Title
Traffic Lights Controller for Specific Applications
In house designed microcontroller improves flexibility
Technologies used

Microcontroller

Industrial sector (PRODCOM code)
    31 Electrical Equipment
Abstract
FLG (Fernando L. Gaspar, Sinalização e Equipamentos Rodoviários, Lda.), Portugal, produces and commercialises products for road-traffic signalling, including road signs, road marking, traffic lights, park meters and closed car park access controls. The company has 69 employees, including 2 with basic electronic knowledge but not involved in electronic development.

The application tackled by this AE concerns traffic lights for special applications, namely roadworks, narrow passages and pedestrian crossings. Our customers are essentially end-users, typically public entities and organisations (road and building construction companies, transport companies, town halls, etc)

Before the application experiment (AE), FLG was only involved in electromechanical parts, buying the traffic lights controller PCBs on the market and integrating them in the system. This frequently forced FLG to use controllers much more expensive than needed, simply because of some particular feature. FLG has developed and manufactured its own traffic lights controller, using microcontroller technology, which has allowed adapting it to specific applications, meaning a wider range of applications and a greater profit margin.

The AE, with a 9-month duration, a 38 KEUR budget, a payback period of slightly over 2 years and a return on investment of 287%, is of interest to companies that want to get involved in microcontrollers and PCBs.
Company
FERNANDO L. GASPAR,
Sinalização e Equipamentos Rodoviários, Lda
Estrada Nacional 249-4
Trajouce
2775 S. Domingos de Rana
Portugal
Detailed information
You can also benefit from microelectronics

Microcontroller technology provided FERNANDO L. GASPAR, Sinalização e Equipamentos Rodoviários, Lda
with the means of improving its products and enhancing its market position. You can also achieve significant benefits by acquiring the right microelectronics technology and utilising it in your product or manufacturing process. You can get help from FUSE to realise this.

FUSE is a technology transfer programme, funded by the European Commission to stimulate the wider use of microelectronics technologies by European enterprises to increase their competitiveness and enhance their economic growth. The demonstrator described here is one of many examples in the public FUSE portfolio covering the whole spectrum of microelectronics technologies and spanning a wide range of applications and industry sectors.

FUSE provides you with:

  • Best practice in acquiring specific microelectronics technologies and conducting full development projects through the FUSE portfolio of real life demonstrator documents.
  • Local training and expert support to plan your innovation realistically and help you conduct your project successfully.

Further information and support relating to this and other demonstrators can be obtained from the addresses below.
Further information   Guiding Technology Transfer Node
For further information and support regarding this case study, please contact a Technology Transfer Node (TTN) in your region.
Homepage: http://www.fuse-network.com
INESC
Rue Alves Redol No 9-80
P-1000 Lisboa
Portugal