# US 2019/0172346 A1 · Traffic intersection distance anayltics system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0172346 A1 - Document ID: US20190172346A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/170,727 - Filed: 2018-10-25 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-01 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Marshall Barker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190172346A1 ## CPC - G08G 1/07: Controlling traffic signals - G08G 1/0116: {from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons} - G08G 1/0125: {Traffic data processing} - G08G 1/0133: {for classifying traffic situation} - G08G 1/04: using optical or ultrasonic detectors - G08G 1/166: {for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes} - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract A method, system, and computer readable program product are disclosed for traffic intersection distance signaling. In an embodiment, the method comprises determining a distance between a first vehicle and a traffic intersection, said first vehicle being on a first side of the intersection; using this determined distance to determine if a pre-defined distance is available between the first vehicle and the intersection; and when this pre-defined distance is available between the first vehicle and the intersection, signaling to a second vehicle, on a second side of the intersection, that space is available for the second vehicle on the first side of the intersection. In embodiments of the invention, the method further comprises measuring a specified length of the second vehicle, and the pre-defined distance is based on this measured specified length. In an embodiment, the predefined distance is equal to or greater than this measured specified length. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A traffic intersection distance signaling method, comprising: using data from a first sensor positioned on a first light pole on a first side of a specified traffic intersection to determine a distance between a first vehicle on the first side of the traffic intersection and a near edge of the traffic intersection; using data from a second sensor positioned on a second light pole on a second side of the intersection to measure a length of a second vehicle on the second side of the intersection; using said determined distance and the measured length of the second vehicle to determine if space is available for the second vehicle, behind the first vehicle, for the second vehicle to enter and exit the intersection behind the first vehicle; and when said space is available for the second vehicle, behind the first vehicle, signaling to the second vehicle that space is available for the second vehicle on the first side of the intersection. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a first video device providing image data, and the using data from a first sensor to determine the distance between the first vehicle and the near edge of the traffic intersection includes processing the image data provided by the first video device to determine said distance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the second sensor is a second video device providing image data, and the using data from the second sensor to measure the length of the second vehicle includes processing the image data provided by the second video device to measure said length. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein the processing the image data provided by the first and second video devices includes a controller receiving the image data from the first and second video devices and processing the image data from the first and second video devices to determine the distance between the first vehicle and the near edge of the traffic intersection and the length of the second vehicle ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the signaling to the second vehicle that space is available for the second vehicle on the first side of the intersection includes using a electronic display unit to a display a signal to the second vehicle that space is available for the second vehicle on the first side of the intersection. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the electronic display unit is positioned on the first side of the intersection. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the electronic display unit is mounted on the first light pole. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the using said determined distance and the measured length of the second vehicle to determine if space is available for the second vehicle, behind the first vehicle, for the second vehicle to enter and exit the intersection behind the first vehicle includes determining that said space is available for the second vehicle when the determined distance between the first vehicle and the near edge of the traffic intersection is equal to or greater than the measured length of the second vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the using data from the first sensor to determine the distance between the first vehicle and the near edge of the traffic intersection includes monitoring said distance between the first vehicle and the near edge of the traffic intersection over a period of time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the using said determined distance and the measured length of the second vehicle to determine if space is available for the second vehicle, behind the first vehicle, for the second vehicle to enter and exit the intersection behind the first vehicle includes comparing said determined distance and the measured length of the vehicle one or more times over the period of time. ### Claim 11 A traffic intersection distance signaling system, comprising: a first sensor positioned on a first light pole on a first side of a specified traffic intersection to obtain data for determining a distance between a first vehicle on the first side of the traffic intersection and a near edge of the traffic intersection; a second sensor positioned on a second light pole on a second side of the intersection to obtain data for measuring a length of a second vehicle on the second side of the intersection; a display unit for producing signaling messages: and a sub-system for using the data from the first sensor to determine a distance between a first vehicle on the first side of the traffic intersection and the near edge of the traffic intersection, for using the data from the second sensor to measure the length of a second vehicle, for using said determined distance and the measured length of the second vehicle to determine if space is available for the second vehicle, behind the first vehicle, for the second vehicle to enter and exit the intersection behind the first vehicle, and when said space is available for the second vehicle, behind the first vehicle, and for transmitting a control signal to the display unit to display a signal to the second vehicle that space is available for the second vehicle on the first side of the traffic intersection. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The traffic intersection distance signaling system, according to claim 11, wherein the first sensor is a first video device for providing image data, and the sub-system includes a controller for processing the image data provided by the first video device to determine the distance between the first vehicle and the near edge of the traffic intersection. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The traffic intersection distance signaling system according to claim 12, wherein the second sensor is a second video device for providing image data, and the controller processes the image data provided by the second video device to measure the length of the second vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The traffic intersection distance signaling system according to claim 13, wherein, the electronic display unit is mounted on the first light pole, on the first side of the intersection. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The traffic intersection distance signaling system according to claim 12, wherein the using said determined distance and the measured length of the second vehicle to determine if space is available for the second vehicle, behind the first vehicle, for the second vehicle to enter and exit the intersection behind the first vehicle includes determining that said space is available for the second vehicle when the determined distance between the first vehicle and the near edge of the traffic intersection is equal to or greater than the measured length of the second vehicle. ### Claim 16 A computer readable program storage device for traffic intersection distance signaling, the computer readable program product comprising: a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therein, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform the method of: using data from a first sensor positioned on a first light pole on a first side of a specified traffic intersection to determine a distance between a first vehicle on the first side of the traffic intersection and a near edge of the traffic intersection; using data from a second sensor positioned on a second light pole on a second side of the intersection to measure a length of a second vehicle on the second side of the intersection; using said determined distance and the measured length of the second vehicle to determine if space is available for the second vehicle, behind the first vehicle, for the second vehicle to enter and exit the intersection behind the first vehicle; and when said space is available for the second vehicle, behind the first vehicle, signaling to the second vehicle that space is available for the second vehicle on the first side of the intersection. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer readable program storage device according to claim 16, wherein the first sensor is a first video device providing image data, and the using data from a first sensor to determine the distance between the first vehicle and the near edge of the traffic intersection includes processing the image data provided by the first video device to determine said distance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer readable program storage device according to claim 17, wherein the second sensor is a second video device providing image data, and the using data from the second sensor to measure the length of the second vehicle includes processing the image data provided by the second video device to measure said length. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The computer readable program storage device according to claim 18, wherein the processing the image data provided by the first and second video devices includes a controller receiving the image data from the first and second video devices and processing the image data from the first and second video devices to determine the distance between the first vehicle and the near edge of the traffic intersection and the length of the second vehicle ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer readable program storage device according to claim 16, wherein the signaling to the second vehicle that space is available for the second vehicle on the first side of the intersection includes using a electronic display unit to a display a signal to the second vehicle that space is available for the second vehicle on the first side of the intersection.