Intelligent Urban Traffic Control System

KKKA6424 ASSIGNMENT3

Supervision: Prof. Ir. Dr Riza Atiq

Prepared by: Hassn Ahmed H Hassn Malek M A Algadi P64139 P64143

Introduction

Designing, implementing, optimizing and adjusting urban traffic control systems involves quite some effort and knowledge. Due to several reasons, changing environments not always lead to changes in the traffic control units. Adjusting a traffic control unit is a costly and timely affair. Often a traffic control unit is not adjusted for short term road works, nor for changing traffic patterns. The effectiveness of (urban) traffic control systems greatly depends on its ability to react upon changes in traffic patterns. When this ability to react becomes an integral part of the traffic control unit, the better it can react to changes in traffic conditions. The responsive control system should have sufficient knowledge of the situation to be able to handle unforeseen changes in traffic flow, such as accidents. Intelligent signal control systems must have the capability to optimize the traffic flow by adjusting the traffic lights and co-ordinate operation between each signal in order to maximise the person and vehicular throughput and minimize delay. For intelligent urban traffic control we ideally need a fully pro-active, real-time traffic control system; anticipating what will happen within the next 15 minutes (Roozemond, 1997). For such a system the control plans used, optimised by some sort of performance criteria, are based on actuated traffic conditions and are updated frequently and possibly even during a cycle. In urban traffic control, responsive plan generation is a much discussed, but little implemented idea. The basic premise is that existing signalplan generation tools (e.g., UTOPIA-SPOT or SCOOT) make rational decisions about signal plans under varying conditions. True as this may be, these tools cannot be used in a real-time setting for more than traffic control as no real metarules are incorporated into the system. Other systems capable of self-optimising are MOVA (UK) and LHOVRA (Sweden). Both are designed for optimising isolated intersections and no explicit interaction takes place between intersections.

What is Urban Traffic Management and Control?

Urban traffic control (UTC) systems are a specialist form of traffic management which integrate and co-ordinate traffic signal control over a wide area in order to control traffic flows on the road network. Integration and co-ordination between adjacent traffic signals involves designing a plan based on the occurrence and duration of individual signal aspects and the time offsets between them and introducing a system to link the signals together electronically. A traffic responsive signal control system is a means of adjusting the traffic signal settings (cycles, green splits and offsets), which optimise a given objective function, such as minimising travel time or stops, in real-time based upon estimates of traffic conditions UTC systems can provide the basis for an extended control system, generally termed Urban Traffic Management and Control (UTMC) (Routledge et al, 1996). They include incorporating emergency service vehicles and priority for public transport such as bus priorities, and their integration with information systems such as variable message signs, real-time driver information systems and route guidance and parking guidance and information system

Systems architect
The systems architect establishes the basic structure of the computer system, defining the essential core design features and elements that provide the framework for all that follows, and are the hardest to change later. The systems architect provides definition of the users' vision for what the system needs to be and do, and the paths along which it must be able to evolve, and strives to maintain the integrity of that vision as it evolves during detailed design and implementation.

Information systems architect

An information systems architect designs architecture for an information system, meaning that he/she plans out the individual elements of the information system and how to implement them, as well as being in charge of upgrading them. The information systems architect is to the business's information system what an architect is to his/her building, though the information system is more likely to change over time. To do his/her duty, the information systems architect must first study the client's needs (its management or the organization where he/she has been brought in to work), map out a system by analyzing the existing one, then propose an architecture model and finally bring it into being by choosing a hardware and software infrastructure. An information systems architect usually works as part of a team, collaborating, if needed, with a system engineer and a network engineer, and interacting with the company's management.

Proposal

Urban Traffic Control

We propose a system that autonomously can adapt to changing environments. In that system we get an Urban Traffic Control system (UTC) based on agent technology that is able to adapt and respond to traffic conditions in real-time and still maintain its integrity and stability within the overall transportation system and in the meantime get a system that makes better use of the capacity of intersections. The key aspects of improved control, for which contributions from artificial intelligence (AI) and artificial intelligent agents (IA) can be expected, include (Ambrosino et al., 1994): - the capability of dealing with multiple problems and conflicting objectives; - the capability of making decisions on the basis of temporal analysis and developments; the ability of managing, learning, and responding to non-recurrent and unexpected events; self adjustability is an integral part of IA based units; the, more flexible, control unit can, pro-active, optimize while operating. The most useful agent in UTC would be a traffic signal control device. Saito et al. (1997) have found that the use of quick response demand prediction models in saturated situations (degree of saturation > 0.5) could improve delay's per vehicle on a single approach intersection by 5% to 15 %. In saturated situations such an improvement is huge and is achievable by intelligent signal control. Such an UTC system requires: monitoring system of traffic, a rule- or modelbase for evaluation and

adjustment, a model of the surrounds and an efficient diagnostic routinefor both traffic light operations as well as rule- and parameter adjustments. The essence of an, demand responsive, pro-active, UTC system can be based on several, coupled, intersection control ITSA's (Intelligent Traffic Signalling Agent). The design of a multi-agent system requires flexible autonomy. Meaning that agents will be required to work autonomously, but will often be influenced by others. For a specific ITSA, implemented to serve as an urban traffic control agent, the following aspects are taken into account (Roozemond, 1998): - The ITSA has some goals to accomplish: maximizing traffic flow, given its rule-base; - The ITSA has rules to obey and roles to perform; - The ITSA decide on what actions to take; helped by its controller, the view and knowledge it has of its environment, its abilities and its state - The ITSA has skills and tasks that it can perform depending on situations. The agent solves a problem mostly acting on its own 'feeling' and its knowledge.

LOGICAL ARCHITECTURE

The Logical Architecture defines the Processes (the activities and functions) that are required to provide the required User Services. Many different Processes must work together and share information to provide a User Service. The Processes can be implemented via software, hardware, or firmware. The Logical Architecture is independent of technologies and implementations. The Logical Architecture consists of Processes (defined above), Data Flows, Terminators, and data stores. Data Flows identify the information that is shared by the Processes. The entry and exit points for the Logical Architecture are the sensors, computers, human operators of the ITS systems (called Terminators). These Terminators appear in the Physical Architecture as well. Data stores are repositories of information maintained by the Processes

Distributed control architecture

PHYSICAL ARCHITECTURE

The physical architecture is a physical representation (though not a detailed design) of important ITS interfaces and major system components. The physical architecture identifies the transportation systems and the information exchanges that support ITS. The physical architecture forms a high-level structure around the processes and data flows in the Logical Architecture. The Transportation Layer defines the Physical Entities (Subsystems and Terminators) that make up an intelligent transportation system. It defines the Architecture Flows that connect the various Subsystems and Terminators into an integrated system. The subsystems generally provide a rich set of capabilities, more than would be implemented at any one place or time. Equipment Packages break up the subsystems into deployment-sized pieces. The complete

definition of the Physical Architecture is behind these entry points. By following the links, you can traverse between the physical architecture structure and the related process and data flow requirements in the logical architecture.

The different between physical and logical architecture

The logical architecture is a more detailed structure defines what has to be done to support the user services. It defines the processes that perform functions and the information or data flows that are shared between these processes. Logical architecture do not include physical server names or addresses. They do include any business services, application names and details, and other relevant information for development purposes. A physical architecture has all major components and entities identified within specific physical servers and locations or specific software services, objects, or solutions. Include all known details such as operating systems, version numbers, and even patches that are relevant. Any physical constraints or limitations should also be identified within the server components, data flows, or connections. This design usually precludes or may be included and extended by the final implementation team into an implementation design

Urban Traffic System control diagram

Traffic light system

Traffic lights, also known as traffic signals, traffic lamps, signal lights, robots in South Africa] and, in the past, semaphores,] are signaling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic. Traffic lights were first installed in 1868 in London and are now used all over the world. Traffic lights alternate the right of way accorded to road users by displaying lights of a standard color (red, yellow/amber, and green) following a universal color code. In the typical sequence of color phases:

the green light allows traffic to proceed in the direction denoted, if it is safe to do so the yellow/amber light denoting prepare to stop short of the intersection, if it is safe to do so the red signal prohibits any traffic from proceeding

History of traffic light

On 10 December 1868, the first traffic lights were installed outside the British Houses of Parliament in London, to control the traffic in Bridge Street, Great George Street and Parliament Street. They were promoted by the railway engineer J. P. Knight and constructed by the railway signal engineers of Saxby & Farmer. The design combined three semaphorearms with red and green gas lamps for night-time use, on a pillar, operated by a police constable. The gas lantern was turned with a lever at its base so that the appropriate light faced traffic.[4]

Although it was said to be successful at controlling traffic, its operational life was brief. It exploded on 2 January 1869, as a result of a leak in one of the gas lines underneath the pavement, injuring or killing the policeman who was operating it. With doubts about its safety, the concept was abandoned until electric signals became available.

The first electric traffic light was developed in 1912 by Lester Wire, an American policeman of Salt Lake City, Utah, who also used red-green lights.[7] On 5 August 1914, the American Traffic Signal Company installed a traffic signal system on the corner of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. It had two colors, red and green, and a buzzer, based on the design of James Hoge, to provide a warning for color changes. The design by James Hoge allowed police and fire stations to control the signals in case of emergency. The first four-way, three-color traffic light was created by police officer William Potts in Detroit, Michigan in 1920. In 1922, T.E. Hayes patented his "Combination traffic guide and traffic regulating signal" (Patent # 1447659). Ashville, Ohio claims to be the location of the oldest working traffic light in the United States, used at an intersection of public roads until 1982 when it was moved to a local museum

Types
Single aspects The simplest traffic light comprises either a single or a pair of colored aspects that warns any user of the shared right of way of a possible conflict or danger.

Flashing Red: Treat as a stop sign. Also can signal the road is closed. Flashing Yellow: Caution, crossing or road hazard ahead Flashing Green: Varies among jurisdiction; can give permission to go straight as well as make a left turn in front of opposing traffic (which is held by a steady red light), or can indicate the end of a green cycle before the light changes to a solid yellow.

Dual aspects These are often seen at railway crossings and at intersections of streets. They flash yellow when cross traffic is not expected, and turn red to stop traffic when cross traffic occurs. They are also used on ramp metering, where motorists enter a freeway in heavy traffic. Only one driver per lane goes per green.

Architecture of traffic light system

System architecture
A system architecture or systems architecture is the conceptual model that defines the structure, behavior, and more views of a system. An architecture description is a formal description and representation of a system, organized in a way that supports reasoning about the structures of the system, which comprise system components, the externally visible properties of those components, the relationships (e.g. the behavior) between them, and provides a plan from which products can be procured, and systems developed, that will work together to implement the overall system. More recently, there have been efforts to formalize languages to describe system architecture, collectively these are called architecture description languages (ADLs).

History
It is important to keep in mind that the modern systems architecture did not appear out of nowhere. Systems architecture depends heavily on practices and techniques which were developed over thousands of years in many other fields, perhaps the most important being civil architecture. Prior to the advent of digital computers, the electronics and other engineering disciplines used the term "system" as it is still commonly used today. However, with the arrival of digital computers and the development of software engineering as a separate discipline, it was often necessary to distinguish among engineered hardware artifacts, software artifacts, and the combined artifacts. A programmable hardware artifact, or computing machine, that lacks its software program is impotent; even as a software

artifact, or program, is equally impotent unless it can be used to alter the sequential states of a suitable (hardware) machine. However, a hardware machine and its software program can be designed to perform an almost illimitable number of abstract and physical tasks. Within the computer and software engineering disciplines (and, often, other engineering disciplines, such as communications), then, the term system came to be defined as containing all of the elements necessary (which generally includes both hardware and software) to perform a useful function. Consequently, within these engineering disciplines, a system generally refers to a programmable hardware machine and its included program. And a systems engineer is defined as one concerned with the complete device, both hardware and software and, more particularly, all of the interfaces of the device, including that between hardware and software, and especially between the complete device and its user (the CHI). The hardware engineer deals (more or less) exclusively with the hardware device; the software engineer deals (more or less) exclusively with the software program; and the systems engineer is responsible for seeing that the software program is capable of properly running within the hardware device, and that the system composed of the two entities is capable of properly interacting with its external environment, especially the user, and performing its intended function.

Types System architecture

Hardware architecture Software architecture Enterprise architecture Collaborative systems architectures(such as the Internet, intelligent transportation systems, and joint air defense systems) Manufacturing systems architectures Strategic systems architecture

Smart Surveillance System

(CCTV) is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point to point (P2P), point to multipoint, or mesh wireless links. Though almost all video cameras fit this definition, the term is most often applied to those used for surveillance in areas that may need monitoring such as banks, casinos, airports, military installations, and convenience stores .Video telephony is seldom called "CCTV" but the use of video in distance education, where it is an important tool, is often so called.

History
The first CCTV system was installed by Siemens AG at Test Stand VII in Peenemnde, Germany in 1942, for observing the launch of V-2 rockets. The noted German engineer Walter Bruch was responsible for the technological design and installation of the system. In the U.S. the first commercial closed-circuit television system became available in 1949, called Vericon. Very little is known about Vericon except it was advertised as not requiring a government permit. CCTV recording systems are still often used at modern launch sites to record the flight of the rockets, in order to find the possible causes of malfunctions, while larger rockets are often fitted with CCTV allowing pictures of stage separation to be transmitted back to earth by radio link

Uses
Crime prevention A more recent analysis by Northeastern University and the University of Cambridge, "Public Area CCTV and Crime Prevention: An Updated Systematic Review and MetaAnalysis," examined 44 different studies that collectively surveyed areas from the United Kingdom to U.S. cities such as Cincinnati and New York. The analysis found that: 1. Surveillance systems were most effective in parking lots, where their use resulted in a 51% decrease in crime; 2. Public transportation areas saw a 23% decrease in crimes; 3. Systems in public settings were the least effective, with just a 7% decrease in crimes overall. When sorted by country, however, systems in the United Kingdom accounted for the majority of the decrease; the drop in other areas was insignificant Prevalence An article published in CCTV Image magazine estimates that the number of cameras in the UK is 1.85 million. The number is based on extrapolating from a comprehensive survey of public and private cameras within the Cheshire Constabulary jurisdiction. This works out as an average of one camera for every 32 people in the UK, although the density of cameras varies greatly from place to place. The Cheshire report also claims that the average person on a typical day would be seen by 70 CCTV cameras Hacking and video art Hackers and guerrilla artists have exposed the vulnerabilities of the video systems in an act dubbed "video sniffing they have crossed feeds, uploaded their own video feeds and used the video footage for artistic purposes Industrial processes Industrial processes that take place under conditions dangerous for humans are today often supervised by CCTV. These are mainly processes in the chemical industry, the interior of reactors or facilities for manufacture of nuclear fuel. Special cameras for some of these purposes include line-scan cameras and thermo graphic cameras which allow operators to measure the temperature of the processes. The usage of CCTV in such processes is sometimes required by law

Architecture of the Smart Camera

For traffic surveillance the entire smart camera is packed into a single cabinet which is typically mounted in tunnels and aside highways. The electrical power is either supplied by a power socket or by solar panels Thus, our smart camera is exposed to harsh environmental influences such as rapid changes in temperature and humidity as well as wind and rain. It must be implemented as an embedded system with tight operating constraints such as size, power consumption and temperature range. The smart camera is divided into three major parts: (i) the video sensor, (ii) the processing unit, and (iii) the communication unit.

System architecture of the smart camera.

VMS
A variable electronic or dynamic message sign, often abbreviated VMS, CMS, or DMS, and in the UK known as a matrix sign, is an electronic traffic sign often used on roadways to give travelers information about special events. Such signs warn of traffic congestion, accidents, incidents, roadwork zones, or speed limits on a specific highway segment. In urban areas, VMS are used within parking guidance and information systems to guide drivers to available car parking spaces. They may also ask vehicles to take alternative routes, limit travel speed, warn of duration and location of the incidents or just inform of the traffic conditions. A complete message on a panel generally includes a problem statement indicating incident, roadwork, stalled vehicle etc.; a location statement indicating where the incident is located; an effect statement indicating lane closure, delay, etc. and an action statement giving suggestion what to do traffic conditions ahead. These signs are also used for AMBER Alert and Silver Alert messages. Typical messages provide the following information: Crashes, including vehicle spin-out or rollover Stalls affecting normal flow in a lane or on shoulders Non-recurring congestion, often a residual effect of cleared crash Closures of an entire road, e.g. over a mountain pass in winter. Downstream exit ramp closures Debris on roadway Vehicle fires Short-term maintenance or construction lasting less than three days Pavement failure alerts AMBER Alerts and weather warnings via the warning infrastructure of NOAA Weather Radio's SAME system Travel times Variable speed limits The information comes from a variety of traffic monitoring and surveillance systems. It is expected that by providing real-time information on special events on the oncoming road, VMS can improve vehicles' route selection, reduce travel time, mitigate the severity and duration of incidents and improve the performance of the transportation network

Logical architecture of (VMS)

Features: Wireless or wired network connectivity Power over Ethernet driven Enterprise-grade security support 2D image support Wireless 802.11i support Simple design, faster time-to-market Simple design, faster time-to-market Applications: Freeway signs and traffic control Outdoor displays Stadium & arenas Displays outside malls/restaurants

COMMUNICATION
A good communication system is very crucial in an urban traffic control for the following purposes: Synchronization of controller timer at each intersection for offset implementation. Exchange of traffic data between controllers. Malfunction reporting from each controller to the control room. Incident reporting to the control room. Use of the smart camera for surveillance purpose. Data compilation at the control room would be used for the benefit of road users and research purposes.

Smart camera
Laying copper or fiber optic cable for this purpose is relatively very expensive and involves road digging. Renting existing commercial telecommunication cable also involves high operating cost. A wireless communication system is an alternative option to avoid high initial and running cost. Another alternatives using power cable plug Ethernet. This is actually a simple device that enables electricity cable to become LAN cable at the same time. This option will reduce communication cost tremendously as it will use existing power supply cable as the communication line with reasonable bandwidth.

System Communications
Countdown timing and walk/wait state information are polled from the traffic controller by the bridge SNMP controller and are translated and rebroadcast to the PnP network controller that distributes this information to the smart signals and detectors. The service request information from the smart pedestrian call button uses the same route, but transmits minimal information which is translated by the SNMP bridge controller before

reaching the traffic controller. In this implementation, the bridge node consists of two microprocessors, a SNMP translator and a PnP processor, operating in a master-slave configuration bridging the two Ethernet networks. Network communications with the traffic controller use SNMP employing a point-to-point User Datagram Protocol (UDP) transport layer. All other devices use standard network Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and UDP broadcast communications where each network node uses dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) for a unique local internet protocol (IP) address allocation. The two networks can be replaced with a common network hub or switch. However, they are shown as two independent networks in Fig. 2 to give emphasis to the use of Ethernet over power line (EoP). Every smart signal and detector as well as the translator and bridge processors operate as a network node.

Estimated cost
Cost Solution Low cost solutions are the second output of this study, ranging from setting the optimum timing manually to an intelligent system with communication system. The intelligent system is based on distributed control system using microprocessors whereas the communication system is based on wireless system or system using power cable as the communication medium to minimize cost.

INSTALLATION
Installation is a very important part as it directly affects the cost and also the durability of the items installed. For every intersection, many items are needed to be installed. They comprise of four video cameras, an industrial PC, an image grabbing card, a multiplexer and support equipment such as video recorder and uninterrupted power supply which were placed beside the traffic light controller.

EXISTING SITUATION
Most of the existing traffic signals controllers on the arterial roads under JKR jurisdiction is either operating on multi plan or vehicle actuated systems. While Multiplan system operates on a fixed time basis, the vehicle actuated system operates invariable timing based on the traffic demand. Although the vehicle actuated system responds almost immediately to the traffic demand, its behavior is unpredictable and thus difficult to coordinate between neighboring intersections. For the purpose of progressive flows where the coordination between neighboring intersections becomes crucial, multi plan fixed time system is much easier to handle. Most vehicle actuated system controllers have multi plan fixed time capability as a backup plan during inductive loops failure. In such cases, the multi plan fixed time system could be activated by disabling the vehicle actuated system. If the controller is dedicated for vehicle actuated system, then the authority has to replace the controller with a new one.