SE450: Project Description: Intersection Behavior [4/16]

Each intersection has two traffic lights; one for each direction (NS=North/South, EW=East/West). The traffic lights of an intersection are coordinated by a light controller.

Light controllers have four state: GreenNS/RedEW, YellowNS/RedEW, RedNS/GreenEW, RedNS/YellowEW. The rate at which a light controller transitions between these states is determined by two attributes:

 greenDurationNS  // Duration of the North/South green phase (in seconds)
 yellowDurationNS // Duration of the North/South yellow phase (in seconds)
 greenDurationEW  // Duration of the East/West green phase (in seconds)
 yellowDurationEW // Duration of the East/West yellow phase (in seconds)

Suppose a light controller has the following values for these attributes:

 greenDurationNS  = 55.0
 yellowDurationNS = 5.0
 greenDurationEW  = 25.0
 yellowDurationEW = 5.0

Then the light will make the following transitions:

time=0    state=GreenNS/RedEW
time=55   state=YellowNS/RedEW
time=60   state=RedNS/GreenEW
time=85   state=RedNS/YellowEW
time=90   state=GreenNS/RedEW
time=145  state=YellowNS/RedEW
time=150  state=RedNS/GreenEW
time=175  state=RedNS/YellowEW
time=180  state=GreenNS/RedEW

Intersections also have a length, and therefore may hold cars.

From the point of view of a car, an intersection is an obstacle if any of the following are true:

• The light state in the car's direction is Red.
• The light state in the car's direction is Yellow and the light is at least brakeDistance away.
• The light state in the car's direction is Green, but the intersection is occupied by cars travelling in the other direction (gridlock).

Thus, a car will ignore Yellow lights within it's brakeDistance.