Traffic guidance system

• US 8,330,622 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2008
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Stählin, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V
• Application Number:
  US12/674,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 340901-907, 340/943, 340/693.3, 340/988, 340/933, 340/435, 340/909, 340/910, 340915-917, 701/117
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates 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 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

Traffic light installations for producing meta information on the basis of input information about the surroundings of the traffic light installation. The traffic light installation acts as a data pool and can independently reproduce a road section using the information which it has measured or which it has obtained from adjacent vehicles. In addition, the traffic light installation can use the input information to produce meta information which is communicated to other vehicles and thus results in a constant flow of traffic.

Claims

1. A traffic light installation for producing meta information on a basis of input information about surroundings of the traffic light installation, said traffic light installation comprising:

a control unit for producing the meta information on the basis of the input information, the input information collected by vehicles on the roadway and indicating traveling conditions on the roadway;

a communication unit for sending the meta information to other vehicles on the roadway;

wherein the meta information is configured to produce a constant flow of traffic on the roadway by informing drivers of the other vehicles of the traveling conditions on the roadway.

2. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the input information has information which is sent from a vehicle to the traffic light installation.

3. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the input information is transmitted to the traffic light installation by short-range communication.

4. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the input information contains a piece of information stating that a vehicle is an emergency vehicle.

5. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the input information has monitoring data from surroundings of the traffic light installation which the traffic light installation records using a dedicated sensor system.

6. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the meta information contains a speed recommendation for the other vehicles.

7. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the meta information is configured to automatically actuate a driver assistance system or to adjust an Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) of a receiving vehicle.

8. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the traffic light installation is a mobile traffic light installation.

9. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1, also comprising:

a data store for storing and collecting the input information;

wherein the control unit is configured to create a digital map about the surroundings of the traffic light installation on the basis of the input information.

10. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the control unit is configured to analyze the input information and take the analysis as a basis for determining whether the vehicle is moving toward the traffic light.

11. The traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the communication unit is configured to network a plurality of traffic light installations to one another.

12. A safety system for a vehicle for communication with a traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1, said safety system comprising:

a communication unit for automatically transmitting information to the traffic light installation and for receiving meta information from the traffic light installation;

a control unit for automatically evaluating the meta information which is sent by the traffic light installation;

wherein the control unit is also configured to produce a control signal for assisting a driver of the vehicle on the basis of the meta information.

13. A program element which, when executed on a processor in a traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1, instructs the processor to perform the following steps:

production of input information;

production of meta information on the basis of the input information by the traffic light installation; and

sending the meta information to adjacent vehicles, wherein the meta information is configured to produce a constant flow of traffic.

14. A computer-readable medium which stores a program element which, when executed on a processor in a traffic light installation as claimed in claim 1, instructs the processor to perform the following steps:

production of input information;

production of meta information on the basis of the input information by the traffic light installation; and

sending of the meta information to adjacent vehicles, wherein the meta information is configured to produce a constant flow of traffic.

15. A method for producing meta information on the basis of input information about surroundings of a traffic light installation, said method having the following steps:

producing input information;

producing, by the traffic light installation, meta information on the basis of the input information, the input information collected by vehicles on the roadway and indicating traveling conditions on the roadway; and

sending, by the traffic light installation, the meta information to other vehicles on the roadway,

wherein the meta information is configured to produce a constant flow of traffic on the roadway by informing drivers of the other vehicles of the traveling conditions on the roadway.