Transport for New South Wales Approves ATC's VC6.2 SCATS® protocol software on the ATSC4 Controller

Transport for New South Wales Approves ATC's VC6.2 SCATS® protocol software on the ATSC4 Controller: A New Era in Traffic Management

Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) has recently granted Type Approval to ATC's latest SCATS®compliant ATSC4 Controller, signalling a new era in traffic signal operation. The state-of-the-art controller is designed to meet the evolving needs of modern traffic systems and improve safety, efficiency, and reliability. In this blog post, we will explore the features and benefits of the latest ATSC4 Controller and discuss the reasons why you should be interested in this cutting-edge technology.

Key Features:

The latest ATSC4 Controller boasts several significant improvements, including:

1. Improved overall signal coordination: Enhanced traffic flow and fewer disruptions on the roads.
2. Reduced ST and NC alarms in SCATS®: Better alignment with the Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System, ensuring smoother traffic management.
3. Reduced communication breakages: Minimised disruptions (fallback) to communication networks for more efficient traffic control.
4. New logic processor module that is faster, more efficient, and supports 2 ethernet ports, USB port, TCPIP communications and cellular connectivity.
5. New personality module (XPM) to support VC6 personalities with increased capacity for complex intersections.
6. The ability to recognise the housing encoder configurations.

Improved Traffic Coordination and Reliability:

The ATSC4 Traffic Signal Controller compliant with VC6.2 SCATS® protocol offers several key improvements over previous models, such as enhanced signal coordination, reduced Stop Time (ST) and No Communication (NC) alarms in SCATS® and minimised communication breakages. These features collectively contribute to more efficient and reliable traffic signal operation, ensuring smoother flow and fewer disruptions on the roads.

Versatility and Compatibility:

One of the major strengths of the ATSC4 Traffic Signal Controller is its versatility. Capable of managing up to 32 signal group displays and 56 inputs from internal (loops and push buttons) and external (above ground) detectors, it can be tailored to suit the specific needs of diverse traffic situations. The controller is fully SCATS® compliant, allowing it to function both independently and in coordination with SCATS® for optimal traffic management.

Safety and User-Friendly Interface:

The latest SCATS® compliant ATSC4 Controller is designed with internationally accepted safety standards in mind, featuring last red out detection and flashing yellow during malfunctions. Its user-friendly, Windows-based interface software (ATSUI) ensures easy monitoring and control, providing technicians with comprehensive colour screen displays and access to all controller operational functions, including fault reporting.

New logic processor module:

Our new generation TC430-45 Logic Processor Module (LPM) is designed to meet the latest Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) specification TSI-SP-069. This advanced LPM supports all VC5, VC6.1, and VC6.2 TRAFF Releases and is compatible with SCATS® versions up to 6.9.4.

Key features of the TC430-45 LPM include a faster 300MHz Vortex CPU, dual Ethernet Ports for SCATS® communications and future remote web-based server access (RAMS), and support for cellular communication via 4G technology. Additional features include battery-backed Real Time Clock and support for Dim by Wire (DBW) control and monitor functionality, making it a powerful and versatile addition to ATC's lineup for traffic control systems.

New personality module:

The XPM3 Personality Module is a secure and reliable replacement for the current Card Bus Card Personality Module, designed to interface with the ATSC4 controller. It provides enhanced reliability and security by storing the personality in the same memory as the main operation code and utilizing a 256-bit signature and two different 32-bit CRC algorithms for secure checking.

ATC has developed a USB-based Personality Programmer for writing personalities on Windows-based PCs. This programmer is compatible with Windows XP, Win7, and Win10, allowing users to open, verify, and write personality files in various formats. The XPM3 Dongle USB Personality Writer connects to a PC with a USB cable and offers visual and textual feedback of the content written, ensuring accurate and reliable transfers.

Reasons to Upgrade:

Upgrading to the ATSC4 Traffic Signal Controller with VC6.2 SCATS® protocol offers several compelling reasons, including:

1. Increased number of SCATS® flags and greater I/O reporting for enhanced traffic management.
2. Support for complex signal logic in personalities for emergency vehicle and public transport priority.
3. Protocol update to reduce road network congestion and improve signal coordination.
4. True signal states for improved safety.
5. Improved communications resilience with the optional ATSC4 modem communications module that provides a automatic failover communications channel if the primary Ethernet connection to SCATS is lost, the ATSC4 will re-establish the link via the cellular network thus ensuring connectivity to SCATS at all times.

Transport for New South Wales' Type Approval of the latest ATSC4 Traffic Signal Controller marks a significant milestone in traffic signal technology. The controller offers a range of features and benefits aimed at enhancing safety, efficiency, and reliability while providing the flexibility to adapt to the ever-evolving needs of modern traffic systems. If you are involved in traffic signalling, transport planning, or public works, the ATSC4 Traffic Signal Controller with VC6.2 SCATS® protocol is definitely worth your consideration.

Are you interested in learning more about the ATSC4 Traffic Signal Controller, compliant with SCATS® VC6.2 protocol or exploring how it could benefit your organisation? Don't hesitate to reach out to the experts at ATC. Visit our contact page at https://www.aldridgetrafficcontrollers.com.au/contact-us to get in touch and discover the full potential of this innovative traffic management solution. ATC's team is ready to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have.