RU2748091C1 - Method of notifying drivers about the presence of pedestrians at an unregulated pedestrian crossing and on approaches to it - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to methods for alerting drivers about the presence of pedestrians at an unregulated pedestrian crossing and on approaches to it. A method of notifying drivers about the presence of pedestrians at an unregulated pedestrian crossing and on approaches to it includes lighting the approaches to the pedestrian crossing based on the analysis of pedestrian movements two meters before the carriageway when motion sensors are triggered, lighting the carriageway when pedestrians enter it when the motion sensors are triggered, and control modules, additional light indication in both directions of vehicle movement, warning the driver about the presence of a pedestrian on the carriageway in the area of ​​the pedestrian crossing. Lighting is carried out using LED light sources in the dark, round-the-clock notification of drivers is carried out using additional light indication placed on the "Pedestrian crossing" sign.

EFFECT: improving human safety at an unregulated pedestrian crossing.

1 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to methods for alerting drivers about the presence of pedestrians at an unregulated pedestrian crossing and on approaches to it and can be used to improve human safety at a pedestrian crossing.

In recent years, due to an increase in the intensity of traffic flows, the problem of ensuring the safety of pedestrians, especially at night, when they cross the carriageway of highways, has become aggravated. The leading companies in almost all countries of the world are engaged in solving the problem. Various directions are known in solving this problem, primarily focused on alerting the driver about the appearance of a pedestrian at a pedestrian crossing.

Known device according to the patent RU 2416821 E01F 9/04, when in the road surface at the same level with it are installed metal boxes with built-in lanterns with armored glass, a glass heating system, a system for removing condensate. Boxes with green lights are installed between the white zebra stripes and turn them on with a green pedestrian traffic light and a red traffic light in the mode of constant green light, and with a red pedestrian light - in a flashing light mode. Boxes with red lights and similar green equipment are installed on the line of stopping vehicles in front of the zebra and turn them on at a green pedestrian traffic light.

The disadvantages of the device are low efficiency in conditions of natural factors (snow, rain, mud), high energy consumption, high cost and limited use (mainly for aesthetic purposes). Analogs of such devices are installed in St. Petersburg near the Tavrichesky Garden, at the crossroads of the central streets of Prague, Berlin, Astana.

In England, in conditions of changeable weather conditions, the system of "smart" pedestrian crossings "Starling Crossing") is being tested), which are equipped with surveillance cameras, motion sensors, software and a large light screen. As in the previous case, the system is mounted in steel boxes underground, the LED lights are protected by impact-resistant plastic from shock and weight loads, water and dirt penetration. Drivers are notified as follows. Cameras and tracking sensors send information about the location of a pedestrian directly at the crosswalk to a computer, which then generates LED patterns, creating an image of the visible pedestrian crossing. The image of the pedestrian crossing disappears as soon as all people cross the carriageway.

The proposed technical solution, like other solutions with underground placement of warning systems, has such disadvantages as the high cost of the system itself, its installation and operation, and limited use.

There are a number of technical solutions aimed at creating a visual effect "zebra in the sky)). For example, in patent RU 123111 F21S 8/00 for a utility model, to notify drivers about the presence of pedestrians at a pedestrian crossing, the technique of creating a light indication in the field of visibility above the road, located at equal intervals and symmetrically relative to traffic lanes, is used, which creates associations with a picture painted on the asphalt "Zebra)). At the same time, the very implementation of the method for creating a visual effect is achieved by the fact that the pedestrian crossing lighting system is equipped with a lighting device consisting of one or more LED lamps installed on a double cable attached to supports located on both sides of the road, their operation is provided by a control and power unit, and switching on and off - by the dispatcher or motion sensors, recording the movement of a pedestrian and transmitting a signal to the control unit to turn on the lighting.

The disadvantage of the proposed solution is that any special effects scatter the driver's attention, distracting him from analyzing the traffic situation, which creates a danger for pedestrians to remain unnoticed by vehicle drivers; in addition, the technical solution does not take into account the effect of swinging lamps suspended on wires. Known technical solution for alerting the driver about the presence of pedestrians on the road crossing by creating a visual image of the obstacle, presented in patent RU 176588 G08G 1/00 for a utility model. It is proposed to limit a pedestrian crossing to four or more posts in each of which several generators of visible laser beams are built, acting in one direction, but in different planes and at different angles, controlled by a control system that blocks the flow of pedestrians or vehicles in the crossing zone, sensors movements give a signal that switches the system to a mode that prohibits movement. The work of the pedestrian crossing is carried out as follows. Visible red laser beams form a three-dimensional image of a conditional obstacle in the form of intersecting lines blocking the pedestrian's road. When a pedestrian approaches a pedestrian crossing, the motion sensor beam is blocked and the pedestrian crossing switches to a mode that prohibits traffic to the flow of vehicles, creating a three-dimensional image of a conditional obstacle, and then opening the pedestrian crossing for the pedestrian. Further, after the expiration of the programmed time sufficient to complete the crossing, the pedestrian crossing automatically switches to its original state, blocking the path of the pedestrian and opening the carriageway for vehicles.

The disadvantages of the proposed solution include the need to install a large number of sources of laser beams to create a volumetric and saturated image and, accordingly, an increase in energy consumption, as well as the possibility of a laser beam hitting the retina of a person who is at a crossing or in a car, which can lead to his blindness. It is also necessary to note the complexity of servicing the proposed system and the need to apply anti-vandal solutions to it.

There is a known method (see RU 2506368 IPC E01F 9/00 - prototype) of notifying drivers of the presence of a pedestrian at a pedestrian crossing, including lighting of a pedestrian crossing visible, regardless of the time of day, by means of an LED searchlight, while the lighting is changed by a signal, by of at least one means of detecting a pedestrian at a pedestrian crossing, the luminous flux of a searchlight is passed through a stencil frame that imitates the Zebra markings when the light flux passes through it on the surface of a pedestrian crossing, while additional notification of drivers is carried out using at least one windows simulating a traffic light signal facing an approaching vehicle, and the color of the light of the pedestrian crossing and the traffic light window, when a pedestrian appears at the pedestrian crossing, is changed from permitting to prohibiting.

The method adopted as a prototype has the following disadvantages. The method does not solve the main problem of increasing the safety of a pedestrian on an unregulated pedestrian crossing, namely, to warn the driver in advance about the pedestrian's intention to cross the road, and not to confront him with the fact of the immediate, and even unexpected, appearance of a pedestrian on the carriageway at night, even if the passage is constantly lit. According to the prototype, the driver is notified of the presence of a pedestrian at a pedestrian crossing when the photodiode is triggered at the moment the pedestrian enters the roadway, due to the inclusion of a prohibiting light flux of a searchlight and a prohibiting color in the traffic light simulator window. With this method, the driver of a vehicle approaching a pedestrian crossing may not have enough time for emergency braking in front of a pedestrian who appears at the crossing. The problem is exacerbated in difficult weather conditions, in conditions of poor visibility and, especially, at night.

Another disadvantage of the prototype is that the colored luminous flux in the form of a "zebra", formed by the stencil of a spotlight in a round-the-clock, especially blinking mode, visible according to the authors of the invention 200 meters before the transition, causes due to the flickering effect the result is opposite to the desired one, causing visual irritation a nerve that can only be removed by closing your eyes.

The disadvantage of the prototype is also its high power consumption, which does not allow the use of autonomous power supplies, and, therefore, imposes significant restrictions on the possible places of its installation. In fact, the proposed solution in terms of the complexity of the design and the level of energy consumption exceeds the commonly used traffic light objects of the T-1 type.

The objective of the present invention is to create a reliable system for alerting drivers about the presence of pedestrians at a pedestrian crossing and on approaches to it, which provides an increase in the safe time interval for making decisions by the driver and an increase in road safety at unregulated pedestrian crossings with minimal energy consumption.

The problem is solved due to the fact that in the known method of notifying drivers about the presence of a pedestrian at a pedestrian crossing and on approaches, indicated by road signs and equipped with pedestrian detection means installed on supports on both sides of the carriageway, mainly in the form of motion sensors, warning, prohibiting means of alerting drivers, mainly in the form of LED light sources, and means of their power supply, including the detection of pedestrians in the area of operation of the detection sensors, transmission of signals from the detection means to the means of notification, turning on the means of alerting the driver when there are pedestrians in the area of the sensors and turning off the means of notification if they are absent in this zone, new features are included.

New signs are that the decision to turn on the driver's alerts is made on the basis of a round-the-clock analysis of the direction of movement of pedestrians in the area of the detection means within a radius of at least 5 meters to the carriageway, the activation of means for alerting the driver about the movement of pedestrians in the direction of the carriageway is made in it is dark when they approach it at a distance of less than 2 meters by illuminating pedestrians, turning on warning devices when pedestrians enter the carriageway is performed on both sides of the carriageway, warning lighting of a pedestrian crossing is performed in the dark, and additional light indication is switched on around the clock.

The listed new signs of warning the driver make it possible to maximally ensure the safety of a pedestrian when crossing an unregulated crossing due to advance warning of drivers about the intention of pedestrians to enter the carriageway, which is ensured in conditions of poor visibility by turning on the lamp when the pedestrian is closer than two meters from the carriageway and then turning on all means alerts when a pedestrian enters the roadway. The choice of the moment of switching on the lamp allows the driver to see the pedestrian from a distance of 30-40 meters, which at a permitted speed of 60 km / h is sufficient for a complete stop of the car.

In addition, the method provides minimal power consumption both during daylight hours and at night, which allows the use of autonomous energy sources, such as solar panels. The features of the proposed method, according to the conducted patent information search, are new and industrially applicable. Giving the features of the proposed method a new quality associated with the achieved positive result indicates an inventive step.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the device with which the proposed method is carried out, where:

- D1, D2, D3 - highly sensitive infrared motion sensors;

- C1 - lamp for lighting a pedestrian in a two-meter area in front of the roadway;

- С2 - lamp for pedestrian illumination on the roadway;

- С3 - lamps with stroboscope effect, placed on the "Pedestrian crossing" sign;

- UM - control module;

-A - antenna for communication with the control center;

- V / k - video camera.

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of the modules triggering depending on the location of the pedestrian.

The proposed method of notifying drivers about the presence of pedestrians at an unregulated pedestrian crossing and approaches to it using the device indicated on the graphic materials is carried out as follows:

1) When a pedestrian approaches an unregulated pedestrian crossing at a distance of less than 5 meters, a highly sensitive infrared sensor D1 is triggered. The signal from the D1 sensor triggers the logical decision-making chain of the intelligent transport system (ITS). If a pedestrian moving along the sidewalk or roadside moves away from the pedestrian crossing, the control and executive modules of the ITS do not start. If a pedestrian approaches the carriageway at a distance of less than 2 meters, a highly sensitive infrared sensor D2 is triggered and the IM1 executive module is launched at night, providing pedestrian illumination in front of the carriageway in the zone of action of the "Pedestrian crossing" sign. IM1 works until a pedestrian makes a decision to cross the carriageway or continue in a different direction.

2) At the moment a pedestrian enters the roadway, a highly sensitive infrared sensor D3 is triggered, the control module (PA) and a programmable timer (TP) are launched, which determine the sequence of operation of the executive modules and their operating time.

3) Commands are sent to the executive modules through the PA for the time specified by the TP: IM2 - illumination of the roadway from the pedestrian's side (in the dark), IM3 - turn on the video camera (around the clock), IM4 - video transmission through the GSM module to the control center (around the clock) ), IM5 - warnings of the driver with additional light indication (around the clock), IM6 - switching on the IM1-IM5 modules located on the opposite side of the carriageway from the pedestrian through the wireless device (IM3-IM5 - around the clock, IM1, IM2 - only in the dark).

4) The ITS algorithm works as long as at least one pedestrian remains at the crossing.

5) The time of day mode and the associated switching on of the specified ITS modules is determined by the controllers of the autonomous power system. The proposed method makes it possible to effectively inform drivers at any time of the day both about the presence of a pedestrian on the carriageway and about his actions in front of the carriageway, which allows the driver to make a timely decision to reduce the speed of movement or stop completely for a pedestrian to cross the carriageway without hindrance.

Claims (1)

A method of notifying drivers about the presence of pedestrians at an unregulated pedestrian crossing and on approaches to it, indicated by road signs and equipped with pedestrian detection devices installed on supports on both sides of the carriageway, mainly in the form of motion sensors, driver alerts, mainly in the form of LED sources lighting, and the means of their power supply, including the detection of pedestrians, the transmission of signals from the means of detection to the means of notification, the inclusion of means of alerting the driver in the presence of pedestrians in the area of the sensors and turning off the means of notification in their absence in this zone, characterized in that the decision to turn on the means driver alerts are received on the basis of a round-the-clock analysis of the direction of pedestrian movement in the detection area within a radius of at least 5 meters to the carriageway, enabling the driver to alert the driver about the movement of pedestrians in the direction of the carriageway the road is made in the dark when they approach it at a distance of less than 2 meters by lighting pedestrians, the activation of warning devices when pedestrians enter the carriageway is made on both sides of the carriageway, warning lighting of the pedestrian crossing is made in the dark, and additional light indication is switched on produce around the clock.

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