Method of indicating time remaining until traffic lights change

Details Method of indicating time remaining until traffic lights change Method of indicating time remaining until traffic lights change

1998-08-06

2001-10-30

Pope, Daryl (Department: 2632)

Communications: electrical

Traffic control indicator

Indication of time remaining before change of phase

C340S907000, C340S309160, C340S309400, C340S331000, C340S332000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06310562

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates in general to light signalling systems and more specifically to a method of indicating the remainder time till a change in the traffic light signal.
BACKGROUND ART
To prevent numerous road accidents resulting from the fact that the driver of a transport vehicle has no precise indication of a an instant of time when the traffic light signal is changed, use is now made of diverse visual methods of indicating vehicle drivers of the time at his/her disposal for passing a crossroad or a pedestrian crosswalk. Indication of the remainder time is effected in the heretofore-known methods with the use of additional indicating elements which can be viewed by the driver simultaneously with the main traffic light signals (i.e., green, red, and orange). Used as such elements are symbols, arrows, numbers (DE Patent A NN 4,210,996, 3,929,342), luminous dots located either in line or round a circle and adapted till successively go out in a direction towards the main indication signal light (FR Patent A N 2,691,566; CH Patent A N 678,668), additional signal lamps of any color arranged in diverse ways with respect to the main signal lights and are turned on one after another at regular intervals which are in fact fractions of a lighting period of a main signal lamp, that is, green or red (FR Patent A N 2,126,134), timers counting down time (in seconds) within which one or the other signal lamp will be on (GB Patent A N 2,248,136).
However, use of additional indication elements is in a majority of cases inconvenient for drivers, because they are to keep watch simultaneously on two or more light signals carrying diverse information. Additional signal lamps (especially when a plurality of such lamps are used) arranged at various places with respect to the main signal lamps both vertically and horizontally, are out of drivers' field of vision, especially those of motor cars which are spaced 10-15 m away from the traffic light.
The technical solution closest to the herein-proposed one is a method of indicating the remainder time till a change in the traffic light signal (U.S. Pat. No. 200,860, wherein a change in the effective signal light is preceded by the red or green lamp starting flashing at variable-length intervals between flashes to inform about a change in the traffic light signal that is to come.
When the effective traffic signal lamp flashes at a final stage more than twice, this might misinform vehicle drivers, because they cannot accurately determine the instant when the signal light is changed; however, any misinformation in traffic signalling might result in unpredictable emergency after-effects. When a driver approaches the crossroad while, e.g., a green light is flashing, he/she has no prior knowledge of how much time remains before a change of the green light for the orange one. Thus, the information boils down to the sole fact that a change in the signal light is next to come. This compels a driver either to increase the speed in order to pass the crossroad before the “go” (green) signal is changed for the “no go” signal, or conversely to reduce the speed. In any of said cases this results either in overspeed or in a traffic jam and a danger of emergency situation occurs.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has for its principal object to provide a method of indicating the remainder time till a change in the traffic light signal in order to furnish both vehicle drivers and pedestrians with visual information readily perceptible and visible from every point on the roadway within the traffic light visual zone, which is attainable due to appropriately selected number of traffic signal lamps and an interval of their flashing.
The foregoing object is accomplished due to the fact that in a method of indicating the remainder time till a change in the traffic light signal, an optical signalling is established for the traffic participants, which indicates the remainder effective (on) time of the green (“go”) or red (“no go”) signal light till the orange signal light goes on, said signalling being effected due to short-interval flashing of said light, according to the invention, use is made of further two green and two red signal lights which are suspended, together with the main signal lights, over the roadway in a single row on both sides of the orange light; the flashing mode of all the three lights of the effective color is preceded by switching over the lights of the effective color performed from a preset instant of time till the orange light goes on by alternately switching off, at a preset time interval, two lights beginning with the one most removed from the orange signal light; some period of time following switching off said two lights the third light closest to the orange light remains switched on, whereupon two switched off lights are switched on again; thereafter the lights are flashing for the remaining period of time in the following sequence: first all the three lights are flashing in synchronism, then two lights and one light, respectively, flash at regular time intervals, after which the orange light goes on.
It is expedient that switching over the lights of the effective color starts 20 s before switching on the orange light with a 20-s interval between switching off both lights, that the on time of the third light is 4 s, and that said lights flash for 6 s with a 2-s interval between flashing of the lights of different groups.
A change in the operating mode of the three lights of the effective color 20 s before a change over of a signal provides for normal visibility of signals under any weather conditions and at any time at a distance of 300-400 m from the traffic light. It is at said distance from the traffic light that the driver needs information about the oncoming change of a signal light, proceeding from which information the driver decides whether or not there is enough time for him to pass the crossroad or pedestrian crosswalk with the green light on. With the red light going on, the driver, while being at the same distance from the traffic light and proceeding from the effective time of said signal, can adjust the vehicle speed so as to get at the crossroad a shorter distance thereto at the instant when the green light goes on. It is the final stage of the traffic light operation, i.e., the flashing mode lasting a few (6) seconds that plays a decisive part in the information about the remainder time till a change in the light signal. Said mode begins with simultaneous flashing of the three green or red lights at once which cannot escape notice of even a most careless driver. The entire period of time when the green or red light is on, is accompanied by displaying the information on the current operating time of a given signal, thereby providing the traffic participants with a continuous, reliable and exact information about the effective time of the signals. Each of the operating stages of a signal has time limits of its own. Various combinations of signals of the same color have no identical repeats from the beginning to the end of the effective time of a given signal to avoid misinformation, while such repeats in the flashing mode are avoided due to the number of effective signal lights.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
This invention will be explained in greater detail by an exemplary embodiment, making reference to the drawings, wherein:
FIGS. 1-2
shows optical signaling lights which alternately switch on and off and as well display colors in a manner which indicates periods of time remaining until a traffic signal light will change.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3408623 (1968-10-01), Wagner
patent: 4200860 (1980-04-01), Fritzinger
patent: 4827258 (1989-05-01), Evans
patent: 855064 (1952-11-01), None
patent: A1 3106804 (1982-09-01), None
patent: A1 2572206 (1986-04-01), None

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