The present invention relates to a detection area setting method for detecting passing vehicles, and a traffic signal control method using the same and, more particularly, to a detection area setting method for detecting passing vehicles, and a traffic signal control method using the same, the detection area setting method being capable of enabling smooth traffic operation at a crossroad, for example preventing a spillback phenomenon, minimizing green time (green light display time) during which there are no passing vehicles, and extending the green time, if needed, by setting one or a plurality of detection areas at a crossroad so as to detect the traffic volume in respective moving directions of vehicles at a signalized intersection, determining the traffic state in the moving directions of the vehicles according to vehicle information in respective detection areas, and automatically controlling the crossroad signals accordingly.

A position estimation system for a vehicle including a magnetic sensor which measures magnetism acting from a road surface side forming a surface of a traveling road to estimate an own vehicle position includes a map DB which stores a map (1) associated with a road-surface magnetic distribution (M2), which is a distribution of quantities of magnetism at respective points on the road surface, a magnetic distribution generation part which acquires magnetic measurement values from the magnetic sensor and generates a measured magnetic distribution, which is a distribution of magnetic measurement values, and a position estimation part which specifies an area corresponding to the measured magnetic distribution in the road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) associated with the map stored in the map DB and estimates the own vehicle position based on a position of the area corresponding to the measured magnetic distribution on the map.

A position estimation system for a vehicle including a magnetic sensor which measures magnetism acting from a road surface side forming a surface of a traveling road to estimate an own vehicle position includes a map DB which stores a map (1) associated with a road-surface magnetic distribution (M2), which is a distribution of quantities of magnetism at respective points on the road surface, a magnetic distribution generation part which acquires magnetic measurement values from the magnetic sensor and generates a measured magnetic distribution, which is a distribution of magnetic measurement values, and a position estimation part which specifies an area corresponding to the measured magnetic distribution in the road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) associated with the map stored in the map DB and estimates the own vehicle position based on a position of the area corresponding to the measured magnetic distribution on the map.

A method for determining a lateral position of a vehicle passing a road and carrying a transponder uses at least two antennas mounted at different lateral positions and connected to a processor and comprises: triggering the transponder and recording signals from responses of the transponder by the processor, each signal being received via one of the antennas and recorded as i) a time of receipt at said one antenna and ii) the lateral position of said one antenna; generating by the processor a regression curve fitting all recorded signals; and determining by the processor the lateral position of the vehicle from the generated regression curve. An apparatus implementing said method is also disclosed.

An advance in the art is made according to aspects of the present disclosure directed to distributed fiber optic sensing systems (DFOS), methods, and structures that advantageously monitor and identify—in real-time—roadway traffic and patterns across a multiple-lane highway by employing a multiple-transverse fiber optic cable arrangement of optical fiber cable positioned under the highway/roadway to detect, monitor, and/or identify traffic.

Wireless occupancy sensors and methods for using the same are provided. In some embodiments, a occupancy sensor comprises: a housing that includes a window positioned at a top portion of the housing; a battery at a lower portion of the housing; a first magnetometer that detects changes in a magnetic field when a vehicle moves over the first magnetometer; an optical sensor that detects one or more objects in a field of view of the optical sensor through the window; a transmitter for transmitting sensor data to a gateway device, and a processor that controls the first magnetometer, the optical sensor, and the transmitter.

Aspects of traffic warning and data capture are discussed. An indication of an approaching vehicle and an ambient light level are received by a device associated with a signboard. Based on the indication and the ambient light level, an alert is provided to a driver of the approaching vehicle. For providing the alert, a first illumination panel positioned to direct light onto a face of signboard is lighted. In various embodiments, lights in different colors are flashed for alerting a driver of the approaching vehicle of different hazardous driving conditions, wherein the lights of different colors are flashed at different instances and in one more directions. Further, the device can record and store or share traffic and pedestrian movement information for further analysis.

A map (1) to be used by a vehicle which can measure magnetism acting from a road surface side forming a surface of a road to estimate an own vehicle position includes a structure map (M1) which represents a road structure and has position data indicating an absolute position linked to each point and a road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) which is magnetic data at each point on the road surface and has position data indicating an absolute position linked to each point. In the map (1), the structure map (M1) and the road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) are associated with each other via the position data indicating the absolute position.

A map (1) to be used by a vehicle which can measure magnetism acting from a road surface side forming a surface of a road to estimate an own vehicle position includes a structure map (M1) which represents a road structure and has position data indicating an absolute position linked to each point and a road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) which is magnetic data at each point on the road surface and has position data indicating an absolute position linked to each point. In the map (1), the structure map (M1) and the road-surface magnetic distribution (M2) are associated with each other via the position data indicating the absolute position.

A sheet-shaped magnetic marker to be laid on a road surface so as to be able to be detected by a magnetic sensor attached to a vehicle to achieve assist for driving operation of the vehicle by a driver or control on a vehicle side to achieve automatic driving independently from operation of the driver has a magnet sheet (11) as a magnetism generation source and a wireless tag (2) which outputs information via wireless communication to the vehicle side. In the magnetic marker, the wireless tag (2) is interposed between a sheet (11A) and a sheet (11B) configuring the magnet sheet (11), and the entire wireless tag (2) is accommodated inside the magnet sheet (11).