IP Library Granted Patent US 10,559,198
Granted Patent B1
US 10,559,198 · App. 16/058,343 · Granted Feb 11, 2020

System and method of adaptive controlling of traffic using zone based occupancy

Inventors: Jeffery R. Price (Knoxville, TN); Timothy F. Gee (Oak Ridge, TN)
Assignee: Cubic Corporation
G08G1/0145G08G1/0116G08G1/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,559,198
App. No.
16/058,343
Granted
Feb 11, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

Systems and methods for triggering changes to traffic signals based on the number and/or types of vehicles occupying a detection zone are disclosed. One aspect of the present disclosure includes a device with memory having computer-readable instructions stored therein and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to receive identification of zones and corresponding traffic light rules for a traffic intersection; and for each identified zone, detect a number of objects in the zone; based at least in part on the number of objects detected in the zone, determine if a corresponding condition is met; and upon determining that the corresponding condition is met for the zone, send a corresponding output signal to a traffic signal controller to change a traffic signal for the zone.

Claims (37)

1. A device comprising:

memory having computer-readable instructions stored therein; and

one or more processors configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to:

receive identification of zones and corresponding rules for a signalized roadway intersection, wherein a perimeter of at least one zone is based on user input at a graphical user interface of a traffic control system that is communicatively coupled to the device; and

for each identified zone:

receive traffic data from one or more sensors at the signalized roadway intersection;

detect a number of objects in the zone by performing one or more of image processing or video processing on the received traffic data;

based at least in part on the number of objects detected in the zone, determine if a corresponding condition is met; and

upon determining that the corresponding condition is met for the zone, send a corresponding signal to a traffic signal controller to change a traffic signal for the zone.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the corresponding condition is a threshold number of objects detected in the zone.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the corresponding condition further includes a type of objects detected in the zone.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the corresponding condition is further based on a traffic light condition of at least one other zone at the signalized roadway intersection.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the objects are vehicles.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the vehicles are one or more of a car, a truck, a bicycle or a motor cycle.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein a size of each zone varies based on a time of day.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the zones and the corresponding rules are specified via the graphical user interface.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is the traffic signal controller configured to be communicatively coupled to traffic lights at the signalized roadway intersection.

10. One or more computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive identification of zones and corresponding rules for a traffic intersection, wherein:

a perimeter of at least one zone is based on user input at a graphical user interface of a traffic control system that is communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and

for each identified zone:

receive traffic data from one or more sensors at the traffic intersection;

detect a number of objects in the zone by performing one or more of image processing or video processing on the received traffic data;

based at least in part on the number of objects detected in the zone, determine if a corresponding condition is met; and

upon determining that the corresponding condition is met for the zone, send a corresponding signal to a traffic signal controller to change a traffic signal for the zone.

11. The one or more computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the corresponding condition includes one or more of a threshold number of objects detected in the zone, a type of objects detected in the zone, and a traffic light condition of at least one other zone at the traffic intersection.

12. The one or more computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein a size of each zone varies based on a time of day.

13. A method of zone-based traffic controlling, comprising:

receiving identification of zones and corresponding rules for a traffic intersection, wherein:

a perimeter of at least one zone is based on user input at a graphical user interface of a traffic control system; and

for each identified zone:

receiving traffic data from one or more sensors at the traffic intersection;

detecting a number of objects in the zone by performing one or more of image processing or video processing on the received traffic data;

based at least in part on the number of objects detected in the zone, determining if a corresponding condition is met; and

upon determining that the corresponding condition is met for the zone, sending a corresponding signal to a traffic signal controller to change a traffic signal for the zone.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the corresponding condition includes one or more of a threshold number of objects detected in the zone, a type of objects detected in the zone, and a traffic light condition of at least one other zone at the traffic intersection.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein a size of each zone varies based on a time of day.

Assignments (10)
SUPERPRIORITY PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 6, 2025
From: CUBIC CORPORATION; CUBIC DEFENSE APPLICATIONS INC.; CUBIC DIGITAL INTELLIGENCE INC.; CUBIC ITS, INC.; CUBIC SECURE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC; CUBIC TOTAL LEARNING PLATFORM, LLC; CUBIC TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS, INC.; GATR TECHNOLOGIES INC.; NUVOTRONICS INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 073008/0761 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2025
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: CUBIC CORPORATION; CUBIC DEFENSE APPLICATIONS, INC.; CUBIC DIGITAL INTELLIGENCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 072278/0272 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2025
From: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
To: CUBIC CORPORATION; CUBIC DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LLC; NUVOTRONICS, INC.
Reel/Frame 072281/0176 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 056393/0281 Recorded Jul 28, 2025
From: BARCLAYS BANK PLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: CUBIC CORPORATION; CUBIC DEFENSE APPLICATIONS, INC.; CUBIC DIGITAL SOLUTIONS LLC (FORMERLY PIXIA CORP.)
Reel/Frame 072282/0124 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 10, 2025
From: CUBIC CORPORATION
To: CUBIC ITS, INC.
Reel/Frame 071370/0881 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2025
From: CUBIC DEFENSE APPLICATIONS, INC.; CUBIC DIGITAL INTELLIGENCE, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 071161/0299 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 26, 2021
From: CUBIC CORPORATION; PIXIA CORP.; NUVOTRONICS, INC.
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 056393/0314 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 26, 2021
From: CUBIC CORPORATION; PIXIA CORP.; NUVOTRONICS, INC.
To: BARCLAYS BANK PLC
Reel/Frame 056393/0281 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2019
From: GRIDSMART TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: CUBIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 048248/0847 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 13, 2018
From: PRICE, JEFFERY R.; GEE, TIMOTHY F.
To: GRIDSMART TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 046626/0506 →