Autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system comprising:
- a) an in-vehicle apparatus further comprising;
i) at least one memory comprising computer program code for one or more programs;
ii) a database comprising;
(i) position coordinates of track points along the center line of roads and at center points of intersections for determining geographic sections and leg segments of intersections, wherein the position coordinates of track points are arranged in database tables and one or more table represent one or more geographic section;
(ii) predefined leg segments associated with predefined intersections;
(iii) a plurality of predefined cases and threshold delay times;
(iv) green and turning times associated with the predefined cases;
(v) red and turning times associated with the predefined cases; and
,(vi) position coordinates of track points along the center line of roads for determining road sign image IDs, and road sign images associated with the road sign image IDs, wherein the position coordinates of the track points are arranged in database tables and one or more table represent one or more geographic section;
iii) at least one GPS receiver module to enable the vehicle to determine its position coordinates, speed, course and date/time at real-time status; and
,iv) at least one processor being coupled to said database and said memory;
b) a visual display coupled to said in-vehicle apparatus, and able to present visual and audible information, wherein the visual information comprises traffic signal phases and images of road signs, wherein the audible information comprises, indicating traffic signal phases, indicating road sign images, and indicating alerts;
wherein the system mimics conventional traffic signal systems and neither depends on vehicle to vehicle communication nor vehicle to intersection or road sensors communication nor vehicle to wireless network communication.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system that mimics conventional traffic signal systems and neither depends on vehicle to vehicle communication nor vehicle to intersection or road sensors communication nor vehicle to wireless network communication. The system does not depend on external servers nor broadcast stations to forward traffic information to conventional vehicles or driverless vehicles. A virtual traffic controller placed on-board vehicles to provide traffic information including traffic light signals and images of road signs autonomously.
-
Citations
24 Claims
-
1. An autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system comprising:
-
a) an in-vehicle apparatus further comprising; i) at least one memory comprising computer program code for one or more programs; ii) a database comprising; (i) position coordinates of track points along the center line of roads and at center points of intersections for determining geographic sections and leg segments of intersections, wherein the position coordinates of track points are arranged in database tables and one or more table represent one or more geographic section; (ii) predefined leg segments associated with predefined intersections; (iii) a plurality of predefined cases and threshold delay times; (iv) green and turning times associated with the predefined cases; (v) red and turning times associated with the predefined cases; and
,(vi) position coordinates of track points along the center line of roads for determining road sign image IDs, and road sign images associated with the road sign image IDs, wherein the position coordinates of the track points are arranged in database tables and one or more table represent one or more geographic section; iii) at least one GPS receiver module to enable the vehicle to determine its position coordinates, speed, course and date/time at real-time status; and
,iv) at least one processor being coupled to said database and said memory; b) a visual display coupled to said in-vehicle apparatus, and able to present visual and audible information, wherein the visual information comprises traffic signal phases and images of road signs, wherein the audible information comprises, indicating traffic signal phases, indicating road sign images, and indicating alerts; wherein the system mimics conventional traffic signal systems and neither depends on vehicle to vehicle communication nor vehicle to intersection or road sensors communication nor vehicle to wireless network communication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method of actuating traffic signals designed to keep heavy traffic traveling with green lights until they detect a vehicle arrives at a cross street of an intersection and change accordingly, comprising the autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system coupled to or integrated with an in-vehicle communication means to wirelessly communicating with vehicles, the method further comprising the steps of:
-
a) assigning a predefined case to the intersection representing continuous green signal phase in the heavy traffic road; b) where vehicles on heavy traffic road proximate to the intersection receive traffic data comprising a time stamp at which a vehicle on another road transmitting, a right of way request code, the time stamp, the intersection ID, a segment orientation of the other road and the heading of said vehicle; and
,wherein said vehicles switch to a temporary traffic light cycle containing few seconds of yellow before a red signal, and periodically transmitting the same received traffic data to other vehicles proximate to the intersection to allow them to calculate the remaining time of the temporary traffic light cycle. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
wherein the vehicles on the opposite heading of said vehicle'"'"'s heading switch to a temporary traffic light cycle containing few seconds of yellow before a red signal, and periodically transmitting the same received traffic data to other vehicles proximate to the intersection to allow them to calculate the remaining time of the temporary traffic cycle.
-
-
21. The method of claim 19, wherein the in-vehicle communication means comprising a long range transceiver module.
-
22. A method for determining a right of way order at all-way stop intersection or at a traffic circle, comprising the autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system coupled to or integrated with an in-vehicle communication means to wirelessly communicating with vehicles, the method further comprising the steps of:
-
a) assigning a predefined case to the intersection representing all-way stop intersection or a traffic circle; b) where vehicles approaching the intersection or the circle are receiving traffic data comprising a time stamp at which a vehicle reached a threshold distance when approaching the intersection or the circle, wherein said vehicle is periodically transmitting same traffic data comprising, the time stamp, an order of arriving code, the intersection ID, a segment orientation of said vehicle and said vehicle'"'"'s heading; c) wherein each vehicle is comparing all time stamps to determine a right of way order based on the earliest arriving time to visually and audibly indicating a right of way; d) wherein when the earliest arriving time is matching more than one vehicle, determining a right of way order is decided based on a preset heading order; e) wherein vehicles on a same segment in a same heading can be grouped together to obtain a group right of way order based on an earliest arriving time for just one vehicle in the segment if the number of vehicles in the segment exceeded a selected minimum amount or when the vehicle of the earliest arriving time exceeded a selected maximum waiting time, to visually and audibly indicating a right of way; f) wherein vehicles traveling on a same segment in a same heading can be grouped together to further obtain a group right of way order based on a highest number of vehicles in a segment if the highest number exceeded a selected minimum amount to visually and audibly indicating a right of way; and
,g) wherein vehicles with a right of way are not required to travel in one way direction to exit the circle since all vehicles in all segments access the traffic circle one segment at a time wherein a right of way order is established at an all way stop intersection or a traffic circle. - View Dependent Claims (23)
-
-
24. A method for providing traffic data autonomously to an autonomous vehicle comprising:
-
a) processing traffic data extracted from the autonomous in-vehicle virtual traffic light system, wherein said traffic data comprising;
position coordinates of track points along the center line of roads and at center points of intersections for determining predefined leg segments associated with predefined intersections;
a plurality of predefined cases associated with predefined intersections for processing the in-vehicle virtual traffic signal phases autonomously, traffic data indicating the status of the in-vehicle virtual traffic signal phases; and
, traffic data associated with road signs;b) receiving/transmitting traffic data for actuating traffic signals designed to keep heavy traffic traveling with green lights until they detect a vehicle arriving at a cross street of an intersection and change accordingly, wherein, the traffic data comprising;
a time stamp at which the vehicle is transmitting, a right of way request code, the intersection ID, a segment orientation of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, the heading of the vehicle, and traffic data indicating the right of way; and
,c) receiving/transmitting traffic data when approaching all-way stop intersection or a traffic circle for determining a right of way order, wherein the traffic data comprising, a time stamp at which a vehicle reached a threshold distance when approaching the intersection or the circle, an order of arriving code, the intersection ID, a segment orientation of the road on which the vehicle is traveling, the heading of the vehicle, and traffic data indicating the right of way.
-
Specification