Granted Patent B2

US 7,772,990 · App. 11/770,429 · Granted Aug 10, 2010

Abstract

Claims (22)

1. A signal monitor of the type configured to accept a plurality of input signals associated with traffic control at an intersection, the signal monitor comprising an alarm function module configured to compare the plurality of input signals to a set of programmable criteria associated with predetermined events, and to produce a non-critical alarm signal when at least one of the set of programmable criteria is satisfied, wherein the non-critical alarm signal does not correspond to a set of alarm signals requiring that the traffic control at the intersection enter a flash mode.

2. The signal monitor of claim 1 , further including an input device configured to allow a user to specify the set of programmable criteria.

3. The signal monitor of claim 2 , further including a display configured to display the set of programmable criteria.

4. The signal monitor of claim 1 , wherein the signal monitor includes a dedicated output line for communicating the non-critical alarm signal to a controller.

5. A traffic control system comprising:

a signal monitor configured to accept a plurality of input signals associated with traffic control at an intersection, the signal monitor comprising an alarm function module configured to compare the plurality of input signals to a set of programmable criteria associated with predetermined events, and to produce a non-critical alarm signal when at least one of the programmable criteria is satisfied, wherein the non-critical alarm signal does not correspond to a set of alarm signals requiring that the traffic control at the intersection enter a flash mode;

a controller coupled to the signal monitor, the controller configured to receive the non-critical alarm signal.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the non-critical alarm signal via a dedicated line.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the dedicated line corresponds to a special status input.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the signal monitor including an input device configured to allow a user to specify the set of programmable criteria.

9. The system of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit the non-critical alarm signal to a maintenance point.

10. A signal monitoring method comprising:

providing a set of criteria associated with predetermined non-critical events, wherein the non-critical events do not require that an intersection enter a flash mode;

accepting a plurality of input signals associated with traffic control at an intersection,

comparing the plurality of input signals to a set of programmable criteria associated with the predetermined non-critical events; and

producing a non-critical alarm signal when at least one of the set of criteria is satisfied.

11. The method of claim 10 , further including transmitting the non-critical alarm signal to a controller over a dedicated line.

12. A computer-readable medium having program code embodied therein for causing a signal monitor to perform the steps of:

accepting a plurality of input signals associated with traffic control at an intersection,

comparing the plurality of input signals to a set of programmable criteria associated with predetermined non-critical events, wherein the non-critical alarm signal does not correspond to a set of alarm signals requiring that the traffic control at the intersection enter a flash mode; and

producing a non-critical alarm signal when at least one of the set of programmable criteria is satisfied.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 , further including providing a user interface configured to allow a user to specify the programmable criteria.

Assignments (14)