic management center. The traffic management center determines whether it recognizes the value of the right of preference request. If the traffic management center determines that an intersection will provide preemptive rights, then the traffic management center transmits a preemption request to the intersection controller via a fixed or wireless network. The intersection driver receives the right of preference request and grants the right of preference to the intersection in accordance with the right of preference request. All the above actions are executed in real time so that there is only a small latency between the receiver of vehicle information by the fleet management center, and the communication of a preemption request to an intersection controller. In several modalities, the fleet management center and the traffic management center are combined into a single driving center. Some modalities also use additional hardware to allow intersection controllers that are not configured to receive right of preference requests from a traffic management center that is granted preemptive rights. Now, returning to the figures, Figure 1 shows a centralized right of preference system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The right-of-way system 10 includes at least one emergency vehicle 12 equipped with an integrated equipment 14. At least one intersection 16, where the traffic signals 18 at the intersection are controlled by an intersection controller 20. The The system also includes a fleet management center 22 and a traffic management center 24. The integrated equipment and the fleet management center are in communication. The fleet management center and the traffic management center are in communication and the traffic management center and the intersection driver are in communication. In one embodiment, the integrated equipment and the fleet management center communicate via a wireless network that includes a wireless base station 26, which is connected to the fleet management center via a wide area network 28. Additionally, the center Fleet management can be in communication with the traffic management center through a fixed or wireless network and the traffic management center can be in communication with the intersection controller through a fixed or wireless network. The integrated equipment 14 in communication with a fleet management center 22 in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in Figure 2. The integrated equipment 14 includes an integrated computer 40 which is connected to a variety of sensors 42. In one embodiment, the sensors may include an odometer or other speed sensor 44 and an accelerometer 46. The sensors may also include a variety of sensors that monitor the vehicle diagnostics 48 and a sensor that monitors whether the vehicle is in the right-of-preference mode 50. Sensors can also probably include a sensor (not shown) to determine the direction of the vehicle. The integrated computer is also connected to a GPS receiver 52 and a receiver transmitter 54. The GPS receiver conditions the integrated computer with information concerning the position of the vehicle. The sensors can provide additional information that allows the prediction of estimated arrival times. The integrated computer communicates with external devices using the transceiver. The transmitter-receiver can be used to transmit information obtained from the GPS receiver and sensors to a fleet management center. In one embodiment, the integrated computer is a built-in vehicle computer, such as a standard OBD computer (Integrated Diagnostics, OBD for its English followings) II. In another embodiment, the integrated computer may take the form of a standard portable electronic device such as a cell phone or a Personal Digital Assistance (PDA). In other modalities, other devices with processing and input / output capabilities can be used as an integrated computer. In one embodiment, the GPS receiver may be any of the OEM GPS circuit or digital chips manufactured by Garmin International Inc. of Olathe, Kansas. In another embodiment, the GPS receiver can be embedded in electronic facilities inside the vehicles, such as cell phones with GPS capability. In other modalities, other receivers or GPS devices capable of estimating a position can be used. In another embodiment, the wireless transceiver is a spread spectrum radio transceiver manufactured by Freewave Technologies, Inc. of Boulder, Colorado. In other modalities, other wireless communication equipment may be used. According to what was discussed above, the integrated equipment communicates with the fleet management center through a wireless network. In a modality, the fleet management center is connected to one or more wireless base stations 26 via a network 28. Each base station can include a wireless transceiver 60 and a network interface 62. The wireless transceiver communicates with other devices over the wireless network and the network interface retransmits these communications to, and from other devices through the fixed network. The fleet management center includes a fleet management computer 70 connected to a database 72 and a network interface 74. The fleet management computer handles in real time information received from the wireless base stations through the network. The database contains information concerning the roads and vehicles that make up the flotilla that is being handled. The fleet management computer makes a real-time correspondence of the information received from a vehicle with information concerning the vehicle, contained in the database. The fleet management computer also determines in real time which vehicles require a right of preference at an intersection and transmit information concerning the vehicle to a traffic management center through the network using the network interface. This information may include the type of vehicle, priority level, vehicle position, vehicle address, vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, and other data that affect priority needs. In addition to the functions related to the right of preference, the fleet management center can also serve as an emergency call center and provide information to the vehicles advising them of the best route to a destination. Additionally, route selection can be informed by the ability of the total system to guarantee the right of preference at intersections along the route. In one embodiment, the fleet management computer is an IBM-compatible personal computer with a standard operating system such as Windows NT manufactured by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Washington. In other modes, other devices with processing and input / output capabilities can be used as a fleet management computer.

In one mode, the database is an ODBC compatible database, such as Microsoft Access. In other modalities, other database systems may be used. In one mode, the network interface is a TCP / IP network adapter. In other embodiments, other network interfaces appropriate to the nature of the network 28 may be used. As described above, the integrated equipment uses the sensors to obtain information concerning the state of the vehicle. This information is communicated to the fleet management center through the wireless network. The information from the sensors may include information regarding whether the vehicle is in a "mode" that requires the right of preference of intersections. Vehicles such as mass transit vehicles may always require the right of preference when in service, while emergency vehicles may only require preferential rights at intersections when responding to an emergency. The integrated equipment uses the GPS receiver to estimate the position of the vehicle. In a modality, the estimated position is communicated to the fleet management center through the wireless network. In other modalities, the integrated equipment has the ability to execute a mapping technique. Map matching is a technique used to improve an estimate of the position of a vehicle by making a precision adjustment on a GPS reader or series of GPS readers to a road map. Theoretically, the position of the vehicle is restricted so that it is located on a road. Therefore, an estimate that places a vehicle in a location that is not part of a road can be improved. In one mode, the estimate should be improved by modifying the estimate to indicate the position of the vehicle that is on the road closest to that estimated by the GPS. In other modalities, additional information such as the trajectory of the vehicle can be matched with the information of the road. In modalities where the integrated computer executes a mapping of maps, the integrated equipment may also include a database containing road information. As described above, the fleet management center receives information from the integrated equipment and executes fleet management functions based on vehicle information. In the modalities, where the vehicle information includes information concerning whether the vehicle is in a "mode" that requires right of preference at intersections, then the position of the vehicle can be retransmitted to the traffic management center with an instruction that Indicate that the vehicle requires the right of preference of intersections in its trajectory. The fleet management center can also serve as a central repository for information concerning the priority of the vehicle. A priority can be assigned for each vehicle in the fleet and the priority for each vehicle can be stored in the database. Priority information can assist traffic management centers in resolving preemption requests with conflicts. In modalities where all vehicles have the same priority, then it may be sufficient to simply provide location information.

In modalities where the integrated equipment uses sensors that can obtain information concerning the direction, speed and acceleration of a vehicle, this information can also be provided to the traffic management center to allow the traffic management center to calculate estimated arrival times. to particular locations for the vehicle that requires the right of preference. In modalities in which the integrated equipment does not execute a mapping of maps, either the fleet management center or the traffic management center can execute map correspondence based on the estimated location of the vehicle provided by the vehicle handling center. fleets for the integrated equipment and optionally additional information such as the address, speed and / or acceleration of the vehicle. A fleet management center in communication with a traffic management center is illustrated in Figure 3. The fleet management center 22 is typically connected to the traffic management center 24 using the network 28. In other embodiments, A separate network is provided to allow communication between the fleet management center and the traffic management center. Preferably the network technology that connects the fleet management center and the traffic management center provides a significant level of security to avoid monitoring communications or violating them with traffic signals. The traffic management center includes a traffic management computer 80 connected to a database 82 and a network interface 84. The traffic management center computer receives information from the intersection controllers and the fleet management centers they are provided with this through the network interface. The traffic management center maintains a database concerning roads and intersections. The traffic management center receives information concerning the position and optionally the priority, direction, speed and acceleration of the vehicles that require the right of preference of intersections. The traffic management computer uses this information and the information in the database concerning the sequence of each intersection controller to determine in real time the preemption requests, if any, shall be sent to the intersection controllers through network. In one embodiment, the traffic management computer is a standard PC, which can be used with the traffic management center (TMC) software such as the Actra computer program manufactured by Siemens of Munich, Republic. Federal of Germany. In other modes other devices with processing and input / output capabilities can be used as an integrated computer. In one mode, the database is an ODBC compatible database. In other modalities, other database systems may be used. In one mode, the network interface is a TCP / IP network adapter. In other embodiments, other network interfaces appropriate to the nature of the network 28 may be used. As discussed above, the fleet management center supplies the traffic management center with information concerning the location of a vehicle that is found. in a "mode", where the latter requests the right of preference. The driving center can also provide the traffic management center with information concerning the priority of the vehicle. The traffic management center uses this information to identify required intersections with the right of preference and the time in which these intersections must grant the right of preference based on the direction, speed and acceleration of the vehicle. In modalities where the address, speed and acceleration information is not available directly from the vehicle, this information can be determined by the traffic management center by monitoring the position of the vehicle over time. In embodiments of the invention where the traffic management center is responsible for resolving conflicts between preemption requests, the traffic management center evaluates in real time whether the right of preference of a particular vehicle may be required. granted by its value. If a vehicle with a higher priority requests a right of preference from the same intersection, then the right of preference request can not be granted. Otherwise, the traffic management center sends a preemption request to the intersection controllers that control the intersections that require the right of preference. and the right-of-preference request is timed or includes information that ensures that the intersection driver's right of preference to the intersection in the requested form and at the requested time .. An intersection driver who is in communication with a driving center of traffic in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 4. The traffic management center 22 can be connected to the intersection controller 20 via network 28. In other embodiments, a separate network is used to establish communication between the traffic management center and the intersection controllers. In these modalities, any fixed or wireless network technology can be used to transmit the communication. In the illustrated mode, the intersection controller is a Siemens M52 controller. In other embodiments, the intersection controller can be any intersection controller with the ability to control the intersection signals in a manner that can be given preference preference. As discussed above, the traffic management center sends preemption requests to the intersection driver. The nature of preemption requests is largely dependent on the nature of the intersection driver. If the intersection driver is only able to respond immediately to a preemption request, then the preemption request must be sent when the preemption right is required. The most intelligent intersection controllers can receive preemption requests that include information regarding when the preemption request should be carried out. An intersection controller connected to an additional component connector is illustrated in Figure 5. In one embodiment, an additional component monitor 90 monitors the network and directly gives preference to the intersection controller. In modalities in which the total of the intersection controllers connected to the traffic management center include additional monitors, the estimation of the time in which a vehicle will arrive at the intersection and / or the resolution of conflicts of preference requests may be executed by the additional monitor instead of, or in addition to, that is by the traffic management center. In another embodiment, the additional monitor receives positioning information, address information, speed and / or acceleration as part of the right of preference request from the traffic management center. The positioning information and speed information can be used by the additional monitor to determine the timing of the right of intersection preference. In various embodiments, this decision may involve considering the sequence of traffic signals in a manner similar to that described in Serial US Patent No. 10 / 811,075.

A process according to the present invention that can be used by an integrated equipment to obtain diagnostic information and positioning information, is illustrated in Figure 6. The process 100 includes monitoring (102) sensors and the outputs of a GPS receiver for obtain information concerning the position of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the sensor information can provide direction, velocity and acceleration information. The information extracted (104) from the sensor outputs and the GPS outputs. The extracted information is then supplied (106) to a fleet management center. A process in accordance with the present invention that can be used by the fleet management center to receive information from the integrated equipment of emergency vehicles and transmit preemption requests to a traffic management center, is illustrated in FIG. Figure 7. Process 110 includes receiving (112) information from a vehicle. Identify (114) vehicles with pre-emptive requests and their locations with the help of the information provided by the vehicles. Additionally, priority information is obtained (116) concerning the vehicles. The information concerning the identified vehicles and their priorities is transmitted (118) to a traffic management center. A process in accordance with the present invention that can be used by a traffic management center to receive preemption requests, resolves conflicts between preemption requests and sends signals to cede right of preference at intersections, is illustrated in Figure 8. Process 120 includes receiving (122) vehicle information from a fleet management center. Determine the intersections that require the right of preference (124), determine the synchronization of the intersection preference right (126) and resolve (128) conflicts between the right of preference requests.

Pre-requisite requests are then sent (130) to the intersection controllers. In one modality, determining the intersection preference right synchronization includes determining the time required to clear the intersection of pedestrians. In addition, conflicts of preemptive right can be resolved by recognizing the value of the preference request of the highest priority vehicle. A process in accordance with the present invention that can be used by an intersection controller to respond to a preemption request sent from a traffic management center is illustrated in Figure 9. Process 140 includes receiving (142) an application for preemptive right and respond (144) to the preemption request by giving preference right to the intersection. In one modality, the preemption request is answered by clearing the intersection of pedestrians and subsequently at an appropriate time granting preferential right to traffic signals. Additionally, caution indicators may be used to indicate the direction from which the vehicle with the right of preference is approaching the intersection. Other processes in accordance with the present invention that may be used by an intersection controller to respond to a preemption request sent by a traffic management center, which includes information on the position and speed of the emergency vehicle, is illustrated in Figure 10. Process 150 includes receiving vehicle information (152) and determining (154) the estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the vehicle at the intersection. Once the ETA has been calculated, determining (156) the time in advance of the arrival of the vehicle in which the intersection driver must yield right of way to the pedestrian signals to clear the intersection of pedestrians and determine (158) the time in which the intersection driver must give right to the traffic signals to condition the incoming vehicle with the right of way. Based on the calculated times, conflicts with other right of way requests can be detected (160). Any conflict can be resolved by recognizing the value (162) of the highest priority right-of-way request. While the foregoing description contains many specific embodiments of the invention, these should not be considered as limitations of the scope of the invention, but rather as an example of one embodiment thereof. As indicated above, mapping maps resolving conflicts between preemption requests can be executed in a variety of locations within the system. An important aspect of the system is the flow of information in real time in all the components of the system. Therefore, a person skilled in the art can appreciate that a system can be designed in accordance with the present invention, wherein the different functions of the preemption systems described above can be executed by any of the different components of the system. and in any variety of locations within the system. Additionally, the examples provided above include a single fleet management center and a single traffic management center. The embodiments of the present invention may include multiple fleet management centers and multiple traffic management centers. In such systems, the information should be directed between the fleet management and traffic management centers appropriate for the geographical location of the emergency vehicle and the geographical location of any intersection requiring right of way. Alternatively, a system in accordance with the present invention may include a single center that executes both fleet management and traffic management functions. Such center in accordance with the present invention should communicate with both, with the integrated equipment and with the intersection controllers. Additionally, the modalities provided above indicate several examples of the hardware that could be used to implement a system in accordance with the present invention. A person skilled in the art should appreciate that almost any system with fleet handling capabilities, which includes the location of vehicles, can be used in accordance with the present invention in conjunction with almost any traffic management system, wherein the Traffic management system is in communication with the intersection controllers. Additionally, a person skilled in the art should appreciate that a system in accordance with the present invention can be used in conjunction with a conventional preemption system. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be determined not by the illustrated embodiments, but by the appended claims and their equivalents.

It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (22)

2. Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property. A traffic preference system, characterized in that it comprises: a vehicle equipped with an integrated computer system configured to: capture diagnostic information; estimate the location of the emergency vehicle using information provided by a GPS receiver connected to the integrated computer system; and transmitting the captured diagnostic information and the estimated location using a wireless transmitter connected to an integrated computer system through a first wireless network; a computer system for managing fleets connected to a wireless receiver, where the computer system for managing fleets and the wireless receiver are configured to: receive the information transmitted by the integrated equipment; determine if the information received is from a vehicle that requires preferential rights at intersections; provide the estimated location of the vehicles that require right of preference in intersections to a computer system of traffic law; wherein the computational traffic management system is configured to: receive the estimated locations of the vehicles that require preferential right at intersections from the computerized fleet management system; and transmit preemption requests to the intersection controllers through a second network. 2. The traffic preference system according to claim 1, characterized in that the computational system of fleet management and the computer system of traffic management are executed on a single computer system.
3. 3. The traffic preference system according to claim 1, characterized in that: the computational system of fleet management and the computer system of traffic management are executed using separate computer systems that are connected by a third network.
4. 4. The traffic preference right system according to claim 3, characterized in that the second and third networks are executed using the same network.
5. 5. The traffic preference right system according to claim 1, characterized in that the computer fleet management system is connected to the wireless receiver by means of a fourth network.
6. 6. The traffic preference right system according to claim 5, characterized in that the second and fourth networks are executed using the same network.
7. 7. The traffic preference right system according to claim 1, characterized in that the diagnostic information includes information concerning whether the vehicle is in a "mode" where it requests preference right at intersections.
8. 8. The traffic preference right system according to claim 1, characterized in that the diagnostic information includes information concerning the priority of the vehicle.
9. 9. The traffic preference system according to claim 1, characterized in that the computational traffic management system is also configured to resolve conflicts between the right of preference requests of the vehicles that require preferential right at the intersections .
10. 10. The traffic preference right system according to claim 1, characterized in that: the computer fleet management system includes a vehicle register and an assigned priority associated with each vehicle; The computerized fleet management system is configured to determine the priority of a vehicle that requires preferential rights at intersections; and the fleet management computer system is configured to provide the priority of the vehicle that requires preferential right at intersections in addition to the estimated location of the vehicle that requires right of preference at intersections, to the computer traffic management system.
11. 11. The traffic preference law system according to claim 10, characterized in that: the computer traffic management system is configured to identify conflicts between the requests of the right of preference of the vehicles that require preferential rights at intersections; and the computational traffic management system is configured to resolve the conflict by sending the requested preemption requests for the vehicle with the highest priority.
12. 12. The traffic preference right system according to claim 10, characterized in that: the computational traffic management system transmits the estimated location of the vehicle that requires the right of preference at intersections and the priority of the vehicle towards the intersection controller as part of the request for the preemptive right; and the intersection controller includes an additional module configured to: receive the estimated position and priority information of the vehicle that requires right of preference at intersections; and resolve conflicts with other requests for preemptive rights by recognizing the value of the right of preference application of the vehicle with the highest priority.
13. 13. The traffic preference right system according to claim 1, characterized in that the integrated computational system uses a map matching technique to estimate the vehicle location.
14. 14. The traffic preference right system according to claim 1, characterized in that the computational system of fleet management uses map matching to improve the estimation of the location of the vehicle.
15. 15. The traffic preference right system according to claim 1, characterized in that the computational traffic management system uses map matching to improve the estimation of the location of the vehicle.
16. 16. The traffic preference right system according to claim 1, characterized in that the intersection controller includes an odd-numbered module configured to receive an estimated location of a vehicle position as part of a preemption request and improve the estimate when executing map correspondence.
17. 17. A traffic preference system, characterized in that it comprises: at least one integrated diagnostic means mounted on a vehicle and connected to a GPS receiver and a wireless transmitter to determine the location of a vehicle and the requests for preference right vehicle; at least one means of managing fleets connected to a wireless receiver to receive information concerning the location and applications of the vehicles' right of preference and to transmit information concerning the vehicles that require preferential rights at intersections to at least one means traffic management; and wherein the means of traffic management is found to determine the requests for the vehicles' right of preference based on the information provided by means of fleet management and to grant the right of preference to at least one intersection driver as a response to the requests of right of preference of the vehicles.
18. 18. A method for providing right of preference at an intersection, characterized in that it comprises: estimating the location of at least one vehicle; provide the estimated location to a fleet management system; determine if any of the vehicles requires the right of preference of an intersection; transmit the estimated location of the vehicles that require a right of preference to a traffic management system; and sending a preemption request to an intersection driver to satisfy the preemption requests of at least one of the vehicles.
19. 19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that it also comprises resolving conflicts between the multiple vehicle right preference requests.
20. 20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that it also comprises assigning priorities to the vehicles and resolving conflicts between the requests for preemption rights in multiple vehicles by recognizing the value of the requests for preferential rights of the vehicle with the highest priority.
21. 21. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that it also comprises estimating the location of the vehicle using information obtained when using a GPS receiver.
22. 22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that it also comprises estimating the location of the vehicle using the mapping technique. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A traffic preference right system is described that includes integrated equipment located in a vehicle and a traffic management center in communication with the integrated equipment. The fleet management center is also in communication with a traffic management center that is in communication with at least one intersection controller, which controls the signals displayed at a traffic intersection. In one embodiment, the invention includes a computer equipped with an integrated computer system with the ability to capture diagnostic information, estimate the location of the emergency vehicle using information provided by a GPS receiver connected to the integrated computer system and transmit the captured diagnostic information and the estimated location using a wireless transmitter connected to the integrated computer system through a first wireless network. Also included is a computerized fleet management system connected to a wireless receiver, where the computerized fleet management system and the wireless receiver have the ability to receive information transmitted by the integrated equipment, determining if the information received is from a vehicle that requires the right of preference at an intersection and provide the estimated location of the vehicles that require preferential rights at intersections to a computerized traffic management system. The computational traffic management system has the ability to receive estimated locations of vehicles that require preemption rights at intersections of the fleet management computer system and transmit preemption requests to controllers through a second network.