SCATS Adaptive Traffic System

TRB Committee A3A18

Adaptive Traffic Control Workshop
July 1998
Note : Additional comments available on Notes page.
For further information contact:
Neil.R.Gross@cpmx.saic.com
Company: www.tcore.com

SCATS - Objectives and Installations

Minimize Stops( light traffic), delay (heavy traffic)
and travel time.
SCATS is installed in many cities worldwide,
There are approximately 5000 intersection under
SCATS control around the world,
Largest systems are: Sydney (2000 intersections),
Melbourne (2000), Hong Kong (600) and, in the US,
Oakland County MI (350).
2

SCATS System Architecture

Minimal System - Single Region
Dial-in
Workstation(s)

Regional Computer

SCATS Traffic
Controllers
Up to 128 per
Regional
Computer
Point-to-Point or Multidrop
connected Traffic Controllers

SCATS System Architecture

Expansion from Single Region
Data Switch

Dial-in
Workstation(s)

Local Regional
Computers
SCATS Traffic
Controllers
Up to 128 per
Regional
Computer
Point-to-Point
connected Traffic
Controllers
Multidrop connected Traffic Controllers

SCATS System Architecture

Management System
Operator
Workstations

DEC VAX
SCATS Management Computer
Dial-in
Workstation(s)

SCATS LAN

Local Regional
Computers
SCATS Traffic
Controllers
Up to 128 per
Regional
Computer
Point-to-Point
connected Traffic
Controllers
Multidrop connected Traffic Controllers

SCATS System Architecture

Remote Regional Computers
Operator
Workstations

DEC VAX
SCATS Management Computer
Dial-in
Workstation(s)

Datalink

SCATS LAN

Up to 32 Regional Computers
Local Regional
Computers

Remote Regional
Computer(s)

SCATS Traffic
Controllers
Up to 128 per
Regional
Computer

Ramp Metering
Controllers

Point-to-Point
connected Traffic
Controllers
Multidrop connected Traffic Controllers

Mixed Connection

SCATS System Architecture

Full System - with Integration Server
SCATS Interface Server
Operator
Workstations

Regional
ATMS,
ATIS
Services,
ITMS

Dial-in
Workstation(s)

Datalink

SCATS LAN

External
LAN

DEC VAX
SCATS Management Computer

Up to 32 Regional Computers

Local Regional
Computers

Remote Regional
Computer(s)

SCATS Traffic
Controllers
Up to 128 per
Regional
Computer

Ramp Metering
Controllers

Point-to-Point
connected Traffic
Controllers
Multidrop connected Traffic Controllers

Mixed Connection

SCATS System Architecture

Local Traffic Controllers - tactical control (calling,
extension) and data collection,
Regional Computers - Strategic control,
Management Computer - Communications and Database
functions.
Simplest configuration - single Regional Computer.
Operator Interface - Windows 95 or -NT Graphical user
interface with point and click access to all parameters.
8

SCATS GUI Example

SCATS Data Requirements

Loop Detectors or equivalent (video detection in Oakland
County MI) in each lane at the stop line.
Detectors used for calling and extension.
Controller collects number of spaces and total space time
during green of each phase, each cycle for use by SCATS
adaptive algorithm.
Actual movement data collected by stop line detectors
allows accurate split determination.
1

SCATS Data Requirements

Degree of Saturation (DS)
and Car Equivalent Flow
(VK) for each Approach lane
.
DS used to vote for Cycle
Length and Split Plan.
VK used to vote for Offset
Plan
1

SCATS Data Requirements

An upstream approach can vote at downstream intersection

(Engineer selectable). Early influence.
Tactical operation of controller can be enhanced by special
detector logic in the controller personality.
Special functions include:
queue length detectors
detector combinations
turn/through discrimination for shared lanes, etc.

SCATS Data Requirements

No modeling required.
User defines:

subsystems
target cycle lengths and relationship to DS,
split plan strategy
linkages and offsets
1

SCATS Communication Requirements

Point-to-Point or
Multidrop.
Once per second
communication with each
intersection.
Messages are normally 1
to 5 bytes, average 3
bytes.

Point-to-Point

Regional
Computer

Multidrop

300 Baud, Bell 103 FSK

Full Duplex two-wire.
Standard "telephone" pair.(~4KHz
bandwidth).

1200/2400 Bps, V22/V22bis

DPSK/QAM Full Duplex two-wire.
Standard "telephone" pair (~4KHz
bandwidth).
4 or 8 drops.

SCATS Communication Requirements

Optional digital
communications port
(RS232) for direct
network connection,
Requires 300 Baud Full
duplex channel with
addressing/routing by
network.

B
SCATS Regional System

A
B

Network

Digital (RS232)

SCATS Hardware Requirements

Management Computer - DEC VAX/ALPHA,
OpenVMS
Regional Computer - Personal Computer (200 Mhz)
with Windows NT and Digi serial communications
interface modules,
Local Processor - Traffic Controller with SCATS
functionality, available for NEMA and 170.
1

SCATS Traffic Controllers

170
AWA Delta 170 upgrades
existing 170 controller to
support SCATS.
Relay Module added for
sense/control of cabinet
status.

NEMA

AWA Delta 3N controller

replaces existing NEMA
controller.
Connections are via
existing A, B and C
connectors.
One back-panel link
required.

SCATS Control Variables

Tactical Control
presence (locked or non-locked) for phase call
non-occupancy for gapping and wasting (accumulated
waste green) for phase termination.

Strategic Control
Number of spaces and total space time
Used to develop Degree of Saturation DS and Car
Equivalent Flow VK
1

SCATS Degree of Saturation

DS = [green-(unused green)]/available green
Green is phase time during data collection
Unused green is space time greater than or less than
the saturation space time. i.e.
Total space time from controller, LESS
Number of spaces times the standard space time at
maximum flow

Unused green is a measure of efficiency (zero at

saturation flow, +ve undersat, -ve oversat).

SCATS Degree of Saturation

DS = [green-(unused green)]/available green
Standard space time at maximum flow is self
calibrated daily
DS is the ratio of efficiently used phase time to
available phase time,
DS can be >100% i.e. during oversaturation the
used green can be negative - vehicles are closer
than standard space time at maximum flow.
2

SCATS Car Equivalent Flow - VK

Derived from DS and the lane saturation flow for
each lane,
Independent of vehicle types in traffic stream,
Allows valid comparisons of competing flows for
offset selection.
VK= DS x green time x vehicles per second at
maximum flow
2

SCATS Data Smoothing and Damping

DS and VK are used as weighted averages usually
over three cycles,
SCATS uses smoothing, damping (i.e.reducing the
gain of feedback control loops) and hysteresis
extensively,
It is the calibration of these techniques over years
of experience that is the key to effective
performance.
2

SCATS DS Usage - Cycle Length

Delay

Co

Cycle Length

Delay increases rapidly

for CL below Co
(optimum CL)
Exact CL not critical as
long as not less than Co
SCATS Subsystem CL
determined from highest
value of DS in the
subsystem.

SCATS DS Usage - Cycle Length

User defined equilibrium DS values used to
determine relationship between measured DS and
CL.
Objective to keep CL below user defined targets.
RL (target CL) determined for measured DS.
Compared with last CL
Difference and direction of change RL

SCATS DS Usage - Cycle Length

Weighted average of RL (last three cycles) determines final
RL
CL can move toward final RL by +/- 6 seconds.
CL can change by up to 9 seconds where RL for the last
two cycles was > 6 seconds. (allows response to steep
change in demand)
Subsystems at LCL(low CL) move to SCL (Stopper CL)
based on flow per cycle parameters, not DS. (i.e. step
change).
2

SCATS DS Usage - Split Plan

Possible split plans examined each cycle to
determine the most equisat plan for the next cycle,
i.e.minimal delay
Equisat: DS on critical approaches equal,.
Maximum projected DS for each possible plan
calculated (using last cycle DS values). Plan with
the lowest maximum selected.
Projected DS = DS (old split/new split)
2

SCATS DS Usage - Split Plan

For Incremental Split Selection: selection is from 7
possible plans for 2 phase (stage) intersection or 37
possible plans for 3 and 4 phase (stage) intersections
(sample shown below)
Plan
21
22
23
24
25
Phase 1
-4
2
2
-4
0
Phase 2
2
0
2
2
-4
Phase 3
0
-4
0
2
2
Phase 4
2
2
-4
0
2
(figures are percent change, i.e. plan 21 = 4 % off phase 1,
2 % added to plans 2 and 4.)

SCATS Offset Selection

Offset plans are selected by comparing traffic flows
on the links,
Directional Bias values (DBs) are entered for each
of four plans for each link
Weighted three-cycle average volumes (VK) are
multiplied by the DBs and the results summed for
each plan,
The plan with the highest sum receives the vote.
2

SCATS Offset Selection

A new offset plan is adopted when 4 of the last 5
votes are for the same plan.
Two offset values, a and b, are entered for each
offset plan, and a CL range, CL1 and CL2, is
entered for each plan,
The offset adopted is a at CL1, b at CL2 and a
linear interpolation for CL between CL1 and CL2
(can be disabled if jump desired)..
2

SCATS Coordination
Intersections are grouped in Sub-systems,
A sub-system comprises one or more intersections
only one of which is critical i.e. requires dynamic
split selection,
All cycle length and split plan voting is carried out
at the critical intersection,
CL and Splits at minor intersections in the subsystem are controlled by the critical intersection.
3

SCATS Coordination
All intersections in a sub-system operate at the same
CL and are coordinated via offsets.
Sub-systems can marry to achieve coordination
using a separate set of offsets,
Married sub-systems have the same CL,
Marriage and Divorce is controlled through
voting based on CL and volume and occurs
automatically.
3

SCATS Phasing Flexibility

Compatible phases (signal groups or displays)
grouped into STAGES (e.g. main street through may
be 2 and 6. These are grouped into Stage A).
Signal Group control within stages for conditional
overlaps, green arrow vs ped. control etc. allowed.
SCATS has seven Stages, A to G,
Stages can be introduced in any order,
Any undemanded stage can be skipped,
3

SCATS Phasing Flexibility

In Isolated and Flexilink (fallback) modes the
sequence is defined in controller personality.
Several options are provided.
In Masterlink mode the sequence is determined
by data in the Regional Computer.
Split plan features used to control gapping, stage
selection and assignment of unused stage time (e.g. no
gap, no gap for % of stage, time gain etc.).
3

SCATS Arterial/Network Capability

Normally arterial, i.e one coordination route,
Offset plans automatically arranged for low CL,
Direction 1, Business Peak and Direction 2 use,
For a network the offset plans can be independent
for use on multiple coordination routes. (Select N1
subsystem key option).
Split plan features can be used to ensure stages run
full length to ensure coordination.
3

SCATS Arterial/Network Capability

Offsets between subsystems are defined in the
form LPn=ttppnn i.e. reference offset in this
subsystem is offset by tt seconds from the end of
Stage pp at intersection nn,
nn can be different on each of the four offset plans,
thus coordination decisions are not constrained by
simple inbound vs outbound arguments.
3

SCATS Arterial/Network Capability

When SCATS is employed on a grid network,
offsets are selected as dictated for the heavily
trafficked routes through the network,
At all times, as many links as possible will be
operating with defined offsets and these will be the
links with the greatest flow,
The remaining links, for which offsets cannot be
defined because it would close loops, are those with
the lowest traffic flow.
3

SCATS Measures of Effectiveness

MOEs available from system include (per lane):
SCATS Degree of Saturation DS
VO/VK (actual/calculated vehicles during green)

MOEs should be measured independently:

SCATS in Sydney is equipped with ANTTS (Automatic
Network Travel Time Subsystem-link travel times from 4000
taxicabs collected and analyzed continuously).

Unusual Congestion Monitor

3

SCATS Priority Systems - Controller

Five priority inputs provided, one railroad and four
vehicle,
Vehicle priority inputs accept steady or pulsed signal
for different preemption display,
Preemption display (signal groups), ending overlaps
and return stage can be selected,
Preemption is a function of the controller, SCATS
knows preemption is active.
3

SCATS Priority Systems - System

SCATS Route Preemption Control (RPC) System
provides automatic emergency route control from
a single input (e.g. fire station pushbutton),
Route is defined as list of intersections with
stage(s) to be held (dwelled), delay from previous
I/S and dwell time.
Monitor is provided for up to 10 intersections.
3

SCATS and Oversaturation

SCATS DS can be >100% i.e. oversaturated,
Stretch effect i.e. all stages share extra CL up to
XCL after which only the stretch (usually
coordination) stage gets the benefit (i.e. a move
away from equisat),
SCATS allows the traffic engineer to decide which
route should be favored, by how much and where
the queue can be tolerated.
4

SCATS and Oversaturation

Illustration of the Stretch effect
Split

Stretch

A
B
C
LCL

XCL

CL

HCL

SCATS Controls
SCATS provides many facilities for the traffic engineer
to achieve custom control in special circumstances
while still maintaining adaptive operation,
Variation routines at intersections allow special
operation based on detection of a parameter value (CL,
volumes, stage or phase active, next stage to run etc.)
including calling of an operator keystroke macro.

SCATS Management System

Inventory System
Extended Alarm Monitor and log
Extended System Event log
Extended System Monitor/Volume Monitor
Unusual Congestion (Incident) Monitor
Flow Database System (Count Station Data)
4

SCATS Management System

Flexigen System (auto generation of time based
fallback plans from SCATS data)
Maintenance Management System
Vehicle Location System
Bus Passenger Information System
Tidal Flow Intersection Control System
VMS Control
4

End
Thank You