Traffic index generation device, traffic index generation method, and computer program

• US 10,249,183 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2016
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Umehara, Shigeki, Matsumoto, Hiroshi, Kobayashi, Masafumi, Hattori, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US15/535,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20170352263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 701117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (roadside relay device 2) configured to generate a traffic index used for traffic signal control. This device includes: a storage unit 24 configured to store therein area information on a coordinate system, the area information forming a predetermined area on a road; a communication unit 21 configured to receive probe information S5 including a vehicle position and temporal information of a traveling vehicle 5; and a control unit 23 configured to generate the traffic index on the basis of the area information and the probe information S5.

Claims

1. A traffic index generation device configured to generate a traffic index used for traffic signal control, the device comprising:

a storage unit configured to store therein area information on a coordinate system, the area information forming a detection area, assuming that a vehicle detector is installed on a road;

a communication unit configured to receive probe information including a vehicle position and temporal information of a traveling vehicle; and

a control unit configured to generate the traffic index on the basis of the area information and the probe information.

2. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores therein a plurality of pieces of the area information that form a plurality of the detection areas located at different positions on the road, respectively, and the control unit generates the traffic index for each of the stored plurality of pieces of the area information.

3. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores therein a plurality of pieces of the area information that form a plurality of the detection areas on a plurality of approach paths connecting to a single intersection, respectively.

4. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein the traffic index generated by the control unit includes at least one of a traffic volume, an occupancy, and a detection pulse signal of the vehicle in the detection area.

5. The traffic index generation device according to claim 2, wherein the storage unit stores therein the plurality of pieces of the area information that form the plurality of the detection areas corresponding to different types of local-actuated controls, respectively.

6. The traffic index generation device according to claim 5, wherein the traffic index generated by the control unit includes at least one of a detection pulse signal in the detection area, and a vehicle speed in the detection area.

7. The traffic index generation device according to claim 5, wherein

the probe information includes a type of the vehicle, and

the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit the vehicle type included in the probe information to the traffic signal controller.

8. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein

the probe information includes a vehicle heading, and

the control unit does not generate the traffic index when an angular difference between the vehicle heading and a road heading exceeds a predetermined value, and generates the traffic index when the angular difference is less than or equal to the predetermined value.

9. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein an area on the coordinate system, which is specified by the area information, extends two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally.

10. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein

the communication unit is able to receive the area information from external equipment, and

the control unit causes the storage unit to store the area information received by the communication unit.

11. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein

the communication unit is able to receive the area information from external equipment, and

the control unit updates the area information stored in the storage unit, to the area information received by the communication unit.

12. The traffic index generation device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit causes the communication unit to transmit the area information before being updated and the area information after being updated.

13. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein

the probe information includes at least one of information about a length of the vehicle and information about a type of the vehicle, and

the control unit executes, by using the information, a process of correcting the position of the vehicle to at least one of a front end position of the vehicle and a rear end position of the vehicle.

14. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where the control unit generates a plurality of kinds of the traffic indices, the control unit determines, for each of the kinds of the traffic indices, whether or not to cause the communication unit to transmit the traffic index.

15. The traffic index generation device according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the control unit generates a plurality of kinds of the traffic indices, the control unit determines, for each of kinds of external equipment as a transmission destination, the kind of the traffic index to be transmitted by the communication unit.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to function as a device configured to generate a traffic index used for traffic signal control, the computer program comprising:

a step of causing a storage unit of the traffic index generation device to store area information on a coordinate system, the area information forming a detection area, assuming that a vehicle detector is installed on a road;

a step of causing a communication unit of the traffic index generation device to receive probe information including a vehicle position and temporal information of a traveling vehicle; and

a step of causing a control unit of the traffic index generation device to generate the traffic index on the basis of the area information and the probe information.

17. A traffic index generation method executed by a device configured to generate a traffic index used for traffic signal control, the method comprising:

a step of causing a storage unit of the traffic index generation device to store area information on a coordinate system, the area information forming a detection area, assuming that a vehicle detector is installed on a road;

a step of causing a communication unit of the traffic index generation device to receive probe information including a vehicle position and temporal information of a traveling vehicle; and

a step of causing a control unit of the traffic index generation device to generate the traffic index on the basis of the area information and the probe information.