System Architecture for Modern Traffic Control Cody Browne EE - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

System Architecture for Modern Traffic Control

Cody Browne EE Graduate Student

Outline

• Key deficiencies with existing methods
• Key concepts
• Previous and current Smart Signals research
• Implementation
• Going forward

Issues with the Current System

• Static information

format.

• More information

means more signs.

Issues with the Current System

• Hard wired interface

Issues with the Current System

• Signals unable to keep up with control.

Trying to use old signals for new concepts.

Issues with the Current System

• Lack of consideration for mixed mode use

has created dangerous situations.

○ Left turns into pedestrians ○ Right turns into pedestrians ○ Bike lanes

TriMet is no stranger to left-turn bus accidents such as the one that killed two pedestrians and injured three others in a downtown Portland crosswalk on the night of April 24 [2010] Joseph Rose - Oregon Live

Issues with the Current System

• Driver must look places other than directly

ahead for important information such as speed limits, street names, etc.

• There can be too much information in one

spot to be consumed.

Issues with the Current System

• Inaccurate countdown on pedestrian signals

due to lack of intelligent communication.

• Lack of vehicle or pedestrian countdowns

and countups.

Issues with the Current System

• Level of service is different for different

users. ○ Pedestrians have to push a button, vehicles don't. ○ Are bicyclists cars or pedestrians?

Key Concepts

• Everyone is involved in traffic.

Key Concepts

• Flexible system is a must.
• Not every intersection is the same.

Key Concepts

• Signals aren't just for drivers.

Smart Signals 2006 - present

• 6 master degree theses

○ 2006-2010 ○ Topics in distributed control and networking.

• Several conference and journal publications

○ Transportation Research Board ○ IEEE Industrial Electronics Society ○ IEEE Intelligent Transportations Systems.

• A lot of undergrads

Smart Signals AAPS

• Advanced

Accessible Pedestrian System

• Designed at U of I

from start to finish.

• Being

manufactured and installed across the US.

Smart Signals IIS

• Intersection

Information System

• Providing more

information to all users.

Implementation

• Implemented in the AAPS and IIS
• Provides a foundation for many more ideas

Implementation

• Network based system for flexibility.
• New information can use the existing

infrastructure.

• Don't need new wires for new signs

Implementation

• Information format is not static
• AAPS - Audio messages can be changed
• IIS - Images can be changed

Implementation

• Information is spread throughout the

intersection

• Vehicles can be told there is a pedestrian

Implementation

• Network can be expanded to give

information to other entities.

○ Driverless cars ○ Trains/Mass transit

• Network makes more information available

at the intersection

○ Environmental conditions ○ Emergency situations

Going Forward

• Speech recognition for pedestrians

○ and other passive detection methods

• Local display for pedestrians
• Smart phone interaction
• Pedestrian tracking

Discussion