Patent ID: 9536427
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: G08G

Claim:
1. A method of managing vehicle priority proximate to a potential travel-priority conflict zone, the method being executed in a dynamic traffic control system and comprising: communicating with a first component of the dynamic traffic control system located on-board a vehicle proximate to the potential travel-priority conflict zone so as to establish a dynamic traffic control plan for avoiding a travel-priority conflict in the potential travel-priority conflict zone; coordinating with the first component of the dynamic traffic control system via said communicating to elect a dynamic traffic controller as a temporary coordinator vehicle responsible for temporarily coordinating the dynamic traffic control plan; receiving a priority-request message from a priority vehicle; determining a travel direction of the priority vehicle; comparing the travel direction of the priority vehicle to a travel direction of a non-priority vehicle proximate to the potential travel-priority conflict zone; transmitting a priority-granted message to the priority vehicle when the travel direction of the priority vehicle and the travel direction of the non-priority vehicle proximate to the potential travel-priority conflict zone differ; and providing traffic control instructions to an operator of the priority vehicle via a visual or audio indication produced in the priority vehicle as a function of the priority-granted message.