Traffic lights control for fuel efficiency

• US 10,297,151 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Kenneth James, Schaffer, Daniel Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Do, Truc M
• Application Number:
  US15/155,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20170330456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/015 with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/081 Plural intersections under common control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/082 Controlling the time between beginning of the same phase of a cycle at adjacent intersections
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

Data is received from each of a plurality of vehicles proximate to an intersection indicating a kinetic energy and a time to the intersection. An optimized timing of a traffic light is determined based on an aggregation of the kinetic energies and times to intersection. A timing of the traffic is modified according to the optimized timing.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving data from each of a plurality of vehicles proximate to an intersection indicating a kinetic energy and a time to the intersection;

determining an optimized timing of a traffic light based on an aggregation of the kinetic energies and times to intersection;

modifying a timing of the traffic light according to the optimized timing;

predicting, for a vehicle in the plurality of vehicles, a likelihood of compliance with a speed adjustment request; and

transmitting, based on the modified timing, the speed adjustment request to a vehicle determined to have the likelihood of compliance at or above a predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the traffic light timing includes at least one of adjusting a red traffic light time and adjusting a green traffic light time.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, based on the modified timing, a coast-down request to one or more vehicles of the plurality of vehicles.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the speed-adjustment request is a coast-down request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the speed-adjustment request is a request to increase speed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

predicting, for a vehicle in the plurality of vehicles, non-compliance with the speed adjustment request; and

excluding data from the non-compliant vehicle from the determination of optimized timing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the optimized timing includes determining a potential of kinetic energy loss based on a current timing of the traffic light.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data from one or more of the vehicles includes a planned route.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data from one or more of the vehicles includes at least two of a vehicle mass, speed, and engine volume.

10. A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to:

receive data from each of a plurality of vehicles proximate to an intersection indicating a kinetic energy and a time to the intersection;

determine an optimized timing of a traffic light based on an aggregation of the kinetic energies and times to intersection;

modify a timing of the traffic light according to the optimized timing;

predict, for a vehicle in the plurality of vehicles, a likelihood of compliance with a speed adjustment request; and

transmit, based on the modified timing, the speed adjustment request to a vehicle determined to have the likelihood of compliance at or above a predetermined threshold.

11. The system of claim 10, the instructions to modify the timing of the traffic light timing including instructions to adjust at least one of a red traffic light time and a green traffic light time.

12. The system of claim 10, the instructions further comprising instructions to transmit, based on the modified timing, a coast-down request to one or more vehicles of the plurality of vehicles.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the speed-adjustment request is a coast-down request.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the speed-adjustment request is a request to increase speed.

15. The system of claim 10, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

predict, for a vehicle in the plurality of vehicles, non-compliance with the speed adjustment request; and

exclude data from the non-compliant vehicle from the determination of optimized timing.

16. The system of claim 10, the instructions to determine the optimized timing including instructions to determine a potential of kinetic energy loss based on a current timing of the traffic light.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the received data from one or more of the vehicles includes a planned route.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the received data from one or more of the vehicles includes at least two of a vehicle mass, speed, and engine volume.