Infrastructure-based collision warning using artificial intelligence

• US 7,317,406 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2005
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Technical Center USA, Inc. (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Wolterman, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US11/050,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20060181433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 340/917, 340/905, 340/906, 340/907, 340/908, 340/910, 340/916
• US Class Current: 340/917
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/08 according to detected number or speed of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles

Abstract

An improved apparatus for controlling a traffic signal at an intersection includes a signal controller having an artificial intelligence based situational analyzer. The signal controller receives vehicle data related to the speed and position of vehicles approaching the intersection, and optionally time and ambient condition data. If the artificial intelligence based situational analyzer predicts a signal violation, operation of the traffic signal is modified to reduce the probability of a vehicular collision.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a traffic signal at an intersection of a first route and a second route, the traffic signal providing a first signal to a first vehicle on the first route, and a second signal to a second vehicle on the second route, the apparatus including:

a vehicle sensor, operable to provide vehicle data for the first vehicle, the vehicle data including vehicle speed and vehicle position;

an ambient condition sensor, providing ambient condition data for the intersection; and

a signal controller controlling the first signal and the second signal,

the signal controller including an artificial intelligence based situational analyzer, receiving the vehicle data and the ambient condition data,

the artificial intelligence based situational analyzer determining a stopping deceleration necessary for the first vehicle to avoid violating the first signal, and providing a violation prediction if the stopping deceleration exceeds a threshold deceleration,

the threshold deceleration being modified by ambient condition data;

the violation prediction causing a modification of the control signal so as to reduce the probability of a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the signal controller further receiving a time signal, wherein the threshold deceleration is higher during a first time interval, the first time interval corresponding to a rush hour period.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the threshold deceleration is correlated with a typical stopping deceleration under similar ambient condition data.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the threshold deceleration is reduced if ambient condition data are correlated with a reduced road friction coefficient.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein ambient condition data include temperature data.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, ambient condition data further including present precipitation data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the threshold deceleration is reduced if the ambient condition data include an indication of present precipitation.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus further includes a memory, the memory storing ambient condition data, the threshold deceleration being reduced if stored ambient condition data include an indication of recent precipitation.

9. The signal controller of claim 1, wherein the threshold deceleration is reduced if ambient condition data include an indication of frozen water on the road surface.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modification of the control signal provides a delayed green light to the second vehicle.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the delayed green light is a delayed green left turn arrow.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the modification of the control signal provides a green light and an additional warning light to the second vehicle.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the additional warning light is a strobe light, a red bar over the green light, a yellow light, or a white light.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ambient condition data include temperature data and precipitation data.

15. An apparatus for controlling a traffic signal at an intersection of a first route and a second route, the traffic signal providing a first signal to a first vehicle on the first route, and a second signal to a second vehicle on the second route, the apparatus including:

a vehicle sensor, operable to provide vehicle data for the first vehicle, the vehicle data including vehicle speed and vehicle position;

a signal controller providing a control signal so as to control the first signal and the second signal,

the signal controller including an artificial intelligence based situational analyzer,

the artificial intelligence based situational analyzer receiving the vehicle data and determining a stopping deceleration necessary for the first vehicle to avoid violating the first signal, and providing a violation prediction if the stopping deceleration exceeds a threshold deceleration,

the artificial intelligence based situational analyzer using a pattern analysis of previous vehicle data and previous signal violation events so as to determine the threshold deceleration,

the violation prediction causing a modification of the control signal so as to reduce the probability of a collision between the first vehicle and the second vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein apparatus further includes:

an ambient condition sensor; and

a memory,

wherein previous vehicle data, previous ambient condition data, and previous signal violation events are stored in the memory as stored data,

the artificial intelligence based situational analyzer using a pattern analysis of stored data to determine the threshold deceleration.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the stored data further includes time data.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein ambient condition data include temperature data and precipitation data.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein ambient condition data include temperature data and dew point data.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein ambient condition data includes data correlated with the existence of roadway water.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein ambient condition data includes data correlated with the existence of fog or falling precipitation.

22. The control system of claim 16, wherein at least a part of the ambient condition data is provided by an ambient condition sensor embedded in a surface of the first route.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, the modification of the control signal operable to delay the phase of the second signal so as to reduce the probability of a collision.

24. A method of reducing a probability of a collision in an intersection having a traffic signal, the traffic signal having a signal phase, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an artificial intelligence based situational analyzer;

using the artificial intelligence based situational analyzer to determine a pattern analysis of stored data, the stored data including previous vehicle data relating to vehicles previously passing through the intersection, the stored data including previous signal violation events;

determining vehicle data for a vehicle approaching the intersection, the vehicle data including vehicle speed and vehicle position;

predicting a signal violation using comparison of the vehicle data and the signal phase to the pattern analysis of stored data; and

providing a modified signal operation if signal violation is predicted, so as to reduce the probability of the collision.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further includes the step of determining ambient condition data,

wherein the step of predicting the signal violation includes a predicted effect of the ambient condition data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the ambient condition data includes an ambient temperature and a signal correlated with current precipitation.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further includes the step of determining time data,

wherein the step of predicting the signal violation includes a predicted effect of the time data.