LANE-LEVEL VEHICLE NAVIGATION FOR VEHICLE ROUTING AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT

• US 20140278052A1
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caliper Corporation
• Original Assignee: Caliper Corporation
• Inventors: Yang, Qi, Rabinowicz, Andres, Brandon, Jonathan, Slavin, Howard, Morgan, Daniel, Balakrishna, Ramachandran
• Granted Patent: US 9,964,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/400
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3658 Lane guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• 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 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

A lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus includes a simulation module that performs microsimulation of individual vehicles in a traffic stream, and a lane-level optimizer that evaluates conditions along the candidate paths from an origin to a destination as determined by the simulation module, and determines recommended lane-level maneuvers along the candidate paths. A link-level optimizer may determines the candidate paths based on link travel times determined by the simulation module. The simulation may be based on real-time traffic condition data. Recommended candidate paths may be provided to delivery or service or emergency response vehicles, or used for evacuation planning, or to route vehicles such as garbage or postal trucks, or snowplows. Corresponding methods also may be used for traffic planning and management, including determining, based on microsimulation, at least one of (a) altered road geometry, (b) altered traffic signal settings, such as traffic signal timing, or (c) road pricing.

Claims

1. A lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus comprising:

a simulation module that performs microsimulation of individual vehicles in a traffic stream; and

a lane-level route optimizer that evaluates predicted conditions along candidate paths from an origin to a destination as determined by said simulation module, and determines recommended lanes to use and the associated lane-level maneuvers along the candidate paths.

2. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a link-level optimizer that determines said candidate paths based on link travel times determined by said simulation module.

3. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 2 wherein:

said simulation module performs multiple simulation runs for at least some of said candidate paths; and

said link-level optimizer is utilized to identify time-efficient and reliable routes and route guidance.

4. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein the recommended lanes to use and the associated lane-level maneuvers take into account driver route preferences.

5. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 4 wherein said driver route preferences comprise lane preferences.

6. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lane-level optimizer takes account of the operation of traffic controls along the candidate paths.

7. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 6 wherein said operation of said traffic controls is simulated by said simulation module.

8. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 6 wherein said operation of said traffic controls is evaluated based on real-time traffic control data.

9. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

inputs for real-time traffic condition data;

wherein;

said simulation module bases said microsimulation at least in part on said real-time traffic condition data.

10. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein said lane-level optimizer takes account of future downstream lane conditions.

11. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein models used in said microsimulation, and said lane-level optimizer, take account of effects of obstacles to traffic flow.

12. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 11 wherein said obstacles to traffic flow comprise one or more of (a) work zones, or (b) traffic accidents.

13. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein different routings are provided to different vehicles traveling from said origin to said destination.

14. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 1 wherein said simulation module is at least one of (a) multi-threaded, or (b) distributed.

15. A lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus comprising:

a simulation module that performs microsimulation of individual vehicles in a traffic stream to recommend candidate paths at lane level; and

inputs for real-time traffic condition data;

wherein;

said simulation module bases said microsimulation at least in part on said real-time traffic condition data.

16. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 15 wherein said real-time traffic condition data are available for at least one of (a) one or more vehicles, or (b) one or more road segments.

17. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation apparatus of claim 15 wherein said real-time traffic condition data are available at lane level.

18. A lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method comprising:

performing microsimulation, in a simulation engine, of individual vehicles in a traffic stream; and

evaluating, in a lane optimizing engine, predicted conditions along candidate paths from an origin to a destination as determined by said performing, and determining recommended lane-level maneuvers along the candidate paths.

19. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 18, further comprising determining, in a link optimizing engine, candidate paths from said origin to said destination based on link travel times determined by said performing.

20. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 19 wherein:

said performing comprises performing multiple simulation runs for at least some of said candidate paths; and

said determining comprises identifying time-efficient and reliable routes and route guidance.

21. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 18 wherein the determining takes into account driver route preferences.

22. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 18 wherein said determining takes account of the operation of traffic controls along the candidate paths.

23. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 22 wherein said performing comprises simulating said operation of said traffic controls.

24. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 22 wherein said simulating said operation of said traffic controls is based on real-time traffic control data.

25. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 18 further comprising:

inputting real-time traffic condition data;

wherein;

said performing bases said microsimulation at least in part on said real-time traffic condition data.

26. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 18 wherein said determining takes account of future downstream lane conditions.

27. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 18 wherein models used in said performing, and said determining, take account of effects of obstacles to traffic flow.

28. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 27 wherein said obstacles to traffic flow comprise one or more of (a) work zones, or (b) traffic accidents.

29. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 18 wherein different routings are provided to different vehicles from said origin to said destination.

30. A lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method comprising:

performing, in simulation engine, microsimulation of individual vehicles in a traffic stream to recommend candidate paths at lane level; and

inputting real-time traffic condition data;

wherein;

said performing bases said microsimulation at least in part on said real-time traffic condition data.

31. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 30 wherein said real-time traffic condition data are available for at least one of (a) one or more vehicles, or (b) one or more road segments.

32. The lane-level vehicle routing and navigation method of claim 30 wherein said real-time traffic condition data are available at lane level.