초록 ▼

A system and method for controlling traffic and traffic lights and selectively distributing warning messages to motorists is described. Traffic information is obtained from various traffic information units. The traffic information units have intelligent controllers. The traffic information is trans

A system and method for controlling traffic and traffic lights and selectively distributing warning messages to motorists is described. Traffic information is obtained from various traffic information units. The traffic information units have intelligent controllers. The traffic information is transmitted to at least one central controller. The central controller is used to determine congestion parameters and warning information. The congestion parameters and the warning information are transmitted from the central controller to the intelligent controllers. The intelligent controllers are used to determine appropriate action based on the congestion parameters and the warning information. Fuzzy logic is used to determine optimum traffic light phase split based on the traffic information from the traffic information units. The optimum traffic light phase split is determined for each of the intelligent controllers. Fuzzy logic controllers are used to execute fuzzy logic inference rules from a fuzzy rule base in determining the congestion parameters and the warning information and the appropriate action. Input variables and output variables are defined as members of fuzzy sets having degrees of membership determined by membership functions. The fuzzy rule base is used to define a fuzzy inference system wherein the fuzzy rule base is based on expert knowledge for system control based on observed values of control variables. The input variables are used to define the membership functions used by the fuzzy rule base. A reasoning mechanism is used to execute the fuzzy rule base and the fuzzy inference system. The membership functions are used to convert the input variables to output variables that define the control variables. Membership functions may be a fuzzy membership for traffic flow or for traffic light phase split. The input variables may be a level of avoidance variable, a length of warning radius variable, or a distance to dangerous situation variable. The output variables may be an output danger index or a radius of concern parameter. Global Positioning System technology is used by the system and method in order to track moving vehicles and signs and be able to communicate with them.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of using at least one central controller, at least one intelligent traffic light controller and at least one other intelligent controller for controlling traffic and traffic lights and selectively distributing warning messages to motorists comprising the acts o

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of using at least one central controller, at least one intelligent traffic light controller and at least one other intelligent controller for controlling traffic and traffic lights and selectively distributing warning messages to motorists comprising the acts of:(a) obtaining traffic information from various traffic information units,(b) transmitting the traffic information to at least one central controller,(c) using the central controller to determine traffic congestion parameters and warning information,(d) further using the derived congestion and warning information as input variables to a fuzzy logic controller to derive traffic light phase split control signals,(e) transmitting traffic light phase split control information to one or more intelligent traffic light controllers,(f) setting the traffic light phase splits at at least one traffic light and transmitting a confirmation message back to the central controller,(g) further broadcasting traffic warning information signals from at least one central controller, said traffic warning information signals defining the nature of at least one traffic situation to be avoided, geographic coordinates of the traffic situation and a level of avoidance indication for the identified traffic situations,(h) receiving said broadcast warning information signals at at least one other intelligent traffic controller,(i) determining the geographic coordinates of at least one other receiving intelligent traffic controller,(j) comparing the coordinates of the receiving intelligent traffic controller with the coordinates of the traffic situation to be avoided and computing the distance between that intelligent controller and the situation,(k) using the received level of avoidance indication and the derived distance as fuzzy variable inputs to a second fuzzy logic controller located in the receiving intelligent controller to derive a danger warning message for the traffic situation to be avoided relative to the location of the receiving intelligent controller, and(i) intelligibly indicating the danger warning message to motorists.