Patent Application
20250157329
This application claims priority to and the benefit under 35 USC § 119 of Korean Patent Application 'No. 10-2023-0154406 filed on Nov. 9, 2023, and 'No. 10-2024-0144680 filed on Oct. 22, 2024, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for controlling traffic lights, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for controlling traffic lights, which can provide information on the remaining time of a traffic signal.
The apparatus and method for controlling traffic lights according to an embodiment of the present invention can be particularly useful to controlling a traffic signal for which remaining time information is not displayed for a vehicle signal.
According to a conventional technology, traffic lights that provide notification of the remaining time of a green crossing signal at a crosswalk have been applied. Recently, traffic lights that provide notification of the remaining waiting time for a red signal.
In contrast, traffic lights for a vehicle do not provide information on the remaining time of a traffic signal. In some trial sections, real-time traffic lights information may be received through cooperative-intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication, but there is a difficulty in the use of the real-time traffic lights information because infrastructure needs to be installed.
Various embodiments are directed to providing an apparatus and method for controlling traffic lights, which can recognize a display signal of traffic lights through a camera installed in a vehicle and can identify the remaining time up to a change of the signal by adding a turn-on/off pattern or an LED turn-on pattern within traffic lights, which has a fast cycle that cannot be recognized by a person, to the traffic lights.
An apparatus for controlling traffic lights according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a traffic signal display controller configured to transmit a pattern control command including information related to the remaining time of a current traffic signal and traffic lights configured to display information on a traffic signal by receiving the pattern control command.
The traffic signal display controller transmits the pattern control command for a cycle related to the turn-on and turn-off of an LED device corresponding to a specific signal based on the remaining time.
The traffic signal display controller controls the LED device to display information on the remaining time by adjusting the cycle related to the turn-on and turn-off of the LED device that flickers within a preset time interval.
The traffic signal display controller transmits the pattern control command for the cycle related to the turn-on and turn-off of the LED device by considering the results of the grouping of the remaining times.
The traffic signal display controller transmits the pattern control command for an order in which an LED device corresponding to a specific signal is turned on based on the remaining time.
The traffic signal display controller controls the LED device to display information on the remaining time by adjusting a time interval for an order in which the LED device is turned on.
The traffic signal display controller controls the LED device to display information on the remaining time by differently adjusting a shape according to an order in which the LED device is turned on.
A traffic control method based on control of traffic lights according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes steps of (a) displaying a pattern including information related to a remaining display time for a current traffic signal of traffic lights, (b) identifying the remaining display time by recognizing the displayed pattern, and (c) determining a driving behavior based on results of the identification of the remaining display time.
The step (a) includes displaying the pattern so that the turn-on and turn-off of the traffic lights are repeated in a cycle that is not recognized by a naked eye of a person based on the remaining display time.
The step (a) includes displaying the pattern by differently adjusting a flickering cycle of the traffic lights within a preset time interval.
The step (a) includes displaying the pattern in a preset flickering cycle based on a group including the remaining display time.
The step (a) includes displaying the pattern by adjusting an order in which a plurality of LED devices corresponding to the current traffic signal is turned on.
The step (a) includes displaying the pattern by adjusting a time interval at which the plurality of LED devices is turned on.
The step (a) includes displaying the pattern in a shape according to a time flow that appears as the plurality of LED devices is turned on.
The step (b) includes photographing a traffic light area by using a camera mounted on a vehicle or a mobile terminal within the vehicle and recognizing the pattern.
The step (c) includes issuing decision making on whether to pass through an intersection.
A system for controlling traffic lights according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an input interface device configured to receive a control command related to a signal display of traffic lights, memory in which a program that controls a light emission of an LED device in response to a control command is stored, and a processor configured to execute the program. The processor controls the light emission of the LED device in response to the control command, but controls the light emission of the LED device based on a pattern including information on a remaining time of a current traffic signal.
The processor controls a flickering cycle of the LED device disposed in a traffic light area corresponding to a specific signal.
The processor controls an order in which the LED device disposed in the traffic light area corresponding to the specific signal is turned on based on a preset order.
According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, by providing information on the remaining time of a current traffic signal before a change of a traffic signal through traffic lights, it is possible to reduce social costs according to a dilemma zone (i.e., a zone in which a driver cannot physically stop his or her vehicle right before a stop line although the driver attempts to stop the vehicle and thus inevitably violates a traffic signal because the vehicle does not exit from an intersection even after the traffic signal changes into a red signal if the vehicle continues to drive at timing at which the traffic signal changes from a green signal to a yellow signal).
According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to greatly reduce frequency of congestion or accidents by solving a problem related to the dilemma zone that increases traffic congestion at an intersection or that becomes a cause of a traffic accident.
According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce a traffic congestion situation in which a traffic signal changes when a vehicle does not pass through an intersection due to previous congestion although the vehicle enters the intersection after recognizing a green signal at the intersection. It is possible to determine whether a vehicle passes through an intersection when the vehicle enters the intersection by calculating information on a current congestion state of a corresponding road and the remaining time of a traffic signal in combination.
According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent a reduction of riding quality attributable to the sudden deceleration of a vehicle because a traffic signal changes right before the vehicle enters an intersection.
Effects of the present disclosure which may be obtained in the present disclosure are not limited to the aforementioned effects, and other effects not described above may be evidently understood by a person having ordinary knowledge in the art to which the present disclosure pertains from the following description.
The aforementioned object, other objects, advantages, and characteristics of the present disclosure and a method for achieving the objects, advantages, and characteristics will become clear with reference to embodiments to be described in detail along with the accompanying drawings.
However, the present disclosure is not limited to embodiments disclosed hereinafter, but may be implemented in various different forms. The following embodiments are merely provided to easily notify a person having ordinary knowledge in the art to which the present disclosure pertains of the objects, constructions, and effects of the present disclosure. The scope of rights of the present disclosure is defined by the writing of the claims.
Terms used in this specification are used to describe embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In this specification, an expression of the singular number includes an expression of the plural number unless clearly defined otherwise in the context. The term “comprises” and/or “comprising” used in this specification does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations and/or components in addition to mentioned components, steps, operations and/or components.
Hereinafter, in order to help understanding of those skilled in the art, a proposed background of the present disclosure is described and embodiments of the present disclosure are then described.
Traffic lights that provide notification of the remaining crossing time for a green signal at a crosswalk have become traffic lights having a familiar form through a trial service in October 2005. It is possible to prevent a case in which a pedestrian attempts to cross recklessly when a pedestrian signal flickers, thereby reducing a risk of a traffic accident.
Traffic lights that display the remaining time of a red signal, which provide even the remaining waiting time for a red signal in addition to the existing remaining crossing time for a green signal was installed as a trial in Seoul in December 2023. Accordingly, it is expected that effects in which a pedestrian's frustration of waiting traffic lights at a crosswalk is solved and a pedestrian's jaywalking is prevented will be increased. In order to prevent a situation in which a pedestrian hurriedly starts crossing in advance, the remaining time of a red signal is not displayed when the remaining time until the red signal ends is below a certain threshold.
In contrast, traffic lights for a vehicle do not provide information on the remaining time of a traffic signal. In some trial sections, real-time traffic lights information may be received through cooperative-intelligent transport systems (C-ITS) or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. However, there is a difficulty in the use of the real-time traffic lights information because the installation of infrastructure, interlocking with infrastructure, and the installation of a receiver and an interlocking device for a vehicle need to be predetermined.
Embodiments of the present disclosure have been proposed to solve the aforementioned problems, and propose a technique capable of displaying the turn-on/off pattern of an LED device having a fast cycle to the extent that a person cannot recognize the turn-on/off pattern by adding the turn-on/off pattern to the existing traffic lights based on the remaining time up to a change of a traffic signal and identifying the remaining time of a traffic signal by recognizing the turn-on/off pattern through a high-speed camera installed in a vehicle.
The turn-on and turn-off of current LED traffic lights are repeated 15 to 60 times per second. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to display the turn-on and turn-off time cycles of traffic lights and a turn-off pattern of traffic lights by adjusting the turn-on and turn-off time cycles and the turn-off pattern based on the remaining time of a traffic signal. It is possible for a high-speed camera installed in an autonomous vehicle to check information on the remaining time by analyzing the turn-on and turn-off time cycles and the turn-off pattern.
An apparatus and method for controlling traffic lights according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be used in determining whether a vehicle has to enter/pass through an intersection because the vehicle that recognizes the time when a traffic signal is changed can calculate the speed at the vehicle is required to pass through an intersection.
A flicker phenomenon is a phenomenon in which the brightness of a ray or illumination is suddenly changed, and occurs due to a change of a light source itself or an external cause, such as a wave of a power voltage. In Korea, 120 times (i.e., 60 times of turn-on and 60 times of turn-off) of flickering occur per second in an illumination device in which a current device, such as a flicker-free device, is not used because a power frequency is 60 Hz.
The flicker phenomenon is not recognized by a human's eyeball that cannot distinguish frames of 24 Hz or more. In contrast, a camera mounted on a vehicle or a camera mounted on an intelligent terminal, such as a smartphone, can recognize the flicker phenomenon because the camera supports the capturing of an image of a maximum of 960 fps.
An embodiment of the present disclosure has a technical characteristic in that the flicker phenomenon is solved and information on the remaining time of a traffic signal is displayed in the form of a pattern by using an LED illumination device capable of adjusting turn-on and turn-off cycles.
The apparatus for controlling traffic lights according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a traffic signal display controller 110 that transmits a flickering pattern control command including information on the remaining time of a current traffic signal and traffic lights 120 that displays information on a traffic signal by receiving a flickering pattern control command.
The traffic signal display controller 110 transmits a pattern control command for a cycle related to the turn-on and turn-off of an LED device, which corresponds to a specific signal, based on the remaining time. The traffic signal display controller 110 controls LED devices to display information on the remaining time by adjusting a cycle related to the turn-on and turn-off of the LED devices that flicker within a preset time interval. For example, the traffic signal display controller 110 transmits a pattern control command that enables turn-on and turn-off to be repeated at intervals of 1 tick between a 0th second and a 1st second after a green signal is turned on and that enables the turn-on and the turn-off to be repeated for one second. Furthermore, the traffic signal display controller 110 transmits a pattern control command that enables turn-on to be repeated for 3 ticks and turn-off to be repeated for 1 tick between a 15th second and a 16th second and that enables turn-on to be repeated for 2 ticks and turn-off to be repeated for 1 tick between the 16th second and a 17th second.
The traffic signal display controller 110 transmits a pattern control command for a cycle related to the turn-on and turn-off of an LED device by considering the resulting of the grouping of the remaining times. For example, the traffic signal display controller 110 controls LED devices to be repeatedly turned on for 3 ticks and to be repeatedly turned off for 1 tick between a 0th second and a 10th second after timing at which a green signal is turned on, then controls the LED devices to be repeatedly turned on for 2 ticks and to be repeatedly turned off between the 10th second to a 15th second, and then controls the LED devices to be repeatedly turned on for 1 tick and turned off for 1 thick between the 15th second and a 20th second.
The traffic signal display controller 110 transmits a pattern control command for an order in which an LED device corresponding to a specific signal is turned on based on the remaining time. For example, the traffic signal display controller 110 transmits a pattern control command that enables LED devices to be sequentially turned on from an LED device at the edge of traffic lights toward the central part of the traffic lights in a helical form, transmits a pattern control command that enables a group of LED devices disposed at different radii of traffic lights to be turned on from LED devices at the edge of the traffic lights toward the central part of the traffic lights, or transmits a pattern control command that enables a group of LED devices disposed at different radii of traffic lights to be turned on from the central part of the traffic lights toward LED devices at the edge of the traffic lights.
The traffic signal display controller 110 controls LED devices to display information on the remaining time by adjusting a time interval of an order in which the LED devices are turned. That is, the traffic signal display controller 110 transmits a pattern control command so that LED devices follow any one of the methods (i.e., transmits a pattern control command that enables LED devices to be sequentially turned on from an LED device at the edge of traffic lights toward the central part of the traffic lights in a helical form, transmits a pattern control command that enables a group of LED devices disposed at different radii of traffic lights to be turned on from LED devices at the edge of the traffic lights toward the central part of the traffic lights, or transmits a pattern control command that enables a group of LED devices disposed at different radii of traffic lights to be turned on from the central part of the traffic lights toward LED devices at the edge of the traffic lights), but may differently display information on the remaining time of a current traffic signal by differently adjusting the intervals of the time when LED devices are sequentially turned on.
The traffic signal display controller 110 controls LED devices to display information on the remaining time by differently adjusting a shape according to an order in which the LED devices are turned on. That is, for example, the traffic signal display controller 110 may transmit a pattern control command that enables LED devices to be sequentially turned on from an LED device at the edge of traffic lights toward the central part of the traffic lights in a helical form between a 0th second and a 10th second from timing at which a green signal has been turned on, may transmit a pattern control command that enables a group of LED devices disposed at different radii of traffic lights to be turned on from LED devices at the edge of the traffic lights toward the central part of the traffic lights between the 10th second and a 15th second, and may transmits a pattern control command that enables a group of LED devices disposed at different radii of traffic lights to be turned on from the central part of the traffic lights toward LED devices at the edge of the traffic lights between the 15th second and a 20th second.
Referring to
In common traffic lights, the turn-on and turn-off of traffic lights are periodically repeated due to a flicker phenomenon as expanded at the 0th second.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the approaching of a change in the traffic signal is notified by controlling a traffic light flickering pattern due to an aperiodic turn-on and turn-off phenomenon at the 15th second.
That is, a traffic light flickering pattern is recognized by using a camera mounted on a vehicle or a camera mounted on a smart device although the traffic light flickering pattern cannot be detected by a human's eye. A corresponding vehicle uses the traffic light flickering pattern to issue decision making for the entry/passage of an intersection by calculating a driving speed that is necessary when the vehicle passes through the intersection based on the results of the recognition of the traffic light flickering pattern.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, in all of time intervals or a situation having a specific time or less, a cycle is different in each second.
Referring to
Such an interval is different for each remaining time of a traffic signal. For example, the turn-on of a traffic signal is repeated for 3 ticks and the turn-off of a traffic signal is repeated for 1 tick between a 15th second and a 16th second. The turn-on of the traffic signal is repeated for 2 ticks and the turn-off of the traffic signal is repeated for 1 tick between the 16th second and a 17th second.
The green signal has been described in an embodiment of the present disclosure, but the repetition of turn-on and turn-off may be identically applied to a yellow signal, a red signal, and a green arrow signal. An accurate time for 1 tick and a turn-on/turn-off cycle to be applied for each second may be determined through country standardization.
According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a time interval of one second or more may be grouped depending on how long the remaining time of a traffic signal is left, and a cycle may be different for each group.
Referring to
The green signal has been described in another embodiment of the present disclosure, but the repetition of turn-on and turn-off may be identically applied to a yellow signal, a red signal, and a green arrow signal. An accurate time for 1 tick and a turn-on/turn-off cycle to be applied for each second may be determined through country standardization.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The turn-on and turn-off pattern may be combined with the method of adjusting a cycle illustrated in
The green signal has been described in still another embodiment of the present disclosure, but the repetition of turn-on and turn-off may be identically applied to a yellow signal, a red signal, and a green arrow signal. A shape of a turn-on and turn-off pattern is determined through country standardization.
The turn-on/turn-off pattern of a traffic signal that has been previously stored is loaded onto traffic lights depending on the type of traffic lights (S610). The type of traffic lights includes three-bulb traffic lights and four-bulb traffic lights.
The traffic lights display a pattern for the type of a traffic signal and the remaining time of the traffic signal (S620). A camera mounted on a vehicle or a camera mounted on a smart device identifies information on the remaining time of the traffic signal by recognizing the pattern.
The traffic lights identify whether the remaining time of the traffic signal is left (S630). If the remaining time is not left, the traffic lights identify the type of traffic signal next to a current traffic signal and display a pattern for the type of next traffic signal and the remaining time of the next traffic signal (S640).
According to still another embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to modify a pattern control command by monitoring traffic conditions within an intersection. For example, it is assumed that it is necessary to induce a vehicle to not enter an intersection because a tail-biting situation in the intersection. In this case, the traffic signal display controller 110 displays that a corresponding traffic signal (e.g., a green signal) will be changed within a time earlier than an actual remaining time (e.g., a 10th second) by modifying a pattern control command. That is, referring to
According to still another embodiment of the present disclosure, when it is determined that the danger of an accident is a preset danger degree or more by monitoring traffic conditions within an intersection or when it is determined that an urgent vehicle nearby needs to preferentially pass through an intersection, a new pattern instead of a preset pattern is controlled to be displayed in an interrupt mode. For example, referring to
Referring to
An image sensor 210 installed in a vehicle is installed inside or outside the vehicle, and captures an image at a frame speed shorter than a minimum turn-on/turn-off cycle of an LED that is displayed from the traffic lights 120.
The image sensor 210 captures an image at a relatively shorter cycle than 1 tick of the turn-on/turn-off pattern that is displayed through the traffic lights 120, identifies the turn-on/turn-off cycle of the green signal by analyzing the image, recognizes information on the remaining time of the green signal based on the identified turn-on/turn-off cycle, and transmits the results of the recognition to a vehicle controller.
A mobile terminal 220 includes a camera. An application that processes an image captured by the camera is installed in the mobile terminal 220.
The mobile terminal 220 captures an image at a shorter frame speed than a minimum turn-on/turn-off cycle of an LED that is displayed through the traffic lights 120.
The mobile terminal 220 photographs an image at a relatively shorter cycle than 1 tick of a turn-on/turn-off pattern that is displayed through the traffic lights 120, identifies the turn-on/turn-off cycle of the green signal by analyzing the image, recognizes information on the remaining time of the green signal that is currently displayed based on the identified turn-on/turn-off cycle, and transmits the results of the recognition to a vehicle controller.
Referring to
The system for controlling traffic lights according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the input interface device 1350 that receives a control command related to the signal display of traffic lights, the memory 1330 in which a program that controls the light emission of LED devices in response to a control command has been stored, and the processor 1310 that executes the program. The processor 1310 controls the light emission of the LED devices in response to a control command, but controls the light emission of the LED devices based on a pattern including information on the remaining time of a current traffic signal.
The processor 1310 controls the flickering cycle of LED devices disposed in a traffic light area corresponding to a specific signal.
The processor 1310 controls an order in which LED devices disposed in a traffic light area corresponding to a specific signal is turned on based on a preset order.
Accordingly, an embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented as a method implemented in a computer or may be implemented as a non-transitory computer-readable medium in which a computer-executable instruction has been stored. In an embodiment, when executed by a processor, a computer-readable instruction may perform a method according to at least one aspect of this writing.
The communication device 1320 may transmit or receive a wired signal or a wireless signal.
Furthermore, the method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented in the form of a program instruction which may be executed through various computer means, and may be recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include a program instruction, a data file, and a data structure alone or in combination. A program instruction recorded on the computer-readable medium may be specially designed and constructed for an embodiment of the present disclosure or may be known and available to those skilled in the computer software field. The computer-readable medium may include a hardware device configured to store and execute the program instruction. For example, the computer-readable medium may include magnetic media such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, and a magnetic tape, optical media such as CD-ROM and a DVD, magneto-optical media such as a floptical disk, ROM, RAM, and flash memory. The program instruction may include not only a machine code produced by a compiler, but a high-level language code capable of being executed by a computer through an interpreter.
The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail, but the scope of rights of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. A variety of modifications and changes made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present disclosure defined in the appended claims are also included in the scope of rights of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0154406 | Nov 2023 | KR | national |
| 10-2024-0144680 | Oct 2024 | KR | national |
