Instruction manual

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2. Modes, Sensors, and How to Use Them

This section of the manual discusses the various ways the Phoenix II can collect data, and what types of sensors are

required to collect each type of data. Please read this section carefully. The Phoenix II is a very sophisticated

counter/classifier with many options. Reading and understanding this section first will greatly simplify operation later.

2.a. The Four Basic Storage Modes

Before attempting to use your Phoenix II, you should first become familiar with the four fundamental modes of operation.

The mode that you select determines the type of data that will be collected, and whether the information will be

combined with other entries or stored individually. These modes do not cover WIM applications.

Timestamp/Sensor

Sensor mode stores individual sensor pulses into memory with an accurate timestamp.

This mode bypasses the Phoenix II regular data analysis routines and allows users to get

an exact copy of what the counter saw on the roadway. Software, such as Centurion, can

then be used to analyze this data and export it into other forms as the user requires.

Per-Vehicle/Raw

This mode will store each individual vehicle in memory as it passes by. The following

information about each vehicle can be stored in memory: time, speed, number of axles,

spacing between each axle, overall length, bin classification and axle weights if Phoenix II

is equipped with the WIM option.

Binned

This mode is the conventional classifier storage mode. Each vehicle is analyzed and

classified into the appropriate bin number for each of the following five classes: Axle

Class, Speed Class, Length Class, Gap Class, & Headway Class. The parameters for

determining what types of vehicles belong to each bin number can be changed by the

user, with the most commonly used values being built into the Phoenix II. Users specify a

time interval, such as every 15 minutes, in which the total number of vehicles for each bin

will be stored in memory.

Count

The count mode is one of the simplest modes of operation. It is used when just a vehicle

count is desired. When using Road Tubes or Piezo Sensors; the Phoenix II provides the

total number of axles detected, optionally divided by two. When using Inductive Loops,

the Phoenix II will give the number of vehicles. Users specify a time interval, such as

every hour, in which these total counts will be stored in memory.

Sensor Miss Code Definitions:

SnMis #0 -

Occurs only with Axle-Loop-Axle or Loop-Axle-Loop combinations. This error indicated

an improper sequence of sensor activations or missing one or more activation(s).

SnMis #1 -

The counter only got a Road Tube #1 strike, with no further Road Tube activations. This

can happen if a vehicle hits the first Road Tube, but misses the second while changing

lanes.

SnMis #2 -

The counter only received a Road Tube #2 strike, without first getting a Road Tube 1

strike. This, like SnMis #1, can happen if a vehicle crosses into the lane but misses’

Road Tube #1.

SnMis #3 -

Is an over speed or under speed vehicle, and can optionally be used to indicate vehicles

which only hit Road Tube #1 and Road Tube #2 once, with no further activations. Note

that the counter will normally turn these types of activations into two axle vehicles with

the axle length equal to the sensor spacing.