Adaptively controlling traffic movements for driver safety
AssigneeCubic Corporation
InventorsWilliam A. Malkes, William S. Overstreet, Jeffery R. Price, Michael J. Tourville
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A camera whose field of view includes an intersection of thoroughfares captures images and/or video of the intersection. Based on the captured images and/or video, a computer system surveys vehicular traffic through the intersection visible and defines both a risk zone of the intersection and a safe zone associated with the intersection. The computer system identifies that an at-risk vehicle is present in the risk zone and automatically modifying a timing of a traffic signal indicator to allow the at-risk vehicle to pass through the risk zone into the safe zone, for example by extending a green or yellow light.
Claims18
A method of adaptively controlling traffic movements for driver safety, the method comprising:
- capturing visual data of an intersection of a plurality of thoroughfares using a camera, wherein:
- the intersection is beyond stop lines for all directions of traffic,
- the camera is at a fixed location at the intersection,
- the camera is an omnidirectional camera, and
- a field of view of the camera at the fixed location includes at least a portion of the intersection;
- defining a risk zone and a safe zone associated with the intersection based on the visual data;
- surveying vehicular traffic through the intersection visible in the visual data, wherein the risk zone is within the intersection;
- identifying that an at-risk vehicle is present in the risk zone based on:
- timing of a traffic signal indicator, and
- the visual data from the camera;
- and
- modifying a timing of the traffic signal indicator to change its color to allow the identified at-risk vehicle to pass through the risk zone into the safe zone.
A system for safe adaptive traffic control, the system comprising:
- a camera connector coupled to a camera, wherein:
- the camera connector receives visual media data of an intersection of a plurality of thoroughfares from the camera,
- a field of view of the camera includes at least a portion of the intersection,
- the camera is at a fixed location at the intersection,
- the camera is an omnidirectional camera, and
- the intersection is beyond stop lines for all directions of traffic;
- and
- a memory that stores instructions;
- a processor that executed the instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by the processor:
- defines a risk zone and a safe zone associated with the intersection based on the visual data,
- surveys vehicular traffic through the intersection visible in the visual data, and
- identifies that an at-risk vehicle is present in the risk zone based on:
- timing of a traffic signal indicator, and
- the visual data from the camera;
- and
- a traffic signal indicator connector couples to the traffic signal indicator, wherein:
- the risk zone is within the intersection, and
- the traffic signal indicator connector modifies a timing of the traffic signal indicator to change its color to allow the identified at-risk vehicle to pass through the risk zone into the safe zone.
A method of safe adaptive traffic control, the method comprising:
- capturing visual data of an intersection of a plurality of thoroughfares using a camera;
- identifying that a vehicle present in the intersection is at-risk due to a timing of a traffic signal indicator, the identification based on the visual data;
- and
- modifying the timing of the traffic signal indicator to allow the vehicle to safely pass through the intersection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.