Traffic and transit protocols

In world of transit automation, knowledge of all objects along the transit corridor are broadcast and known by digital wireless devices, including the general public. In software we talk about protocols, what do the words of software mean that pass over the corridor wireless net?

I claim here that knowledge of objects is fundamental to participants in the digitally controlled region. Reported object locations should be sit directly upon the transport layer. In Internet world, the TCP and UDP layer holds object location messages. This sort of precludes the idea of XML or other web protocols carrying the vital information.

This idea also requires local object processing of local images. The camera, processor, and wireless link are embedded into a single unit. Its output are object descriptors and locations every where it looks.

Wireless security and authorization are important, and should be buried in the link layer.

With a low level, simple, location code, the cost of applying one to an existing car, like a radio beeper, offers great simplification at low cost. Humans driving through the robotic zone will beep the what they are, and hopefully where. This helps the automated traffic to stay on equilibrium.

The idea here is (KISS) Keep It Simple Stupid. We need to simplify the setting up of camera units and wireless beepers.

I am currently looking at DSRC, from the Intelligent Transportation Society. Reading the research reports and looking at the organizations, DSRC is certainly the main standard. It is in "beta" test at the Michigan Speedway, supported by DOT, etc. But if it not yet available, go ahead and use commercial wireless ethernet. They come from the same technology base and both will likely be in play. One wireless communications unit will be in the $100 range in quantity.

It is still embedded visible object identification which is the constraining technology.