Automated lane assignment for vehicles

• US 10,309,789 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2016
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ramasamy, Bala
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutchinson, Alan D
• Application Number:
  US15/081,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20170276492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/04 Traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/167 Driving aids for lane monitoring, lane changing, e.g. blind spot detection

Abstract

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for automated lane assignment for vehicles are presented. One example method includes the steps of accessing vehicle information of at least one vehicle, the vehicle information including a priority level of a plurality of priority levels associated with each of the at least one vehicle; accessing lane information associated with a road, the lane information comprising information corresponding to at least two lanes of travel in a direction; and assigning at least one of the at least one vehicle to a lane of travel on the road based at least in part on the vehicle information and the lane information. Another example method further includes the step of accessing second vehicle information of a second vehicle, wherein assigning the first vehicle to the lane of travel is further based on the second vehicle information.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic vehicle lane assignment for a vehicle, comprising:

accessing, by a lane assignment server, vehicle information of a plurality of vehicles, wherein the plurality of vehicles are capable of operating in multiple driving modes, the vehicle information including, for a first vehicle and a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, a driving mode, comprising an autonomous driving mode, a semi-autonomous driving mode, or a manual driving mode;

accessing, by the lane assignment server, lane information associated with a road, the lane information comprising information corresponding to at least two lanes of travel in a first direction on the road;

determining, by the lane assignment server, a first driving mode of the first vehicle and a second driving mode of the second vehicle,

assigning, by the lane assignment server, the first and second vehicles to a first lane of travel responsive to a determination that the first and second driving modes are the same driving mode; and

assigning, by the lane assignment server, the first vehicles to a first lane of travel and the second vehicle to a second lane of travel different than the first lane of travel responsive to a determination that the first driving mode being the manual driving mode and the second driving mode being the autonomous driving mode or the semi-autonomous driving mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle information further includes a priority level, and wherein the priority level is based, at least in part, on the vehicle driving mode, wherein the vehicle driving mode is selected from the group consisting of an autonomous mode, a semi-autonomous mode, and a manual mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle information further includes a priority level, and wherein the priority level includes a high priority and a lower priority, and wherein the assigning the first and second vehicles to the first or second lanes of travel comprises assigning one of the first or second vehicles to the first lane responsive to the priority level of the respective first or second vehicle being the high priority and assigning the other of the first or second vehicle to the second lane of travel responsive to the priority level being the lower priority.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the first or second vehicle to the first or second lane is further based on a predetermined route or lane configuration of the road.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising accessing second vehicle information of the second vehicle, and wherein assigning the first vehicle to the first lane is further based on the second vehicle information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the accessing the second vehicle information of the second vehicle comprises receiving the second vehicle information from the second vehicle by the first vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting first vehicle information of the first vehicle to a second vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the lane information comprises a driving mode, a direction of travel, a physical characteristic, speed information, lane closure information, lane restriction information, or any combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication of the lane assignment to an operator of the first or second vehicle.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program code, the program code configured to be executable by a processor and to cause the processor to:

access, by a lane assignment server, vehicle information of a plurality of vehicles, wherein the plurality of vehicles are capable of operating in multiple driving modes, the vehicle information including, for a first vehicle and a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, a driving mode, comprising an autonomous driving mode, a semi-autonomous driving mode, or a manual driving mode;

access, by the lane assignment server, lane information associated with a road, the lane information comprising information corresponding to at least two lanes of travel in a first direction on the road;

determine, by the lane assignment server, a first driving mode of the first vehicle and a second driving mode of the second vehicle,

assign, by the lane assignment server, the first and second vehicles to a first lane of travel responsive to a determination that the first and second driving modes are the same driving mode; and

assign, by the lane assignment server, the first vehicle to a first lane of travel and the second vehicle to a second lane of travel different than the first lane of travel responsive to a determination that the first driving mode being the manual driving mode and the second driving mode being the autonomous driving mode or the semi-autonomous driving mode.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the vehicle information further includes a priority level, and wherein the priority level is based, at least in part, on the driving mode, wherein the driving mode is selected from the group consisting of an autonomous mode, a semi-autonomous mode, and a manual mode.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the priority level includes a high priority and a lower priority, and wherein the program code configured to be executable by a processor and to cause the processor to assign the first and second vehicles to the first or second lanes of travel comprises program code configured to be executable by a processor and to cause the processor to assign one of the first or second vehicles to the first lane responsive to the priority level of the respective first or second vehicle being the high priority and assign the other of the first or second vehicle to the second lane of travel responsive to the priority level being the lower priority.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the program code configured to be executable by a processor and to cause the processor to assign the first or second vehicle to the lane of travel is further based on a predetermined route or lane configuration of the road.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising program code configured to be executable by a processor and to cause the processor to access second vehicle information of the second vehicle, and wherein assigning the first vehicle to the first lane is further based on the second vehicle information.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the program code configured to be executable by a processor and to cause the processor to access the second vehicle information of the second vehicle comprises program code configured to be executable by a processor and to cause the processor to receive the second vehicle information from the second vehicle by the first vehicle.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising program code configured to be executable by a processor and to cause the processor to transmit first vehicle information of the first vehicle to a second vehicle.

17. A lane assignment system comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

a processor in communication with the non-transitory computer-readable medium and configured to execute program code stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium to;

access vehicle information of a plurality of vehicles, wherein the plurality of vehicles are capable of operating in multiple driving modes, the vehicle information including, the vehicle information including, for a first vehicle and a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, a driving mode, comprising an autonomous driving mode, a semi-autonomous driving mode, or a manual driving mode;

access lane information associated with a road, the lane information comprising information corresponding to at least two lanes of travel in a first direction on the road;

determine a first driving mode of the first vehicle and a second driving mode of the second vehicle,

assign the first and second vehicles to a first lane of travel responsive to a determination that the first and second driving modes are the same driving mode; and

assign the first vehicle to a first lane of travel and the second vehicle to a second lane of travel different than the first lane of travel responsive to a determination that the first driving mode being the manual driving mode and the second driving mode being the autonomous driving mode or the semi-autonomous driving mode.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle information further includes a priority level, and wherein the priority level is based, at least in part, on the driving mode, wherein the driving mode is selected from the group consisting of an autonomous mode, a semi-autonomous mode, and a manual mode.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the priority level includes a high priority and a lower priority, and wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to assign one of the first or second vehicles to the first lane responsive to the priority level of the respective first or second vehicle being the high priority and assign the other of the first or second vehicle to the second lane of travel responsive to the priority level being the lower priority.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to cause the processor to assign the first or second vehicle to the lane of travel is further based on a predetermined route or lane configuration of the road.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to cause the processor to access second vehicle information of the second vehicle, and assign the first vehicle to the first lane is further based on the second vehicle information.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to cause the processor to receive the second vehicle information from the second vehicle by the first vehicle.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to execute program code stored in the non-transitory computer-readable medium to cause the processor to transmit first vehicle information of the first vehicle to a second vehicle.

24. A system for dynamic vehicle lane assignment for a vehicle, comprising:

means for accessing, by a lane assignment server, vehicle information of a plurality of vehicles, wherein the plurality of vehicles are capable of operating in multiple driving modes, the vehicle information including, the vehicle information including, for a first vehicle and a second vehicle of the plurality of vehicles, a driving mode, comprising an autonomous driving mode, a semi-autonomous driving mode, or a manual driving mode;

means for accessing, by a lane assignment server, lane information associated with a road, the lane information comprising information corresponding to at least two lanes of travel in a first direction on the road;

means for determining, by a lane assignment server, a first driving mode of the first vehicle and a second driving mode of the second vehicle,

means for assigning, by a lane assignment server, the first and second vehicles to a first lane of travel responsive to a determination that the first and second driving modes are the same driving mode; and

means for assigning, by a lane assignment server, the first vehicle to a first lane of travel and the second vehicle to a second lane of travel different than the first lane of travel responsive to a determination that the first driving mode being the manual driving mode and the second driving mode being the autonomous driving mode or the semi-autonomous driving mode.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the vehicle information further includes a priority level, and wherein the priority level is based, at least in part, on the driving mode, wherein the driving mode is selected from the group consisting of an autonomous mode, a semi-autonomous mode, and a manual mode.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the priority level includes a high priority and a lower priority, and wherein the means for assigning the first and second vehicles to the first or second lanes of travel comprises means for assigning one of the first or second vehicles to the first lane responsive to the priority level of the respective first or second vehicle being the high priority and assigning the other of the first or second vehicle to the second lane of travel responsive to the priority level being the lower priority.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for assigning the first or second vehicle to the first or second lane is further based on a predetermined route or lane configuration of the road.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the vehicle is a first vehicle, and further comprising means for accessing second vehicle information of the second vehicle, and wherein the means for assigning the vehicle to the first lane is further configured to assign the first vehicle to the first lane of travel based on the second vehicle information.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising means for receiving the second vehicle information from the second vehicle by the first vehicle.

30. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for transmitting first vehicle information of the first vehicle to a second vehicle.