Intelligent electronic footwear and control logic for automated infrastructure-based pedestrian tracking

A method of operating a wearable intelligent electronic apparel (IEA) system for communicating with an intelligent transportation management (ITM) system, the ITM system including an ITM system controller and a transmitter-detector module, the method comprising:

• receiving, via a detection tag of the IEA system, a prompt signal wirelessly transmitted from the transmitter-detector module of the ITM system, the detection tag attached to an apparel body worn by a user;
• transmitting, via the detection tag responsive to receiving the prompt signal, a response signal wirelessly transmitted to the transmitter-detector module;
• receiving, via an IEA controller of the IEA system from the ITM controller of the ITM system, a user location of the user based on the response signal output by the detection tag to the transmitter-detector module;
• receiving, via the IEA controller from the ITM controller, a first operating state of a traffic signal proximate the user location;
• determining, based on sensor data received from a dynamics sensor, an expected incursion time that the user will breach a traffic lane regulated by the traffic signal;
• receiving, via the IEA controller from the ITM controller, an estimated phase change time between a current time and a preprogrammed phase change time at which the traffic signal is scheduled to switch from the first operating state to the second operating state;
• and
• transmitting, via the IEA controller to the ITM controller in response to a determination that the expected incursion time being less than the estimated phase change, a request to switch the traffic signal from the first operating state to a second operating state.

A method of operating a wearable intelligent electronic apparel (IEA) system for communicating with an intelligent transportation management (ITM) system, the ITM system including an ITM system controller and a transmitter-detector module, the method comprising:

• receiving, via a detection tag of the IEA system, a prompt signal wirelessly transmitted from the transmitter-detector module of the ITM system, the detection tag attached to an apparel body worn by a user;
• transmitting, via the detection tag responsive to receiving the prompt signal, a response signal wirelessly transmitted to the transmitter-detector module;
• receiving, via an IEA controller of the IEA system from the ITM controller of the ITM system, a user location of the user based on the response signal output by the detection tag to the transmitter-detector module;
• receiving, via the IEA controller from the ITM controller, a first operating state of a traffic signal proximate the user location;
• receiving, from a dynamics sensor attached to the apparel body, sensor data indicative of a speed and a heading of the user;
• determining if the speed of the user is substantially equal to zero;
• determining if the heading of the user is away from a traffic lane regulated by the traffic signal;
• transmitting, via the IEA controller to the ITM controller in response to the speed of the user being greater than zero and the heading of the user being towards the traffic lane, a request to switch the traffic signal from the first operating state to a second operating state;
• and
• not transmitting the request to the ITM controller in response to the speed of the user being substantially equal to zero and/or the heading of the user is away from the traffic lane regulated by the traffic signal.