Connected automated vehicle highway systems and methods
First Claim
1. A transportation management system that provides full vehicle operations and control for connected and automated vehicle and highway systems by sending individual vehicles with detailed and time-sensitive control instructions for vehicle following, lane changing, route guidance, and related information, said transportation management system comprising:
- a) a hierarchy of traffic control centers/traffic control units (TCCs/TCUs) that process information and give traffic operations instructions, wherein said TCCs and TCUs are automatic or semi-automated computational modules that focus on data gathering, information processing, network optimization, and traffic control; and
wherein said hierarchy of TCCs/TCUs comprises one or more of macroscopic TCCs, regional TCCs, corridor TCCs, segment TCUs, point TCUs, and/or RSUs, wherein said;
1) macroscopic TCCs process information from the regional TCCs and provide control targets to the regional TCCs;
2) regional TCCs process information from the corridor TCCs and provide control targets to the corridor TCCs;
3) corridor TCCs process information from the macroscopic TCUs and the segment TCUs and provide control targets to the segment TCUs;
4) segment TCUs process information from the corridor TCCs and the point TCUs and provide control targets to the point TCUs; and
5) point TCUs process information from the segment TCUs and the RSUs and provide vehicle-based control instructions to one or more RSU;
b) a network of roadside units (RSUs) that receive data flow from connected vehicles, detect traffic conditions, and send targeted instructions to vehicles, wherein said RSU network focuses on data sensing, data processing, control signal delivery, and information distribution, and wherein an RSU of the RSU network can be combined or integrated with a TCU;
c) a vehicle sub-system, comprising a mixed traffic flow of vehicles at different levels of connectivity and automation; and
d) communications systems that provide wired and wireless communication services to all the entities in the transportation management system.
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Abstract
This invention provides a system-oriented and fully-controlled connected automated vehicle highway system for various levels of connected and automated vehicles and highways. The system comprises one or more of: 1) a hierarchical traffic control network of Traffic Control Centers (TCC'"'"'s), local traffic controller units (TCUs), 2) A RSU (Road Side Unit) network (with integrated functionalities of vehicle sensors, I2V communication to deliver control instructions), 3) OBU (On-Board Unit with sensor and V2I communication units) network embedded in connected and automated vehicles, and 4) wireless communication and security system with local and global connectivity. This system provides a safer, more reliable and more cost-effective solution by redistributing vehicle driving tasks to the hierarchical traffic control network and RSU network.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A transportation management system that provides full vehicle operations and control for connected and automated vehicle and highway systems by sending individual vehicles with detailed and time-sensitive control instructions for vehicle following, lane changing, route guidance, and related information, said transportation management system comprising:
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a) a hierarchy of traffic control centers/traffic control units (TCCs/TCUs) that process information and give traffic operations instructions, wherein said TCCs and TCUs are automatic or semi-automated computational modules that focus on data gathering, information processing, network optimization, and traffic control; and wherein said hierarchy of TCCs/TCUs comprises one or more of macroscopic TCCs, regional TCCs, corridor TCCs, segment TCUs, point TCUs, and/or RSUs, wherein said; 1) macroscopic TCCs process information from the regional TCCs and provide control targets to the regional TCCs; 2) regional TCCs process information from the corridor TCCs and provide control targets to the corridor TCCs; 3) corridor TCCs process information from the macroscopic TCUs and the segment TCUs and provide control targets to the segment TCUs; 4) segment TCUs process information from the corridor TCCs and the point TCUs and provide control targets to the point TCUs; and 5) point TCUs process information from the segment TCUs and the RSUs and provide vehicle-based control instructions to one or more RSU; b) a network of roadside units (RSUs) that receive data flow from connected vehicles, detect traffic conditions, and send targeted instructions to vehicles, wherein said RSU network focuses on data sensing, data processing, control signal delivery, and information distribution, and wherein an RSU of the RSU network can be combined or integrated with a TCU; c) a vehicle sub-system, comprising a mixed traffic flow of vehicles at different levels of connectivity and automation; and d) communications systems that provide wired and wireless communication services to all the entities in the transportation management system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A transportation management system that provides full vehicle operations and control for connected and automated vehicle and highway systems by sending individual vehicles with detailed and time-sensitive control instructions for vehicle following, lane changing, route guidance, and related information, said transportation management system comprising:
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a) a hierarchy of traffic control centers/traffic control units (TCCs/TCUs) that process information and give traffic operations instructions, wherein said TCCs and TCUs are automatic or semi-automated computational modules that focus on data gathering, information processing, network optimization, and traffic control; b) a network of roadside units (RSUs) that receive data flow from connected vehicles, detect traffic conditions, and send targeted instructions to vehicles, wherein said RSU network focuses on data sensing, data processing, control signal delivery, and information distribution, and wherein an RSU of the RSU network can be combined or integrated with a TCU; c) a vehicle sub-system, comprising a mixed traffic flow of vehicles at different levels of connectivity and automation; and d) communications systems that provide wired and wireless communication services to all the entities in the transportation management system, wherein said RSUs comprise; a) a sensing module that gathers traffic and related information; b) a data processing module that provides vehicle-specific measurements, c) a communication module that sends and receives information between vehicles and a point TCU; d) a communication module that sends vehicle-specific driving instructions to vehicles; e) an interface module that shows data that is sent to an OBU system; and f) a power supply unit. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A transportation management system that provides full vehicle operations and control for connected and automated vehicle and highway systems by sending individual vehicles with detailed and time-sensitive control instructions for vehicle following, lane changing, route guidance, and related information, said transportation management system comprising:
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a) a hierarchy of traffic control centers/traffic control units (TCCs/TCUs) that process information and give traffic operations instructions, wherein said TCCs and TCUs are automatic or semi-automated computational modules that focus on data gathering, information processing, network optimization, and traffic control; b) a network of roadside units (RSUs) that receive data flow from connected vehicles, detect traffic conditions, and send targeted instructions to vehicles, wherein said RSU network focuses on data sensing, data processing, control signal delivery, and information distribution, and wherein an RSU of the RSU network can be combined or integrated with a TCU; c) a vehicle sub-system, comprising a mixed traffic flow of vehicles at different levels of connectivity and automation; and d) communications systems that provide wired and wireless communication services to all the entities in the transportation management system, wherein said transportation management system is configured to redistribute essential vehicle driving tasks among vehicles to; a) provide navigation instructions to vehicles; b) provide guidance instructions and information to maintain safety, provide traffic control/road condition information, and provide special information; c) fulfill vehicle maneuver tasks and monitor safety maintenance tasks if one or more components of the transportation management system fails; d) provide data feeds for information exchange tasks at the control level to supplement and/or replace information provided by the vehicle sensors in a vehicle; e) fulfill vehicle control tasks at the mechanical level, monitor surroundings, and stand-by as a backup system; provide vehicles with driving-critical information; and g) fulfill driving tasks; and h) use vehicles to provide backup functions to vehicles having errors or failures. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification