AMI (Advanced Motorway Indicator)

SSL combined forces with the COLAS IDS project team to achieve the latest generation of HA matrix display, the AMI "Advanced Motorway Indicator" which is an LED based matrix indicator with a Red Ring.

The addition of a 1300mm diameter red ring to the indicator displays means that it is able to show variable mandatory speed limits. These speed limits are enforced by cameras. The requirements of the Home Office associated with enforcement are stringent and require both electrical and optical monitoring of the LED matrix. The AMI weighs approximately 106Kg and has display dimensions 1480mm x 1840mm with depth 170mm. For the given display area, the AMI is very light and compact.

SSL initially designed and continue to manufacture AMI electronics. The AMI central display has a 20mm LED "pixel" pitch; its main display comprises a fully programmable 32 x 32 x 3 matrix of pixels in a 640mm square area. Pixels are red, green and white. The number of pixels, colors and the fine pitch, as of 2006 making the AMI the highest specification matrix indicator on the world market.

Due to the LED matrix, the AMI has extremely good optical performance with unparalleled definition, aided by excellent luminance, contrast and uniformity of display. The AMI can exploit the redundancy in the matrix of LED's making up its display, so that in the event that a group of pixels required to display a restriction become faulty, the display can be shifted to an area in which the LED's are all operational.

Unlike previous indicators, the AMI is not connected directly to NMCS2. It is connected to an intelligent device known as the AMI Roadside Controller (ARC). The ARC is the centre of intelligence for up to 16 AMI outstation devices and can be configured to communicate with any type of matrix indicator. The ARC displays show detailed engineering data for each of the AMI connected to it. ARC displays include communications and operational logs, maps of pixel faults and performance statistics. There are password protected menus for configuring the ARC and for carrying out signal tests on the AMIs. Data, configuration & statistics can be exported & imported from the ARC to a laptop. The ARC runs on a high reliability, high performance Windows CE.NET real time platform. It can be accessed remotely using Remote Desktop Support.