Automobile car control method and traffic control system

• US 20040083037A1
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kenichiro Yamane, Takayoshi Yokota, Takumi Fushiki
• Original Assignee: Kenichiro Yamane, Takayoshi Yokota, Takumi Fushiki
• Inventors: Fushiki, Takumi, Yamane, Kenichiro, Yokota, Takayoshi
• Application Number:
  US10/685,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083037A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles

Abstract

It is possible to control a car group having a probe car at the head thereof or a whole traffic flow including the car group, with due regard to the efficiency, safety and environment. A probe car system includes a device for inputting a control strategy and/or a car group strategy, based on a road map database or traffic data; a device for evaluating propriety of the strategy and determining a proper strategy; and a device for transmitting the proper strategy to the probe car.

Claims

1. A probe car control method for controlling behavior of cars, comprising the steps of:

inputting a control strategy concerning behavior of a probe car and/or a car group strategy concerning behavior of a car group having a probe car at head thereof, based on a road map database or traffic data collected in real time;

evaluating propriety of the strategy; and

transmitting a proper strategy to the probe car to control the probe car.

2. A probe car control apparatus for controlling behavior of cars, comprising:

a road map database;

a car group control strategy input section for inputting a control strategy concerning behavior of a probe car and/or a car group strategy concerning behavior of a car group having a probe car at head thereof, based on a road map database or traffic data collected in real time;

a car group control strategy evaluating and determining section for evaluating propriety of the strategy and determining a proper strategy; and

a car group control strategy transmission section for transmitting the proper strategy to the probe car.

3. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control strategy of the probe car inputted by the car group control strategy input section comprises an index concerning a speed such as a desired speed of the probe car and/or an index concerning steering operation such as a lane change.

4. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the car group control strategy evaluating and determining section comprises a traffic simulator for evaluating propriety of the strategy.

5. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the traffic data comprises:

car traveling data transmitted from an in-vehicle terminal having a transmission function via radio communication means such as a beacon on a road or a base station of portable telephone or PHS;

fixed point passing traffic data measured by a car sensor on a road;

road image processing data measured by an image sensor;

or

indication schedule data of intersection signals.

6. A traffic control system comprising:

a traffic data storage for collecting and storing traffic data in real time; and

a probe car control apparatus according to claim 2;

and

a radio communication section serving as intermediation means for coupling an in-vehicle terminal, the probe car control apparatus, and the traffic data storage, or an intersection signal by using radio communication,

wherein a car group having a probe car at head thereof or a whole traffic flow including the car group is controlled by controlling a probe car having the in-vehicle terminal.

7. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the car group strategy of the probe car inputted by the car group control strategy input section is forming car groups by disposing probe cars in suitable positions based on traffic data;

canceling a car group by making a probe car leave a car group or making a probe car an ordinary car;

or integrate car groups into one car group by controlling probe cars leading a plurality of car groups.

8. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a method for disposing probe cars in the control strategy or car group strategy of probe cars inputted by the car group control strategy input section is:

a method of selecting suitable cars as probe cars from among traveling ordinary cars, based on traffic data;

or

a method of previously disposing cars dedicated cars to be used as probe cars, selecting probe cars to be squeezed between ordinary cars, and selecting positions and methods of squeezing.

9. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein subject cars of the control strategy or car group strategy of probe cars inputted by the car group control strategy input section are all cars traveling on a subject section.

10. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein indices used in an evaluation function for evaluating propriety of the strategy in the car group control strategy evaluating and determining section comprises:

travel time (average speed), traffic jam length, a number of times of stop, and variation of speed (standard deviation), serving as indices concerning efficiency;

a number of times of rapid deceleration occurrence, a number of times abnormal approach between cars, a number of times of crashes, and stability of a traffic flow at time of following movement (local stability/asymptotic stability), serving as indices concerning safety;

or

exhaust volume of matters determined by the Environmental Pollution Prevention Act and the Air Pollution Control Act, such as hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxide (NOx), lead compounds, particulate matters, acoustic power level of road traffic noise, exhaust volume of carbon dioxide, fuel consumption, and road traffic vibration, serving as indices concerning environment.

14. A traffic control system comprising:

a traffic data storage for collecting and storing traffic data in real time;

a probe car control apparatus according to claim 2;

and

a radio communication section serving as intermediation means for coupling an in-vehicle terminal, the probe car control apparatus, and the traffic data storage, or an intersection signal by using radio communication,

wherein a car group having a probe car at head thereof or-a whole traffic flow including the car group is controlled by controlling a probe car having the in-vehicle terminal.

15. A traffic control system according to claim 14, wherein the car group control strategy evaluating and determining section comprises a traffic simulator for evaluating propriety of the strategy, and derives a degree of contribution of a driver of a probe car based on a difference of evaluation values derived by the traffic simulator.

11. A probe car control apparatus for controlling an intersection signal, comprising

a map database;

a car group strategy input section for inputting signal indication schedule data so as not to divide a car group having a probe car at head thereof by a red light, based on the database or traffic data collected in real time; and

a car group control strategy evaluating and determining section for evaluating propriety of the signal indication schedule data and determining proper signal indication schedule data.

12. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the car group control strategy evaluating and determining section comprises a traffic simulator for evaluating propriety of the strategy.

13. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the traffic data comprises:

car traveling data transmitted from an in-vehicle terminal having a transmission function via radio communication means such as a beacon on a road or a base station of portable telephone or PHS;

fixed point passing traffic data measured by a car sensor on a road;

road image processing data measured by an image sensor;

or

indication schedule data of intersection signals.

16. A traffic control system comprising:

a traffic data storage for collecting and storing traffic data in real time; and

a probe car control apparatus according to claim 11;

a signal control device for controlling indication of a signal; and

a signal,

wherein a car group having a probe car at head thereof or a whole traffic flow including the car group is controlled by controlling an intersection signal so as not to divide a car group having a probe car at head thereof by a red light.