RU122513U1 - ROAD SIGNAL SYSTEM (BSS) - RUNNING LIGHT - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A device for controlling the movement of vehicles on the road by transmitting to drivers conditional light signals similar to traffic signals (green - movement, yellow - preparation, red - stop), consisting of: - a computing device - a controller and - a set of visible to drivers located along the road moving or stationary multi-colored light sources (ICs), jointly perceived as a line, the glow color of which is individually set by the controller according to the program and changes over time, while the controller is configured to switch the IC so that along the road, visible to drivers, luminous moving due to the effect " running lights "lines of green, yellow, red colors from tens to hundreds of meters long, and with the ability to control the IC so that a moving green line of lights approaches it to turn on the green signal of a traffic light, turn on yellow - a line of yellow lights, to turn on red - red line. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs emit light directed towards the nearest cars with sufficient brightness and a certain color for observation by drivers for 0.01-100 s, after which the glow color can change. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs are located in front of the car in a zone of good visibility for the driver at a distance of 2-100 m from the car. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs are switched by the controller so that a group of adjacent ICs of the same color up to several thousand pieces at a length from 1 to 1000 m is simultaneously turned on, which is perceived by the driver as a long luminous line of one color�

Description

Utility Model Road Signaling System (BSS) - Running traffic light refers to a device for displaying traffic information: IPC E01F 9/00. DSS also belongs to the field of information support for drivers of vehicles and on this basis can be attributed to: IPC V60K 35/00, and to traffic control systems for vehicles: IPC G08G 1/00

The technical field to which the utility model belongs.

refers to signaling road lights, including traffic lights, usually installed at intersections and / or on poles next to the road or in the roadway.

Different colored signal signals directed by traffic lights towards cars and other vehicles inform drivers about the need to perform certain maneuvers when driving on roads - for example, red - stop, green - continue driving, yellow - preparation. Due to this, traffic is controlled on the roads.

Utility model - DSS is designed for optimal control of the flow of vehicles (mainly cars in cities) by informing drivers with conditional light signals, similar to traffic signals.

DSS can also be used to control the flow of pedestrians, personnel, bicycles, horse-drawn carts, and when moving along the trajectory of other vehicles.

The level of technology.

Well-known devices for controlling the flow of vehicles in cities - traffic lights and various light lights [1, 2, 3, 5, 6], which are the closest analogue of the DSS. Like DSS, traffic lights consist of multi-colored light sources that emit a directed stream of light towards approaching cars. But traffic lights have a number of disadvantages:

- they are rarely located, at a distance of hundreds of meters from each other,

- the inclusion of individual traffic lights generally does not occur in a coordinated manner, but even when the driver is switched on in a coordinated manner between the traffic lights, he doesn’t see him well, he has to calculate the speed, which, taking into account the peculiarities of the psychological psyche and the busyness of driving, does not allow you to move optimally.

As a result, the car often falls under the red traffic light, slows down, idles, and then accelerates sharply, due to which fuel is wasted, time, brakes, tires are worn out, the environment is worsened due to exhaust emissions, which are especially toxic when the engine accelerates, etc. .

The reasons that do not allow traffic lights, unlike the BSS, to optimally control the flow of cars are their rare location, remoteness from the driver in the area between the traffic lights, being mostly outside the driver’s best perception zone, low switching consistency, and the impossibility of the effect of running lights.

The start-stop mode of car movement significantly reduces the throughput of the streets, which ultimately leads to automobile traffic jams.

Even seeing a traffic light from afar, it is difficult for a driver to calculate such a speed to drive to the intersection during the green traffic light period.

Irrational traffic increases the danger to pedestrians and other road users, etc.

It is known [7] that since the beginning of 1997, Paul Mathias, a mathematician at the ISS Group, Siemens, has been dealing with the problem of automated road systems. Since that time, he has filed more than 13 patent applications. His recent invention is a system that allows you to interact with the on-board computer of the car and the road infrastructure, that is, a traffic light installed at the intersection, which is the closest prototype to the proposed technical solutions. The system includes control functions and measures to prevent road users.

For example, according to Matthias, in the future, the traffic light will be able to transmit the recommended speed according to the current traffic situation to the on-board computer of the car approaching the intersection, allowing it to freely pass through the green signal and reasonably choose the speed mode when the yellow signal is expected to turn on. The monitoring functions of the territory adjacent to the intersection are also included in the system - if any “scorcher” wants to slip into a red light, a car approaching along the other road to the intersection will be immediately notified.

Along with the advantages of the selected prototype, there are also disadvantages, namely:

On each car, it is necessary to use a computer with a space navigation system, with a radio communication system with a traffic light computer. Given, then such a set of devices must be installed on each of the available hundreds of millions of machines, such a system seems to be extremely expensive, complex, unrealistic, because:

- not all car owners will be able to purchase and use the proposed system due to their high cost;

- for successful traffic flow control, it is necessary to install a system for hundreds of millions of cars, which seems unrealistic

- the driver will be distracted by the system signals, and not look at the road, which can lead to an accident (for example, it is already forbidden to use cell phones in the car, due to the driver’s attention)

- it is even more difficult to install such a system on a motorcycle, bicycle, horse-drawn transport, etc.

- The system must be installed on all vehicles in the traffic stream. Even if several cars do not have such a system, their uncontrolled behavior will introduce significant disturbances into the process of movement.

Also known is a prototype - the Green Wave device [4], in which an electronic board is added to the traffic lights with the speed or time indicated on it, until the next traffic light, in order to get to the green traffic light.

This prototype has the disadvantage that the numbers on the scoreboard are not visible from afar, require drivers to divert attention to the speedometer to control the speed and require speed calculations in order to catch the next traffic light for the remaining time. In addition, the numbers on the scoreboard can be blocked by other cars, and get lost among the lights of lighting and / or advertising. Also, some drivers do not understand what kind of numbers glow at the traffic lights.

PUBLIC NECESSITY in the BCA.

One of the significant problems of big cities is known - traffic jams.

According to opinion polls, Muscovites put traffic jams as the first problem of life in Moscow, indicating only the second high cost. (on the broadcast on "Echo of Moscow" in April 2010).

Traffic congestion causes large losses of time, polluting the environment with exhaust gases from cars, etc.

The use of DSS will significantly reduce the "traffic jams" because cars will move in a more orderly way by receiving pre-calculated optimal control signals.

Disclosure of a utility model.

BSS is (see Fig. No. 1) a set of light sources (IS) installed along the road, located in a line at a short distance from each other, emitting directed, colorful beams of light in the direction of cars approaching them. The ICs are switched by the controller so that at the same time a group of adjacent ICs of the same color (up to several thousand pieces) is switched on, which is perceived by the driver as a long luminous line of the same color up to hundreds of meters long. The ICs using the controller are switched sequentially, creating the effect of the movement of this luminous line due to the well-known effect of “running lights”. It’s logical to call DSS as a “running traffic light”, because the signal light "runs" next to the car, asking him the speed and position on the road.

At each moment of time, a single IC emits light of one of the colors - green, yellow, or red. It is possible to include transitional color combinations - yellow and green, yellow and red.

The speed of movement of lines (packets) of lights in the DSS is set by the controller or computer optimally for a given section of the road.

The controller switches the ICs in this order and with such a frequency that it seems that the package of lights is moving toward the traffic light, although each IC is stationary. Lines, packages of lights of different colors are adjacent to each other without a gap - that is, immediately behind the green package is yellow, then red, then again green and so on throughout the BCA.

The controller sets the length and speed of the packet of lights so that the green traffic light comes to the traffic light, the green running light packet approaches the beginning of the yellow signal, the yellow running light packet starts, and the red traffic light starts the red color.

Thus, if the driver holds his car next to the package of green lights, he will pass the traffic light without stopping. In fact, the driver will move under the stream (green wave) from the lights, "carrying" it without interference along the transport arteries.

Being in the area between the traffic lights, the driver will see next to which bag his car is moving and will make a decision - either catch up with the green light packet ahead and drive along with it, or if he is near the red packet, do not rush, slow down and wait while he (the driver) is caught up in the back by a package of new green lights.

The meaning of the DSS is to convey the result of the optimal calculation of the movement of cars along the city streets to the drivers most clearly and simply. At the same time, there is no need to put any devices on cars, and the cost of LTA is not high, because mainly consists of wires, ICs in the form of inexpensive LEDs, and simple controllers. DSS is also reliable because All devices used in the DSS are manufactured for a long time and in large quantities.

The distance between the ICs is selected based on the conditions of good visibility from the car and ranges from fractions of a meter to several tens of meters, so in the near field of view of the driver there are several ICs of the same color (multiple duplication of the control signal), which ensures reliable perception by the driver of signals from the DSS, even if any IC is out of order, or is blocked by a neighboring car.

In the simplest case, the DSS is controlled by an autonomous controller according to a simple program, in the future, with the development of the system, the DSS in individual sections will be managed in concert from a central computer, which will allow for the most optimal control of the DSS across the city, taking into account many parameters.

In the limit, on all the big streets of the city and at major intersections, it is advisable to install a bus system that will allow cars to move around the city without stopping from any point to any point.

If you choose the speed of the "running lights" equal to the maximum permitted speed on this section of the road, the driver will move around the city not only without stopping at traffic lights, but also as quickly as possible.

To improve visibility, you can put several lines of IP in parallel.

To give the DSS the function of lighting the roadway, it is possible to install parallel to the lines of the IS, to set up constantly glowing lines of the IS white, turned on for increased brightness in the dark.

The advantage of the DSS is that you don’t need to put any technical devices on vehicles, which allows you to control all types of vehicles and all road users - cars, motorcycles, bicycles, horse-drawn vehicles, riders, pedestrians, animals, dogs, etc. .d.

Another advantage of the DSS is its naturalness and comprehensibility to all road users due to the coincidence with the signals used for many decades

Green - move, Red - stand. Yellow - get ready.

The brightness of the IC is also regulated by the controller - brighter during the day, less at night. I must say that the brightness of modern LEDs is quite sufficient for the operation of the DSS in the afternoon. To improve the contrast against the sky, the IP must be placed in front of an opaque plate - shielding the IP from exposure.

It is assumed that due to the intuitive clarity of the DSS operation, drivers will quickly get used to the DSS and understand that if they move next to the green lights, they will pass the traffic light without stopping.

Thus, the DSS tells the driver the optimal speed and position on the road for movement without stopping at traffic lights.

Since the green segment glows only along part of the road, the cars moving next to the green segment will gather in a group, a packet, and a traffic light will pass in a packet. There will be few cars under the yellow and red segments of the lights, because cars will tend to escape from under them slowing down or accelerating and take their place under the green lights. Thus, areas with a lower concentration of cars will appear, which will allow pedestrians to cross the road more safely in between car packages.

The presence of traffic lights is not necessary for the BCA - just as the BCA can operate at an unregulated intersection. It is only necessary that, on a perpendicular stretch of road, the movement of vehicles is also controlled by the BCS. In this case, both DSSs must work in antiphase, forming disjoint, divided in time and space packages of cars, see Fig. 2

If the intersection is the first after a long stretch of road without traffic lights (for example, at the entrance to the city), then the track line from the IS starts several hundred meters or more from the traffic light, so that the movement of cars becomes more streamlined.

Since the DSS is located in the driver’s field of vision, but not directly in the zone of view, but to the side or from above, it does not distract the driver’s attention very much.

BCA does not require driver training or changes in traffic rules. The driving effect of the BCA on drivers comes at the expense of intuitively clear and over the course of many decades habitual conventions instilled in people.

In multi-lane traffic and / or at complex forks, LSS can be located above each lane, while on each lane the packets of lights can “run” at different speeds, according to different control algorithms, slowing down or accelerating traffic flows as it is necessary for optimal control of car traffic.

Since the controller has the ability to turn on any IC, on a long stretch of the route more flexible control is possible than evenly moving packets - for example:

- you can create a long slow packet far from the traffic light, and compress and speed up the packet to the traffic light,

- You can divide the long green packet into two packets, while the back packet will gradually lag, and a red packet will appear in the gap between them, etc.

Surely other control algorithms will appear.

DSS signals will become as familiar as traffic signals, they are even observed by dogs and other animals in cities, which is understandable - those who did not observe died under wheels, did not undergo natural selection because they did not learn how to live in the artificial environment of cities.

DSS signals are not mandatory for drivers, they should not be entered into traffic rules at least in the near future, as and without rules, the impact of the LTA is understandable and favorable for the driver. For the first time, it’s enough to hang a poster “Move along with the green lights!”

The utility model "Road Signaling System" is not a new mandatory element of traffic control. DSS submission does not need to be introduced in the Rules of the Road. DSS is advisory in nature, but drivers will quickly realize that if you go next to the green lights, you will go non-stop, easily and freely.

I must say about the aesthetic side of DSS - the appearance on the city streets of tens and hundreds of thousands of fairly bright light sources from DSS, moving, shimmering in different colors in a harmonious manner, will significantly decorate the interior of cities, favorably affect the townspeople, and decorate the urban environment.

At dusk and at night, thousands of lights will additionally illuminate the streets of cities, contributing to the beauty of the streets, the safety of citizens.

A brief description of the drawings. Implementation of a utility model.

In the simplest case, DSS consists of:

- the main controller, which coordinates the traffic signals at the intersection with the DSS and transmits communication signals to the cable - code for each IC.

- ICs mounted on a carrier cable located along the road at a height of good visibility for drivers. A cable to the IC is supplied with power and a digital control code from the central controller. The code is perceived by the local microcontroller controlling the group of nearby ICs.

In turn, IP consists of:

- at least 3 LEDs (red, yellow, green), with reflectors,

- a microcontroller-decoder that recognizes communication signals from the main controller, controls the inclusion and brightness of the LEDs.

As an IP, a light-emitting diode and / or a light bulb with a filter can be used, a reflective painted surface and / or a surface of a certain shape, “brick”, “arrow” and / or, a combination of these elements, mechanically sliding out of the housing. As a surface of a special form, it will be customary to use the arrow - move forward, brick - stand, circle - wait.

It is reasonable to establish that the color of the IP matches the color of the usual traffic signals - red, yellow, green.

To improve perception, a combination is also possible - for example, the “movement” signal is the extension of the green arrow and the simultaneous inclusion of the green IC - LED and. Or arrow backlight.

Stop signal - a green arrow hid in the case, but a red brick came out, illuminated at night with a red lamp and the LED turned on.

Also, to ensure the movement of the IP, it is possible to physically move them on carts along rails, guides, in transparent pipes, etc.

IP can be located above the road, on the side of the road, in the roadway, on the side of the road. Above the road - hanging in the form of garlands on ropes, on the side - on fences, below - mounted in asphalt and roadbed with transparent screens.

The brightness of the IP is regulated depending on the time of day, illumination, during the day - brighter, at night it is not very bright, so as not to blind the driver.

Reflectors and lenses around the IC emit light in the direction of the approaching car, due to this the IC is visible to the driver from afar.

DSS is fully manufactured and tested at the factory and placed in a container. The installation of DSS on the road is technological and can be done quickly - from a moving machine equipped with a platform on the roof, where the installer fastens the fastening clamps with the DSS to the wires stretched between the posts with quick-clamping clamps.

The approximate installation speed of the DSS is 1 kilometer per hour, which is quite acceptable and allows you to quickly deploy the DSS even at any events - the passage of motorcades, delegations, mass rare events, etc.

DSS is not an expensive system, because the nodes and components included in it are inexpensive - cable, cable, LEDs, controller. Electricity consumption is also small, as even a powerful LED consumes 1-3 watts, about 300 LEDs are required per kilometer, that is, electricity consumption will be less than 1 kW of electricity per kilometer of road.

Assessment of the cost of materials - about 100 rubles per meter in 2010 prices, that is, about 100,000 rubles per 1 kilometer of road, which is quite feasible even for a city with a poor budget.

This is quite acceptable, because the cost of the road is several tens of millions of rubles per kilometer, and the cost of the road system will be less than 1% of the cost of the section of the road on which the road system will be installed.

The operation of the system is not expensive, because all elements of the BSS do not require maintenance: for example, LEDs have a life of 5-10 years, and cables, ropes and cables even more.

Microcontrollers are also very durable.

Sources of information taken into account when compiling a description of a utility model road signaling system - LSS:

1. Distinctive signal lights http://www.morelektro.ru/signalno-otlichitelnye-ogni/

2. Barrage lights of low intensity http://www.elintel.ru/zom.html

3. Traffic light http://www.sdd.ru/prod/sf.php

4. The Green Wave http://www.drivingplus.ru/driving/dorojnoe-dvijenie/6.html

5. Patent for utility model “Ship signal fire” No. 32082

6. Patent for the invention "Warning signal of the vehicle No. 2177886"

7. Paul Matthias http://www.sotovik.ru/news/news_13537.html

Claims (22)

1. A device for controlling the movement of vehicles on the road by transmitting conditional light signals to drivers similar to traffic signals (green - traffic, yellow - preparation, red - stop), consisting of: - computing device - controller and - many located along the road visible to drivers moving or stationary multi-colored light sources (IP), jointly perceived as a line, the glow color of which is individually set by the controller according to the program and changes over time, the controller is configured to switch the IC so that visible along the road are formed luminous moving lines of tens, hundreds of meters in length that are visible due to the “running lights” effect, and with the ability to control the IC so that the green light turns on the traffic light signal was approached by a moving line of green lights, to turn on yellow - a line of yellow lights, to turn on red - a red line. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs emit directed towards the nearest cars light sufficient for drivers to observe brightness and a certain color for 0.01-100 s, after which the color of the glow can change. 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs are in front of the car in a zone of good visibility for the driver at a distance of 2-100 m from the car. 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs are switched by the controller so that a group of adjacent ICs of the same color up to several thousand pieces is turned on at a length of 1 to 1000 m, which is perceived by the driver as a long luminous line of the same color. 5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs are switched by the controller so that due to sequentially coordinated switching with a frequency of 0.1 to 100 times per second, an effect of line movement (the effect of running lights) is created, while each IC remains stationary . 6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the IPs are attached to ropes, bogies on rails, containers in transparent pipes, with which they can move along the road at a speed not exceeding the permitted speed of the vehicles. 7. The device according to 1, characterized in that the ICs are located on top, on the side, on the bottom of each lane of vehicles. 8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs at each moment of time glow in one of the colors - green, yellow, red. 9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs are located from each other at a distance from 0.02 m to 100 m 10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that several IP lines are installed in parallel and one or more of these lines glow white. 11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the LEDs, incandescent lamps, lamps with gas discharge are used as ICs. 12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that as the IP, multicolored figures are used that are mechanically pushed out of the case, for example, a red brick, a green arrow, a triangle, illuminated in low light conditions. 13. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs are on the background of an opaque and / or contrast screen. 14. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the IC is mounted to the carrier cable and the power of the IC is supplied using the carrier cable. 15. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ICs are turned on from the microcontroller running the program. 16. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that at dusk and at night with thousands of lights partially illuminates the streets of cities. 17. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that under its influence, cars are assembled in "packages" next to the green luminous area of the IP. 18. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that with multi-lane traffic above each lane, its own separate IS line is established, which allows you to set different speeds on each lane. 19. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the moving light lines have different lengths and speeds of their movement due to controller commands. 20. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it creates moving light lines that are divided into parts or merge in the process of its movement. 21. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is turned on so that the front end of the moving green line is at the intersection at the moment of turning on the green traffic light. 22. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that on the intersecting streets of the device are included in antiphase and / or with a delayed inclusion relative to each other.