Dynamic edge network management of vehicular traffic

• US 10,424,196 B1
• Filed: 06/25/2018
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: McEnroe, Martin, Singh, Sanjiv, Pratt, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Van T
• Application Number:
  US16/017,845
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0125 Traffic data processing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A method includes determining that a prioritized vehicle plans to traverse an intersection and receiving sensor data from a plurality of sources in a vicinity of the intersection. The method also includes, based on the sensor data, determining a traffic solution to enable the prioritized vehicle to traverse the intersection, the traffic solution identifying a traffic lane and, based on the traffic solution, controlling a traffic light to cause traffic in the traffic lane to disperse and controlling a second traffic light to instruct traffic in an adjacent traffic lane to stop. The method includes instructing the prioritized vehicle to travel via the traffic lane. The traffic in the traffic lane and the traffic in the adjacent traffic lane are traveling in a same direction.

Claims

1. A traffic control system comprising:

an edge computing node assigned to a geographic area comprising a vehicle intersection;

memory storing instructions that cause the edge computing node to effectuate operations, the operations comprising;

determining that a first responder vehicle plans to traverse the vehicle intersection;

receiving sensor data from a plurality of sources in a vicinity of the vehicle intersection, the plurality of sources comprising a roadway sensor and a camera;

based on the sensor data, determining a traffic solution to enable the first responder vehicle to traverse the vehicle intersection, the traffic solution identifying a first traffic lane;

based on the traffic solution, controlling a first traffic light to cause traffic in the first traffic lane to disperse;

based on the traffic solution, controlling a second traffic light to instruct traffic in a second traffic lane to stop;

based on the traffic solution, instructing an autonomous vehicle to switch to a designated lane; and

instructing the first responder vehicle to travel via the first traffic lane.

2. The traffic control system of claim 1, wherein a traffic flow direction of the first traffic lane is the same as a traffic flow direction of the second traffic lane.

3. The traffic control system of claim 1, wherein the first traffic lane is a turn lane.

4. The traffic control system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data received from the camera is indicative of an identity of a vehicle proximate to the first responder vehicle.

5. The traffic control system of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving a vehicle profile based on the identity of the vehicle; and

determining a driving characteristic of the vehicle based on the vehicle profile,

wherein determining the traffic solution is further based on the driving characteristic.

6. The traffic control system of claim 5, further comprising:

monitoring behavior of the vehicle subsequent to the controlling of the first traffic light and the second traffic light; and

updating the vehicle profile based on the behavior.

7. The traffic control system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle comprises a manned vehicle.

8. A method comprising:

determining that a prioritized vehicle plans to traverse an intersection;

receiving sensor data from a plurality of sources in a vicinity of the intersection;

based on the sensor data, determining a traffic solution to enable the prioritized vehicle to traverse the intersection, the traffic solution identifying a traffic lane;

based on the traffic solution, controlling a traffic light to cause traffic in the traffic lane to disperse and controlling a second traffic light to instruct traffic in an adjacent traffic lane to stop; and

instructing the prioritized vehicle to travel via the traffic lane,

wherein the traffic in the traffic lane and the traffic in the adjacent traffic lane are traveling in a same direction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor data comprises image data, the method further comprising processing the image data to identify a vehicle blocking a path between the prioritized vehicle and the intersection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the traffic solution comprises, prior to instructing the prioritized vehicle, clearing the adjacent traffic lane, the method further comprising controlling the second traffic light associated with the adjacent lane.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the traffic solution comprises controlling an autonomous vehicle to exit the traffic lane.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising compiling an intersection profile of the intersection based on the sensor data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein determining the traffic solution is further based on the intersection profile.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising

collecting second sensor data comprising feedback responsive to the traffic solution;

and

determining that a second prioritized vehicle plans to traverse the intersection;

receiving third sensor data from the plurality of sources in a vicinity of the intersection; and

based on the feedback and the third sensor data, determining a second traffic solution to enable the second prioritized vehicle to traverse the intersection.

15. A nontransitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that cause a processor executing the instructions to effectuate operations, the operations comprising:

determining that a prioritized vehicle plans to traverse an intersection;

receiving sensor data from a plurality of sources in a vicinity of the intersection;

based on the sensor data, determining a traffic solution to enable the prioritized vehicle to traverse the intersection, the traffic solution identifying a traffic lane;

based on the traffic solution, controlling a traffic light to cause traffic in the traffic lane to disperse and controlling a second traffic light to instruct traffic in an adjacent traffic lane to stop; and

instructing the prioritized vehicle to travel via the traffic lane,

wherein the traffic in the traffic lane and the traffic in the adjacent traffic lane are traveling in a same direction.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising identifying an autonomous vehicle in a vicinity of the prioritized vehicle and controlling the autonomous vehicle to exit the traffic lane.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the prioritized vehicle comprises a first responder vehicle.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising verifying an identity of the prioritized vehicle.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising

collecting second sensor data comprising feedback responsive to the traffic solution;

and

determining that a second prioritized vehicle plans to traverse the intersection;

receiving third sensor data from the plurality of sources in a vicinity of the intersection; and

based on the feedback and the third sensor data, determining a second traffic solution to enable the second prioritized vehicle to traverse the intersection.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, the operations further comprising identifying an autonomous vehicle in a vicinity of the prioritized vehicle and controlling the autonomous vehicle to traverse the intersection.