Smart and scalable urban signal networks: methods and systems for adaptive traffic signal control

An adaptive traffic control method comprising the steps of:

• providing a local adaptive traffic control processor in communication with one or more neighboring adaptive traffic control processors, one or more traffic flow sensors, and a local intersection controller, wherein the local adaptive traffic control processor executes the following steps of the method:
• receiving traffic signal status from the local intersection controller;
• receiving current traffic flows from the one or more traffic flow sensors;
• receiving planned traffic inflows from the one or more neighboring adaptive traffic control processors;
• merging the current traffic flows and the planned traffic inflows to form an aggregate traffic inflows;
• generating an optimal phase schedule based on the traffic signal status and the aggregate traffic inflows;
• transmitting the optimal phase schedule to the one or more neighboring adaptive traffic control processors;
• determining whether to extend a current phase by an extension-interval based in the optimal phase schedule;
• and
• transmitting a switch phase instruction to the local intersection controller switch to the next phase for a minimal phase length if the current phase is not to be extended or an extend phase instruction to extend the current phase if the current phase is to be extended, wherein the extend phase message contains the extension interval.