(12) Umted States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,140,251 B2 Paolini et al. (45) Date of Patent: Mar. 20, 2012 (54) MANAGEMENT OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS AT 6,243,026 B1 * 6/2001 Jones et al. ................. .. 340/906 ROAD INTERSECTION TO AVOID 6,281,808 B1 : 8/2001 Glier et al. 340/933 ease 1%/as. s:.:r.,.at.' care _ _ _ _ 6,917,284 B2 * 7/2005 Grisham et al. 340/435 (75) Inventorsi M1¢haelA Pa9llI1l,A11St1I1, TX (US); 7,133,767 B2 * 11/2006 Ogino et al. ................ .. 701/200 Yvonne P Stoetzel, Round Rock, TX 7,148,791 B2 * 12/2006 Grisham et al. ............ .. 340/435 (US); Cristi N Ullmann, Austin, TX 7,209,051 B2 * 4/2007 Shankwitz et al. 340/938 (US) 7,274,988 B2 * 9/2007 Mukaiyama ................ .. 701/301 7,383,126 B2 * 6/2008 Takah h' ................... .. 701/21 - - - - 7454 037 B2* 11/2008 H' 'aS 1 382/103 (73) Ass1gnee: Internat1onalBus1ness Machmes 2002/b082’806 A1,, 6/2002 Klgiilns 702/182 - 3.1.1 C°rP°rat‘°n’ Armonk, NY (US) 2003/0016143 A1* 1/2003 Ghazarian 340/901 * . ( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 4 01,1" patent is extended or adjusted under 35 2004/0128062 A1* 7/2004 Ogino etal. ................ .. 701/200 U.S.C. l54(b) by 0days. 2004/0181339 A1* 9/2004 Mukaiyama ................ .. 701/301 2005/0140523 A1* 6/2005 Publicover 340/907 (21) App1_ NO_; 13/195,167 2005/0156757 A1 * 7/2005 Garner ........................ .. 340/907 2005/0174257 A1* 8/2005 Shankwitz et al. ......... .. 340/909 (22) FflfidZ Aug_1, 2011 2007/0069920 A1* 3/2007 Hakki et al. ................ .. 340/907 * cited by examiner (65) Prior Publication Data US 2011/0288758 A1 Nov. 24,2011 Primary Examiner i Khoi-1-ran Related U.S. A lication Data 551510111 xammei’ * OT 9 e0 9 (62) Division of application No. 11/381,457, filed on May (74) Attorney’ Agent! Or Firm T J‘ B‘ Kraft; David A‘ Mims 3, 2006. (51) Int CL (57) ABSTRACT A computer controlled system for managing trafiic signals at (52) U.S. Cl. ........ .. 701/117; 701/96; 701/118; 701/119; the intersection ofa.‘ 1eaS.“‘T“° traffi°.1aneS to aV°i‘IC°11iSi°nS 701/301_ 701/302 between motor vehicles 1n1ntersect1ng lanes. An 1mplemen(58) Field of Classification Search . . . . . . . . . .. 701/96, mo.“ Wlth meat“ f°r.C°mr.°1hngtraffi° Stgnals “the 1mer' 701/117 118 119 301 302 340/901 907 section to permit vehicles in each of the 1ntersect1ng trafiic ’ ’ 540/9’1 0 9’17 919 9’95 13’ lanes a time period to pass through the intersection, means for - - ’ ’ - ’ ' detecting the presence of a vehicle in the intersection be ond See appl1cat1on file for complete search history. _ _ _ y sa1d perm1tted time period, and means responsive to a detec(56) References Cited tion of the presence of the vehicle, for controlling the traffic signals to stop other vehicles from passing through the interU.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS section. 3,241,108 A * 3/1966 Du Vivier ................... .. 340/919 3,688,254 A * 8/1972 Uryu et al. .................. .. 340/923 5,798,949 A * 8/1998 Kaub .............................. .. 703/6 8 Claims,7Drawing Sheets
