Cellular-based preemption system

• US 7,868,783 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Bachelder, Aaron D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/420,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20090189782A1
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 340/906, 340/902, 340/903, 340/907, 340/916, 340/917, 340/933, 340/994, 701/300, 701/301, 701/302
• US Class Current: 340/906
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/087 Override of traffic control, e.g. by signal transmitted by an emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle

Abstract

A cellular-based preemption system that uses existing cellular infrastructure to transmit preemption related data to allow safe passage of emergency vehicles through one or more intersections. A cellular unit in an emergency vehicle is used to generate position reports that are transmitted to the one or more intersections during an emergency response. Based on this position data, the one or more intersections calculate an estimated time of arrival (ETA) of the emergency vehicle, and transmit preemption commands to traffic signals at the intersections based on the calculated ETA. Additional techniques may be used for refining the position reports, ETA calculations, and the like. Such techniques include, without limitation, statistical preemption, map-matching, dead-reckoning, augmented navigation, and/or preemption optimization techniques, all of which are described in further detail in the above-referenced patent applications.

Claims

1. A system for controlling traffic for allowing passage of an emergency vehicle through an intersection controlled by traffic signals, the system comprising:

means for placing the emergency vehicle in an emergency mode;

means for transmitting a trigger signal responsive to the emergency vehicle being placed in the emergency mode;

a cellular unit in the emergency vehicle receiving the trigger signal and in response, generating position data for the cellular unit; and

a control device in the emergency vehicle receiving the position data from the cellular unit, vehicle information based on the position data, and transmitting the vehicle information to the cellular unit;

wherein, the cellular unit forwards the vehicle information to an intersection control unit via a cellular network for controlling the traffic signals at the intersection, wherein the intersection control unit is configured to control the traffic signals based on an estimated time of arrival of the emergency vehicle, the estimated time of arrival being calculated based on the vehicle information received from the cellular unit via the cellular network.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the intersection control unit is further programmed to:

receive the generated vehicle information;

calculate the estimated time of arrival of the emergency vehicle based on the vehicle information; and

transmit one or more preemption commands for preempting the traffic signals based on the estimated time of arrival.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the intersection control unit is further programmed to:

receive real time status information of the traffic signals;

monitor timing of traffic signal phases based on the received real time status information; and

transmit the one or more preemption commands based on the monitored timing of the traffic signal phases.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the cellular unit includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for generating the position data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the cellular unit forwards the vehicle information without disabling use of the cellular unit for an active call.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an on-board diagnostics circuitry coupled to the emergency vehicle and providing vehicle speed and acceleration, wherein preemption of the traffic signals is based the vehicle speed and acceleration.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more navigation sensor units coupled to the emergency vehicle and providing vehicle navigation data, wherein preemption of the traffic signals is based on the vehicle navigation data.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle information includes one of predicted vehicle position and heading.

9. A system for controlling traffic for allowing passage of an emergency vehicle through an intersection controlled by traffic signals, the system comprising:

means for placing the emergency vehicle in an emergency mode;

means for transmitting a trigger signal responsive to the emergency vehicle being placed in the emergency mode;

a cellular unit in the emergency vehicle receiving the trigger signal and in response, transmitting a location request to a cellular station, wherein, the cellular station is configured to receive the location request, generate position data of the cellular unit in response to the location request, and transmit the position data to the cellular unit; and

a control device in the emergency vehicle receiving the position data from the cellular unit, generating vehicle information based on the position data, and transmitting the vehicle information to the cellular unit,

wherein, the cellular unit forwards the vehicle information to an intersection control unit via a cellular network for controlling the traffic signals at the intersection, wherein the intersection control unit is configured to control the traffic signals based on an estimated time of arrival of the emergency vehicle, the estimated time of arrival being calculated based on the vehicle information received from the cellular unit via the cellular network.

10. The system of claim 9

wherein the intersection control unit is further programmed to:

receive the generated vehicle information;

calculate the estimated time of arrival of the emergency vehicle based on the vehicle information; and

transmit one or more preemption commands for preempting the traffic signals based on the estimated time of arrival.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the intersection control unit is further programmed to:

receive real time status information of the traffic signals;

monitor timing of traffic signal phases based on the received real time status information; and

transmit the one or more preemption commands based on the monitored timing of the traffic signal phases.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

an on-board diagnostics circuitry coupled to the emergency vehicle and providing vehicle speed and acceleration, wherein preemption of the traffic signals is based on the vehicle speed and acceleration.

13. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

one or more navigation sensor units coupled to the emergency vehicle and providing vehicle navigation data, wherein preemption of the traffic signals is based on the vehicle navigation data.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein controlling of the traffic signals is based on computation of a statistical likelihood of the emergency vehicle crossing the intersection.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein controlling of the traffic signals is based on intelligent map-matching.

16. A control device in an emergency vehicle for allowing passage of the emergency vehicle through an intersection controlled by traffic signals, the control device comprising:

a microcontroller coupled to a cellular unit and configured to execute computer program instructions, the computer program instructions including;

receiving position data generated by the cellular unit;

generating vehicle information based on the position data; and

transmitting the vehicle information to the cellular unit;

wherein, the cellular unit forwards the vehicle information to an intersection control unit via a cellular network for controlling the traffic signals at the intersection, wherein the intersection control unit is configured to control the traffic signals based on an estimated time of arrival of the emergency vehicle, the estimated time of arrival being calculated based on the vehicle information received from the cellular unit via the cellular network.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the intersection control unit is further programmed to:

receive the generated vehicle information;

calculate the estimated time of arrival of the emergency vehicle based on the vehicle information; and

transmit one or more preemption commands for preempting the traffic signals based on the estimated time of arrival.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the intersection control unit is further programmed to:

receive real time status information of the traffic signals;

monitor timing of traffic signal phases based on the received real time status information; and

transmit the one or more preemption commands based on the monitored timing of the traffic signal phases.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the vehicle information includes one of predicted vehicle position and heading.

20. A method for controlling traffic for allowing passage of an emergency vehicle through an intersection controlled by traffic signals, the method comprising:

receiving position data generated by a cellular unit;

generating vehicle information based on the position data; and

transmitting the vehicle information to the cellular unit;

wherein, the cellular unit forwards the vehicle information to an intersection control unit via a cellular network for controlling the traffic signals at the intersection, wherein the intersection control unit is configured to control the traffic signals based on an estimated time of arrival of the emergency vehicle, the estimated time of arrival being calculated based on the vehicle information received from the cellular unit via the cellular network.