Proactive mechanism for supporting the global management of vehicle traffic flow

• US 7,725,250 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2006
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Branch, Joel W., Cohen, Norman H., Davis, John S. II, Ebling, Maria R., Bisdikian, Chatschik, Sow, Daby M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/488,939
• Publication Number:
  US 20080019269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,407 Days
• Field of Search: 701117-119, 340/907, 382/104
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0133 for classifying traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0145 for active traffic flow control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data
• 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

Abstract

The invention addresses the disadvantage of automated vehicle traffic management systems by providing a solution for predicting and avoiding traffic congestion before the congestion is experienced. The invention includes a decentralized mechanism for predicting congestion. An exemplary embodiment of the invention uses a system of sensors to determine current traffic flow; the sensors communicate their state to a network of servers and then an algorithm is applied to the collected data to predict traffic congestion; upon detection of congestion, signals are communicated to the system controllers to prevent the traffic congestion.

Claims

1. A computer system implemented method of managing traffic flow in a transportation system, said method comprising:

creating, within a computer system, an abstract representation of said transportation system that includes decision nodes representing intersections of paths within said transportation system and that includes links representing paths between said decision nodes, receiving current traffic flow rates for each of said links from a plurality of sensors located within said links;

predicting, using said computer system, future traffic flow rates for each outgoing link of each node based on current traffic flow rates for each incoming link of each said node and based on current traffic flow rates of each said outgoing link;

comparing, using said computer system, predicted traffic flow rates for each said outgoing link of each node to determine which of said outgoing links have the lowest traffic flow rates;

routing, using said computer system, users of said transportation system to outgoing links that have said lowest traffic flow rates by transmitting commands to said users;

after routing said users, adding, using said computer system, users routed to a link to a predicted traffic flow rate for said link;

identifying, using said computer system, a link as being congested if either of a current traffic flow level or a predicted traffic flow level exceeds a predetermined maximum;

routing, using said computer system, users of said transportation system away from congested links by transmitting commands to said users; and

receiving a final destination from a user of said transportation system, wherein said routing only considers links that will allow said user to reach said final destination.

2. A method of managing traffic flow in a transportation system, said method comprising:

creating, within a computer system, an abstract representation of said transportation system that includes decision nodes representing intersections of paths within said transportation system and that includes links representing paths between said decision nodes,

receiving, using said computer system, current traffic flow rates for each of said links from a plurality of sensors located within said links;

predicting, using said computer system, future traffic flow rates for each outgoing link of each node based on current traffic flow rates for each incoming link of each said node and based on current traffic flow rates of each said outgoing link;

comparing, using said computer system, predicted traffic flow rates for each said outgoing link of each node to determine which of said outgoing links have the lowest traffic flow rates;

routing, using said computer system, users of said transportation system to outgoing links that have said lowest traffic flow rates; and

after routing said users, adding, using said computer system, users routed to a link to a predicted traffic flow rate for said link.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

identifying a link as being congested if either of a current traffic flow level or a predicted traffic flow level exceeds a predetermined maximum; and

routing users of said transportation system away from congested links.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising receiving a final destination from a user of said transportation system, wherein said routing only considers links that will allow said user to reach said final destination.

5. A method of managing vehicle traffic flow in a vehicle transportation system, said method comprising:

Creating, within a computer system, an abstract representation of said transportation system that includes decision nodes representing intersections of roads within said transportation system and that includes links representing roads between said decision nodes,

receiving, using said computer system, current vehicle traffic flow rates for each of said links from a plurality of sensors located within said links;

predicting, using said computer system, future vehicle traffic flow rates for each outgoing link of each node based on current vehicle traffic flow rates for each incoming link of each said node and based on current vehicle traffic flow rates of each said outgoing link;

comparing, using said computer system, predicted vehicle traffic flow rates for each said outgoing link of each node to determine which of said outgoing links have the lowest vehicle traffic flow rates;

routing, using said computer system, vehicles of said transportation system to outgoing links that have said lowest vehicle traffic flow rates; and

after routing said vehicles, adding, using said computer system, vehicles routed to a link to a predicted vehicle traffic flow rate for said link.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

identifying a link as being congested if either of a current vehicle traffic flow level or a predicted vehicle traffic flow level exceeds a predetermined maximum; and

routing vehicles of said transportation system away from congested links.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising receiving a final destination from a vehicle of said transportation system, wherein said routing only considers links that will allow said vehicle to reach said final destination.