Traffic signal connected digital electronic display and method of controlling the same

1. A traffic signal comprising:

a supporting structure; and

a digital electronic display mounted on the supporting structure, the digital electronic display comprising

a communication unit configured to receive content including content segments and metadata,

a display screen, and

a processor configured to:

control the display of at least a red light and a green light on the display screen through illumination of a portion of the display screen with reference to a control signal for controlling the traffic signal,

analyze an image signal output by a camera configured to capture images of vehicles in front of the traffic signal to obtain demographic information related to the vehicles in front of the traffic signal, and

present one or more of the content segments on the display screen based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the red light is illuminated, wherein the one or more of the content segments presented on the display screen are determined with reference to the demographic information related to the vehicles in front of the traffic signal.

2. The traffic signal of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to

control the display of an arrow light on the display screen through illumination of another portion of the display screen with reference to the control signal; and

wherein the content segments comprise a first content segment corresponding to illumination of the red light and a second content segment corresponding to illumination of the arrow light, wherein the one or more of the content segments presented when the red light is illuminated comprise the first content segment.

3. The traffic signal of claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to present the second content segment on the display screen based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the arrow light is illuminated.

4. The traffic signal of claim 3 , wherein the arrow light comprises one of a left arrow light, a right arrow light or a straight arrow light, and wherein the second content segment comprises information related to a location along a direction indicated by the arrow light.

5. The traffic signal of claim 1 , further comprising a traffic signal controller mounted on the supporting structure, connected to the digital electronic display, and configured to output the control signal for controlling the traffic signal.

6. The traffic signal of claim 1 , wherein the communication unit comprises a wireless transceiver and a port unit, wherein the content segments are received from another device through the wireless transceiver or the port unit.

7. The traffic signal of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to control display of a countdown timer on the display screen through illumination of another portion of the display screen.

8. A method of controlling a traffic signal, the method comprising:

receiving content including a plurality of content segments and metadata, the plurality of content segments comprising a first content segment corresponding to illumination of a red light of the traffic signal and a second content segment corresponding to illumination of a turn light of the traffic signal;

determining when and a duration during which each of the red light and the arrow light of the traffic signal is illuminated; and

presenting the first content segment corresponding to the illumination of the red light on a display screen based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the red light is illuminated, wherein the first content segment is determined with reference to demographic information related to vehicles in front of the traffic signal that is obtained by analyzing an image signal output by a camera configured to capture images of the vehicles in front of the traffic signal.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

determining when and a duration during which the turn light of the traffic signal is illuminated; and

presenting the second content segment on the display screen based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the turn light is illuminated.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein when and the duration during which each of the red light and the turn light of the traffic signal is illuminated is determined based on a control signal output by a traffic signal controller of the traffic signal.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein when and the duration during which each of the red light and the turn light of the traffic signal is illuminated is determined by monitoring motion of vehicles in front of the traffic signal captured within an image signal.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising controlling at least a portion of the display screen to operate in a low-power state, or an off state, in response to the image signal indicating that a number of vehicles at the traffic signal are less than a specified threshold number of vehicles or a green light of the traffic signal is illuminated.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein when and the duration during which each of the red light and the turn light of the traffic signal is illuminated is determined from a detection output of a sensor unit configured to detect illumination states of the traffic signal.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising estimating a timing schedule for the traffic signal.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second content segment comprises information related to a location along a direction indicated by the turn light.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive content including content segments and metadata, the content segments comprising a first content segment corresponding to illumination of a red light of a traffic signal and a second content segment corresponding to illumination of an arrow light of the traffic signal;

determine when and a duration during which each of the red light and the arrow light of the traffic signal is illuminated;

present the first content segment on a display screen based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the red light is illuminated, wherein the first content segment is determined with reference to demographic information related to vehicles in front of the traffic signal that is obtained by analyzing an image signal output by a camera configured to capture images of the vehicles in front of the traffic signal; and

present the second content segment on the display screen based on the metadata and substantially for the entire duration when the arrow light is illuminated.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein determining when and the duration during which each of the red light and the arrow light of the traffic signal is illuminated is performed by receiving control signals from a traffic signal controller of the traffic signal.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein when and the duration during which each of the red light and the arrow light of the traffic signal is illuminated is determined by analyzing the images of vehicles in front of the traffic signal and monitoring motion of the vehicles within the images.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the arrow light comprises one of a left arrow light, a straight arrow light, and a right arrow light, and wherein the second content segment comprises information related to a location along a direction indicated by the arrow light.