Patent ID: 11967242
Assignee: THE ISLAND RADAR COMPANY
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC B  G

Claim 0:
1. A traffic control preemption system for the benefit of a traffic controller at a signalized roadway intersection for automotive vehicle traffic, the system comprising:
a non-track circuit train detection system operable independently from railroad crossing equipment provided at a railroad grade crossing, the railroad crossing being adjacent to but separate from the signalized roadway intersection;
a preemption controller in communication with the non-track circuit train detection system, wherein the preemption controller outputs a preemption signal to the traffic controller, and the traffic controller being operatively responsive to the preemption signal to:
operate a plurality of signal lights at the signalized roadway intersection to clear the railroad grade crossing from automotive vehicle traffic; and
without waiting for a pre-set time-out interval to expire, operate the plurality of signal lights to enhance automotive vehicle traffic flow through the signalized roadway intersection by resuming automotive vehicle traffic flow through the signalized roadway intersection in a direction that does not traverse the railroad grade crossing; and

a crossing island detection system including at least one radar-based sensor, wherein the preemption controller is configured to provide a terminate track clearance signal to the traffic controller in response to a train detection with the crossing island detection system.