Systems and methods for using autonomous vehicles in traffic

• US 10,032,373 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2017
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cubic Corporation
• Inventors: Fletcher, Graham
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): Li, Ce Li
• Application Number:
  US15/720,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20180090001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18154 Approaching an intersection
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

An autonomous vehicle includes a vehicle body, a drive mechanism configured to propel the vehicle body, a location module, a communication interface in communication with a traffic control system, and a processing unit in communication with the drive mechanism, the location module, and the communication interface. The processing unit is configured to receive, via the communication interface, a route of a prioritized vehicle and determine, in conjunction with the location module, whether a route of the autonomous vehicle intersects the route of the prioritized vehicle. The processing unit is configured to adjust, using the drive mechanism, one or more of a direction or a speed of the autonomous vehicle based on the determination.

Claims

1. An autonomous vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle body;

a drive mechanism configured to propel the vehicle body;

a location module;

a communication interface in communication with a traffic control system;

a processing unit in communication with the drive mechanism, the location module, and the communication interface, the processing unit configured to;

receive, via the communication interface, a route of a prioritized vehicle while the autonomous vehicle is parked and powered down based on a determination that a parked vehicle is needed to slow traffic;

receive, via the communication interface, an activation command;

activate, in response to the received activation command, an ignition mechanism of the autonomous vehicle to activate the drive mechanism;

move, using the drive mechanism, the autonomous vehicle onto a roadway based on receiving the route of the prioritized vehicle;

determine, in conjunction with the location module, that a route of the autonomous vehicle intersects the route of the prioritized vehicle; and

adjust, using the drive mechanism, a speed of the autonomous vehicle to slow traffic behind the autonomous vehicle along the route of the autonomous vehicle based on the determination.

2. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the location module comprises a global positioning satellite system.

3. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the drive mechanism comprises one or more of an engine, a motor, and a steering mechanism.

4. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

the ignition mechanism is coupled with the processing unit, the ignition mechanism being configured to activate one or both of an engine or a motor of the drive mechanism.

5. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein:

at least a portion of the communication interface is powered on at all times such that the route of the prioritized vehicle is receivable when the autonomous vehicle is powered off.

6. The autonomous vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

receive traffic information related to traffic within a predefined radius of the intersection;

determine one or both of a time or a distance remaining to the intersection based at least in part on the traffic information; and

identify a traffic control action based at least in part on the one or both of the time or the distance remaining to the intersection, wherein adjusting one or more of the direction or the speed of the autonomous vehicle is further based on the traffic control action.

7. A method for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, at the autonomous vehicle, a route of a prioritized vehicle while the autonomous vehicle is parked and powered down based on a determination that a parked vehicle is needed to slow traffic;

receiving, at the autonomous vehicle, an activation command;

activating, in response to the received activation command, an ignition mechanism of the autonomous vehicle to activate a drive mechanism of the autonomous vehicle;

moving, using the drive mechanism, the autonomous vehicle onto a roadway based on receiving the route of the prioritized vehicle;

determining by the autonomous vehicle that a route of the autonomous vehicle intersects the route of the prioritized vehicle; and

adjusting a speed of the autonomous vehicle to slow traffic behind the autonomous vehicle along the route of the autonomous vehicle based on the determination.

8. The method for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle of claim 7, wherein:

the route of the prioritized vehicle comprises one or more of a current location of the prioritized vehicle, a current heading of the prioritized vehicle, a current rate of speed of the prioritized vehicle, an average rate of speed of the prioritized vehicle, and an expected path of the prioritized vehicle.

9. The method for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving traffic information within a predetermined radius of the intersection.

10. The method for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle of claim 9, further comprising:

determining one or both of a time or a direction remaining to the intersection based at least in part on the traffic information.

11. The method for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying a traffic control action based at least in part on the one or both of the time or the distance remaining to the intersection, wherein adjusting one or more of the direction or the speed of the autonomous vehicle is further based on the traffic control action.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle, the instructions comprising computer code for causing a computing device to:

receive, at an autonomous vehicle, a route of a prioritized vehicle while the autonomous vehicle is parked and powered down based on a determination that a parked vehicle is needed to slow traffic;

receive, at the autonomous vehicle, an activation command;

activate, in response to the received activation command, an ignition mechanism of the autonomous vehicle to activate a drive mechanism of the autonomous vehicle;

move, using the drive mechanism, the autonomous vehicle onto a roadway based on receiving the route of the prioritized vehicle;

determine by the autonomous vehicle that a route of the autonomous vehicle intersects the route of the prioritized vehicle; and

adjust a speed of the autonomous vehicle to slow traffic behind the autonomous vehicle along the route of the autonomous vehicle based on the determination.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle of claim 12, wherein:

the route of the prioritized vehicle is received from a municipal traffic control system.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle of claim 13, wherein:

the autonomous vehicle is selected to receive the route of the prioritized vehicle based on one or more of the autonomous vehicle being within a predefined radius of the route of the prioritized vehicle, the autonomous vehicle being parked, and the autonomous vehicle being unoccupied.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle of claim 12, further comprising instructions causing the computing device to:

receive updated route information associated with the prioritized vehicle after adjusting one or more of the speed or the direction; and

further adjust the one or more of the speed or the direction based on the updated route information.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle of claim 12, further comprising instructions causing the computing device to:

receive traffic information related to traffic within a predefined radius of the intersection; and

determine one or both of a time or a distance remaining to the intersection based at least in part on the traffic information.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for manipulating traffic using an autonomous vehicle of claim 16, further comprising instructions causing the computing device to:

identify a traffic control action based at least in part on the one or both of the time or the distance remaining to the intersection, wherein adjusting one or more of the direction or the speed of the autonomous vehicle is further based on the traffic control action.