Probe car control method and traffic control system

• US 6,708,085 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2001
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fushiki, Takumi, Yamane, Kenichiro, Yokota, Takayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US09/793,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/117, 701/118, 701/200, 701/207, 701/208, 701/213, 340/905, 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/991, 340/993
• 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 traffic control system comprising:

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

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 or a car group strategy concerning behavior of a car group having a probe car at the 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 probe car control instructions of the proper strategy to the probe car; 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 the head thereof or a whole traffic flow including the car group is controlled by controlling a probe car having the in-vehicle terminal.

8. 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 1; 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 the head thereof or a whole traffic flow including the car group is controlled by controlling a probe car having the in-vehicle terminal.

9. A traffic control system according to claim 8, 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.

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 the 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 probe car control instructions of the proper strategy to the probe car, 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 integrating car groups into one car group by controlling probe cars leading a plurality of car groups.

3. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 2, 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 dedicated cars to be used as probe cars, selecting probe cars to be squeezed between ordinary cars, and selecting positions and methods of squeezing.

4. 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 the 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 probe car control instructions of the proper strategy to the probe car, wherein indices used in an evaluation function for evaluating propriety of the strategy in the car group control strategy evaluating and determining section comprise;

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, including at least one of 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.

5. 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 the 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.

6. A probe car control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the car group control strategy evaluating and determining section comprises a traffic simulator for evaluating propriety of the strategy.

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

car traveling data transmitted from an in-vehicle terminal having a transmission function via radio communication means;

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

road image processing data measured by an image sensor;

or indication schedule data of intersection signals.

10. 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 5;

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

a signal, wherein a car group having a probe car at the 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 the head thereof by a red light.