Set Top Box for co-operative traffic lights - perspectives enabling a dynamical traffic management

A Set Top Box (STB) for co-operative traffic light systems offers a new solution for a modular and dynamical traffic management. The communication is established between control units of traffic lights and vehicles via manufacturer independent interfaces of the STBs which are connected to the traffic lights control cabinet. Circuit times of the traffic lights and optimized speed suggestions to keep the traffic flow are presented to the vehicle´s drivers on a standard PDA. Vehicles transfer information about their own speed, position and intended driving routes to the STBs. The gathered traffic information is used by the STB in order to optimize the circuit times of the traffic lights. This new application offers a new low-cost and adaptive traffic management to reduce traffic congestions.