Emergency vehicle traffic signal preemption system

(73) Assignee: California Institute of Technology,

Pasadena, CA (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 194 days.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

(21) Appl. No.: 10/811,075

(22) Filed: Mar. 24, 2004

(65) Prior Publication Data

US 2005/0104745 Al May 19, 2005

Related U.S. Application Data

(63) Continuation-in-part of application No. 10/642,435, filed on Aug. 15, 2003, now Pat. No. 6,940,422.

(60) Provisional application No. 60/403,916, filed on Aug. 15, 2002.

(51) Int. CI.

G08G 1/07 (2006.01)

(52) U.S. CI 340/906; 340/902; 701/300

(58) Field of Classification Search 340/906,

340/907, 916, 917, 933, 935, 902; 701/300,

701/302

See application file for complete search history. (56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 3,550,078 A 12/1970 Long (Continued)

An emergency vehicle traffic light preemption system for preemption of traffic lights at an intersection to allow safe passage of emergency vehicles. The system includes a real-time status monitor of an intersection which is relayed to a control module for transmission to emergency vehicles as well as to a central dispatch office. The system also provides for audio warnings at an intersection to protect pedestrians who may not be in a position to see visual warnings or for various reasons cannot hear the approach of emergency vehicles. A transponder mounted on an emergency vehicle provides autonomous control so the vehicle operator can attend to getting to an emergency and not be concerned with the operation of the system. Activation of a priority-code (i.e. Code-3) situation provides communications with each intersection being approached by an emergency vehicle and indicates whether the intersection is preempted or if there is any conflict with other approaching emergency vehicles. On-board diagnostics handle various information including heading, speed, and acceleration sent to a control module which is transmitted to an intersection and which also simultaneously receives information regarding the status of an intersection. Real-time communications and operations software allow central and remote monitoring, logging, and command of intersections and vehicles.

50 Claims, 17 Drawing Sheets

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,831,039 A 8/1974 Henschel

3,859,624 A 1/1975 Kriofsky et al 340/352

3,881,169 A 4/1975 Malach 340/32

3,886,515 A 5/1975 Cottin et al.

4,017,825 A 4/1977 Pichey 340/32

4,162,477 A 7/1979 Munkberg

4,223,295 A 9/1980 Bonner et al 340/22

4,230,992 A 10/1980 Munkberg 328/140

4.234.967 A 11/1980 Henschel 455/603

4,296,400 A 10/1981 Becker Friedbert et al.

4,433,324 A 2/1984 Guillot 340/923

4,443,783 A 4/1984 Mitchell

4,573,049 A 2/1986 Obeck

4,661,799 A 4/1987 Buttemer 340/941

4,701,760 A 10/1987 Raoux

4,704,610 A 11/1987 Smith et al 340/906

4,713,661 A 12/1987 Boone et al.

4,734,863 A 3/1988 Honey et al.

4,734,881 A 3/1988 Klein et al.

4,775,865 A 10/1988 Smith et al 340/906

4,791,571 A 12/1988 Takahashi et al.

4,799,162 A 1/1989 Shinkawa et al.

4,914,434 A 4/1990 Morgan et al.

4,963,889 A 10/1990 Hatch

5,014,052 A 5/1991 Obeck 340/906

5,043,736 A 8/1991 Darnell et al.

5,068,656 A 11/1991 Sutherland

5,072,227 A 12/1991 Hatch

5,083,125 A 1/1992 Brown et al 340/906

5,089,815 A 2/1992 Potter et al 340/905

5,119,102 A 6/1992 Barnard

5,172,113 A 12/1992 Hamer 340/907

5,177,489 A 1/1993 Hatch

5,187,373 A 2/1993 Gregori 250/557

5,187,476 A 2/1993 Hamer 340/906

5,204,675 A 4/1993 Sekine 340/933

5,214,757 A 5/1993 Mauney et al.

5.334.974 A 8/1994 Simms et al.
5,345,232 A 9/1994 Robertson
5,539,398 A 7/1996 Hall et al.
5,602,739 A 2/1997 Haagenstad et al.

5,710,555 A 1/1998 McConnell et al 340/910

5,745,865 A 4/1998 Rostoker et al 701/117

5,889,475 A 3/1999 Klosinski et al 340/902

5,926,113 A 7/1999 Jones et al.

5.955.968 A 9/1999 Bentrott et al 340/906

5,986,575 A 11/1999 Jones et al.

6.064.319 A 5 2000 Matta 340/917

6,232,889 Bl 5/2001 Apitz et al 340/906

6,243,026 Bl 6/2001 Jones et al 340/906

6,326,903 Bl 12/2001 Gross et al 340/988

6.603.975 Bl 8/2003 Inouchi et al 455/450

6,617,981 B2 9/2003 Basinger 340/909

6,621,420 Bl 9/2003 Poursartip 340/907

6,633,238 B2 10/2003 Lemelson et al 340/909

6,690,293 B2 2/2004 Amita 340/928

6.724.320 B2 4/2004 Basson et al 340/906

6,909,380 B2 6/2005 Brooke 340/906

2004/0196162 Al 10/2004 Brooke 340/906

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

FR 2 670 002 Al 6/1992

FR 2 693 820 Al 1/1994

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

Co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 10/965,408; filed Oct. 12, 2004, entitled Traffic Preemption System.

Co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 10/960,129; filed Oct. 6, 2004, entitled Detection and Enforcement of Failure-to-Yield in an Emergency Vehicle Preemption System.

Co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 10/410,582, filed Apr. 8, 2003, entitled Emergency Vehicle Control System Traffic Loop Preemption.

Bernard Held, Bus Priority: A Focus on the City of Melbourne, Aug. 1990, Monash University, pp. 157-160, and 180-189. Traffic Preemption System for Emergency Vehicles Based on Differential GPS and Two-Way Radio. Priority One GPS, Midwest Lraflfic Products, Inc., 4 pages.

Traffic Signal Preemption for Emergency and Transit Vehicles Based on Differential GPS & Two-Way Radio, Priority One GPS, Lraflfic Preemption System, 3 pgs.

GPS and Radio Based Traffic Signal Preemption System for Emergency Vehicles, Priority One GPS Specification for Emergency Vehicles, 7 pgs.

Emergency Preemption Systems, Inc. website, 2 pgs.

Sonic Systems website, Traffic Preemption and Priority Systems, 2

Pgs

Strobecom 1 Optical Preemption Detector, 1 pg.

Strobecom 1 Preemption Detector Assemblies, 2 pgs.

Strobecom 1 Interface Card and Card Cage, 2 pgs.

The Priority One GPS Concept for Emergency Vehicles, http://www.

mtp-gps.com/concept.html, Priority One GPS, 1 pg.

Priority One GPS Traffic Preemption Hardware, http://www.mtp

gps.com/hardware.html, Priority One GPS, 2 pgs.

The Traffic Preemption System for Emergency Vehicles Based on

Differential GPS and Two-Way Radio, http://www.greenf.com/traf

fic.htm, Greenfield Associates website, 1999, 6 pgs.

Zhaosheng Yang and Deyong Guan, Study on the Scheme of Traffic

Signal Timing for Priority Vehicles Based on Navigation System,

2001 IEEE, pp. 249-254.

Veerender Kaul, Microwave Technology: Will it Threaten the Dominance of Optical Signal Preemption Systems'?, May 8, 2002, 5 pgs. Horst E. Gerland, Traffic Signal Priority Tool to Increase Service Quality and Efficiency, Prepared for: APLA Bus Operations Conference 2000, Salem Apr. 2000, 9 pgs.

M. Miyawaki, et al., Fast Emergency Preemption Systems (FAST), 1999 IEEE, pp. 993-997.

K. Fox et al., UTMCOl Selected Vehicle Priority in the UTMC Environment (UTMCOl), ULMC01 Project Report 1- Part A, Oct. 19, 1998, 45 pgs.

U.S. Department of Lransportation, Advanced Transportation Management Technologies, Chap. 6, Lransit-Management Systems, Publication No. FHWA-SA-97-058, Apr. 1997, pp. 6-1 through 6-23. J.D. Nelson, et al., The Modelling of Realistic Automatic Vehicle Locationing Systems for Service and Traffic Control, Nov. 9, 1995Nov. 11, 1995, pp. 1582-1587.

Assessment of the Application of Automatic Vehicle Identification
Technology to Traffic Management, Appendix C: Evaluation of
Potential Applications of Automatic Vehicle Monitoring to Lraflfic
Management, Federal Highway Administration, Jul. 1977, 29 pgs.
Robert N. Laube, Bus Actuated Signal Preemption Systems: A
Planning Methodology, Department of Systems-Design, University
of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, May 1976, 120 pgs.
Assessment of the Application of Automatic Vehicle Identification
Technology to Traffic Management, Federal Highway Administra-
tion, Jul. 1977, 44 pgs.

R. M. Griffin and D. Johnson, A report on the first part of the
Northampton Fire Priority Demonstration Scheme-the 'before'
study and EVADE, Crown Copyright 1980, 4 pgs.
P. M. Cleal, Priority for Emergency Vehicles at Traffic Signals, Civil
Engineering Working Paper, Monash University, Dec. 1982, 38 pgs.
P. Davies, et al., Automatic Vehicle Identification for Transportation
Monitoring and Control, 1986, pp. 207-224.
N. B. Hounsell, Active Bus Priority at Traffic Signals, UK Devel-
opments in Road Lraflfic Signaling, IEEE Colloquium, May 5, 1988,
5 pgs.

C. B. Harris, et al., Digital Map Dependent Functions of Automatic Vehicle Location Systems, 1988 IEEE, pp. 79-87. P. L. Belcher and I. Catling, Autoguide-Electronic Route Guidance for London and the U.K., 1989 IEEE Road Lraflfic Monitoring, pp. 182-190.

N. Ayland and P. Davies, Automatic Vehicle Identification for Heavy Vehicle Monitoring, 1989 IEEE Road Traffic Monitoring, pp. 152155.

K. Keen Traffic Control at a Strategic Level, 1989 IEEE Road Traffic Monitoring, pp. 156-160.

S. Yagar and E. R. Case, A Role for VNIS in Real-Time Control of Signalized Networks!, 1991, pp. 1105-1109.

R. F. Casey, et al., Advanced Public Transportation Systems: The State of the Art, U.S. Department of Transportation, Apr. 1991, 91 Pgs

M. F. McGurrin, et al., Alternative Architectures for ATIS and ATMS, IVHS Proceedings, May 1992, pp. 456-467. A. Cedar and A. Shilovits, A Traffic Signalization Control System with Enhancement Information and Control Capabilities, 1992 Road Transport Informatics Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems, pp. 325-333.

Summary of Findings: Orange County IVHS Review, Orange County Intelligent Vehicle/Highway Systems Study, JHK & Associates, Aug. 11, 1992, 86 pgs.

Automatic Vehicle Location/Control and Traffic Signal Preemption Lessons from Europe, Chicago Transit Authority, Sep. 1992, 140 Pgs

J.D. Nelson et al., Approaches to the Provision of Priority for Public Transport at Traffic Signals: A European Perspective, Traffic Engineering Control, Sep. 1993, pp. 426-428.

M. D. Cheslow and S. G. Hatcher, Estimation of Communication
Load Requirements for Five AITS/ATMS Architectures, 1993 Pro-
ceedings of the IVHS America, pp. 473-479.
M. Kihl and D. Shinn, Improving Interbus Trasfer with Automatic
Vehicle Location Year One Report, Aug. 1993, 35 pgs.
Co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 10/942,498; filed Sep. 15,
2004, entitled Forwarding System for Long-Range Preemption and
Corridor Clearance for Emergency Response.
Gunnar Andersson, article entitled Fleet Management in Public
Transport, The 3rd International Conference on Vehicle Navigation
& Information Systems, Oslo, Sep. 2-4, 1992, pp. 312-317.
James R. Helmer, Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems at Work in
San Jose, California, pp. 345-347.

Horst E. Gerland, ITS Intelligent Transportation System: Fleet
Management with GPS Dead Reckoning, Advanced Displays,
Smartcards, etc., IEEE-IEE Vehicle Navigation & Information
Systems Conference, Ottawa—VNIS '93, pp. 606-611.
Robert F. Casey, M.S., Lawrence N. Labell, M.S., Evaluation Plan
for AVL Implementation in Four U.S. Cities, May 17-20, 1992 IVHS
America Proceedings, 11 pgs.

David A. Blackledge et al., Electronic Passenger Information
Systems—Do They Give the Public What They Want?, PTRC 19th
Summer, Sep. 9-13, 1991 Annual Meeting, pp. 163-176.
American City & County Website, http://www.
americancityandcounty.com, City uses technology to track buses,
emergency vehicles, Jun. 1, 2001, 1 pg.

Volume Two, The Proceedings of the 1992 Annual Meeting of IVHS America, Surface Transportation and the Information Age, May 17-20, 1992, Newport Beach, CA, 13 pgs.

Labell et al., Advanced Public Transportation Systems: The State of the Art, Update '92, U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration, 97 pgs.

Stearns et al., Denver RTD's Computer Aided Dispatch/Automatic
Vehicle Location System: the Human Factors Consequences, U.S.
Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, Sep.
1999, 82 pgs.

APTS Project Summaries, http://www.itsdocs.fhwa.dot.gov,
Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS) Project Summa-
ries, Jun. 1996, Office of Mobility Innovation, 33 pgs.
Brendon Hemily, PhD., Automatic Vehicle Location in Canadian
Urban Transit; a Review of Practice and Key Issues, Dec. 1988,
AATT Conference Feb. 1989, pp. 229-233.

Canadian Urban Transit Association, Proceedings, The Interna-
tional Conference on Automatic Vehicle Location in Urban Transit
Systems, Sep. 19-21, 1988, Ottawa, Canada, 17 pgs.
1991 TAC Annual Conference, Proceedings, vol. 4, Transportation:
Toward a Better Environment, 21 pgs.

Casey et al., Advanced Public Transportation Systems: The State of the Art, U.S. Department of Transportation Urban Mass Transportation Administration, Component of Departmental IVHS Initiative, Apr. 1991, 91 pgs.

U.S. Department of Transportation, German "Smart-Bus" Systems,
Potential for Application in Portland, Oregon, vol. I, Technical
Report, Jan. 1993, Office of Technical Assistance and Safety,
Advanced Public Transportation Systems Program, A Component of
the Departmental IVHS Initiative, 107 pgs.

ARUP, Traffic Management for Bus Operations Main Report,
Prepared by Ove Arup Transportation Planning for the Public
Transport Corporation, Dec. 1989, 123 pgs. (front and back).
Randy D. Hoffman, et al. DGPS, IVHS Drive GPS Toward Its
Future, GPS World Showcase, Dec. 1992, 1 pg.
Ivan A. Getting, Getting-The Global Positioning System, IEEE
Spectrum, Dec. 1993, pp. 37-38, 43-47.

IVHS Study—Strategic Plan, Centennial Engineering, Inc., p. 31.
Horst E. Gerland, FOCCS—Flexible Operation Command and
Control System for Public Transport, PTRC 19fh Summer Sep.9-13,
1991 Annual Meeting, pp. 139-150.

L. Sabounghi et al., The Universal Close-Range Road/Vehicle Communication System Concept The Numerous Applications of the Enhanced AVI, 1991 TAC Annual Conference, pp. A41, A43-A62. R. L. Sabounghi, Intelligent Vehicle Highway System—The Universal Close-Range Road/Vehicle Communication System Concept—The Enhanced AVI and Its CVO Applications, 1991, VNIS '91, Vehicle Indication and Information Systems Conference Proceedings, pp. 957-967'.

Clarioni, et al., Public Transport Fleet Location System Based on DGPS Integrated with Dead Reckoning, Road Vehicle Automation, Jul. 12, 1993, pp. 259-268.

Intelligent Investment, World Highways/Routes Du Monde, Jan./ Feb. 1997, p. 52.

Co-pending U.S. Patent Application No. 10/704,530, filed Nov. 7, 2003, entitled Method and System for Beacon/Heading Emergency Vehicle Intersection Preemption.