INTELLIGENT INTEGRATED TRANSPORTATION

SYSTEMS
Andrzej Adamski
Institute of Automatics – Cracow University of Mining and Metallurgy
Institute of Construction and Transport Management- Cracow University of
Technology
E-mail: aad@zts30.ia.agh.edu.pl E-mail: l-7@institute.pk.edu.pl

1. INTRODUCTION

The traffic volume world-wide trend is well known: the volume of traffic is rising, the
demand for mobility is increasing. In consequences: congested town centre’s loose their
attractiveness, tailbacks, noise pollution and exhaust fumes. An enlargement of existing
traffic facilities is no longer ecologically and economically justifiable. It seems that the
current and future traffic problems in cities and their surroundings are soluble only through
intelligent integrated transportation systems. There are several natural and formal
integration and intelligence premises. Integration premises: Firstly, transportation systems
features: large-scale systems, complex traffic phenomena (randomness, uncertainty,
structural instability, essential non-linearity’s, multicommodity), complex inter and intra
networks interactions (diversified dynamics, human behavioural anisotropy), broad
spectrum of multigoal decision making (management, surveillance) and control tasks with
specific demand behavioural feedback reactions i.e. the control plant is intelligent, low
system robustness to interactions (“control by opportunity modes”). In such systems the
overall system efficiency measures are transformed on a many interconnected decision
making tasks (control, scheduling, supervision, management). In conclusion, the integrated
character of the system decision and control tasks, formulated in terms of elements of a
Multilayer and Multilevel Space of Integration is a natural approach to transportation
systems problems. Secondly, nowadays technological premises: Information Age which
transforms travellers daily activities and altered the decision-making processes, Computer
technology progress over the last years stimulates the development of distributed system
architectures, Communication revolution is advanced with future development perspective
expressed by Gilder’s Law: communication costs will halve, and speed will double every 18
months. Concluding, Information and Communication create the formal base for
transportation systems integration. Intelligence premises: Formally we can say that ITS is an
example of integration of a number of technologies including: information processing,
communication, control and electronics to provides the intelligent link between travellers,
vehicles and infrastructure, thus ITS offers the integrated solution of transportation
problems. The application of knowledge-based (KB) intelligent traffic management,
supervision and control systems is presently motivated by several essential reasons. The
traffic control problems are usually ill-structured and are not amenable to be formulated and
solved by purely algorithmic techniques like the AI-techniques. The requirements of real-
time data and knowledge-intensive stages of automation and supervision deals with the
uncertain, unforeseen, heuristic and fuzzy information. The conventional tools fail to
process such information then the new DSS enabling us to understand of traffic evolution on
time-space scene are presently necessary. In the paper new potential of various integration

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and intelligence mechanisms in the integrated transportation systems are presented and
illustrated by wide spectrum of generic practical examples.
2. MULTILAYER AND MULTILEVEL SPACE OF INTEGRATION (MMS)

The Integrated Transportation Management Systems with endeavours to integrate all modes
and all roads into a „system of systems” focus the interest of researches, in consideration of
benefits anticipated within the transport community in elevating current transportation
systems to an integrated operation. Benefits over the traditional systems results from:
• area wide synchronised response to the full range of mobility needs and provides an
opportunity to bridge multi-modal planning and real-time scheduling work with day to day
inter-modal operations,
• provision of area-wide transportation demand management, surveillance and control
strategies to be deployed both in the real-time, and as strategic interventions to longer travel
demand patterns, environment degradation trends and policy of investments,
• opportunity to development of efficient multi-layered technical architecture for the
systems found within the many operations centres, with provision of open system standards
for their operating systems (i.e. promotion to use of portable, inter-operable, and vendor
neutral architectures), successful integration via data management (i.e. the mechanism to
share data between systems and users) and IPC (Inter-Process Communication) process
enabling real-time interfaces detailing the manner in which existing systems are integrated.
The most of the decisions problems in transportation systems can be in natural way
formulated in terms of elements of Multilayer (e.g. process-control-scheduler-supervisor-
managing-planning-coordination) and Multilevel (e.g transportation infrastructure-
subsystems -networks-subnetworks) of Integration (Fig. 1). In this MMS space the
integrated task is formulated by knowledge-based DSS in terms of available resources,
control, supervision, management and planning actions distributed between different levels
and layers. The following approach is proposed: Formulate general objectives of the
Transport Policy according to principles: triad “I” (Integration, Information, Intelligence)
and triad of “E” (Efficiency, Economy, Ecology) and specify the data and knowledge
requirements. The examples of public transport, individual traffic, pro-ecological, parking
options are presented in (Adamski 2000). Prepare the knowledge model for MMS space
and formulate integrated tasks. The ATMS integration subsystems proposals are generated
and supplemented by PIACON (Adamski 1998, 2000) related management and control
integrative tools.

2.1. Integration mechanisms

In general integrated approach is required to combine different subsystems, to represent
adequately interactions between subsystems and environment, to formulate sensible overall
system objectives for synchronisation, co-ordination and harmonisation tasks, to support
high-level decision making tasks e.g. management, supervisory, diagnostic, to carry out
intelligent, multi-criteria and adaptive traffic control actions, to realise the principle: think
globally act locally„. In transportation systems the integration may concern different system
aspects: Integration of subsystems: UTC, PT, PGM, TTS, RGT, ATIS, radio RDS-TMC,
TV, VMS. Integration of information (Fig.2). Integration of systems functions and
computational power, Integration of different system soft and hard operational tools,
Integration of knowledge and learning tools (Fig. 3.) Meta-system manages the selection,
operation and communication of the programs. The main difficulty is concerned with the
fact that several expert systems may be used together and solve the complicated problem
under the condition of proper knowledge distribution and domain expertise separation. At
this point we face the problem of knowledge integration and management. The most

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promising integration directions in transportation systems concerns (Adamski 1999, 2000):
Integration of supervision, scheduling and control functions, Intelligent control (data
integration, dynamic intelligent traffic control feedback) and integrated pro-ecological
traffic planning and management approach.

RESOURCES Layer PLANNINGand

Supernetwork interactions MANAGEMENT
Environment n
Systeminfrastructure Transport
Transport means Planning and Analysis
j
Management Tools: expert systems
Transport experts
Network problems:
Control systems 1
Networks models:
physical, abstract
Financial
Level
0 m
1 i
Feedback:
Monitoring: detection of symptoms
control,
Diagnosis Tools
Controller: hybrid Prediction and behaviour
Integrated Task
Problem-solving tools: models,
Scheduler: integrator
Intelligent Supervisor actions:VMS,AID,ATIS
Data and KB

PROCESS PROCESS
Control methods Supervisor SURVEILLANCE
CONTROL Control Task
Fig. 1 Multilayer and Multilevel Space of Integration (MMSI)

2.2. Environment for knowledge-based systems

Several environments for KB systems equipped with problem-solving methods, mechanisms

working with limited ontological tasks and problem domain, tools for automatic generation
and customisation of dedicated knowledge-acquisition are presently available (Table 1)
(Bielli et all 1994, Cuena et all 1995, Scemama 1994, Ritchie et all 1995). Typical
knowledge model includes formulation of method ontology (i.e. tools used by the method),
definition of their domain ontology and establishment of inter-ontology’s mapping relations.
The knowledge model developer usually is supported by software environment for building,
operationalizing and reusing knowledge models. The whole knowledge model is a
hierarchical multi-layer and multi-level structure (see MMSI) of knowledge areas i.e.
bottom primary knowledge area and top whole system knowledge area interfaced by
problem-oriented dynamically connected hierarchical structure of knowledge base
integrated components with explicit task perspective in problem solving methods.
Knowledge level offers hierarchy of knowledge specifications e.g. orientation, types,
architectures, interfaces. In Figs 5-7 an example of integrated pro-ecological traffic
planning, management, and control system is presented (Adamski 1999).
Table 1 Examples of KB traffic management tools

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 Name Year Management DSS Tool Testing Area/ Developer
ZPD-1 to3 1984-1986 dispatching control Bus depot Cracow/IIA-AGH
SAGE/CLAIRE 1986/1994 traffic road congestion TCC Paris/ INRETS
AURA/TRYS/KSM 1994/96/95 Motorway, UTC Madrid, Barcellona/TUM
FRED/FIM/ARTIST 1990/1993 Freeway (safety, AIDM) Orange Country/ITS Irvine
JUPITER proj. 1996 Urban TCC Florence/EU Thermie
Fig. 2. Integrated architecture of OBD and
CORBA client CORBA client CORBA. Object databases (OBD) with CORBA
(Common Object Request Broker Architecture)
standard integrating network of objects of the
CORBA client-server type working in heterogeneous and
(distribution, heterogeneity, etc)
distributed environment by ORB (Object Request
m ediating tier Broker) interfaces and IDL (Interface Definition
Language) tools.
Object Database (OBD) Fig. 3. Integrated Intelligent System Supervisor)
(persistence, transactions , crush recovery)
programs management, reasoning, conflict solution
parallel processing, communication. Integration of
knowledge and learning tools. Large knowledge
integration environment that consists of several
Fig.2 symbolic reasoning systems (expert systems) and
data store
numerical computation packages.

S y m b o lic p r o ces s in g
E
E
N u m er ica l p a ck a g e 1
ES

m eta - s y stem

N u m erica l p a ck a g e n

E F ig . 3 E

CONCLUSION

The modern transportation systems can reach their full potential of efficiency and synergy
only if they are intelligent and appropriately integrated in MMI space. The main
determinants of integration should include system architecture equipped with advanced
communication means and new generation of traffic detectors to be the consistent,
interacting framework for analysis and integration of functions (functional layer),
organisation in information flow-data (flow layer), co-ordination and multi-criteria
intelligent control decisions -(operational layer), interaction of physical units and
components -(physical layer) and subsystems into an overall management and control
system.

REFERENCES

Adamski A. (1999) Integrated Transportation Systems. Proc of the Conference

Modeling and Management in Transportation, Poznan-Krakow 12-16 October , vol. 1,
pp. 21-34

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Adamski A. (2000) Traffic Management: Krakow Transport Policy, Traffic Control and
Parking Management. Report of World Bank Experts DHV Consultants BV
Bieli M., Ambrosino, M Boero (1994). AI Applications to Traffic Engn.Utrecht, VSP.
Cuena J., Hernandez J., Molina M (1995) Knowledge-based models for adaptive traffic
management systems. Transportation Research, 3C, pp. 311-337.
Ritchie S.G., F. Logi., S. Kang.,C. Rindt (1995) Evaluation of a real-time expert system for
surface street traffic management and control. Proc. of the 4th AATT Int. Conf. pp. 276-280

Knowledge
Expert Controller *Control design Base P
Markers alphabet parameters estimator
Reasoning rules and predictor Data
Base CONTROL AREA
I N T ER F A C E P+R
pe pd
CONTROLLER EMI SSI ON D I S P E R S I O N C(x,y,z,t)
# green splits g MODEL MODEL
# cycle time C u
# offset time F
ER (x,y,z,t)
J1 J2 J3

0 z=c F f in p1 p2 p3 fout
p4 p5 p6
S TR EET C A N YO N (SC) C2
C1 g1 z
g2 J4 J5 J6
y=b x
y
0 x=a
t 0(0) t1
J1 J2 t2 J3 t 3 p t(0)
VMS
RGE BUS
p1 p2 p3
fin
acceleration cruise deceleration queueing p4 p5 p6

Entrance control Tra f f i c mo d e s Exit control J4 t4 J5 t5 J6 t6

Fig. 6. Street canyons pro-ecological control idea Fig. 7. Folded hierarchical PN with com-
pound nodes (junctions) and places (links)

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 M E TH O DS and P o lic y , G o a ls , S t a n d a r d s , S t r a t e g ie s , P r o g n o s is , P o lit ic a l t a r g e t s
T O O L S B ase
M e th o d s :
s tatistic, A I eco n o - P L A N N I N G and M A N A G E M E N T
m e tr i c , o p t i m i s a t i o n ,
h e u ristic * P la n n in g a n d A n a ly s is 1
M o d e ls : A N N , G A , F In t e ll i g e n t a n a l y s i s D S S
s t o c h a s t i c , s i m u l a ti o n * C A S D, D S S 2
T E D M A N , E IA
* F a c il i t a t o r f o r n e g o t a ti o n a n d c o n s e n s u s n
P la n n in g v e c to r C o - o r d in a ti o n
P r e fe r e n c e s KN OW LE D G E BAS E D AT A BAS E
PV= P a ra m e te rs * k n o w le d g e , e xp e rtis e ’s , # C O R IN A IR d a ta b a s e
c la s s if ie rs , s itu a tio ns # m e te o , e m m is s io n
A c tio n s

M e th o d s an d S U P E R V I S I O N and C O N T R O L
T o o ls B a s e :
M eth o d s E x p e r t C o n t r o lle r I N T E L L IG E N T S U P E R V I S O R :
C o n tr o l , o p ti m i z a ti o n ,
e s ti m a ti o n , p r e d i c ti o n
m a r k e r s ,* P IA C O N tr a ff i c s i tu a ti o n s d i a g n o s i s
c o n tr o l m o d e s , p a r a m e te r s p e / p d e s t i m a ti o n ,
M o d els :
s im u la tio n , a n a ly tic a l, G A
a c c e s s t o c i ty z o n e s k n o w le d ge in te gratio n
e m p ir ic a l, fu z z y , n e u r o

M a n a g e m e n t v e c to r M e a s u r e m e n t:
*T r a ffic (v id e o -d e te c to r ): ty p ,q ,v ,Q ,k
TV * M e te o ro lo gic a l : w in d fie ld ,te m p e r a tu r e
OxD
*E m is s io n s , C o n c e n t ra tio n s

T R A F F IC p
e E M I S S IO N p
d D IF F U S I O N C (x )
M ODEL v (q ) M ODEL ER M ODEL

T R A N S P O R T A T IO N SYSTEM

Fig. 5. Integrated Pro-ecological Traffic Planning and Management Approach

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