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A white paper issued by: Siemens. © Siemens Industry, Inc, 2010. All rights reserved.

SITRAFFIC® Concert

15 Oct 2010

Advanced Transportation Management System Functional Description – Version 5.4

A white paper issued by: Siemens. © Siemens 2010. All rights reserved.

White Paper | SITRAFFIC® Concert | 15 Oct 2010 2

Contents

Introduction......................................................................................... 3

Architecture......................................................................................... 4

System Components ..........................................................................4

System and Network..........................................................................4

System Map .......................................................................................4

Traffic Data Management ..................................................................5

Travel Times.......................................................................................5

Incident Detection/Creation...............................................................6

Incident Management .......................................................................6

Police Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) Interface ..............................7

Alarms ...............................................................................................7

CCTV ..................................................................................................7

Dynamic message signs (DMS) ..........................................................8

Highway Advisory Radio (HAR) ..........................................................8

Ramp meter .......................................................................................8

Active Traffic Management ...............................................................8

Road Weather Information System (RWIS).........................................9

System Access & Security ..................................................................9

System Watchdog ............................................................................10

System Reporting ............................................................................10

Center-to-Center Interface...............................................................10

Simulation .......................................................................................11

Traveler Information........................................................................11

Traveler Information Website ..........................................................11

Abbreviations............................................................................... 12



Solutions based on CONCERT off-the-

shelf software minimize risk and

lower cost

Over 40 Concert deployments

worldwide

Over 20 years experience with

Active Traffic Management

States and cities face the challenge of transporting more people and more cargo safely, quickly and effi-ciently with minimized impact on the environment. Our answer is Complete Mobility. The Siemens Indus-try Sector Mobility Division provides integrated solu-tions for urban and rural transportation and logistics. Siemens has a track record of creating efficient mobil-ity solutions that allow the intelligent coordination of different transport systems – for the safe, cost-efficient, and environmentally compatible transport of people and goods.

Siemens is the only company worldwide that unites all capabilities needed for offering integrated traffic and logistics solutions from a single source.

In London, England, the following solutions based on Siemens Complete Mobility are reducing congestion and improving air quality:

• Street traffic in London’s inner city reduced by about 20%

• 150,000 tons of CO2 emissions saved per year

• Traffic speed increased by 37%

• Commuter times cut by 17%

Siemens has deployed over 100 ATMS systems for highways and tunnels worldwide, including over 40 systems using CONCERT software. For signal control, Siemens has delivered more than 300 fully opera-tional traffic signal control systems controlling 65,000 signals in North America.

South Carolina DOT chose CONCERT as their state-wide ATMS, where it manages over 800 freeway miles, controlling 350 cameras, 160 message signs, and 1600 detection points. The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are the #1 and #2 container ports in the US, and combined are the fifth busiest ports in the world. They have chosen CONCERT to provide an ATMS, Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS), and a Port Transportation Facility Security Sys-tem/Emergency Response, and Evacuation System.

Integrated Control of Separate Subsystems

With Concert, one central application controls and monitors traffic detectors, environmental sensors, message signs, highway advisory radio, CCTV cam-eras, police CAD, video wall, and other subsystems. This preserves the investment in existing subsystems, while allowing for coordinated and automated con-trol. Having one central interface lets operators

focus on resolving incidents safely and quickly, free-ing them from repetitive manual tasks. Concert links together individual systems from Sie-mens and other manufacturers can be brought to-gether in Concert to produce a networked traffic management system.

CONCERT consolidates information from individual traffic subsystems in a central traffic management platform and makes it available to travelers, traffic control systems and traffic planners to optimize mobility, safety and environment. It also centralizes traffic data from multiple sources for planning response strategies, resulting in a balanced approach to traffic management.

CONCERT’s powerful response plan engine allows any data in the system to trigger automatic or semi-automatic responses to traffic conditions, weather, or incidents. In addition, CONCERT includes an “Ad-Hoc” response plan capability that helps create response plans “on the fly” for operators when dealing with incidents that are not covered by predefined response plans. Lastly, CONCERT has an offline macro simula-tion tool that can be used to test new rules and re-sponse plans prior to going live with them.

Introduction



The overall architecture of Concert is a client/server design based on distributed, open architecture con-cepts.

Processing is distributed, and “open” communications protocols are used for all interfaces between control-lers and central, and between central and other ex-ternal systems.

System Components

The principal system components are as follows:

• Central Office (central servers and workstations)

• Field Hardware Controllers

• Central Communications

• Remote Sites (workstations)

• Field Communications

The central office supports the distributed cli-ent/server architecture via a local area network (LAN).

The central office consists of personal computers (PC) as client workstations and servers with peripheral and communications equipment, as well as all necessary operating and traffic control software.

Client workstations access servers that perform traffic management and real-time traffic control (traffic server), database management (database server), and communications (communications server) func-tions.

Multiple server functions may reside on a single server.

Concert runs on standard, commercially available Personal Computer (PC) hardware.

System and Network

Concert servers run on Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008. The Concert client applica-tion(s) run on Windows XP Professional, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

The Concert client application is a web-deployable, Java-based thin client that will run on all current ver-sions of Windows.

Concert supports the following relational database management systems (RDBMS): Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Microsoft SQL Server 2008.

Authorized users can use the client application when connected from a remote site.

Concert supports time synchronization of the servers to a reference time using NTP, WWV, or GPS.

System Map

Concert’s system map can be either bitmap or GIS based. It supports commonly used GIS file formats including ESRI shapefile and MapInfo MIF. Siemens can provide GIS maps, or use customer-provided maps.

Navigational controls: CONCERT provides zoom, rubber-band zoom, and pan navigation control. The user can control which objects and layers are displayed. De-cluttering hides layers and information based on the zoom level.

In addition, the system map offers comprehensive search for objects and streets. An available list dis-plays all objects grouped by the object type (accord-ingly to street). When an object is selected out of this list, the street is highlighted and centered on the map display window automatically.

The system map allows storing user-specific views. This function allows defining, saving, and reloading certain configurations for the visualization of the road network such as the position in the map, the dis-played layers, the zoom mode, and object details (e.g., occupancy as extra graphical information). Dynamic objects are shown on the map as icons, colored according to their operating state. The GUI provides a set of standard symbols for different object types; however, the operator can customize these icons to their preference. The color of the icon helps the operator supervise proper operation of the equipment and quickly identify any malfunctions.

A user can select a single device by clicking the de-sired device icon with the left mouse button. The

Architecture



user can select multiple devices by pressing the CTRL key while clicking desired device icons with the left mouse button, or by drawing a box around desired device icons. The device icons appear highlighted. Concert presents the user with a context-sensitive menu when the user right-clicks on a device icon.

Concert displays “tool tips” with device information when the user moves the mouse pointer over a device icon or an event icon.

Users can configure the map display (colors, line width, etc) on a per-layer basis. Device and event icons can be placed using GPS coordinate data.

Traffic Data Management

CONCERT collects data from a variety of vehicle detec-tion devices, including inductive loops, microwave devices, video detection, and Sensys detectors. It supports NTCIP standard objects. CONCERT uses the data for:

• Data logging and reporting

• Congestion display on the system map

• Traffic situation and profile analysis

• Travel time calculation

• Incident detection

The data on average speed, occupancy and volume supplied by the detectors is saved within the ATMS and used to calculate the traffic situation. It also stores vehicle classification data, stopped vehicle detection data, and pedestrian detection data from traffic detection devices that provide this information. Incoming data is processed and checked for errors, and then aggregated into units of 5 minutes. The data aggregation period is configurable by authorized users. These units are standardized together.

Traffic data and their status are stored in the central database and are available to the other subsystems. The following data are stored within the database:

• Freeway equipment health status data (event driven)

• Incident detection data (event driven)

• Un-smoothed traffic summary data at 5-minute intervals (interval configurable by authorized us-ers)

All data saved in the database can be used as triggers for response plans. The actions defined in these re-sponse plans can assist the operator in the targeted elimination of faults. In addition, the maintenance function will support the operator in handling the maintenance schedule. The data can be exported via the Center-to-Center interface using the Traffic Man-agement Data Dictionary (TMDD) standard, or to data files, manually or at scheduled times.

Travel Times

CONCERT can calculate travel times based on many kinds of vehicle detector data, or it can use “direct” travel time data from sources such as license plate or toll tag recognition, or third-party sources such as INRIX. Traffic detectors deliver measurement values of average speed and traffic volume. Based on these, CONCERT calculates the live travel times per segment. Three algorithms for travel time calculation are avail-able:

1. Equilibrium method (freeway): This method uses the entry point at the start of the route, the exit point at the end of the route, as well as entry and exit points along the route, and calculates travel time based on a queuing model.

2. Arterial method: This uses real-time point speed data and traffic signal timing data to estimate arterial travel times.

3. Direct method: This method uses all of the measurement points along the route.

Verification of travel time for accuracy is done as vehicle detector data is captured. Several plausibility checks are performed, with programmable thresh-olds: min and max values for number of vehicles per hour; maximum occupancy rate; and threshold values to detect sudden or gradually developing anomalies.

Travel times are calcu-lated on individual



segments; then the segments are grouped into prede-fined routes. This way the travel time from a point A to a point B in the network can be calculated. If there are several different routes connecting point A with point B, the system can select the quickest route and use this information to display route recommenda-tions on DMS signs, HAR and 511 sites, along with information on the travel time.

Incident Detection/Creation

Authorized users can manually create traffic incident records. Concert also supports automatic incident detection (AID), either using data from traffic detec-tors or video-based AID devices. The system supports multiple algorithms for AID.

Incident Management

Response Plans: CONCERT allows users to define logic and triggers that launch actions, activate pro-grams, control field devices, or alert operators or other parties based on incoming data. Examples of inputs to triggers include vehicle detector data, envi-ronmental measurements, alarms, manual actions by operators, the status of any device connected to the system, digital contacts, the time or the date or the results of the analysis, and forecasts. The output can be any action such as, an alarm, activation of a CCTV camera, request for a user input, setting of a digital contact, activation of a signal plan, or logging of information. The traffic engineer can define a re-sponse plan as a set of conditions combined with Boolean operators and a set of commands.

Detect and Track Weather Events: CONCERT ac-quires data from weather sensors and brings it into the system database, where the user can display, log, and use it to trigger response plans. The system al-lows configuration of response plans to monitor the RWIS station and trigger appropriate predefined re-sponse plans for specific weather conditions. For example, a low visibility reading from an RWIS station could be used to trigger placement of fog warning messages on signs, and at the same time turn on in-pavement guidance lighting via relay control.

Manage Roadway Events (Planned and Unplanned Events): CONCERT has an advanced event manage-ment system that allows configuration of event types, subtypes, severities, and other attributes by the sys-tem administrator. Events can be created ahead of time for construction and planned events, or “on the fly” for incident management.

The Event Management System tracks event detec-tion, creation, confirmation, response, and clearance times. A list of responding agencies can be config-ured by the system administrator, and the notifica-tion, arrival, and departure time of each responder can be tracked in the event history. Operators can add comments as the event progresses, and the event history includes the comments along with a time-stamp and the name of the operator that added the comment. A list of agencies to be notified can be added to the event, and all the agencies on the list are notified via email, text message or fax whenever the event status changes. This data is archived, and it



can be used to measure incident response times in support of the performance metrics of the National Unified Goal for Traffic Incident Management.

Event locations can be described in great detail, in-cluding GIS point locations, roadway locations with start and stop cross streets (or exits), or milepost locations. Additionally, the operator can draw a poly-line on the map to describe a complex event location, such as closure areas, parade routes, etc. The system allows an Amber Alert event type to allow easy dis-semination of Amber Alert messages.

Generate Event Response and Clearance: Response plans can be predefined or can be created when an incident occurs. Response plans can contain com-mands for any response action supported by the sys-tem, such as sign message display commands, email, fax, SMS, C2C commands, camera selection and pre-set activation, variable speed limit sign changes, lane control, etc. Information on active incidents can also be displayed on the ATIS website, based on filters and criteria set by the system administrator.

The Event Management module manages planned and unplanned events, including incidents. Opera-tors can create events by clicking on the GIS map or by entering roads and directions. Scheduled events include hours when in effect and recurrences.

Work Zone events and other planned events are han-dled as a specific type of Incident within the system.

Operators can define the location of the incident, lanes affected, the schedule on which lanes will be affected, alternate routing, and other information about the event. Like an incident, a planned event can contain or trigger response plans to activate any traffic management device controlled by the system.

The system supports the ad-hoc creation of response plans. The system is capable of correlating and com-bining reports of the same incident from multiple sources. Authorized users can update the status of a selected incident as it progresses through clean-up and closure. Concert can be configured to prompt operators for incident updates on a periodic basis, and prompt operators for confirmation of incident termination once the incident duration has expired.

Police Computer-Aided Dis-patch (CAD) Interface

The police CAD interface module supports importing incident data from Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems. It automatically filters incident data from the Police CAD system and only imports incidents that are appropriate for the ATMS. Incident location and description are automatically entered using informa-tion from Police Department CAD. Concert then sends alarms to the Operator when incident reports are received from Police CAD system.

Alarms

Concert generates operator alarms when critical events occur, based upon configured parameters. Authorized users may also manually generate alarms. Authorized users can configure alarm notifications. Concert supports hierarchical levels of notification and alarm notification schedules. Alarm notifications can be sent via SMTP email and via pagers.

Concert can correlate and combine multiple alarms related to the same, single alarm condition.

CCTV

CONCERT’s CCTV module goes beyond camera con-trol, integrating cameras into the response plan en-gine. It supports analog and digital video feeds.



Camera locations appear as icons on the GIS map, with status indicated by a change in color. Author-ized operators can pop up a camera control window by clicking on a camera icon. Operator controls in-clude pan/tilt/zoom, locking, lock override, locked camera user identification, media sharing and cutoff, video tour creation, activation, scheduling, and defin-ing and accessing presets. Operators can route video to local monitors, video decoders, or video walls. Operator permissions are controllable by group mem-bership. Camera usage is integrated with the Incident Management entry form. When an incident is created the operator can pull up the list of cameras nearest the incident location, and can include a list of associ-ated cameras with the incidents for other users to refer to.

Dynamic message signs (DMS)

The DMS module controls both portable and fixed dynamic message signs using NTCIP V1. It supports communication over wireless, wired, dial-up, or cellu-lar. Signs are displayed on the GIS map and in a fil-terable list-box. CONCERT supports a message library which can store over 500 messages, and a message template library. Messages can be verified against a white-list of authorized words. Authorized users can operate signs. CONCERT logs all actions on DMS, including operator username, message sent, time, and priority. CONCERT can control beacons attached to DMS devices.

Response plans can automatically operate signs with travel time messages, parking guidance information, public transit information, etc. CONCERT uses a mul-tilevel priority queue for messages. CONCERT can publish DMS device status and current message to Advanced Traveler Information Systems.

The system is capable of uploading font definitions. It logs all messages sent to DMS devices, including the opera-tor sending message, date/time message sent, actual wording of message, priority, and signs activated.

Highway Advisory Radio (HAR)

CONCERT controls HAR by connecting to a HAR server. Authorized users can record a message using voice recording or text-to-speech, and listen to a message before sending to the HAR. The system supports a message library, message templates, and a priority-based queue for HAR messages and scheduled mes-sages. Messages can be verified against a white-list of authorized words. The system logs all messages sent to HAR devices, including the operator sending message, date/time message sent, actual wording of message, priority, and devices actuated. Concert can control beacons attached to HAR signs, where pre-sent. Finally, Concert can publish HAR device status, including current message, to traveler information systems.

Ramp meter

CONCERT supports NTCIP standard objects for ramp metering devices. Authorized users can control the metering rate implemented by the ramp metering devices. The GUI displays the state of the ramp meter signal head in the user interface. CONCERT collects traffic data for both mainline and ramp detectors connected to the ramp meter controller.

Active Traffic Management

Concert’s Active Traffic Management module sup-ports a variety of ATM techniques, including

• Speed harmonization

• Lane signal control, temporary shoulder use

• Queue warning/congestion warning

• Junction control

• Dynamic re-routing

• Dynamic road pricing of HOT or managed lanes

Speed harmonization is done by calculating and displaying variable speed limits, based on vehicle detection data. The system supports both fully automatic operation and operation requiring operator approval. The VSL algorithm calculates speed limits based on realtime vehicle detection data (speed/volume/occupancy). It gradually reduces vehi-cle speeds upstream of a bottleneck or incident. The system supports both fully automatic operation and operation requiring operator approval.



Lane signal control can be used for a demand ori-ented opening of one or more lanes. Lane signal control also can be used for the event-triggered clo-sure of one or more lanes, e.g. in the case of acci-dents or work zones.

For every lane signal chain several display combina-tions (programs) are predefined. One of the programs can be selected as the default situation. The selection can be done manually or automatically. The operator can choose between ‘automatic’ and ‘semiautomatic’ mode per lane signal chain. If ‘semiautomatic’ mode is chosen, the operator of the system receives a sug-gestion (request) on the program to be switched. This suggestion is generated by an automatic process on the basis of traffic measurements. For safety reasons, the operator must manually check the road by video cameras before the request to open the lane is carried out.

To avoid abrupt transitions, the switch from one pro-gram to another is carried out via one or more inter-mediate steps switched with a time gap which can be defined (transition sequences).

The system ensures that no dangerous or incorrect combinations of the variable message signs are pre-sented to motorists, either on a single gantry (trans-versal balancing) or on consecutive gantries (longitu-dinal balancing). It ensures that no dangerous or incorrect messages are presented to motorists when a single VMS fails at a gantry.

Dynamic Road Pricing Algorithm: Concert’s DynaFee dynamic toll pricing algorithm for HOT and managed lanes sets managed lane pricing based on the level of service in general purpose lanes, level of service in the managed lanes, and the expected development of demand. Based on these three factors, Dynafee dy-namically calculates the applicable lane usage fee. This guarantees that a certain traffic quality level (travel speed) is constantly maintained on the tolled section, so that paying customers get good quality of service for the toll they have to pay – a decisive con-dition for the users’ acceptance.

Road Weather Information Sys-tem (RWIS)

The system supports road weather information sys-tem (RWIS) devices. Based on RWIS data, Concert can provide warning of wet road surface, fog, reduced visibility, and black ice. The system supports both fully automatic operation and operation requiring operator approval.

CONCERT acquires data from weather sensors and brings it into the system database, where the user can display, log, and use it to trigger response plans. Response plans monitor RWIS stations and trigger appropriate predefined response plans for specific weather conditions. For example, a low visibility reading from an RWIS station could trigger placing fog warning messages on message signs, and at the same time turn on in-pavement guidance lighting via relay control.

System Access & Security

CONCERT addresses security through a combination of techniques, including authentication, encryption and role-based permissions.

Concert requires users to log in with a valid username and password. Passwords are stored using encryp-tion. The system logs key operator actions, including user login/logout, system configuration changes and system device control.

Administrators have fine-grained control over permis-sions through the use of groups. A group defines permissions. Each user can be a member of one or more groups, and has the permissions associated with those groups. A group’s permissions can be assigned for each device type, functional area, and command available in the system.

The system supports the creation of jurisdictions. Devices can be associated with a specific jurisdiction. Only users from that jurisdiction can operate the device.

System Watchdog

Concert includes system watchdog functionality which monitors all system components. It alerts operators when a system component fails. It provides status information for all system components and a



“dashboard”-type display showing system component status.

CONCERT continually monitors the health of the server, the network, and the field devices, and dis-plays the status. The system provides comprehensive device status monitoring. Icons on the map change color to provide the operator with a visual indication of system operation, and all status changes are logged to the system event log. The System Mes-sages panel within the CONCERT GUI displays the system event log in real time. The operator’s view of the events can be filtered as desired to allow different operators or maintenance staff to focus on different types of events. The events are also stored in a SQL server database that can be queried and reported as necessary.

There is also a service notification function which sends notification by e-mail or text message when an object’s status changes, when a specific operation message was generated (example: Backup was not successful), or a system variable reaches a specific value (example: there is a traffic backup on route section x).

System Reporting

Using the Statistics and Report Tool, CONCERT offers a number of tools for analysis and reporting of re-corded data, including real-time performance meas-ures. Uses include:

• Optimization of traffic control measures

• Evaluating the impact of information disseminated to travelers

• Comprehensive reporting of the operational status of the system

• Traffic flow performance now and historically, including trends

Operators can see raw data (measurement values, incidents, actions taken, etc.) or modifications to the data in time sequence, possibly sorted by measure-ment and display point. Operators can also see statis-tical analysis of the raw data including summations, averages, frequency distributions, etc. All reports and analyses can be performed on filtered data such as that from specific geographic areas or a specific time period. Data can be output either in list or graphic form. They can be output on the user display, a con-nected printer, or in a file.

Concert provides weekly and monthly incident per-formance measures reports, with information on incident timeline statistics (response time, clearance times) and summaries of incidents by severity, type, and location (roadway).

Concert provides daily, weekly and monthly traffic performance reports, with average and total travel times by location (route) and time of day (per hour) and congestion metrics (speed, level of service).

3rd party reporting tools (e.g. Crystal Reports) can access system data.

An authorized user can set up reports to run auto-matically on a regular schedule, with reports being distributed via email or saved to a file. Supported file formats include pdf, Microsoft Excel, Word, XML and CSV.

Center-to-Center Interface

CONCERT’s Center to Center (C2C) module supports the NTCIP 2306 Center-to-Center protocol, including subscriptions, for “pull” or “push” data services. The following interfaces are defined:

• Center-to-Center uses TMDD 3.0 messages: Permits two-way data exchange with other CONCERT sys-tems or third-party systems.

• Weather (RWIS) system interfaces report environ-mental data to CONCERT.

• Traffic Signal system interface: CONCERT can inter-face with any traffic signal control systems that support the TMDD C2C interface.

• Siemens has implemented many other adapters for customer-specific interfaces, including TxDOT, Cal-trans IEN, Houston Transtar, and AZTECH.

The system C2C interface has the following capabili-ties:

• publishing Device Inventory, Device Status,Detector Data, Incident Data

• receiving Device Inventory, Device Status, Detector Data, Incident Data

• sending requests for device control to external systems: DMS, HAR, CCTV, request for timing plan change in traffic signal system

• receiving requests for device control to external systems: DMS, HAR, CCTV



• dynamic device discovery for C2C interfaces that support this feature.

Simulation

The system provides for several types of simulation:

• online simulation for traffic analysis and forecast-ing

• online traffic forecasting for alternate route se-lection (network balancing).

• offline visualization and verification of created response plans.

• Data exchange with the ptv VISSIM simulation tool

• Integration with 3rd party external simulation and modeling tools

Traveler Information

Concert provides an interface to external Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS), including 511 systems and automatic notification of media outlets during major traffic events.

Traveler Information Website

Concert’s Website module provides web access for travel information. It communicates with a web server connected to the ITS system database.

It provides real-time travel information including travel conditions, information on current incidents and special events including key incident statistics (e.g. estimated time to clear, lanes blocked, etc.), construction information including location of con-struction zones, lanes affected, and start and end date-times. Icons show the location of cameras and

DMS signs, and clicking on the device shows its status, including the latest snapshot for the camera, and current message displayed for DMS.



Abbreviations

AID Automatic Incident Detection

ATM Active Traffic Management

ATMS advanced transportation management systems

C2C center-to-center

CAD computer-aided dispatch

CATV cable television

CCTV closed circuit television cameras

CSV comma-separated values

DMS dynamic message signs

ESS Environmental Sensor Stations

GUI Graphical User Interface

HAR Highway Advisory Radio

ITS intelligent transportation systems

RWIS Road Weather Information Systems

SMS Short messaging system

TMDD Traffic Management Data Dictionary

VDS Vehicle Detector Systems

VOS volume speed occupancy

XML Extensible Markup Language

Siemens reserves the right to alter any of the Company’s products or published technical data relating thereto at any time without notice. All trademarks used are owned by Siemens or their respective owners. © Siemens 2010. All rights reserved.

Siemens 8004 Cameron Road Austin, TX 78754 +1 877 420 2070 www.itssiemens.com

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