Patent ID: 8035530
Filing Date: 2011-10-11
Classification: G08G

Abstract:
1. A method for regulating traffic flow of a plurality of vehicles at a roadway intersection, each vehicle in the plurality of vehicles comprising an RFID tag, the method comprising the steps of: positioning a processor in the vicinity of the roadway intersection, said roadway intersection comprising a traffic signal that cycles vehicle flow in a plurality of traffic flow directions through the roadway intersection; storing adaptable cycle times for the traffic signal in the processor; mounting an RFID reader in the vicinity of the traffic signal, wherein the RFID reader is configured to communicate with the processor; interrogating with the RFID reader an RFID tag on each vehicle in the plurality of vehicles to count the number of RFID tags present in each traffic flow direction at the roadway intersection; calculating an unused time slice of the cycle time for a first traffic flow direction at the roadway intersection; reducing the cycle time for the first traffic flow direction in accordance with the unused time slice; and, increasing the cycle time for a second traffic flow direction at the roadway intersection in accordance with the unused time slice.