Introduction
Thank you for choosing the TrafficNeXt 3 control system! These instructions will help you to install, configure, and operate your new traffic light controller. Please read them completely and save them for later reference in order to get the most from the system.
You Will Need
- A 3-way or 4-way road intersection
- Traffic lights - our fork is recommended to use all features, but basic operation is available with webdesigner97's original
- An LCD
- 5 digilines buttons
- A digilines player detector (one for each minor street approach, and one for each lane that will use protected left turn)
- A blank Luacontroller
- Digilines distributors (one for each pole)
- Digilines, digimese, and streetsmod poles
- (Optional) Additional digilines buttons, distributors, poles, and lights for pedestrian crossings
Installation
First, build a 3x3 panel of digimese. Place the 5 digilines buttons on this panel in a + shape. Set all of them to the "button" channel. As for messages, the left one should send the message "left", the top one "up", the right one "right", the bottom one "down", and the center one "enter". These are also the functions of the buttons, and you may place a sign reminding yourself of this if desired.
Next, connect an LCD. It can be placed on the digimese panel (recommended), or off to the side connected via digilines or poles. It must be set to channel "lcd".
Now, it's time to focus on the road. In each location where a pole is desired, dig to 2 meters below road level. In the hole, place a digilines distributor, then any node (such as concrete or steel block) on top. Connect the distributors together with digilines, then build the poles however desired on top.
At this point, decide how to label the approaches. "a" and "c" form a set of opposing approaches, while "b" and "d" form another set. "a" and/or "c" should be on the street with more traffic, as it will rest on green on those two. It is often not necessary to use all four. If left turn signals will be added, they use the same name but with a "t" suffix. For example, a left turn signal on approach A (which uses channel "a") should be set to channel "at". Pedestrian signals use a "p" suffix. For example, a crosswalk across approach C would have the lights on channel "cp". Finally, "be prepared to stop when flashing" advance warning beacons use a suffix of "b".
On each pole, place traffic lights as desired. Make sure that they are on the proper channels as explained earlier.
At this point, place a digilines player detector under each minor street approach, as well as under each left turn lane that will use protected left turns. It can be located anywhere from 1-10m (4m recommended for straight, 2m for left turn) behind the stop line and set the channel to "detector_channel" (for example, a left turn detector on approach B gets channel "detector_bt") and set the radius to the distance to the stop line.
If crosswalk(s) are desired, place digilines buttons and traffic lights on poles in appropriate locations for the crosswalk(s). The crosswalk(s) crossing approaches A and/or C (if present) is considered the "main" crosswalk, and the buttons should have channel "pedbutton" and message "main". Any crosswalks crossing approaches B or D are "side" crosswalks and should have buttons on channel "pedbutton" with the message "side".
Finally, connect the distributors, detectors, digimese panel, and a Luacontroller together with digilines, and program the Luacontroller. There will be a brief delay while internal data is set up, and then text should appear on the LCD.
Configuration
The following should be displayed on the LCD when the controller is first powered on:
Priv Lvl: U
Exit Menu
When in the menu system (as it is now) the first line of the display shows either a submenu name (if currently in a submenu) or your current privilege level if you are not in a submenu. The following lines show the currently selected menu item as well as its value if applicable.
At the moment, you are at privilege level U (meaning you're not logged in) and the "Exit Menu" option is selected. From here, up/down will change values or pages when applicable, left/right will scroll through the menu options, and enter will perform an action if there is one.
The following options are available in this menu:
- Exit Menu - Exits the menu and puts the controller into operation
- Enter Passcode - Input the correct passcode (default 0) to access privilege level A. An incorrect passcode will result in the menu being closed.
- About - Shows information about the controller. Use up/down to scroll through different pages.
After entering the correct passcode, privilege level A will be entered and the available options change. They now consist of the following:
- Log Out - Returns to privilege level U
- Hardware Setup - Configures intersection geometry settings and information about the lights in use
- Times and Durations - Sets how long certain phases of the cycles last
- Options - Adjusts certain behavior settings of the controller
- Phase Lock - Allows the lights to be "locked" to a certain indication
- System Setup - Sets options regarding the menu system, as well as resetting and clearing various items
The Hardware Setup menu contains the following options:
- Return to Main Menu - Returns to the previous menu
- FLASHRED Command Supported - Set to "Yes" if using cheapie's fork of streets, or "No" if you are not.
- Perm Left Turn - Sets whether a flashing yellow arrow will be shown when appropriate to signal a permissive left turn condition. Do NOT use this option if using 5-section type protected/permissive signals, as it will show a yellow arrow at inappropriate times.
- Prot Left Turn - Sets whether a green protected left turn arrow will be used. This requires left turn detectors on the approaches where it will be used.
- Main Crosswalk Present - Set to "Yes" if there is a crosswalk across approach A and/or C.
- Side Crosswalk Present - Set to "Yes" if there is a crosswalk across approach B and/or D.
The Times and Durations menu contains the following options:
- Return to Main Menu - Returns to the previous menu
- Main Beacon Time - Sets how long a "Prepare to stop when flashing" advance warning beacon on approaches A and C should flash before the light turns red.
- Side Beacon Time - Sets how long a "Prepare to stop when flashing" advance warning beacon on approaches B and D should flash before the light turns red.
- All Red A Time - Sets how long the controller waits for traffic from approaches A and C to leave the intersection before allowing B and D to enter.
- All Red B Time - Sets how long the controller waits for traffic from approaches B and D to leave the intersection before allowing A and C to enter.
- All Red A Time - Sets how long the yellow light is on approaches A and C.
- All Red B Time - Sets how long the yellow light is on approaches B and D.
- Side Green Time - Sets how long traffic on approaches B and D is allowed to continue before the light for those approaches cycles back to red.
- Extra Green Per Car - If this is a non-zero value, it will be added to the above time once for each car that is waiting.
- Main LPI Length - If this is non-zero, pedestrians crossing approach A or C will be given some time to begin crossing before traffic is allowed to enter the intersection from approaches B and D.
- Side Cross Time - After giving pedestrians on approaches B and D a walk signal, they will be given a flashing don't walk signal after this length of time.
- Ped Warn Time - Sets how long the flashing don't walk signal lasts before a solid don't walk signal is given.
- Minimum Main Green Time - After a cycle, this long must pass before another cycle can be started.
The Options menu contains the following options:
- Return to Main Menu - Returns to the previous menu
- Ped Scramble - Turns on all walk signals on every pedestrian-initiated cycle if on "Always", only if both buttons are queued if on "Auto", and does not if on "Never".
- Auto Ped - If this is on, pedestrians on approaches A and C will be allowed to cross whenever traffic on B and D has a green light.
- Menu Timeout - If no buttons are pressed for this long, the menu will automatically close.
- Menu Mode Flash Type - If the FLASHRED command is enabled, this allows the flash type of the lights while the menu is open to be changed. The first letter represents approaches A and C, and the second B and D.
The Phase Lock menu contains the following options:
- Return to Main Menu - Returns to the previous menu
- Enabled - When on, the lights will be "locked" in the selected state. When off, they will run normally.
- Straight A - Sets the indication to be shown to through traffic on approach A.
- Straight B - Sets the indication to be shown to through traffic on approach B.
- Straight C - Sets the indication to be shown to through traffic on approach C.
- Straight D - Sets the indication to be shown to through traffic on approach D.
- Left Turn A - Sets the indication to be shown to traffic turning left from approach A.
- Left Turn B - Sets the indication to be shown to traffic turning left from approach B.
- Left Turn C - Sets the indication to be shown to traffic turning left from approach C.
- Left Turn D - Sets the indication to be shown to traffic turning left from approach D.
- Pedestrian A - Sets the indication to be shown to pedestrians crossing approach A.
- Pedestrian B - Sets the indication to be shown to pedestrians crossing approach B.
- Pedestrian C - Sets the indication to be shown to pedestrians crossing approach C.
- Pedestrian D - Sets the indication to be shown to pedestrians crossing approach D.
- Beacon A - Sets the indication to be shown on the advance warning beacon on approach A.
- Beacon B - Sets the indication to be shown on the advance warning beacon on approach B.
- Beacon C - Sets the indication to be shown on the advance warning beacon on approach C.
- Beacon D - Sets the indication to be shown on the advance warning beacon on approach D.
The System Setup menu contains the following options:
- Return to Main Menu - Returns to the previous menu
- Log Item - Shows one log item at a time (#1 is most recent, up/down to see the rest), along with a timestamp of when the event occurred and the type of event. The event types are as follows:
- Entered Menu - Menu level U was entered.
- Exited Menu - Menu level U was exited.
- Successful Login - Menu level A was entered.
- Failed Login - An attempt was made to enter menu level A, but an incorrect passcode was supplied.
- Firmware Loaded - The Luacontroller had firmware flashed onto it.
- Log Overflowed - The maximium number of log entries was exceeded and the log was cleared.
- A peripheral device communicating with the TrafficNeXt API can create log entries with any title, including ones not in this list.
- Clear Log - Removes all log entries
- Press Enter to reset ALL settings to defaults - Clears the controller's memory and loads default settings
- Set Passcode - Sets the passcode used to access menu level A.
While the controller is in operation, there is a limited menu accessible with the left/right buttons. In addition to the version display, the following items are available:
- Overview - Shows whether the vehicle detectors are currently locked (ignoring cars) as well as what state the controller is in.
- Straight - Shows the signal indications currently being displayed to through traffic.
- Left Turn - Shows the signal indications currently being displayed to turning traffic.
- Pedestrian - Shows the signal indications currently being displayed to pedestrians.
- Queues - Shows whether any pedestrian buttons have been pressed but not yet handled, as well as if the queues are "locked" (not accepting entries).
- Manual Cycle - Use up/down and enter to select a type of cycle to run. "Not Ready" will be displayed if the controller is busy.
Operation
While not in a menu, the controller runs in normal operation mode. Within this mode, it can be in either a "Run" state, in which case it is sending a timed sequence of signals, or "Idle", in which case it is waiting for an event such as a detector being triggered.
When the controller is idle, signals on "detector_b" or "detector_d" will start a cycle for through traffic on the minor street. "detector_at" (as well as other left turn detectors) will start a left turn cycle on the appropriate approach if protected left turn is enabled. The pedestrian buttons will start the corresponding pedestrian cycle as well.
When the controller is running, pedestrian buttons will be "remembered" in the queue and handled immediately once the controller is idle again. Vehicle detectors are ignored in this state.