Roadside sign controller and dynamic message sign system
A roadside signal system and a roadside controller are provided relating to the control and operation of roadside signals and signs, such as those used by departments of transportation and municipalities. The roadside signal system and controller are configured to operate using National Transportation Communications for Intelligent Transportation Systems Protocol (“NTCIP”) compliant transmissions at both a local and remote level. The roadside controller by itself and as a part of the roadside signal system operates a local network to control multiple signs or signals from a single connection to a central network, thus saving physical space within the roadside cabinets used to store such controllers and virtual network space on the central network.
1. A roadside signal system comprising:
a controller having a central network interface configured to interconnect with a central network, the controller configured to receive and send NTCIP compliant transmissions;
a plurality of signs connected to the controller, each sign configured to send and receive NTCIP compliant transmissions;
wherein the controller is configured to route NTCIP compliant transmissions received through the central network interface to one of the plurality of signs and to send from the central network interface to the central network NTCIP compliant transmissions received from one of the plurality of signs; and
wherein the controller has a central network address having a plurality of ports, and each sign of the plurality of signs has a distinct local network address having a plurality of ports each dedicated to a specific communication protocol, and wherein the controller associates each dedicated port on the distinct local network address for each of the plurality of signs with a port of the plurality of ports on the central network address.
2. The roadside signal system of claim 1 wherein the specific communication protocols include at least one of TCP-NTCIP, TCP-FTP, TCP-FTP Passive Range, and UDP-NTCIP.
3. The roadside signal system of claim 2 wherein the dedicated port for the TCP-NTCIP communication protocol on the distinct local network address is the same for every sign in the plurality of signs.
4. The roadside signal system of claim 2 wherein the dedicated port for the TCP-FTP communication protocol on the distinct local network address is the same for every sign in the plurality of signs.
5. The roadside signal system of claim 2 wherein the dedicated port for the UDP-NTCIP communication protocol on the distinct local network address is the same for every sign in the plurality of signs.
6. The roadside signal system of claim 1 further comprising a cabinet-level instrument connected to the controller and wherein the controller is configured to receive a status indicator signal from the cabinet-level instrument and forward that status indicator signal to one of the plurality of signs using NTCIP compliant transmissions.
7. The roadside signal system of claim 1 further comprising a cabinet-level status indicator connected to the controller and wherein the controller is configured to forward NTCIP compliant status transmissions received from one of the plurality of signs to the cabinet-level status indicator.
8. A roadside signal system comprising:
a signal forwarding unit having a central network interface configured to interconnect with a central network, the signal forwarding unit configured to receive and send NTCIP compliant transmissions;
a cabinet-level instrument connected to the signal forwarding unit;
a cabinet-level status indicator connected to the signal forwarding unit;
wherein the signal forwarding unit is configured to receive a status indicator signal from the cabinet-level instrument, convert that signal into a NTCIP compliant transmission, and send the converted signal out to the central network from the central network interface;
wherein the signal forwarding unit is further configured to receive though the central network interface a NTCIP compliant status transmission, and output that transmission to the cabinet-level status indicator; and
wherein the central network has a central network address having a plurality of ports, and each sign of a plurality of signs has a distinct local network address having a plurality of ports each dedicated to a specific communication protocol, and wherein each dedicated port on the distinct local network address for each of the plurality of signs is associated with a port of the plurality of ports on the central network address.
9. A roadside signal controller for controlling communications to a plurality of electronic road signs comprising:
a plurality of sign connectors configured to interconnect with a plurality of electronic road signs and pass-through NTCIP compliant transmissions;
a central network connector configured to interconnect with a central network and pass-through NTCIP compliant transmissions;
a router coupled to the plurality of sign connectors and the central network connector; and
wherein the router is configured to route NTCIP compliant transmissions received at the central network connector to a sign connector of the plurality of sign connectors and route NTCIP compliant transmissions received at the plurality of sign connectors to the central network connector;
wherein each sign connector of the plurality of sign connectors has an associated local network address and the router has a central network address; and
wherein the central network address has a plurality of ports and the associated local network address for each sign connector has a plurality of ports each dedicated to a specific communication protocol, and wherein the router associates each dedicated port on the associated local network address for every sign connector in the plurality of sign connectors with a port of the plurality of ports on the central network address.
10. The roadside controller of claim 9 wherein the specific communication protocols include TCP-NTCIP, TCP-FTP, TCP-FTP Passive Range, and UDP-NTCIP.
11. The roadside controller of claim 10 wherein the dedicated port for the TCP-NTCIP communication protocol on the associated local network address is the same for every sign in the plurality of signs.
12. The roadside controller of claim 10 wherein the dedicated port for the TCP-FTP communication protocol on the associated local network address is the same for every sign in the plurality of signs.
13. The roadside controller of claim 10 wherein the dedicated port for the UDP-NTCIP communication protocol on the associated local network address is the same for every sign in the plurality of signs.
14. The roadside controller of claim 9 further comprising a signal forwarding unit.
15. The roadside controller of claim 14 further comprising a cabinet-level instrument connection coupled to the signal forwarding unit and configured to receive a status indicator signal from a cabinet-level instrument, wherein the signal forwarding unit is configured to convert the status indicator signal to an NTCIP compliant signal and forward the status indicator signal received at the cabinet-level instrument connection to the router, and wherein the router is configured to route the converted status indicator signal to a sign connector of the plurality of sign connectors using a NTCIP compliant transmission.
16. The roadside controller of claim 14 further comprising a cabinet-level status indicator connection coupled to the signal forwarding unit and configured to output a status transmission to a cabinet-level status indicator, wherein the router is configured to route NTCIP compliant status transmissions from a sign connector of the plurality of sign connectors to the forwarding unit, and wherein the forwarding unit is configured to convert the NTCIP compliant status transmission to a generic status transmission and forward the generic status transmission to the cabinet-level status indicator connection.
17. The roadside controller of claim 14 wherein the signal forwarding unit comprises:
a forwarding agent coupled to the router;
a 485 hub coupled to the forwarding agent; and
a I/O module coupled to the 485 hub and configured to receive and send analog and digital signals.